From Athens to LA: Sam Hennings finds success as character actor, stars in new Netflix film

Athens native Sam Hennings has carved out an impressive career in the entertainment industry as both an actor and writer.

His journey began in the 1980s when he decided to pursue acting full-time, leading him to relocate to Los Angeles. There, he studied at the prestigious Beverly Hills Playhouse in prominent acting teacher Milton Katselas' Master Class.

In 1984, with encouragement from Katselas, Hennings began his theatrical stage career, and by 1985, he made his professional acting debut on the ABC series "Moonlighting". Over the next few years and into the early 2000s, he dedicated himself to improving his craft through continuous study and stage work.

"I can remember as a child knowing exactly when I decided that I wanted to become, or try to become, an actor," said Hennings. "I had no idea what that process was whatsoever."

His dedication paid off, as he landed several guest-starring roles on popular TV shows and films including Dallas, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Dollhouse, Cold Case, CSI: Miami and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

Hennings, 73, is set to captivate audiences once again with his latest project. "The Neon Highway," a film co-starring Beau Bridges and directed by Atlanta native William Wages, was set to premiere July 11 on Netflix. Produced by Stratton Leopold from Savannah and filmed in Columbus, Georgia, the movie was released theatrically in March in select theaters.

Hennings said that when he was sent the script "it just felt like a glove that just fit perfectly."

The story of "The Neon Highway" follows Wayne Collins, whose aspirations of becoming a country music singer-songwriter in Nashville are derailed by a car accident. Twenty years later, Wayne is struggling to support his family with his 9-to-5 job. His fortunes change when her meets Claude Allen, a famous country musician nearing the end of his career. Together, they form a partnership, pairing Collins' songwriting and Allen's fame but face a challenge when they find the changing country music industry is not interested in recording their song.

"I just hope that people will give it a shot to watch it and I think they'll walk away really enjoying the movie," said Hennings.

For more information about this film, visit theneonhighwaymovie.com.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: "The Neon Highway" premieres on Netflix this July.