Nate Mayes

[00:00:00] Speaker A: Welcome back listeners of the Tron podcast. This is your host, Rashad Woods. Today I have a very special guest. Today we have a multi talented actor, model as well as painter of murals. And quite honestly, I'm envious of how his body looks, to be honest with you guys. Ladies and gentlemen, Nate Mays. How are you? Hey. [00:00:16] Speaker B: I'm good, Rashad. Yeah, just happy to be here in a, in a little earlier time zone. So I'm just glad we could make this work. And yeah, I'm kind of missing sunny California right now, to be honest. [00:00:27] Speaker A: Are you back in Arkansas? [00:00:29] Speaker B: I'm back in Arkansas and I love it here so much, but the hottest month of the year and it's just brutal. [00:00:35] Speaker A: Yeah, I've been down there in August before, to be quite honest with you. So I, I certainly know exactly what you're talking. I'm right up in Michigan and we're having a really, really tough heat wave right now. So, you know, I'm glad you made it back home safely, man. And you got a little AC going on right now, to be honest with you. [00:00:48] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, for sure, sure. [00:00:50] Speaker A: So I had the honor and pleasure of looking up the work that you do and obviously you're from Arkansas originally and you made the cross country trip across LA to get into the acting and entertainment world and you're doing really successful. So please tell us a little bit about your background. [00:01:03] Speaker B: Yeah, I grew up in small town Arkansas, you know, really family oriented community. And I got, I got, I got bored I guess. And I've always kind of been drawn to the arts, whether it's really any type of art, except for music. I'm not very good at music, but I guess I did musical theater. So yeah, I was a theater kid and I wanted to make that switch to television. I grew up watching movies that really kind of shaped, shaped me in a lot of ways. And yeah, I knew LA was the place to do that. So I, I had a father in la, so that was really helpful for the transition. And I just, after college I just kind of packed up and, and left. [00:01:46] Speaker A: And you know what's, what's amazing is I watched your interview that you had with Eugenia. I don't want to butcher her name. They said you're inspired by watching movies with your grandmother and that's such a family experience, right, where you start to see yourself as one of the characters and you're like, you know, I saw some of your dream roles were like, you know, the Southern rugged kind of outlaw that's really character well developed. And I'm a big fan of like, you know, Yellowstone, the 1984. So I'm like. While you're saying that, I'm like, I could see like one of those roles for you, right? Like where it's just like, you know, rugged terrain, maybe character flawed, maybe nice guy, not so nice guy. So does that kind of fit your background of your dream roles? [00:02:21] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, I appreciate that, man. Yeah, growing up, I watched a lot, a lot of movies with my grandmother. And then my granddad, he got me on the westerns. And I remember, remember Clint Eastwood, you know, Doc Holliday and just those. I was like, so drawn in by these characters. And, yeah, it definitely manifested something in me because I've always loved westerns and so super excited to play some western roles. I'm actually producing just a short film right now. 15, 20 minutes long. [00:02:50] Speaker A: Nice. [00:02:51] Speaker B: With some friends and really, really talented people working on it. So I'm excited, Just kind of dip my toes. I played a little bit of western before. Nothing like on a series or movie right yet. But yeah, I'm really excited to see. See how this film turns out. And yeah, just get my. Get my face out there wearing a cowboy hat. [00:03:11] Speaker A: Dope, dope, you know. And so one thing about, like, when it comes to particularly westerns was, you know, I used to look up film history all the time. I far from a history buff, but they made a lot of them because they were back in the day, very cheap to make. They could use the same set. You can use a lot of same actors. You didn't have to build a lot of things. You could, you know, somebody got knocked out of a window, they could put the window right back up. So, you know, John Ford back in the day, when he's making all those movies with, you know, that he made in the westerns in the 30s and 40s and 50s, it was easy to make just because of the outlaw and terrain that they had to use. So I thought what was really fascinating about your background, coming from Arkansas, what was the culture difference like? I mean, to come from theaters and plays in Arkansas to come to the epicenter of entertainment. Like, had you been there before to at least, like, prepare yourself? [00:03:55] Speaker B: Yes. Okay. Long story short. Yeah. My dad is my sperm donor. My product of artificial insemination. [00:04:01] Speaker A: Okay. Okay. [00:04:03] Speaker B: People don't know what that is, you know? [00:04:04] Speaker A: Yeah, I do. Yes. Yes. [00:04:07] Speaker B: So he lived in LA. I met him when I was 18. We shared a common interest in painting, so we started doing murals out in LA together. That was my first introduction to the west. I mean, like I didn't, I didn't go more west than Texas before I was 18. So I got to LA, I was like, man, this is weird. I would never live here. And then, you know, was it, you know, five, six years later, I gotta live here? Right? You know, and so the culture shock was, was definitely, definitely a lot. You know, it's really easy to make friends in the South. It's more slow paced. There's, there's not a lot of traffic and you have more opportunity, I feel like, to, to meet people. You know, LA is just like everyone in la, you know, they're working towards something, they're working towards a career, they're working towards something and it's just rush, rush, rush, rush, rush. So that was, that was tough. First couple years were, were tough just because for me I'm a big community person. And so not having my community was just different, you know. And so luckily I found my community eventually. And you know, LA has really great people. It's just a little harder to find sometimes. [00:05:15] Speaker A: Right. And at the end of the day, I mean, irrespective of whether it's, you know, at the end of the day you went from a small town to a big city. So I'm sure if it was a Miami or an Atlanta, that could be something comparable. I thought what was fascinating about your background, first of all, your murals are fantastic. I got a chance to check out your Instagram page. I was like, dude. I was like. And one struck out to me in particular. And I want to say this sensitively. What was the, about the picture with the gentleman over the woman's mouth? That was terrifying, right? What was that mural about where the woman was kind of crying a little bit and then he had his hand on her shoulder? [00:05:46] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, that was, that was a project I was drawing attention on. Sex. Wow. Yeah. And that was my, my sister and my brother in law were actually the. I didn't know who the hell I would ask, hey, who could be my models for this? And I asked them and they said, yeah, sure, we'll do it. And so. Yeah, and, and so it was really. [00:06:09] Speaker A: Yeah, that was, it just stood out so much, man. It was like, it was. Everything was kind of. And I don't want to cut you off. It was like happy, happy, happy. It was like doom. And you're like, whoa, this one just kind of stopped me in my tracks. [00:06:20] Speaker B: Yeah. I feel like every artist kind of has their own agenda. Like, I like people to feel something, I like it to be Impactful. I think there's some amazing non objective abstract artists out there. I've just always been a realist and I'm like, well, if I'm going to do a portrait of somebody, you know, it's got to stick them. So. So yeah, I guess that's what I was trying to do with that. I'm, I'm glad it resonated. Yeah, I would love to. Yeah, I think that when I painted that I was like, I was just a subject that I was really passionate about. Is like, we really need to draw more attention on this. [00:06:53] Speaker A: Oh, for sure. Yeah, it was, it definitely, it definitely stood out to me, that's for sure. And so obviously one of the questions I had when you go to Hollywood, you know, I'm not saying this in a bad way, what do people have to do to be successful and how I know it's competitive. So when you first got there, what's your first objective? How do you meet, how do you start landing roles and ultimately get to the success level that you have so far? [00:07:15] Speaker B: Yeah, I think there's a certain ladder that you have to climb. There's certain steps you have to take. And I'm still, still got a lot of steps to go. I mean the biggest thing is just not quitting. I think normally most actors that move out there, they quit in their first three years. [00:07:31] Speaker A: Got it. [00:07:31] Speaker B: Even their first two. I was a fish out of water. You know, I had some people kind of tell me about the industry, but I really didn't have anyone that was super, you know, hands on, successful, inside the industries. I had to find those people, seek them out. So once I kind of started to see the vision and know what steps I needed to take, then it started becoming easier. You know, when I saw the framework, still hard for sure, but once I saw the framework of. And we can go down the framework if we want to, of course, but just certain steps like, okay, start auditioning. Just see, just see how it is. But you know, before you can get auditions, you have to have professional headshots. I had the worst headshots. I got them in Arkansas. Nothing against this guy, but I mean, waste of money. It was just no one knew how to do. Everyone was doing. If you get, if you got headshots, you were lucky if they were good theater headshots. But no one knew how to do actor headshots in Arkansas. Maybe there was, I just didn't find the right person. But I remember I showed them to some, some, some manager. I was very lucky to get a Manager and just. She really liked me. We hit it off. [00:08:42] Speaker A: Right. [00:08:42] Speaker B: She had a lot of connections. That was just pure luck. Like, I didn't have anything. I just had a really, really good conversation. I knew how to sell myself. [00:08:50] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:08:51] Speaker B: So anyway, so she looked at my headshot. She's like, yeah, no. So luckily, she put me in touch with the. With the guy that did really good headshots. [00:09:00] Speaker A: Awesome. [00:09:00] Speaker B: And then I'm like, okay, yeah, got the headshots, got the real necks. It's just. It's just a stepping ladder. [00:09:06] Speaker A: Right. And so, I mean, I got. You know, and the problem is you don't know what you don't know. [00:09:09] Speaker B: Right. [00:09:09] Speaker A: And, you know, at the end of the day. And so here you are coming from. And this is not a dis to Arkansas. It could be any town, right. You could just be like, hey, looks good to me. You know, I'm glad I got a chance to go in the studio, but there are certain things that have to be. It won't even get past made past a certain screening process if it's not in a certain format or a picture quality. It just won't, you know, and that's the fact of the matter. Can you tell me a little bit about your modeling career? Because I had a chance to see that carpet interview that you had, and it was an event with Leah, and I do not want to mispronounce this woman's last name, but I thought that was really, really, really well done. You got a chance to interview about your modeling? [00:09:43] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. Modeling is kind of new for me, and it's. It's. It's fun. You know, everything I do is really to promote my film career. And if that's, you know, walking on a Runway, sure. You know. Right. I'm a. I'm a bodybuilder. Not a competitive bodybuilder, but a trainer. And so, yeah, and so I. I try to promote myself, you know, and however I can. And so. So, yeah, Layla's really cool. She. I just signed with her recently and doing some. Some Runway, some modeling things, and. And I was really nervous to get into modeling. I was like. I don't know, because I. I had. I had a pre. I kind of prejudged how that world was, and, you know, it's not as bad as I thought. Like, it's really, really cool. People, you know, everyone has their own thing they're. They're trying to promote. So I'm having fun with it. Yeah. Wearing some cool clothes, you know, getting some fashion advice. [00:10:36] Speaker A: Can I Can I just say full disclosure, dude, you're over six feet tall, you're a bodybuilder, right? You work out, etc. I mean, why wouldn't they put you on a. I mean, I'm just keeping it real. Like, I'm just like. They're looking at you like, dude, you're doing films, and then they see you in the gym, and then you're, you know, you have the characteristics that could fit this, right? I'm. Hey, right, so that ship ain't happening with me, right? So they're like, dude, you have to do this. And again, it's exposure for you and it's positivity. I thought, you know, when you said your interview, and I say this respectfully, when you did it again with Eugenia, it was like, I'm not a gym bro, which I kind of chuckled at, right? Because they see, right, your pictures, you're working out, you're muscled, right? And I do martial arts, right? So again, there's a stereotype of people who are like, they have to be like a. Like, you know, like a. An MMA head, so to speak, because they do martial arts. No, that's a real person, and they're not just a, quote, unquote, some type of individual. So I thought that you being well rounded in your skill set, you sell yourself really well, and I want to give you a lot of props and, you know, for that as well, too. [00:11:38] Speaker B: I appreciate that, man. It's a funny thing, like, when you get into a world where everyone starts to see you, you know, the higher you climb. And in one end, I'm like, well, I don't. I know as you grow, I think a lot of people should adopt. I don't really care how people see me as long as I. I like how I see myself. Right. You know, and so that. That's very true for me. But, you know, I also have to think, like, well, no, I do have a certain Persona to show the public, especially as I take roles, you know, and, like, I've been offered some really crazy role and roles in the film industry, and if I took them, that's how I would be viewed in the public eye. And so I kind of go back to any role I'm offered. Could my mom watch it? [00:12:24] Speaker A: Nope. Right? Yeah, that's true. That's true. [00:12:28] Speaker B: Some of them are a little edgy. I'm like, I don't know about this one, but if it's a hard no, then I'm like, I gotta pass, man. My mom can't watch It. So that kind of just helps me, you know, nothing against people that do do some wild stuff out there, but. [00:12:42] Speaker A: Sure. [00:12:42] Speaker B: But I want, you know, I just, I got value. Yeah. I want to sleep at night. Right. [00:12:48] Speaker A: You know, and the thing is about it too is that, you know, there's also, you've heard actors who took roles that it really put them in a dark place even after they took that role. Right. In all seriousness, because, you know, if you're playing a certain type of character, you have to live in that world, you have to embrace those certain characteristics. Like if you're playing, you know, a particularly very dark historical character that had a lot of negative characteristics, you know, it can really take a mental toll on you, whether it's losing weight, whether it's, you know, having to say certain terms that you may as a person be uncomfortable saying to capture that character. And to your point, if you're all in, you're all in. If you're not, it's better for that to be someone else. [00:13:28] Speaker B: Right, Exactly. Yeah. You know, I want to do justice to the writing, you know, and so if, and if I can't do that, I'm not going to take it. I'm not going to waste the writer's time. You know, that's a whole, whole nother thing. You know, you got to be respectful. Just because you don't fit the script, you know, doesn't mean someone else. [00:13:45] Speaker A: Right. [00:13:45] Speaker B: Doesn't. [00:13:46] Speaker A: So here's the question. I'm always curious about this and I say again, you're in the film industry, so I don't want you to put you in a bad spot. But I always find it fascinating. You know, a lot of films are based in New York, Louisiana. TV shows all the time. But there's like a gap where there's not a lot of southern shows. And like when you watch like True Detective season one, it exploded, right. Because it was like, you don't get that Louisiana Southern, you're from the South. [00:14:09] Speaker B: Right. [00:14:09] Speaker A: Does it ever say to you, like, man, there's a gap of history here that really needs to be told and really, I don't want to say neglected, but gets on the back burner, so to speak, when it comes to portrayal and film and television. And that's why I think like a Yellowstone and it's in its spin offs has been so successful because it's. I loved it because it was so much different from what usually came out because there's always a New York cop show coming out every week. [00:14:35] Speaker B: Yeah, man, I think about this A lot. And because I've seen anything. Matthew McConaughey's in, where he lives in a Southern lifestyle. It's really good. Because he's from the South. [00:14:46] Speaker A: Exactly. [00:14:46] Speaker B: You know, he's from Texas, so he gets it. And so I, I, I. I know these people. You know, I've been in Arkansas, Texas. I got a ranch family ranch in Texas. Like, Louisiana, Tennessee, like, it's, it's beautiful. First of all, you're gonna. I could go on and on about how beautiful the south is, and, yeah, it really needs to be brought to light. I mean, if I turn on a show that that's, that's. That's Southern based in a Southern town, I can tell, like, right off it's not authentic, you know, and some, Some. A lot of times they take the. The hillbilly stereotype way too far. [00:15:24] Speaker A: Real talk. Like, and I say this, like, and I don't want to cut you off. I'm like, dude, like, it's the 20s, 20, 25. They, like, not everybody has that, like, this is not the banjo world that, like, you know, like, yeah, Internet. [00:15:35] Speaker B: And I'm not even, like, I'm not. It doesn't even make me, like, sensitive or, like, upset. It just. It's just annoying, you know, I'm just like. No, like, you're. You're really missing, like, the beauty of the south here, you know? Like, if you want to do a hillbilly story, go, like, way into the woods of West Virginia, you know? Like. Sure. Those stories are fun, too. Like, I've traveled a lot in the south, and there's definitely some. Some areas, but very. Some very rare these days, you know? [00:16:01] Speaker A: Right. [00:16:02] Speaker B: So there's. There's a lot of stories. Yeah, I, I think the accents, for sure, like, Like, I was watching might have been Nicole Kidman or some A list actor that was. That was like, the Southern draw was like, just. I haven't heard anyone with that accent, you know, so. But, you know, what are you gonna do? They're doing their best. You know, I'm sure that. I'm sure New Yorkers would say the same about my accent. I'm still working on it. [00:16:26] Speaker A: Well, I just found it fascinating, Right. Like, even, like a crime show, like Tulsa King. [00:16:29] Speaker B: Right. [00:16:30] Speaker A: Like, it's really the same central story of a criminal enterprise, but it's in Oklahoma. [00:16:35] Speaker B: Right. [00:16:35] Speaker A: And so automatically you're drawn to that because you're like, they don't play shows in Tulsa, Oklahoma. [00:16:41] Speaker B: Right. [00:16:41] Speaker A: And it mattered. It mattered because it was different. [00:16:45] Speaker B: Yeah. Or like, Landman With Billy Bob Thornton. [00:16:48] Speaker A: Right. [00:16:48] Speaker B: I was like, this is pretty damn accurate, you know, And I know I saw some reviews like, oh, girls. Those don't act like that. Girls. That's so unauthentic. I'm like, you've never dated a girl from Texas. Yeah, it was pretty. It was. [00:17:03] Speaker A: Right. Like I said, I was like, man, this guy's from Arkansas. I'm just like, you know, it just. It matters so much because when you do see those movies, like, there's so much scenery and like, I talked to a. A fiction writer, detective from North Carolina, and I said, what's it like to tell fiction from those areas and stuff? Because they're so unexplored in film and in television? And you're just like. It's just so fascinating because I think that there's a lot more that's. That can be told from your guys's area that just doesn't get. Doesn't get justice. And I hope that your future career and the roles you get can start portraying that, because I know you have the talent to do so. [00:17:37] Speaker B: Thank you, man. Yeah, I would like to. I think it's a cool. You know, I like the niche of kind of showing a little bit of, you know, Southern authenticity in my role, so. [00:17:47] Speaker A: Right. [00:17:48] Speaker B: I, you know, at first I kind of saw it as an obstacle, but once I started seeing it, you know, the opposite of that, it kind of really helps me out in the acting world. Yeah. Yeah, it's really fun to bring that. [00:18:00] Speaker A: And I'll just briefly on this. If the dollars are showing like it is with Tyler Sheridan, you know, respectively, from. From those areas, then others will follow as well, too, because they see this because it mimics success. Right. Because then, you know, he's from Texas. He's. I mean, he's doing phenomenal at Paramount, so. [00:18:17] Speaker B: Great. [00:18:17] Speaker A: He's sensational. [00:18:19] Speaker B: Right. [00:18:19] Speaker A: And so I watch everything he does. So just briefly. And I'm just going to pivot a bit, if that's okay. Tell me about your training regimen, man. Because, like, you're in bodybuilding, right? And, like, I work out what. Like, how did you get to the point where this became, like, a part of you? [00:18:34] Speaker B: I've. I've. I don't know. I've always been passionate about being fit. Um, I started an organized sports and football at a young age, and I don't know, I've always just. I really liked it and I really liked feeling good. [00:18:49] Speaker A: So I was. [00:18:49] Speaker B: I was kind of. I had some autoimmune issues when I was younger. And that really sucked. And so I really had to learn how to be healthy at a young age because I didn't want to feel like this. And I think a lot of people, they. Something happens to them or, you know, they get in this kind of funk and they don't really know how to get out of it. And so I was just. I was blessed, I guess I could say, to just have people in my life to kind of show me, you know, working out, nutrition and how to build on that. And so I became more and more passionate about it. So it was always kind of my day job. Through college, I worked at a men's rehab where I taught them how to. To work out and kind of got them addicted to weights and not addicted to the other stuff, you know, so that was really, really cool. And then in California, you know, I was like, okay, I'm gonna be an actor. I can. I can either be a bartender or a personal trainer right now. And so I chose personal training for sure. [00:19:48] Speaker A: The latter of the former. [00:19:49] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:19:50] Speaker A: And. [00:19:50] Speaker B: And so now I work at Dave Fisher's Powerhouse Gym. And it's like one of the Mecca. It's not gold, but it's like one of the Mecca, like old school bodybuilders. So I get to work with some really cool people that are really serious about it. And, you know, I always like to just be with people who were better than me. [00:20:07] Speaker A: Right. [00:20:07] Speaker B: And that goes a long way. Working out with like monsters, you know, like actual Greek gods, you know, so that I don't know. It's cool. But, man, coming to Arkansas, coming to Arkansas. I'm looking at the menus, we're going out to eat, and it's crazy, dude. Like, I lived here for 23 years, 22 years, and, and I've been in California and like, it's a complete switch. Like, I cannot eat this stuff here anymore. Like, my body feels like I go into a coma. Like, we got off the plane and we go to David's Burgers in Bryant, Arkansas, and I'm like, yeah, let me. Let me just mess around with a burger. So I get the burger, I try to be good. I like, take the. I take the bone off. Steak burger. [00:20:50] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:20:50] Speaker B: But then they're passing out bottomless fries. I'm like, four plates of those. And then they have free ice cream. Like, what is going on? Like, it's just non existent in California. It's crazy. [00:21:02] Speaker A: And, you know, I'm sure just being around, you know, you know, the shirtless envy, so to speak, you're like, dude, if I. I'm gonna set myself back months just from, you know, two weeks back home, you know, so to speak. You know what I mean? [00:21:13] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. I gotta. I got a modeling fashion show when I get off the plane on. On Wednesday in Malibu, and I was like, I'm gonna see these fries. [00:21:23] Speaker A: Yeah. It's always, you know, I gotta give you kudos, man. I'm sure you'll find a way to recover and get in those necessary hours. You know, when I do martial arts, you know, I have a black belt, karate brown belt, and taekwondo, and I do Brazilian jiu jitsu and Muay Thai. [00:21:36] Speaker B: Right. [00:21:36] Speaker A: And so it's similar to your gym envy. Like, you're like, yeah, I'm pretty good at this. And then you get in there with somebody who, you know, does the tournaments every other weekend or is, you know, and you're just like, smokes. This is for, like. You start realizing what's real and where your talent level lies, and it's a big humbling moment. I'll tell you that, man. [00:21:53] Speaker B: Yeah, man. MMA is a whole different world. That's. That's awesome. To do that, everybody needs to get on the mat at least once in their life. [00:21:59] Speaker A: I'm not an mm want to. For disclosure on the show. I'm not a mixed martial artist. I take the style, you know, I'm a student. I've never competed professionally. I've done tournaments now. I have done tournaments. But, you know, jiu jitsu, sure. [00:22:10] Speaker B: But, you know, you know, the art form, you know, and it's. Yeah, it's a hobby. It's. It's cool. [00:22:15] Speaker A: You're right. You know, it's a lot of fun, man. And martial arts is very, very. It's a huge discipline that's been a part of my life for a very long time. How did you. When you were doing theater in Arkansas, like, as a kid, you know, what was it? Schools? Was it independent? Where. Where did it kind of come from? [00:22:31] Speaker B: Just high school. I started, like, I guess I did a little plays, you know, middle school, you know, did some nice stuff, like vacation Bible school, if anybody knows what that is. [00:22:40] Speaker A: I do. I do. [00:22:42] Speaker B: Yeah. And then, so high school was like. I did a play, and that was, like, the moment I actually got wasn't. I was. I was a wrestler and I was a football player, and I. I got in a really bad health position, and I had to just. I had to give up on. On. Luckily, football was over, but my wrestling, I was about to. I was set up to be state champion in Wrestling. And then I got a really, really bad sickness, and I had to just stop. And I was like. And it was tough, but that transitioned me. My friend convinced me to do a play, and I got the bug, man. I was like, this is better than any sports game I've ever won. Like, something like, this is weird. It's artsy. It's like, I love this. And so that kind of stuck with me. I took it to college, and I directed musicals. I organized plays. Yeah. And then. Then I did some plays. I was. I did a couple plays, and I was like. And it was just all fun. And then I was like, okay, hold on. Am I just gonna mess around or am I really gonna, you know, get serious? Really? I mean, I really enjoy it. And so that's just kind of how it. Yeah. Took place. [00:23:51] Speaker A: Yeah. I checked out your Instagram, too. I saw, like, you went to Chicago, too, as well, too. And I thought that was really never been. No, that's Chicago. What was the one with the sailors with guys with the. Am I getting that wrong? [00:24:00] Speaker B: Where. [00:24:00] Speaker A: It was like, I saw something on your. On your profile where they were, like, it showed, like, some World War II soldiers. I thought that said Chicago in it. Or was. Am I getting. [00:24:08] Speaker B: Sorry, I'm blanking. Where have I been? [00:24:09] Speaker A: Did I get that incorrectly? [00:24:11] Speaker B: No, you probably got it right. I've been to several other countries. Okay. [00:24:15] Speaker A: I saw the picture you did in India, so if I was incorrect with that, I apologize. [00:24:19] Speaker B: Oh, no, no, you're fine. I. I need to go to Chicago. But, yeah, as far as plays and. Oh, I think you're talking about a play in Arkansas that I did. [00:24:28] Speaker A: Was it in Arkansas? [00:24:29] Speaker B: Oh, and no, I'm sorry, you're right. I went to. I did a play in San Francisco. [00:24:33] Speaker A: Okay. [00:24:33] Speaker B: With the Sailors. Yeah, yeah, yeah. San Francisco. Yeah. The Port Chicago 50 in Santa Monica, and then we went to San Francisco. [00:24:41] Speaker A: Okay. Okay, I know. I. Rich and I apologize. Like, I said, I saw something. I was like. I thought when I saw the sailors in there, I was like, okay, maybe I got that wrong. [00:24:50] Speaker B: So. [00:24:50] Speaker A: And sorry for the brightness. The sun is coming up, rising in the east from my window here, so I'm not going. [00:24:56] Speaker B: Good. You're good. [00:24:56] Speaker A: I haven't died and gone to heaven yet, so. Yeah. [00:24:58] Speaker B: Yeah, Port Chicago 50 was a really cool play. This is my first play in la, so that was fun. [00:25:04] Speaker A: Okay, sure. Cool, Cool. Like, I'm really excited for you. Now, have you said you haven't done music, but you sing? How is your singing? And you're Dancing because, you know, you get out of your comfort zone. So are you comfortable doing that? [00:25:15] Speaker B: Man, it's okay. [00:25:17] Speaker A: Okay. [00:25:17] Speaker B: If I got someone teaching me how to dance. Yeah, I've done a lot of musical theater, which involves dancing most of the time, and so I. I can learn. I know how to shuffle a little bit, you know. [00:25:27] Speaker A: Okay. [00:25:27] Speaker B: But, yeah, music, I. I grew up singing, so I auditioned several times for some musical roles, and it's not like my. Yeah, I don't know, maybe. Maybe one day I'll be on Broadway. Yeah, if it's there, it's there, you know, but for sure. But yeah, it's a. It's a whole nother, whole other world. It's hard to convey certain things through music. I think it's really intense. And a lot of musical theater people don't get enough credit. Like, that's. That's a hard job. [00:25:57] Speaker A: I can only imagine. You know, my daughter plays. My oldest daughter plays violin. So it. It definitely like seeing it up there. Yeah, it's. It's, you know, and she wants to get into things like that. And I'm like, sweetheart, you know, she does a really good job and I'm encouraging her, but, you know, it's a whole other medium up there. Playing an instrument and still conveying emotion, breath control. And then you're just like, these people are incredible. They really are. So I want to be very respectful of your time. So one question I just want to ask to end off with is what advice do you give inspiring actors, you know, to get into film modeling in the entertainment industry, such as yourself, or just anybody in general. [00:26:28] Speaker B: Know your why? I guess if I'm answering right, I mean, I could talk about, like, the logistics, but I think keeping your mind okay, you know, and adjusting to failure and adjusting to rejection, but knowing your why, you know, I think it's. It's unfortunate if you're coming in just to get famous. There's nothing against that. You know, you can do reality tv, but you have to really know why you're doing it, because you're going to get burnt out if you don't, you know. And so I've talked to a few actors where they don't really. They're not really concrete in that. And it's really hard, you know, when you're not very intentional about why you're an actor, you know, and so if that makes sense. So once you. Once you have that just laying down the framework, just get into class. Get into class. That was so, so important to me. That's when Things really changed because I took a lot of theater classes in college and they were good. Like, even, like, you know, renowned theater schools. People coming out of there would tell you, like, LA class is different. It's totally different. So, you know, I started at Burke Studios and I took classes at the Groundling School improv, and now I'm in a private school, Monet Studios. She's from, from Berg, and she's just amazing. And I'm just so fortunate to first of all, be in a class of very talented actors, working actors, you know, and then be someone, be with someone that's done it. She's been in the movies, she's been in the TV series. And so just surround yourself with people who have been there, because it's very hard, if not impossible, to do that on your own. So, yeah, like, we went. Go back to what we were saying. Like, be around people that are better than you. Be around people that are going to push you. [00:28:10] Speaker A: Absolutely, absolutely. [00:28:12] Speaker B: Don't. Don't be one of those actors that says, I don't need to take class. It's going to mess up my. Whatever. I have. No, that's, that's bs, man. Like, look at the greats. Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, they're all, they all did classes or doing classes still, like, just be like one of the greats. Get your butt into class and surround. Surround yourself with people who can help you, who can guide you, be your mentor and, and just send up a prayer to the universe. Something happens, right? [00:28:42] Speaker A: It's, I mean, really, it's no different than, you know, you know, martial arts. You should still always be a student, right? You should still always. And that's, you know, really the philosophy, you know, of any type of art. You know, if you, if you don't use it, you really do truly lose it. And your industry is very competitive and you. And again, I want to give you a lot of credit for taking that leap of faith in yourself and that belief because you're doing really well. And I'm honored that, you know, that you carved out time out of your busy schedule because, like I said, my podcast is just a guy out of Detroit trying to find his niche. So I really appreciate your time. [00:29:10] Speaker B: I love it, man. I'm always down for a good conversation. I really enjoy these, these podcasts and you're a great host and appreciate that. Yeah, don't, don't say you're just a podcaster. Like, the podcasting world is huge. Like, we need to have conversations. Everyone's scared to talk to each other. You know? [00:29:25] Speaker A: Yeah. It's like the new thing where people just want to text. [00:29:27] Speaker B: Right. [00:29:27] Speaker A: But, like, you know, it's it you. Everybody has to find their voice. You know, I can't sing or dance or, you know, and unless I starve myself for six months straight, I probably won't get a six pack, you know, But I'm further along there than I was before. But at the end of the day, we all have to push ourselves to be better than what we were yesterday. [00:29:44] Speaker B: That's right. [00:29:44] Speaker A: So I much appreciate your time. So this is Rashad on the Tron podcast with Nate Mays. We'll be seeing you up on billboards and movie movie trailers, you know, worldwide very soon, I'm sure. [00:29:54] Speaker B: Thank you. Thank you so much, Rashad. Enjoyed it. [00:29:56] Speaker A: Appreciate you.