Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Deandre Harris Ii. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

DeAndre, appreciate you joining us today. Do you have an agent or someone (or a team) that helps you secure opportunities and compensation for your creative work? How did you meet you, why did you decide to work with them, why do you think they decided to work with you?

I do currently have an agent in Kim “Cookie” McCray of the McCray Agency in Nashville.

Before signing with her we never met but I had heard about her, which at the time I was with Misty Pyburn at the Acture Agency. I heard that Cookie was one of the best in Nashville and I wanted to get into her agency.

The first time I met Cookie was in this meeting with multiple actors including Ali Alsaleh, from Ms. Marvel and a ton of other projects, and she essentially just spoke to us about the industry for actors at that time. Right now it can be hard because everything slower but should pick up soon.

While waiting for auditions from Cookie, I do write screenplays as well. which I am looking for a manager to represent me in that realm of the industry.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I got into the industry in high school. I could’ve started when I was younger but I messed up the audition because I did not take it seriously. I think it was a Reeses commercial audition in Louisiana. In high school, I started with theatre and studied theatre in college. A couple of years after into college I knew I wanted to transition to film and television so I took that leap after Circle Players’ 2018 rendition of Beauty and The Beast.

I provide many services, from acting, to screenwriting, to producers through HSD Films. With HSD Films, we have started a new division of the company where we would create reels for actors and directors because as actors ourselves we know how hard it can be to get the footage that you need along with getting booked. We call this division HSD Reels.

I’m most proud of the people that I have around me. We don’t just do things on our own. We look to help each other and elevate each other to the next level in our personal and professional lives. At this point it may sound cliqué because of the Fast and Furious films but everyone that joins into that type of elevation and wanting to succeed and not use anyone as a stepping stone is family. So I guess you could say that I am most proud of my family, blood or not.

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?

Non-creatives, I believe, struggle to understand why we creatives put ourselves out there time and time again after every rejection. Most people will not continue something that they hear constant “no’s” from but us creatives continue nonetheless.

Something in us sparks a fire any time a new idea comes to mind, an audition flies into our email, a conversation with a friend that has so many questions about the industry. We’re happy to answer anything or even be a part of something. Although we may not get chosen for the film or show, we can get be creative in our own way.

We may constantly hear no but our perseverance and love for the art keeps us going.

I once heard that as actors, we’re delusional. Which we kind of have to be because not everyone makes it and no one gets to where they want to be on their timeline. The film industry does take time and a little luck.

So with that being said, if you’re looking for a career in acting be ready to be delusional but be happy with the journey.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

The most important lesson you can learn as an artist and creative is that not everyone in the industry is your friend. Not everyone has your best interest at heart.

People with use you and walk all over you if you let them. Even the people that you may be friends with or have been friends with for years. They say some friends are seasonal friends and I wholeheartedly believe that.

There’s a whole group of people that I was close to for years but now we don’t talk. The way I weeded them out was by seeing who would contact me to hang out instead of me contacting them daily. After a while no one was reaching out. Now I understand life does get in the way and things happen, you have to know who the real ones are.

The real ones are the ones who tell you about yourself and don’t just stroke your ego. It may seem harsh but it must be heard.

TLDR don’t trust everyone. Find the ones that you do trust and keep the others at arms length.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.hsdfilms.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/deandreharrisii
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deandre-harris-ii-actor-producer-writer
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/deandreharrisii

Image Credits

Chelsea Parsons