We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Draper Wynston a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Draper thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

Acting is a blessing and a gift. Its a privilege. I am blessed to do some amazing things and see some pretty cool places. I love it. The way i learned about the “Craft’ of acting was by doing background. I started doing background work on “Prison Break” and “The Good Guys”. However I became intrigued with the process of the entire world of filmmaking. I would watch the lead actors and how they moved, prepped, handled their scenes. I fell in love with it. If I knew then how important training is and was, I would have began doing that sooner into my career. Now I can’t live without training. Whether it is with my personal Acting Coach, or getting in a class. I truly love it. The skills that were most influential were being vulnerable in class. Allow yourself to be pushed and become better. Classes can get expensive however changing your perspective to “investment” truly is amazing. It is worth it. When you continue to train you will continue to see the growth in the craft.

Draper, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am Draper Wynston, Actor. Director, and Producer. I am an Actor first. In between projects and to sharpen my acting skills, I direct and produce as well. You can see me in roles such as “Detective Hinkles” on “Secrets Beneath the FloorBoards” on Lifetime Movie Network. “#Washed” as Chuck., Walker on CW, Low Key Hustle, and more. I am most proud of the awards that I have been blessed to win. I have been blessed to win “Best Guest Actor” for Washed as the character of “Chuck” and “Best Lead Actor” in Why Women Trip Stageplay for the Texas IndieFilmmaker Awards. I am extremely proud of my career and the level at which I am moving. I am just staying the course, moving with intent and moving to the highest level. I want to be impactful with each role.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

One of the most rewarding things as a creative is the process and journey you go through. This process of being an actor is not a microwave/over night type of thing. Those that the world finally see have been on their journey for years. When you take a second to reflect and look at what the year has brought and the accomplishments, and rewards. It is an amazing feeling. It motivates you to want to go harder for yourself and move to bigger and better things. It a constant process of how to grow in your craft and be better each day.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I love sharing this story, and it makes me laugh each time I tell it. Disclaimer, I dont advise anyone to do what I did, but however it was a risk I was willing to take for myself and my career and it felt amazing. I moved to Los Angeles, and just started taking any gigs I could get to be on set. I took a couple of background gigs. Nothing was really happening for me. I landed two gigs that changed the trajectory of my thought process and belief. I was coming from Dallas, where I had some major roles. Done some commercials and short films. I hadn’t said a line since I had landed in LA and it was a month. I land a Reality tv show and background for a music video. In the same week. During the reality tv show, I was sitting in the waiting area and I decided this is not why I am here. I left. I get to the Music video set, and I do a couple of scenes, and I am meeting people and connecting. I met a woman, and I asked her how long have you been in LA. She said 10 years, I asked her, and you still doing this, background work. Her response was, “Yes”. I looked around and decided to leave. So I left. I walked outside, and told myself. I would not be doing anymore background work. I didnt come this way to do all of that. That next week I land a national commercial, and my first lead role in a short film. It has been an amazing ride since then. I have stuck that that vow. Now I am setting new goals.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.draperwynston.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/iamdwynston
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/Iamdwynston

Image Credits
Otis Clayborne