Former Haligonian Eli Goree making waves on small and big screens

Last week, Halifax's Eli Goree found himself at his first San Diego Comic-Con, in a green room, hanging out with Conan O'Brien.

That chance meeting with the late night television host was the icing on the cake for Goree, who had already been greeted at Comic-Con by legions of fans.

"We got to chat a little bit," Goree says. "It was a cool experience."

Goree grew up on Creighton Street in Halifax, and in Lucasville.

I feel very blessed.- Eli Goree

Now he's making waves in show business.

Goree is part of the cast of a new television series called Dead of Summer that's been generating a lot of buzz since it premiered last month.

Dead of Summer follows a group of young counsellors at a haunted summer camp as strange occurrences unfold.

The creators behind Dead of Summer are the same people behind two big hits on television, Lost and Once Upon a Time.

In the new series, Goree portrays Joel, an aspiring filmmaker and returning camp counsellor.

He auditioned for the role in January, and within a few hours found out he got the part.

"They said they just knew when I walked in that I was the Joel that they were looking for."

A start on the local screen

Goree is currently living in Vancouver, where Dead of Summer is being shot.

He says the last time he was in Halifax was about 10 years ago when he was shooting a series called Soul.

One of his favourite memories from home was working on the Big Black Rap Show on the campus radio station CKDU.

"We used to have a lot of fun on that show," he says.

But Goree credits the CBC with helping him get his start.

His first television role was on Sesame Park, and after that he hosted the youth consumer show Street Cents.

"I feel like the CBC was my springboard for everything I've been doing."

Surreal experiences

The Dead of Summer is not all he's been up to since leaving Nova Scotia.

A small role in 2014's Godzilla is on Goree's list of movie credits. He also had a memorable role in the early episodes of of The 100.

He also recently portrayed Dave Albritton, Jesse Owens' best friend, in the feature film Race. Owens and Albritton were black Olympic medalists at the 1936 Berlin Games in Adolf Hitler's Germany.

"Being able to tell some of that story, such an important historical story to tell, especially as someone of African Canadian descent, that was a really great experience," Goree says.

During the filming of Race, Goree got to meet the families of Owens and Albritton, an experience he won't soon forget.

'Very blessed'

For his role in Race, he lived for two months in Berlin. He also spent a week in London with director J.J. Abrams while testing for Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

He's played pick-up basketball with actor and former Saturday Night Live comedian Jason Sudeikis, and table tennis with actor and Vinyl star Olivia Wilde.

Goree says he feels grateful for the career he's had so far.

"Everything that I've done, I feel like, has been important or shown a different side of me or a different type of character or had something important to say artistically," he says.

"I feel very blessed."