We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Devin Steward a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Devin, thanks for joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
1. My most meaningful projects have been my three film projects that I’ve worked on. they’ve all been as equally meaningful to me for a variety of reasons. One thing to truly know and understand is that “Bravery” is a huge quality to possess within the performance arts industry. Whether you’re an actor, a musician, a dancer, etc., “Bravery” is imperative. We as talent, really must step out of our comfort zone to fully reach our comfort zone. Going into these projects to tell these stories requires full commitment. As an actor, it’s super imperative that you are open-minded to just about everything. We must be able to put our trust in everyone around us. That means Investing our trust in cast mates, the producers, the directors, etc. and a huge part of that also is understanding that there will be failures, embarrassments, and a good deal of criticism, and every bit of it is meant to ultimately elevate your growth. That creates an opportunity for us to learn more about our deficiencies and more about our strengths. While learning so much of this, it’s so key that you’re confident in your abilities and confident to the others around you. You have to learn and understand that it’s perfectly okay to lean on everyone around you for support and trust that they have your back as you should have theirs. You must be willing to fail in front of everyone because at the end of the day those people want to see you succeed. This profession is truly a “giving business”. You give your commitment, time, effort, sacrifice, hard work, etc. and it’s all out respect for everyone else in involved as well! Ultimately as an actor or my preferred title, a “Storyteller”, you’re taking a gamble with yourself. Everyday you’re discovering something new and that’s the beauty in this entire profession.
While conducting this amazing interview, I am currently preparing for the movie premier of my 3rd feature film project titled “Dangerous Thirst”. This feature film is a Boston-based drama trilogy turned into a six film feature series created by the authoress, screen writer, and storyteller herself Ja’Lisa Marie, who is also the founder of her production company “Pynk Dyamond Productions”. Dangerous Thirst is written and produced by Ja’Lisa Marie and directed by Shannon Washington. Amongst a super talented crew of actors/actresses, I have the honor and privilege of portraying the role of “Amadeo” who is a soft spirited, kindhearted and married man, who also has a sneaky side of him as well. The red-carpet experience followed by our movie premier will be held on April 28th, 2023, beginning at 5:30pm CST, showcasing at the Alamo Drafthouse located in Katy, Texas.
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?
My initial interest was in fashion and fitness modeling. I have always been into developing my own fashion style/look and health and fitness for as long as I can remember. As a kid growing up, I knew that I always wanted to do something inspiring with fitness and I also wanted to be able to present that lifestyle in front of many people. I wasn’t always quite sure of how I wanted to present that, but I knew that there had to be a method of doing so. In November 2020, I began taking virtual courses with an academy called “John Casablancas” which ultimately educates aspiring actors, singers, dancers, etc., on the do’s and don’ts of the performance arts industry. I began developing a massive like for the acting side of the entertainment business. Along with the courses, I began studying and focusing more on acting techniques and the more I dedicated myself to learning the insights of that profession, I began to naturally take an authentic liking to that craft. My very first experience being on an actual movie set came as an “extra” in October of 2021. I wanted to get a taste for things and see for myself how it feels to be around the movie set producers, directors, cinematographers, makeup artists, actors/actresses, etc. Once that was completed, I honestly gained so much profound respect, admiration, and gratitude towards everything that the entire crew of professionals endured. That really motivated and inspired me to heavily pursue acting, more so to become a role model and inspiration to others as well.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
There most certainly is a goal that’s driving my journey. My reasoning for wanting to accomplish as much as humanly possible within this industry isn’t about me. My reasoning is to be able to place other aspiring and talented individuals in position to fully live out their dreams. I’m aspiring to create a massive enough foundation for myself and to utilize that foundation as a platform to assist others with their pursuits of becoming the greatest version of themselves that they aim to become. My purpose in acting and fitness is being able to display many characters along with a healthy and fit lifestyle that can convey messages that will inspire people. I would love to be able to uplift as many people as humanly possible by spreading the message of positivity and creating a positive impact on their lives. I want to become an inspiration and role model to many individuals looking for a healthier lifestyle adjustment leading to life-changing ideas in their lives. I believe that so many individuals are stuck and aren’t certain of what steps to take in achieving their goals and that’s where I want to become an asset in their lives. I want people to look at me as an example of hope and faith to realize that there is something greater internally within themselves and that all it takes a bit of soul searching to find it. If somehow, I’m able to help bring out that greatness from inside by simply playing a character of some sort or influencing them from a fitness standpoint, then that’s rewarding enough for me. Being able to inspire others to create and establish a healthy lifestyle while pursuing their dreams and committing to their goals is where my satisfaction stems from.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
I think it’s safe to say that every day presents a new challenge. Every day I approach the day with my “Back Against The Wall” mentality. That’s a mentality of mine that allows me stay focused no matter what’s going on in my life. Staying focused is key. That mentality allows me to block out the noise while remembering and also engraining what’s important to me at the forefront of my mind. What’s really important and something that everyone should understand is that we should never compare our situation to anyone else’s. The only thing we can do is continue to run our race at our pace. It’s a matter of becoming disciplined within our actions that will allow us to continue going and never giving up on ourselves. Perception and confidence along with resiliency are the huge keys to my journey. Our confidence comes from how we perceive ourselves, regardless of what reality is, reality does not matter. What matters is how we actually perceive ourselves. In this industry of Performance Arts and in life…confidence is mandatory. Confidence is also closely tied to resiliency. Being resilient is our ability to “bounce back” from challenges and pressures in life and remain positive. I’ve experienced so many moments of being passed over, being told no, not feeling good enough, not feeling talented enough, and feeling rejected. Being highly resilient allows us to feel more confidence because we trust in our own ability to overcome setbacks and disappointments. With so much toxicity and negativity in this world, the greatest thing we can do is stay focused on what matters.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/devinsteward
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamdevinsteward/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedevinsteward
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamdevinsteward
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Iamdevinsteward
Image Credits
Calvin Pennick Jr Lauren Eureste