Erich Fleshman is a Meisner-trained actor who was raised in Livermore, California, where he developed a passion for performing arts and basketball. After completing his Bachelor's degree in Economics, his sense of adventure led him to participate in a study abroad program in Vietnam, which sparked a lifelong fascination with the languages, cultures, and film histories of Southeast Asia.
His acting career began with a role in the HBO film "A Bright Shining Lie" alongside Bill Paxton, shot on location in the jungles of Kanchanaburi, Thailand. Erich's subsequent work in the entertainment industry led him to become a regular fixture in local and international productions, both in front of and behind the camera.
Erich's breakout role came in the popular Thai film "Heaven's Seven" (2002),where he played Mike, a GI who bootlegged American oil to the Thais. This role catapulted him to stardom in Thailand, and he went on to land lead roles in numerous Thai TV series, including "The Red Roof" (2004),"Champion Boxer" (2003),"Strange Tree in the Forest" (2002),and "Power" (1999).
Erich's subsequent work included collaborations with award-winning Thai filmmaker Pen-ek Ratanaruang in the short film "Twelve Twenty" (2006) and as Tim, the reclusive father of Paula Taylor, in the popular Thai TV series "Lady Maha-chon" (2006). He also worked with Paula on her TV debut "In a Strange Country" (2002) and again in the US feature film "Hellgate" (2009),where he worked closely with William Hurt and Cary Elwes behind the scenes.
In 2009, Erich produced and directed two documentaries and began working extensively as an acting and dialect coach. He went on to work behind the scenes on five big-budget international films, including "Ip Man 2" (2010),where he provided the English voiceover for a character played by Wong Shun-Leung. He also worked as a drama and dialect coach for Hong Kong superstar Shawn Yue in "My Best Bodyguard" (2010).
In 2011, Erich juggled multiple accents and characters as a drama and dialect coach for a slew of international stars, including Tomer Sisley, Ulrich Tukur, and Nirut Sirichanya on "The Burma Conspiracy" (2011). He capped off the year working on "Elephant White" (2011),with award-winning talent Prachya Pinkaew, Djimon Hounsou, and Kevin Bacon as a drama and dialect coach.
After a long-term career based in Asia, Erich relocated back to California from 2012 to 2023 and worked on numerous films, TV shows, and commercials. He worked repeatedly with award-winning independent filmmaker Rob Nilsson and continued his career in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area.
In 2024, Erich founded Illuminate Acting Academy BKK, with the goal of bringing his unique experiences in front of and behind the camera to Southeast Asian talent. He continues to work on set as well as provide private training for on-set talent.
