River Faught

River Faught (born February 11, 1975) is an American actor and performance artist. Known for playing dark and surreal characters in independent films. Breaking away from the norm, his unconventional film roles are the cornerstone of independent films that abandon the traditional 3 act structure.
==Early Life & Education==
Faught was born on February 11, 1975, in Kansas City, Missouri. His family legacy is one of hard work. Phyllis Jean Eddings, his mother, labored in a factory before transitioning to become a dedicated beautician, while his father, Wayne Faught, tirelessly worked in a paper mill. Despite their divorce during his early childhood, both parents remarried and instilled a strong work ethic in Faught and his older brother, David Faught. Raised by his resilient mother in the small town of Western Grove, Arkansas, he spent summers with his father in Atkins, Arkansas, shaping a family legacy rooted in diligence and perseverance.
He regards Western Grove as his true hometown, having spent the majority of his youth there. As a young child, Faught secretly harbored thoughts of becoming an actor and gracing the big screen. Being raised in the small town of Western Grove, Arkansas, with a population of only 365 people at the time, Faught kept his dreams of being on the big screen to himself. He did not share them with anyone else, believing that his dream was unattainable coming from such a small, seemingly remote place in the middle of nowhere. His acting dream would be put on hold for college, as it seemed like the safe route for him.
Faught attended three different high schools: Western Grove High School, Atkins High School, and Lead Hill High School, where he graduated one of 18 in his graduating class of 1993. He then enrolled at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Arkansas, where he earned a degree in Criminology with a Bachelor of Arts. Following his graduation with honors in 1997, Faught and his newlywed wife, Cyndi Richardson (whom he married during his second year of college), immediately relocated to Springdale, Arkansas. There, he secured a job at a dilapidated hotel situated in a questionable part of town. After enduring a year in this dangerous work environment, and with an unfortunate incident involving a hotel resident's suicide attempt, Faught was now convinced that life was too short for him not to pursue his life's dream of acting. He and his wife made the decision to move to Los Angeles, California, where he would finally have the long-awaited opportunity to pursue a career in acting.
==Documentaries==
==Performance Art==
==Career==
==Books==
* Flesh on Fire: Addicted to a Dream - Donnie Faught (aka River Faught) Journals(2011)
In 2011, Faught wrote a book titled Flesh On Fire: Addicted To A Dream - The Donnie Faught (AKA River Faught) Journals, which describes the grueling, step-by-step process he underwent in creating his autobiographical, award-winning feature documentary film, Flesh On Fire: Addicted To A Dream.
The book provides readers with a distinctive perspective and an intimate glimpse into Faught's innermost thoughts, chronicled through his daily journal entries throughout the process of bringing his film to life.
==Filmography==
Films
Year	Title 	Role 	Director 	Notes
2000	Big Top Winkle 	Carny 	Lara Jo Regan 	Short Film
2000	Chances or Choices 	Instructor 	Unknown 	Educational School Video
2001	Stain 	Delusional Man 	Takae Hoshina 	Short Film
2001	William Hertz Documentary 	Common Man 	Unknown 	Feature Documentary
2002	After the Dance 	Jesse 	Chris Seals 	Short Film
2002	Cedar Flats 	Gambler 	Andrew Robert Muller 	Short Film
2002	Shadow Box 	Southern Man 	Kelley O'Connor 	Short Film
2004	Blacklist Commie 	Communist 	Tenzin Wangchuk 	Short Film
2005	Short Side of Nothing 	Creep 	Phillip Garcia 	Short Film
2006	A Dentist's Best Friend 	Harry Jacoby 	Eric Thompson 	Short Film
2007	Caroline: The Bearded Woman 	Tom 	Jackson Lanzing 	Short Film
2007	Montana 	Montana 	Esther Elise Johnson 	Short Film
2007	Salesman of the Year 	Lucas Peabody 	Matthew Stubstad 	Short Film
2007	Ten Years' Time 	Convict 1 	Drew Walkuphttps://drewwalkup.com/ 	Short Film
2007	The Swimming Pool 	Rodgers 	Chineze Anyaene 	Short Film
2008	Cronulla 	Skinhead 	Jason Mavraidis 	Short Film
2008	Jack in the Pulpit 	Janitor 	Ben Conrad 	Short Film
2008	Some Meaning 	John 	Jillian Leynes 	Short Fillm
2008	Strange Tail 	Mad Scientist 	E.M. Garol 	Short Film
2008	True Perfection 	Professor Wright 	Sarah Mohen 	Short Film
2009	A Film About Races 	The Terminators (Himself)	Jonathan Baker 	Feature Documentary
2009	Academy of Satan 	Dalton Jenkins 	Rasika Ruwanpathirana 	Co-Writer
2009	The Things We Carry 	Drug Dealer 	Ian McCrudden 	
2010	Blockhead 	John 	John Francis Conwayhttps://johnfconway.com/ 	Short Film
2010	Less to Pack 	Homeless Man 	Jennifer Hanks 	Short Film
2010	Saul of Suburbia 	Inmate 1, Guard 	Benjamin Ironside Koppinhttps://ironsidefilms.tv/	Short Film
2010	Staying Clean 	James 	Brian Brookshire 	Short Film
2010	Thirst 	Mr. Cup 	Rasika Ruwanpathirana 	Short Film
2012	Flesh on Fire: Addicted to a Dream 	Himself 	Benjamin Ironside Koppin 	Autobiographical Feature Documentary
2012	Jim 	Jim 	Jason Monares 	Short Film
2016	Guiding Light 	Abusive Boyfriend 	Benjamin Ironside Koppin 	Short Film
2016	The Lodge 	Didi 	Rasika Ruwanpathirana 	Short Film
2017	1 Buck 	Bill 	Fabien Dufilshttps://www.fabiendufils.com/ 	Actors Award for Best Ensemble
2018	Darwin'd 	Roger 	Brigg Bloomquisthttp://www.briggbloomquist.com/ 	Short Film
2019	King Baby 	Santa 	Case Esparros 	
2023	The Absence of Milk in the Mouths of the Lost	Demon #1 	Case Esparros 	
Television
Year	Title 	Role 	Director 	Notes
1999	Bonnie and Clyde 	Gang Member 	Yuki Wakano 	Documentary (Yuki Wakano Productions)
2001	Madonna "V.I.P." MTV Promo 	Jim the Sound Guy 	Melissa Silverman	TV Commercial
2002	IBM "Vin Extraordinaire" 	Grocery Store Employee	Joe Pytka 	TV Commercial
2003	Dance Fever 	Dancer 	Alan Nash 	ABC Family Channel
2006	Best Damn Sports Show Period	Uncredited 	Scott Bantle 	Sports TV Show
2007	Manhunter 	Detective 	Leonardo Corbucci	TV Pilot
2008	Baggage 	Homeless Man 	Eben McGarr 	TV Pilot
2008	Date My House 	Home Buyer 	Damon Zwicker 	Learning Channel (Team Tiara Productions)
2008	Oregon Lottery 	Lottery Winner 	Unknown 	TV Commercial
2021	Haunted 	Himself 	Jan Pavlacky 	Season 3, Ep. 3: "Gift of Evil"
Documentaries
Year	Title 	Writer	Director 	Producer	Role 	Notes
2012	Flesh on Fire: Addicted to a Dream	Yes 	Benjamin Ironside Koppin	Yes 	Himself	Autobiographical Feature Documentary
Music Videos
Year	Title 	Artist 	Role 	Director 	Notes
1995	"Funk It Up" 	Toshi Kubota 	Psycho Dancer 	Steven Mirashiga	
2000	"Fa Fa" 	Guster 	High School Student 	Steve Hanft 	
2000	"Mr. E's Beautiful Blues" 	Eels 	Weirdo 	Marcos Siega 	
2000	"Yes!" 	Chad Brock 	Boyfriend 	Gerry Wenner 	
2001	"Evolution Revolution Love"https://www.discogs.com/release/537059-Tricky-Evolution-Revolution-Love	Tricky 	Pedestrian 	Jake Scott 	
2004	"Mono" 	Courtney Love 	Head Security Guard 	Chris Milk 	
2007	"A Gondola Ride in Paris" 	The Messenger 	Mental Hospital Patient	Nicole Bossier 	
2007	"The Sound of Truth" 	As I Lay Dying	Dystopian Human 	Brian Thompson 	
Web Series
Year	Title 	Role 	Director 	Notes
2008	Vidigreet.comhttps://www.socaltech.com/vidigreet_launches_new_e_card_line/s-0019142.html Online Video Greeting Card	Hillbilly	Unknown 	Mother's Day Video Greeting
2022	River Faught Performance Artist | Day 1 Transmission #1 	Performer	Himself 	In this Performance Art Series on YouTube, Faught is sharing with you a Daily Transmission From Planet Earth. Faught shares artistic consciousness through his Performance Art. These are daily Performance Art Pieces. This Series ran from January 1, 2022 to March 31, 2022. During those 90 days he shot 2 videos (1 Horizontal & 1 Vertical) a day, for a total of 180 videos!
2023	"The Ghost of Saturn" 8.2 	Himself 	Joey Borovicka	YouTube Collaboration: "An Experimental Variety Show"
Performance Art
Year	Title 	Role 	Director	Creator	Ref(s)
2022	River Faught Performance Artist | Day 1 Transmission #1 	Performer	Yes 	Yes 	
2022	River Faught Performance Artist | "Love... Why Drive When You Can Fly" 	Performer	Yes 	Yes 	
2022	River Faught Performance Artist | "Heal... A Cut, The Heart, Without Choice"	Performer	Yes 	Yes 	
2022	River Faught Performance Artist | "Masking The Flavor Of Thorned Ego" 	Performer	Yes 	Yes 	
2023	River Faught Surreal Performance Artist | "A Mealworm Dream" 	Performer	Yes 	Yes 	
2023	"Object Of Mutual Attraction" 	Performer	Yes 	Yes 	
2023	River Faught Surreal Performance Artist | "Blood, Earth & In Between" 	Performer	Yes 	Yes 	
2023	River Faught Surreal Performance Artist | "Life Force Absorption" 	Performer	Yes 	Yes 	
2023	River Faught Hoarder House Performance Art | "This Is The Normal" 	Performer	Yes 	Yes 	
2024	#238 	Performer	Yes 	Yes 	
2024	#245 | "Hoarder Song" 	Performer	Yes 	Yes 	
Category:1975 births
Category:American actors
Category:Performance artists
Category:American people