Interview: Mike O’Hearn talks about mental health, acting, and the digital age of entertainment

Mike O’Hearn. Photo Credit: Dina Yarbrough.

Mike O’Hearn is an American bodybuilder, actor, personal trainer and model. He chatted about the importance of mental health and being a part of the digital age of entertainment.

American track and field legend Steve Prefontaine once said: “To give anything less than your best, is to sacrifice the gift.” This quote applies to Mike O’Hearn.

Background on Mike O’Hearn

O’Hearn appeared as the gladiator “Titan” on the revival of “American Gladiators,” and he is the founder of Power Bodybuilding, his exercise program. He also appeared in the daytime drama “Days of Our Lives” and the sitcom “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.”

O’Hearn has been spotlighted on over 400 magazine covers, and was honored as “Fitness Model of the Year’ seven times.

O’Hearn on bodybuilding and acting

“Bodybuilding was not easy for me, but I was a champion by age 20,” he said. “Acting though has been a struggle, and I love that it’s a struggle. It’s fun for me to have that struggle.”

O’Hearn on his daily motivations

On his daily motivations, O’Hearn remarked, “I have one life, and I always was a dreamer. Coming from 10 brothers and sisters, and being the youngest, I saw what they were doing, and I love that we were bred to do martial arts, bodybuilding, lifting and sports. I wanted to do it for a lifetime… that was the goal.”

“I wanted to enjoy fitness, movies, acting, and martial arts forever. I fell in love by the age of nine, I said this is what I was doing, and I never changed,” he said.

O’Hearn on the digital age of entertainment

On being a part of the digital age, O’Hearn said, “It kicked me into a second generation. Social media introduced me to a whole new demographic, so it has helped me stay consistent and continue to do what I do.”

“Social media gets a bad reputation, but if it is used the right way, as a tool, it can be great,” he noted. “If it is used the right way, social media can be amazing!”

“I’ve met so many people that are lifelong friends through social media for over 10 years,” he said. “I love the fact that I was here before social media, so I had to perform at such a high level to be in magazines and shows. There was an old-school work ethic that was applied to me that I can still use today with social media.”

“I want to tell the kids out there to really apply themselves to use social media in a great way, so that they can get their messages out,” he acknowledged.

Advice for young and aspiring actors and bodybuilders

For young and emerging actors and bodybuilders, O’Hearn said, “Whatever you are doing, it has to be for the passion for it. It can’t be for the money or the fame.”

“When I first got to Los Angeles, an acting coach once told me, if you are here for fame and money, then get out. I understood that because I came from winning Mr. Universe. I just wanted to do it because I freaking love it,” he explained.

Importance on mental health in the digital age

O’Hearn underscored the importance of mental health, especially in this Internet age.

“If you can keep control of the basic things, you are ahead of 90 percent of the world,” he said.

“Just stay focused on what makes you happy, eating healthy, and focus on the basic exercises. Don’t try to be a superstar overnight. If you can just stay with the basic things and do that day in and day out consistently, then you are going to succeed,” he explained.

“Your mindset has to be controlled,” he noted. “You can be patient but still put the work in. Mental health is such a big thing. I got lucky, my significant other, Mona, is a strong individual. She came to America from Romania, and she made her dreams come true. She is moving forward strong mentally.”

“Also, I have a close circle of friends around me,” he added.

O’Hearn on Jesse Kove and Martin Kove

O’Hearn had great words about father and son Martin and Jesse Kove. “Knowing Jesse and his father Martin Kove is gold,” O’Hearn said. “Jesse is in Hollywood, he is getting great projects, he is a stud, and he is so down-to-earth.”

“Jesse is a really cool cat. Look at this dad, Martin, he is still going strong too. Martin is a joyful guy, and he appreciates life, and he has fun doing it,” he added.

O’Hearn on C. Thomas Howell of ‘The Outsiders’

O’Hearn had nice words about veteran actor and musician C. Thomas Howell of “The Outsiders.”

“Stay gold, Ponyboy,” O’Hearn recalled the classic line from the movie. “‘The Outsiders’ is an epic movie, and the director is a legend. Every single person in the cast became top-of-the-line famous. Rob Lowe and Tom Cruise are still going strong. ‘The Outsiders’ is such a great movie,” O’Hearn elaborated.

Career-defining moments

When asked about his career-defining moments, he shared, “Everything helped everything. Getting ‘American Gladiators’ as a 20-year-old allowed me to watch those leaders on the show. I’m a watch guy; I don’t ask questions, I understand, and I learn from that. So, being on that helped me with other shows.”

“I think the aspect of being in it and never giving up has helped me a great deal,” he added.

O’Hearn on Johnathon Schaech and ‘Blue Ridge’ series

O’Hearn had nice words for Johnathon Schaech and the series “Blue Ridge.”

“I’ve known Johnathon since he was 20,” he admitted. “Johnathon came from Baltimore, and he started training at Gold’s Gym and he started training, and we’ve been friends ever since. Johnathon has put a lot of time in, and it is great to see him getting a second season of “Blue Ridge’.”

Mike O’Hearn on playing ‘The Contractor’ in ‘Blue Ridge’

Speaking of “Blue Ridge,” O’Hearn noted that he likes the arc of his character. “I thought it was really cool because of the fact that it appears that the guy is a big-time wrestler, and the flip on it was nice, especially to do it in a TV show,” he said.

“It was nice to show that my character was a really nice guy and just a good wholesome person. That show was a great learning experience for me. It was a great cast with Johnathon and his friends,” he noted.

“I think the fans will like the character, and I think they will like the two switches. What I like about the show is that it’s a wholesome show. It’s that old-school type of TV show that teaches you something in each episode,” he added.

Lessons learned from ‘Blue Ridge’

On the lessons learned from “Blue Ridge,” O’Hearn remarked, “It taught me the concept that you need to have controlled aggression at times. It’s okay to go to that level as long as it’s in control, and then come back to that soft heart. That’s what ‘Blue Ridge’ did for me, tremendously.”

O’Hearn added that “Blue Ridge” afforded him the privilege to act across somebody that he has been friends with for over 30 years, Johnathon, and then flip it, and get into a scene with that person.

“It was so cool to be able to do that opposite Johnathon,” O’Hearn admitted.

O’Hearn on his future plans

Regarding his future plans, he shared, “We have a couple of movie projects, and I am waiting to hear on start dates, but I am prepping for them already. I will be playing another youngster; I am having fun doing that. I have a lot of appearances traveling the world. It’s a fun traveling time right now.”

O’Hearn on fatherhood, latest stage of his life

On the title of the current chapter of his life, O’Hearn revealed, “Fatherhood.”

“This whole new chapter is the motivation of continuing to do what I do without slowing down. If anything, speeding up more, and also, showing my young son what is possible. I have a young five-year-old, and he is fun,” he said.

O’Hearn on becoming a popular Internet meme

In 2023, O’Hearn became an Internet meme on TikTok in a short video to Haddaway’s popular song “What is Love,” in a new version that is slowed down and reverbed. “How crazy is that? Wow,” O’Hearn exclaimed.

“The meme is just hilarious. The majority of society is enjoying this meme, and they basically chose it. This meme has been going on for over two years; it’s incredible,” he said.

Superpower of choice

“I like the idea of invisibility,” he revealed about his desired superpower. “Invisibility or flight would be great. I would love to fly everywhere and see everything. It would be cool to be invisible too because I can do a lot of things,” he noted.

Success

O’Hearn went on to furnish his definition of success. “Success is when my passion triggers others,” he said.

“My dad was a teacher and after he passed, I would have people write to me saying that he was their schoolteacher, and how my dad changed their lives. That’s speaking beyond the brave, and I thought that was the coolest thing in the world. I am hoping I am that way for my son,” he acknowledged.

Message for his fans

For his fans and supporters, O’Hearn said, “I just want to say a heartfelt thank you to them. The fans are incredible, they are fun and quirky, and they are lone wolves. I love them, and one of the coolest things is that the fans are multi-generational.”

“Whenever I would do appearances, the parents would tell me that they heard I’m in town, but they didn’t hear it from the radio or TV, they would hear it from their kids, who would tell them the ‘TikTok guy is in town’ and the parents would tell their kids, ‘that’s Titan’,” he elaborated.

“So at these events, you would have 8 to 12-year-olds coming to meet me, as well as their parents who grew up on me because they watched me because of their parents, and that is just the coolest thing in the world… to have three generations of fans to come and see me at these fan events,” he said.

“When I first started out, I was just hoping to win Mr. Universe, I didn’t think I would be doing what I’ve been doing for this long, and I couldn’t be happier,” he concluded.

Vince Lombardi once said: “Perfection is not attainable. But if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.” Mike O’Hearn embodies this wise quote by the legendary football coach.

To learn more about Mike O’Hearn, follow him on Instagram and TikTok.