James L. Edwards' acting career began at the age of 12 when he responded to a local newspaper ad for a low-budget horror film, "The Dead Next Door". Initially, he was interested in working as a special effects make-up artist, but he soon discovered his passion for acting and other aspects of production work.
Hired as a production assistant and featuring in multiple roles as a zombie or victim, Edwards became a stable actor and production team member for Tempe Entertainment, a company he worked with from 1985 until a falling out with director J.R. Bookwalter in 1998.
During his time with Tempe, Edwards worked as an actor in almost all of their productions, as well as serving as producer, writer, set designer, and CGI artist on various projects. He also wrote freelance articles for Blackest Heart and was the head review writer for Alternative Cinema magazine.
Edwards' notable performances include a role as a serial killer in the horror film "Bloodletting" and as a co-screenwriter on Pete Jacelone's film "Psycho Sisters", which he got the job for after writing a scathing review of Jacelone's original work.
After the Tempe split, Edwards took time off to get married and have children, living a "normal" life until he was approached by filmmaker T. Michael Conway to work on the reality horror film "June 9". Edwards came aboard as a producer and actor.
He went on to produce and act in a string of independent features, including "The Spook Show", "Poison Sweethearts", "Wrestlemassacre", and "Killer Campout", which he also co-wrote.
In late 2017, Edwards announced his directorial debut, a romantic horror film called "Her Name Was Christa", starring Shianne Daye, Drew Fortier, Rick Jermain, Kaylee Williams, and himself. The film was released on Valentine's Day in 2020.
