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Meet Kyle Fragnoli: Actor, fashion model, and athlete

Actor and fashion model Kyle “Kiki” Fragnoli chatted about his career in the entertainment industry, as well as being a part of the digital age.

Kyle Fragnoli
Kyle Fragnoli. Photo Credit: Normandy Europa.
Kyle Fragnoli. Photo Credit: Normandy Europa.

Actor, fashion model, and athlete Kyle “Kiki” Fragnoli chatted about his career in the entertainment industry, as well as being a part of the digital age.

Acting career

“When I show up on set, I try to be as authentic as possible, and I try to bring as much of myself as I can to that particular project,” he said. “I am not a method actor, so I don’t really go into that whole thing.”

“If I were to play ‘Batman,’ I would approach it from the standpoint of ‘how would Kyle play Batman’. That is just me and that is my approach to acting, and it has gotten me far enough,” he explained.

“I like the idea of adding my own elements to everything I do acting-wise,” he said. “Again, every set is a new fun project for me. I do appreciate the human aspect and the creative side of acting.”

The digital age

On being a part of the digital age, Fragnoli said, “It’s tough. I personally hate editing myself. Being as involved as possible is the best way to do it. If you are not posting every day, you are falling behind, and that’s something I need to get better at myself.”

“Everyone is so accessible to the Internet and the best streaming platforms,” he said. “You need to be involved and you need to be in it to win it. Even though I genuinely hate putting myself out there, these days, I must. There is a lot more user-generated content now more than ever.”

“Overall, there is a lot more power going to the creator so as long as you have a creative mind, you will get ahead in this industry right now, especially as we push forward with the digital age,” he added.

Kyle Fragnoli
Kyle Fragnoli. Photo Credit: Guy Viau Photography

AI in the future of the entertainment industry

Fragnoli addressed his thoughts on AI (artificial intelligence) on the future of the entertainment business.

“It wasn’t looking too good a few months ago,” he observed. “This was the first time in a long time that the actors and the writers’ unions were both on strike. In an economy, the first thing that goes with high inflation is the arts, and they take a hit. There is an oversaturation in the market right now; there are more subpar productions being produced.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised to see a general movement or push going back to the creator’s side,” he predicted. “There are a lot of people making high-quality films on their own time and with their own talent without the need of getting involved with productions. It is interesting to see the change in that.”

“It will be really interesting to see the power struggle between independent artists, producers, filmmakers and designers,” he added. “The same holds true for music and podcasts. People are in their basements, where they are creating some really great podcasts. Art should continue to stay human.”

Fragnoli continued, “It is scary to think that a lot of casting agencies and productions are asking for artists and talent to sell their likeness to be used for copyright form for any type of production that they want. It is scary to think that their image can be used repeatedly without any royalties going to that artist.”

“I recommend people pay attention to what they sign, and they should read the fine print. AI is not going away any time soon. It is definitely left to humans to come up with individual compositions or projects that need to be completed,” he acknowledged.

From model to Los Angeles firefighter

A native of Albany, New York, Fragnoli shared that his modeling career has been going well but his goal is to become a Los Angeles firefighter, to be a part of LA’s “Bravest.”

“I am also a lacrosse coach at Santa Monica High School, which allows me to juggle the acting and modeling life and that has been great,” he said. “I will be participating in the firefighter interview for the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) this Valentine’s Day.”

“I’ve done a couple of night shoots, which don’t get in the way of anything,” he added.

His first modeling shoot ever was for The Rolling Stones

Fragnoli shared that his modeling shoot for The Rolling Stones was his first modeling shoot ever.

“I was in the right place at the right time,” he said. “I’ve got to work with a bunch of different artists and producers, which include Megan Thee Stallion.”

“Modeling has been an awesome pursuit, and I am very grateful for it,” he added.

Starring in Chloé Caroline’s ‘Confetti’ music video

Fragnoli played the “life of the party guy” in Chloé Caroline’s “Confetti” music video.

“Working with Chloe was great,” he exclaimed. “I love her and her entire family. Her mother is a sweetheart, and her father is a legend in his own right. Chloe is doing really well, and she is making huge splashes,” he said.

Career-defining moment: Being complimented by Meryl Streep

A career-defining moment involved receiving a compliment from three-time Oscar winner Meryl Streep.

“In 2019, before COVID, I didn’t know what I wanted to do in my life,” he admitted. “I thought I was going to law school, but I was working on a musical project ‘The Prom,’ and I accidentally bumped into Meryl Streep, who told me ‘You are something special, kid… I can already tell’ and she just waltzes off, and I was just blown away by that.”

“That moment made me feel special and it made me re-think everything. It made me realize that she is human too, and the industry is not as tainted and bad as people claim that it is,” he said.

“Lo and behold, Meryl and I bumped into each other together at other projects and she remembered me again and proclaimed me a ‘special kid’ yet again,” he said.

“I just love working with new people each time on set. It’s like a box of chocolates to quote ‘Forrest Gump,’ you don’t know what you will get,” he added.

Finishing the 2023 New York City marathon

Another proud moment was when he finished the New York City Marathon nearly one year after he suffered bodily injuries from an assault that had left him in physical agony.

He completed it in three hours, 19 minutes, and 43 seconds, which breaks down to approximately seven minutes and 37 seconds pace per mile. He ranked in the Top 500 in his age group.

“I ran it a year later and I crushed the marathon,” he exclaimed. “I was crying… my parents were there and it was such a rewarding experience for me,” he said about the marathon, fighting back tears.

“I am hoping to run it next year too,” he revealed. “I’m getting ready to apply for the open lottery again. I’m looking forward to doing any marathon that I can, including the LA marathon on Saint Patrick’s Day this year. It has been a blessing.”

Stage of his life

On the title of the current chapter of his life, Fragnoli said, “Comeback.”

“I finally feel like I have my feet under me, figurately and literally,” he said. “I feel like the ‘comeback kid.’ I healed and I am focused on what I want to actually do even though COVID and the accident took time away from me.”

“The New York marathon was the beginning of that comeback story, and we are still cruising… I am on cruise control right now,” he said.

“We are hoping that the LAFD is my next chapter in life, where I will be known as ‘Firefighter Fragnoli.’ As of right now, this is the comeback stage of my life,” he added.

Advice for young and aspiring artists

For young and aspiring actors, artists, and models, Fragnoli said, “You need to have thick skin. Smile often, don’t take things personally, and don’t get butthurt. By not taking things personally, that will allow you to keep moving forward without delay.”

“Genuinely keep pushing even when there is pushback. Have thick skin and be able to take rejection. Failing is a part of the process; if you are not failing, then you are not putting yourself out there,” he said.

Favorite mottos to live by

On his favorite mottos to live by, Fragnoli said, “The coolest cat stays the coolest.” “Keep a leveled head and remember that the coolest cat stays the coolest,” he reiterated. “Give a little smile and say something calm.”

Superpower of choice

If he were to have any superpower, he responded, “To take away other people’s superpowers.” “Anyone who is dealing with me is automatically just human. I want to be everyone’s Kryptonite and everyone’s weakness,” he said.

When asked what track and field event, he would do, he noted that it would be the “200 yard or the 200 meter dash.”

“That event is a hard one to pace yourself,” he admitted. “It has a little extra push at the event. You need to question your heart a little bit, you need to have some grit and you can’t fail… that’s my life sometimes. You need to keep the momentum going; this event represents my life pretty well.”

In swimming, he listed “freestyle” as his favorite stroke. “I don’t know any other ones,” he said with a sweet laugh. “I would DQ (disqualify) myself in all of the other strokes.”

Success

Regarding his definition of the word success, Fragnoli said, “Happiness and protective mental health.” “Success is something that really can’t be measured unless you are happy along the way,” he said.

Fans and supporters

For his fans and supporters, he said, “I am grateful to all of the people that have given me words of encouragement in the beginning of my career up until now. Even to my naysayers and doubters, thanks for keeping me pushing.”

“I am so blessed, and I don’t ever want to let anyone down. At the end of the day, they just make me realize how blessed and thankful I am, especially with the great life I’ve lived so far, and hopefully keep living,” he concluded.

Margaret Mead once said: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” It is evident that this quote applies to Kyle Fragnoli.

To learn more about Kyle “Kiki” Fragnoli, follow him on Instagram.

Markos Papadatos
Written By

Markos Papadatos is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for Music News. Papadatos is a Greek-American journalist and educator that has authored over 22,000 original articles over the past 18 years. He has interviewed some of the biggest names in music, entertainment, lifestyle, magic, and sports. He is a 16-time "Best of Long Island" winner, where for three consecutive years (2020, 2021, and 2022), he was honored as the "Best Long Island Personality" in Arts & Entertainment, an honor that has gone to Billy Joel six times.

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