Introduction
Some actors build careers. Then there are actors who build ecosystems. Spend five minutes talking to Darren Darnborough, and it quickly becomes apparent that acting is only part of the story. While audiences may recognize him from series such as MacGyver, Magnum P.I., 2 Broke Girls, and True Blood, Darnborough has quietly become one of the entertainment industry’s most interesting hybrid figures: actor, entrepreneur, technology innovator, and community builder.
Fresh from another whirlwind year at the Cannes Film Festival, Darnborough is currently balancing acting roles, running global actor platform WeAudition, launching vertical-content casting app VertiCast, and helping shape conversations around where entertainment is heading next. And if that sounds exhausting, he laughs. He tells Cinema Scholars:
“Cannes is kind of like adult spring break…I’ve been going for 22 years now. It’s where I reconnect with friends from around the world, people I’ve worked with before, and people I’ll probably work with in the future.”
The Business of Connection
For many people, networking is a necessary evil. For Darnborough, it’s practically a philosophy. While discussing his various ventures, a recurring theme emerges: community. It’s even the guiding principle on his social media profile, where he describes his passion as “creating and curating communities.” He stated:
“I spent some time trying to figure out what the common thread was between all the different things I do…Acting, technology, entrepreneurship. What I realized was that everything I’ve ever built has been based around community”
That includes WeAudition, the global platform connecting actors for self-tapes and rehearsal sessions, as well as VertiCast, his latest venture designed specifically for the rapidly growing vertical micro-series market. Darnborough elaborated:
“There’s just magic in communities…Since the dawn of time. When you identify a group of people who can help each other, that’s when the real leverage happens…Whether it’s creating an online business for fifty thousand actors worldwide or crewing up a film, it’s really the same skill…Finding the right people and putting them together”
Hollywood’s Next Frontier Is Vertical
If traditional Hollywood has spent the last decade obsessing over streaming, Darnborough believes another revolution is already underway, vertical storytelling. What began as an experimental format on mobile devices has exploded into a global business, driven by audience habits, data analysis and changing viewing patterns. But unlike traditional television development, which can take years, vertical production moves at remarkable speed. Darnborough states:
“People are already spending time on their phones. The vertical micro-series industry developed because that’s where audiences are. These productions are often being made in direct response to market data. They’re creating stories that audiences want right now…Some productions are making four or five projects a month. For smaller roles, they might genuinely be casting the day before someone needs to be on set.”
That speed has fundamentally changed casting. It’s that reality that inspired VertiCast, which uses a swipe-to-match system familiar to anyone who’s used a dating app. The goal? Remove friction. In an industry increasingly driven by efficiency, Darnborough believes simplicity wins. He notes:
“As a producer you’re asking a few simple questions. Do they look right for the role? Can they act? Have they worked in vertical content before? Are they available?”
Can Horror Survive the Vertical Revolution?
One particularly fascinating topic is whether horror can successfully transition into vertical storytelling. The genre has traditionally thrived on atmosphere, scale and collective audience experiences. Darnborough isn’t entirely convinced the transition will be straightforward. He points out that many classic horror techniques rely heavily on visual space. The actor elaborates:
“Horror is a communal experience. You want to scream, then laugh with other people. You want that feeling in a theatre. A shadow crossing behind a character. Eyes flickering in the distance. Something lurking in the background. That’s much harder to achieve in a vertical frame. Someone’s going to invent a new cinematic language for vertical horror. Somebody clever will figure it out, and it’ll create a whole new branch of the genre.”
The AI Conversation Nobody Wants to Have
Artificial intelligence remains one of entertainment’s most divisive topics, particularly among actors. While many industry professionals view AI with suspicion, Darnborough takes a more pragmatic approach. He references the evolution of technologies like Photoshop and computer aided design, arguing that creative industries have always adapted to new tools. However, that doesn’t mean blind optimism.
“At one point every sign had to be hand-painted. Now nobody would expect that.”
Instead, he sees AI as something closer to a powerful assistant than a replacement for human creativity. His favorite description comes from filmmaker Steven Soderbergh: “It’s the best intern you’ll ever have.” Darnborough agrees.
“As a research tool, it’s excellent. You still need human judgement. You still need somebody checking things.”
Where he diverges from some industry concerns is around AI replicas and digital likenesses. His take is blunt. It’s an uncomfortable observation, but one rooted in commercial reality. He states:
“Actors are worried about studios using their likeness. But many of us signed contracts years ago that already allow companies to use our image in technologies invented in the future. If they haven’t hired the real version of you, why would they want the fake version?”
A Career Defined by Curiosity
What makes Darnborough an engaging interview subject isn’t simply that he’s involved in so many areas of the industry. It’s that he appears genuinely curious about all of them. He speaks about acting with the same enthusiasm he brings to technology. He talks about entrepreneurship with the same excitement he reserves for film festivals. And perhaps that’s why the various strands of his career feel connected rather than scattered. Everything ultimately comes back to people.
“People tell me my businesses look self-sustaining. If it looks like that, then great. That’s the goal. But it’s definitely not the truth.”
For now, audiences can catch Darnborough in Marshals, the latest expansion of the hugely successful Taylor Sheridan-created Yellowstone universe, while keeping an eye out for his upcoming horror film Mr. Whisper. But given the speed at which both Hollywood and Darnborough seem to move, that may change by tomorrow.
“Acting moves fast. Maybe by tomorrow I’ll have another job and I don’t know it.”
And judging by everything else he’s building, that wouldn’t be surprising at all.
