We were lucky to catch up with Darren Sites recently and have shared our conversation below.

Darren, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

It had to have been at the age of 9. I had just seen the Dark Knight in the theater and Heath Ledger’s performance awakened me to the metamorphic possibilities of acting and how that can really affect people. I was in awe of the truth behind the character he created, and I immediately knew that that was what I wanted to pursue completely. Each character I create, that level of truth is what I strive toward. I don’t have to necessarily be “method” in my approach, but discipline and concentration are crucial.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I got into the profession of acting later on, roughly around graduating high school, after many years of encouragement from family and friends to pursue it further. I had started studying acting far earlier, around the age of 4, primarily out of my fascination with movies and the world building within them. Studying the performances just seemed to come naturally out of exploring these different worlds I was watching. I started with that and haven’t stopped since.

Every actor has their own particular thing they bring to the table, and what I’ve found that I bring is a mix of genuineness and sincerity that I haven’t seen from many other actors. Whether it be comedy or drama, stupid or smart, fun or somber, I strive for the truth, not for something out of thin air. I also don’t turn away any work when it comes to acting, as long as it doesn’t conflict with other work, primarily because I am someone whose word is my bond. If I’ve decided to work on something or attend to something and I’ve said that I would, I hold myself to that, and what I’m most proud of is that I’m able to adhere to that and still do fulfilling work that either provides some entertainment or some level of introspection or critical thinking.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

The hardest thing to really grasp as a non-creative is the sheer “insanity” that a creative has in the pursuit of their goal, especially when it contradicts everything that’s been taught to them by society or their teachers or their parents. The safe route is called “safe” for a reason, and it’s understandable why many in your inner circle would rather you take that route. Whether it be your family or your friends that try, don’t let anyone tell you that it’s not worth it or that it means less that you’re pursuing such as path on the sole basis of less reliable income streams or less job security or “lack of societal prestige” or benefits or what have you. If it’s fulfilling for you, then that’s the end of that, and no one has the right to force you to make that not the case.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

As an actor, one of the best teachers I ever had once taught a group of us about possibilities, and how life is full of them. Possibilities can be realized in many different forms at many different times. I took that train of thought and expounded upon it, and thought about the level of possibility within one’s own life. Just a different choice or two sending one person one a completely different path than the one they’re on with the choices they’ve already made.

All this made me look back and think of all the possible different things I could’ve done or become, and all it would’ve taken was one choice. What I thought were more distant probabilities were actually a lot more possible than I ever thought, and I was just mere steps from being many versions of a completely different person on many occasions. But I’m me at the end of the day, and there’s only one me and only one you. Accept that, own that, embrace that, and you automatically have a leg up on so many others who have yet to realize that.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://heymantalent.com/talent/includes/talent_display/master.cfm?t=vj03w3424zckdq
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dayron_007?igsh=cTc4ZTU0ZG9kbnd2&utm_source=qr