Looking back, Niko Foster realizes he’s been an entertainer all his life. He just didn’t recognize it until he was in his 20s, after he studied business at Indiana University. That’s when he left the Midwest for New York City, where he joined Chippendales.

He worked seven years with the entertainment group in New York and did three world tours. Then Chippendales moved out to Las Vegas, where he finished up his stint with them. That’s when he put his college business knowledge to good use.

“I started running nightclubs all around the country and built up to where I had 54 of them. Again, entertaining people,” Foster says. “And so when I sold all of my nightclubs, I then said, ‘What do I do now? I want to entertain everybody, I’m gonna get into the film business.”

Foster built a film studio and became an actor, writer, and producer. And he’s produced 29 films, written two, and acted in 11 movies. One of these films has recently been featured at the Cannes Film Festival.

“I play the lead in The Wrecker, which has been getting some pretty good reviews so far,” Niko says. “It’s still in post production, but the international distributor, out of their 50 films at the Cannes Film Festival, put us on the cover of their magazine because they believe in this film tremendously. That was the highlight of the Cannes Film Festival for us. And we were like, wow, this is awesome.”

At six-two and 205 pounds, Foster sees himself in the category of the Jason Momoa, John Cena size, and this movie is also in their wheelhouse of action-adventure.

“I’m not a professional wrestler, by any means. But, you know, I’m in that size range of these bigger guys in Hollywood,” Niko says. “In The Wrecker, besides the action, we showed a lot of skin, lots of shirtless workout scenes, stuff like that, to attract the female audience to the character as well.”

Foster’s other big upcoming film has the chance to be an international blockbuster. It’s a spy story, based on a book in a well-loved series in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. The movie, MR-9: Do or Die, tells the story of an elite Bangladeshi spy (the hero of the novels) and a CIA agent who team up to destroy an evil international organization. The film is a collaboration between US and Bangladeshi producers, actors, and writers. It will be released very soon, and Foster is very proud of it.

“I think we have a shot to have a big breakout film in the United States, because by then the Oppenheimers and theBarbies are going to kind of dissipate, and everybody will already have seen Indiana Jones and Mission Impossible,” Niko says. “There won’t be any Christmas films out yet. I think we just hit lightning in a bottle with a small independent film. And then we’re going to immediately take it to India and Bangladesh where there are almost 2 billion people.”

Foster is not just another pretty face (and body) in Hollywood. As a producer and executive producer, he knows the ins and outs of working on films. He’s building his credibility with his screenwriting skills. And having this industry knowledge alongside the projects that he continues to work on is only going to help boost his reputation and level Niko up in the entertainment game.

“What I love most is writing. That’s when you’re left alone with your thoughts and no rules or outside influences to just create,” Niko says. “When I hear a person in the entertainment business is a writer, I know they are truly passionate about this business because writing is so personal and leaves you wide open to scrutiny.”

Foster has one of three films that are going to be premiering at the META Film Festival in Dubai this year. He says they’ve been promised first class accommodations to come out and be a part of this prestigious film festival.

“I’m an entertainer,” Niko Foster says. And so far, it looks like the world is beginning to agree.