We were lucky to catch up with Malcolm Minor recently and have shared our conversation below.
Malcolm, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?
To be honest, I wish I had the right people behind me to have started the professional portion of my creative career sooner. I started acting at 8 years old. I had the opportunity twice as a kid to try and move forward in this business. However, my mother only said we could do that kind of stuff if I had excelled in school. After that, I didn’t have anybody who could assist me. I wish I had someone checking in with me like a mentor and guide me through my HS and college years. If so, I probably would have pushed through and focused on applying to BFA programs and having someone train me for my grad school auditions. I am not ashamed to say that I truly believe I could have been a lot further than I am now had I had started sooner with the professional aspect of creative career.
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’m just a kid from Brick City who has very big dreams. I am an actor, singer, poet, and public speaking coach. I got into performing due to my parents when I was 8 years old. In an effort to give me public speaking skills. The rest is surely as they say, history. At this creative school on the weekends for 10 years I honed my skills in acting, dancing, singing, and creative writing. Without that place, I wouldn’t have had the foundation for my life.
Now I am a storyteller and maybe a comedian on the low. I provide an opportunity for others to see and feel life through me. I am a craftsman. I have grown up being inspired by the artistry of the greats. Phylicia Rashad, Alvin Ailey, James Baldwin, Amiri Baraka, Marie Thomas, etc… I wanted to be as sure and as confident of my gift and my purpose to the art as them. What sets me apart is that no one has a presence like me and can do what I do. As an Actor, I am all things Olvia Pope and Maxine Shaw, with a touch of Kyle Barker and Dominique Deveraux. I am most proud of the uniqueness that I bring. No one can bring what I do to the stage and on camera.
As a public speaking coach, it comes from my love to give back to the next generation. In high school, I competed in Speech & Debate. I’m dating myself but back then it was called the National Forensics League (NFL), and now it’s the National Speech & Debate Association. My favorite categories were Dramatic Interpretation and Poetry. My senior year I qualified for the national tournament and won 4th place in Poetry Speaking. Since I needed a side hustle in grad school, I decided to assist a local HS team in my community and would judge tournaments on the weekends for money. It was a quick check. Then that turned into me being offered a head coach position at another HS. I held that position for 5 school years. I built the program from the ground up. By the time I retired, I had one of the best teams in the state and was getting our name recognized nationally. I officially started my coaching services after that. I enjoy watching my clients go from not being confident speakers to finding their own flavor for success. Everyone has the power to speak their own truth.
Have you ever had to pivot?
As an artist, everyday life is a pivot. Currently, I’m at a crossroads of knowing exactly what I need and having to work jobs to survive. Often artists tend to put those big needs to the side when they are trying to survive. In grad school, I tried get hired as a server anywhere. No one would take me. Offices would act like I had no skills because my degrees are in Theater. So I had to pivot to something I thought I could do easily and would give me the flexibility I needed. So I’ve had the interesting luck to primarily have educational-based jobs. I’ve been a teacher in all senses of the word. I’ve literally taught acting, voice, ELA, Physics, Speech/Comm, Gym, and Poetry. I’m a mixture of all the characters at Abbott Elementary. I’ve worked with all grades.
By nature, as an early 90’s millennial, I was conditioned to always do my best no matter what. Excellence no matter the endeavor. So these jobs get real comfortable with me. Meanwhile I’m trying to figure out how I’m going to pivot again. All I’m trying to do is pay my bills until my off-Broadway, Broadway, and feature film opportunity comes. Trust me. My biggest pivot is soon to come!
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?
The acting industry is not easy AT ALL. It’s not that simple to get an agent or a manager. It’s not that easy to create your own web series or short film. There is so much that goes into writing scripts. You gotta be prepared to do it all on your own or pay someone to do it for you. That’s the big one. EVERYTHING COSTS. You want to take more classes in front of casting directors? That cost. You want new headshots or do some editorial shoots for branding? That costs. You want to sharpen your skills in a class or two? That costs. You want to go see all the shows to support the community and network? That costs. If you want to take off work and go to every EPA this week? That costs. This business only cares if you can have everything they need when they want it and that you be flexible in making that happen whether it happens for you or not. Then if not, you must be willing to keep doing so until it is. As an actor there is but so much you can control. So you have to take charge of all that you can.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.malcolmminor.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/malcolm.minor/
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/malcolm-minor
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/@notyouraveragelead
Image Credits
Headshot-Emily Lambert Williamstown Theater Festival- Joseph O’Malley Actors Studio Drama School- Scott Wynn