We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Gem Marc Collins a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Gem Marc, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

The most meaningFULL project I have worked on, is Till. Till tells the story of Mamie and Emmett Till. I am blessed to say that I got to help this relevant story through Emmett’s cousin, Wheeler Parker Jr. I say this story is a relevant one because it shows “the Culmination of What Systematic Racism Looks Like” as Whoopi Goldberg describes it. Systematic Racism is an issue we deal with in Modern Day, and I feel that one can watch this film and get inspired by the Till Story to seek more change in the world. The heroism of Mamie and Emmett needed to be acknowledged numerous times before now. But I am thrilled that Till came to life as a blessing to humanity. Mothers need this story. Young black boys need this story. I needed this story.

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?

Gem Marc Collins, (aka Marc Collins) is an actor who was born to Garton Collins and Hesbon Collins on January 10th, 2001 in Snellville, Georgia. The first striking thing anyone will see with Gem is his contagious smile followed by his infectious attitude toward life. From jumping on the church stage to dancing with the choir at the age of 4 to being a young man thriving in the Atlanta Area, Gem has kept true to his name by…well keeping true to his name, being a Gem wherever he goes. He has kept God first always and stayed true to his core values of treating people with love first before judgment.

Gem studied Acting at Oxford University in the United Kingdom through the Study Abroad Program at Oglethorpe University and definitely left his ‘Marc’ across the pond. While there, he was admitted into the Oxford School of Drama for acting, and was able to showcase his talent at an Open Mic event at Oxford University. Coming back to his home university, Gem has been the Class President for three years, and has continued to encourage students to pursue their dreams not only after college but during college as well. Gem Marc Collins attends Oglethorpe University with a Full Tuition Theatre Scholarship in Atlanta, Georgia.

Entering the Film & Television world in January 2017, Marc has had a blessed journey. He has appeared on TvOne, STARZ, Amazon Prime, and numerous times on ABC. With his energetic, optimistic, and polite attitude and his Million Dollar Smile, there is no doubt that this kid is destined for Sensational things.

Gem has always gone by his middle name, ‘Marc’. Wherever he goes, he always introduces himself, “Hi, my name is Marc, Marc with a c”. The name Marc has genuinely been a cornerstone for him, as he has his own Dance and song called, ‘Hit The Marc’, scheduled to release this Fall 2022.

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

I would say the most rewarding aspect of being an artist/creative is when you can leave apart of your soul in a project, in this world of craft that you have created. Being able to ascend from this world into your own art is sensational.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

I believe what society can do best to support artists is to show up at Film Festivals. Many artists are doing sensational work but it goes unnoticed because it is not mainstream. Along this line, I would suggest supporting web serieses and short films. The next Big Star is under the radar, I promise you!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @marcthecollins