We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Devyn Akers. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Devyn below.

Devyn, appreciate you joining us today. One of the toughest things about progressing in your creative career is that there are almost always unexpected problems that come up – problems that you often can’t read about in advance, can’t prepare for, etc. Have you had such and experience and if so, can you tell us the story of one of those unexpected problems you’ve encountered?

One of the most unexpected problems I have had to face in my creative journey, as an actor, was the transition from training artist to working artist .

Once I graduated from SUNY Purchase with a BFA (bachelor of fine arts) in Acting, I realized that there aren’t any more tests or assignments that I have to wake up and prepare my mind for out of wits end. This is the time where all of the countless hours, studying, practicing and training for theatre, goes into full effect. Time flew by in the blink of an eye. Tick tock tick tock. It was, and perhaps still is, overwhelming to hear the clock ticking, staying true to the righteous path of what the true tangible goals are of being an actor, for me. To aspire. To inspire. To be an all time Great actor.

Being a working artist has its obstacles and uncertainties. Moments where I would get sent auditions from my manager, do the audition and then… wait. Wait for the next audition, the next callback, the next big opportunity. Waiting, tick, feeling like times just passing me by, tock, sitting on unknown anticipation started to feel heavy. Why? I started to get frustrated because I just wanted someone to reach out to see me and to see my artistry… Without being in the studio to have an acting class, speech class, movement class… I slowly began to lose the practice of exercising my artist muscle. I came to a resolve after a conversation I had with my girlfriend. Although being a working artist is an ongoing journey of obstacles and resolutions, in this circumstance, I realized that I was blinding myself to my foundation and my time.

What I want to do with my craft is be a true, excellent standard of the same Greats that have been through the same institutions as I and have been, pillars in history that I look up to and one day want to share that same air with. I was reminded that it is a continuous muscle that I have to exercise and love because then if I don’t I would just be trying to fit in and that’s not the path in which I walk. So I’m very thankful to my girlfriend for that.

Truly? It’s a part of my journey that reminds me to let the work be my constant and to always be curious and ambitious about my craft because there are so many existing layers that I have yet to discover ; I want to dive deeper into that realm

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.

From the earliest moments of my memory, I could remember I’ve always had this electric energy that I could so effortlessly switch on and off. Not knowing what this energy could be used for , I was just trying to make do with elementary school basketball in Maryland. Then on one fateful day, when we moved to DC and the story goes on. changed from there. My mom and I were trying to figure out our living situation by moving into my great grandmother’s house. My mother could not have an eight going on nine year old bouncing around the house tearing up stuff while she’s trying to get things in order. So on the weekends, to occupy my time, when she would get her hair done I would go a block away to Proffesor Denise Hart’s Acting class for children every Saturday and it started to just become something that I genuinely loved being a part of. Continuing as the years went on this battery hasn’t lost any juice; just finally gained a couple of inches in height.

It was middle school years and I was really starting to understand that being an actor was something a part of me that I had finally come to realize is a part of who Devyn is and the people that I can touch with this art form. One day my music teacher Mr. O told me in 7th grade that i should audition for the school duke ellington school of the arts. He told me that this is a school you would have to audition for and put all that exciting energy to good use and make a career out of it. I was in. I didn’t even take all my other highschool applications seriously, I was focused on Duke and finding out what it means to be a true actor and artist. I’m glad they chose me to go there because I had to change my monologue when I got there for my first round of auditions out of five! That was the take off for me to really immerse myself with my craft.

The blueprint was set at that pre professional training program and the toolbox just grew from doing the summer intensives when I was in 7th grade all the way to the present time of continuing to grow my actors tool box and just to keep learning, experiencing, and just getting better and better as a professional.

What sets me apart from others is that I am fully Devyn Xavier Akers. No one before me could be Devyn, and no one after will ever be Devyn. I possess an electric energy and an indomitable spirit. I can direct all my energy towards theatre, film, or any artistic medium. I am dedicated to the process and attentive to the small details, knowing that as long as you believe in them and focus on the little things, the overall picture can only expand. I believe that we are all unique individuals, so there is no need for labels or comparisons; we should all stay true to ourselves.
I desire to see those I care about and collaborate with shine brightly, much like the stars they are made of. Sometimes, it can be challenging to remember the star that you are in this industry, but it is the most important principle you can adopt. It takes hope, and I have an abundance of it. Know that this hope and spark lives in all of you, even if it may seem elusive at times.

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

True connection. The sharing of experiences similar or different is what matters most to me. The reward is once I’m done being on stage and film weather I touch all the people in the world or just one person. Having the connection with someone person to person of how I have impacted them by my performance and how it shapes to bring something real and true between us. That is the most rewarding because it’s a sharing of stories and different walks of life that can read the same.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Process. without the screws in the plane it can’t fly. That is a something I live by in my craftsmanship. Without the small crucial important details of the work I would just be doing a whole bunch of jibber jabber and just doing work that will live for a short amount of time and not be timeless. That is the driving force because in all of that brings the discovery and organic lessons I come to learn as a thespian to continue to be a student and to grow.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Devyn.x.akers
• Facebook: Devyn Akers

Image Credits

@visualzbykp
@721.creative
@x.r.alexander
@weathervanenh