O’Neil Thomas Details His Cowboy Carter Tour Highlights And Reveals His Netflix Acting Goals

A content creator who is an absolute fan-favorite!

From showing off his fiercest fashion looks to showing us the true definition of being in the beyhive, O’Neil is an influencer that you need to know. Because the second you do, you’ll be obsessed with following along his road to stardom.

We had the absolute pleasure of speaking with O’Neil about an unforgettable fan experience, fashion collab aspirations and more!

When did you first decide to post on social media? Did you initially expect to actually become a full-time content creator?

O: “Funny enough, I started posting on social media when I was in middle school, around the ages of 12 to 13 years old. Since falling in love with acting in the 3rd grade, I just naturally gravitated towards watching TV shows all the time. I looked forward to it every day after school. I absolutely adored Comedy Sitcom shows like Drake & Josh, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, That’s So Raven, and more! Any chance I got, I’d script out a video on my laptop and film and edit it on that same laptop. And I loved every second of it, haha!

I think I always knew I’d be a full-time content creator; I just didn’t know when. While I’m still actively working toward my dream of becoming a full-time actor, creating content has always been a part of my life simultaneously. It was never one or the other. I’d have days where my agent would send over 2-3 auditions in a day that I’d have to tape. Once I submit them and my job is done, I immediately put myself in front of the camera and film another video idea I’ve been working on that week. Which basically means I’m destined to create my own production company one day.”

Over 4 Million followers across social media and that number is growing every day! What has been your reaction to your fame?

O: “4 Million already?!?! WILD! As funny as it may sound, my reaction to fame has been both surprising & gratifying. It’s gratifying because I’ve been nurturing this dream of mine for years and working extremely hard towards it day in and day out. So whenever I get to meet people who are fans of my work, it instantly makes my entire day because I get to see the impact my videos have done for people directly from the source.

It’s, at times, surprising because you really never expect it, haha. The craziest encounters are when I’m traveling abroad. I remember getting recognized in Cannes, France. This lovely woman immediately saw me and told me how much she loved my videos. Shocking was an understatement. Then I was in Jamaica on a family vacation, and I got recognized 3 times while I was there! It goes to show that you never really know who’s watching your videos and how they might be affected by them at that moment. It’s one of the biggest reasons why I love art/entertainment in any medium.”

We have got to talk about your Cowboy Carter experience because your outfits and journey alone should be its own docuseries. Was there an unexpected/crazy moment whilst going to all the tour stops that you encountered?

O: “Oh My Gosh! Yes! The Cowboy Carter Tour Week was definitely an experience & a literal dream in itself! Thank you! If any network wants to produce that docuseries, my phone is open, haha! There were TONS of insane moments that happened during her MetLife stop.

To name a few, I got to be photographed by her incredibly talented photographer, Julian Dakdouk, and was featured on her website TWICE! I got to party with her companies, Parkwood & Sir Davis, during there Kickoff Party in NYC, which was such a fun time (They definitely know how to throw a great party!), and of course, I got to meet so many of my fans face to face which was the biggest highlight of my time there, next to Beyoncé of course, haha. But there was one particular moment that I still get chills from, and that was opening night.

I went with a long-time friend of mine to the show, and we went to the 2nd floor to grab food. While the line was a bit long for my liking, I decided to go to the 1st floor to get something and meet back with her where we were. As soon as I left her and took about 10 steps south in a very packed and frenzied stadium corridor, I was spotted by a woman and her friend who stopped whatever she was doing. Her initial words were, “I KNOW YOU!” and I said, “Do you?!”

She says to me, “I’ve been following you since 2016!” And proceeded to show me the proof on her phone. I stopped in my tracks because I had started creating content full-time in 2020. She told me she followed me from a funny Beyoncé Vine I did years ago…. That video never went viral. She then proceeded to tell me how impactful my videos were to her and how proud she was of me, following me on my journey and encouraging me to keep going because she was rooting for me. To this day, I still can’t believe it. How did we manage to cross paths in a crowd of thousands of moving people? I don’t think I’ll ever forget that moment.“

Your career is already iconic. From going to the Met Gala to your appearance in a Netflix series, what has been the biggest pinch-me moment thus far?

O: “Why, thank you! Honestly, my career has had so many highs that it’s hard for me to name just 1 big pinch-me moment, so I’m going to be an annoyingly indecisive Libra and give you my top 3 pinch-me moments, haha!

1. Going to Cannes, France, for the first time with TikTok to speak at seven different panels.
2. Buying my mom a car
3. I was also just in South Korea with Netflix to promote their Final Season of Squid Game 3!! It was a huge pinch-me moment!”

Speaking of Netflix, we speak for all fans when we say that we need you in a comedy sitcom asap! What are your acting goals?

O: “Thank you! I’m in the same boat as you, haha! My acting goals are all similar to me, basically wanting to be a Full-Time Actor. I’ve been training for years, and I am currently in class, but the acting industry is vastly different from the content-creating industry in regard to work opportunities.

I love shows of all types, but I’d definitely love to be a Guest Star on an episode of Abbott Elementary. I’ve also fallen in love with the new show Adults on FX and can 100% see myself on a fun episode for a hopeful Season 2. Ben Kronengold & Nick Kroll are geniuses, and I’d love to work with them.

And of course, I think a full circle dream of mine would have to be a Lead/Series Regular on a Netflix Original Series. Netflix has always been near and dear to my heart because they were my first professional TV acting job since I signed with my manager.

Seeing how we’ve built such a beautiful partnership over the years, I think leading a show would fulfill my Netflix prophecy, haha! I also love how they pride themselves on sourcing new talent and fresh faces for their original series. It gives so many actors a chance at the spotlight and the platform they’ve dreamt of. I’d also be great during a press tour, so if my friends at Netflix are reading this? Call me & my agents! Haha.”

And with your jaw-dropping fashion, we could also see you launching a fashion brand of your own, or doing a collection in partnership with a brand. Have you given it any thought?

O: “I just heard the word fashion brand and almost passed out, haha! Creating a fashion brand would be so exciting; however, my schedule wouldn’t allow for that at this very moment, but of course, that could change.”

“I’ve also loved the idea of a collection or collaboration with a brand to gain firsthand experience of the method behind the fashion madness. There are numerous brands I’d love to work with, including Louis Vuitton, Phix, Prada, Telfar, Balmain, LaQuan Smith, YSL, and the list goes on. One of my dreams would be to wear a custom Schiaparelli outfit designed by Daniel Roseberry. I think his work is breathtaking, especially his Haute Couture designs.”

What is your best advice to those, especially men, who want to explore fashion and show off more of their creativity?

O: “Don’t be afraid to have fun! Fashion is all about expression. Leave the black tie suits for Black Tie events. Unless the dress code says, “Come in a black suit”, try wearing something that’ll boldly express who you are when you walk into a room. Play around with shapes, colors, patterns, silhouettes, and ACCESSORIES! You’d be surprised how much you stand out by adding a brooch to your suit!”

Where can we follow your amazing journey?

O: “You can follow me and my journey on my socials! TikTok: oneilthomas97, Instagram: oneilthomas, and YouTube: oneilthomas97 I’m also a HUGE Instagram Story user, so to get the most up-to-date word on what I’m up to, definitely check out my Instagram Stories.”

Photo Credit: Folájímí

Je’Kayla Crawford– Founder and Director– Je’Kayla has been a journalist for years and decided to start a publication of her own, New Scene Magazine, back in October 2020. When not helping her team and working on their print issues, you can find her watching a movie on Netflix or baking using a viral TikTok recipe.