Episode 179 with Aristotle/Alexander's John Kapelos
Backstage With Becca B. Episode 179 with guest John Kapelos is now LIVE on YouTube. On this episode, I talked with John about the challenges of building theater communities in L.A., his early days in Chicago’s collaborative scene, and how support from his father and a role at Second City helped launch his career, how the digital age has reshaped the entertainment industry and brought more opportunities but also more competition, his thoughts on the evolution of storytelling in film and TV, his current show Aristotle/Alexander at Company Of Angels where he stars as Isocrates, historical narratives, focusing on Alexander the Great and his complex relationship with Aristotle, the psychological layers of leadership, the influence of mentorship, how these ancient stories can still resonate today, and much more!
John Kapelos (he/him)
Best known for his iconic role as Carl the Janitor in John Hughes' "The Breakfast Club" and as Detective Donald Schanke in the vampire cult series "Forever Knight," John Kapelos began his career with The Second City, Chicago. Born in London, Canada, Kapelos has appeared in over 200 films and television shows. His film credits include "Roxanne" (with Steve Martin), "Legally Blonde" (with Reese Witherspoon), "Nothing in Common" (with Tom Hanks), and the Academy Award-winning "The Shape of Water" (directed by Guillermo del Toro). Kapelos has guest-starred in numerous TV shows, including "Miami Vice," "Seinfeld," "Home Improvement," "Suits," "Justified," "The Lincoln Lawyer," "The Oval," and "The Umbrella Academy." He also appeared in over fifty episodes of "Days of Our Lives" as the scheming Konstantin Meleounis. He recently portrayed Socrates for the National Hellenic Museum’s presentation of "The Trial of Socrates" for PBS. As a musician, his album "Too Hip for the Room" features twelve fun and satiric jazz tunes, including a crooning cover of "Don’t You (Forget About Me)." John is currently writing and producing the noir series "The Mayor of Koreatown," which is set to film in the spring of 2026.
