We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Marlon Qualls Jr. (MQJ) a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Marlon, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.
I knew I wanted to get into the acting world when I was about 5 or 6 years old. Every since i started watching Tyler Perry plays and Taraji P. Henson movies at such a young age I knew that I could be on TV too and that’s what i wanted to do. It was just something about Taraji and Tyler Perry that caught my attention at 5/6 years old like literally everything that came out with them in it I watched and right to this day I watch and support everything that they do! They’re my inspiration and motivation in this industry, they motivated me to pursue acting and i’m so glad that they are still around now that i’m in the industry i can work with them. Me and Taraji already worked together on Empire same scene and everything but i actually want to share the screen with him this time!! If God made Empire happen I know He got the rest for Taraji, Tyler and I to share the BIG Screen together.
Marlon, 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’m an actor, writer, director, producer, mental health advocate, motivational speaker, business owner (Billboards By MQJ), entrepreneur, and talk show/podcast host (Express Yourself with Marlon and Chilling with Marlon).
I’m an actor, writer, director, producer, mental health advocate, motivational speaker, business owner, entrepreneur, and talk show/podcast host (Express Yourself with Marlon and Chilling with Marlon).
I started acting in 2019 a year after I had heart surgery due to broken heart syndrome. Broken heart syndrome came from grief, depression, and stress after losing my grandma and my mom’s mom Sharon Boyd. Losing her changed my life hell it changed me; I lost my grandma when I was 16 when she left so did my childhood but that’s another story. I got my first role ever as an extra on a Hallmark Christmas movie, NBC’s Bluff City Law, and then started on Fox’s #1 groundbreaking history-making hit show Empire (2019-2020). That did it for me because that was a dream come true surreal moment and that motivated me even more, I was 4 months in my career and In 4 months in my career and I’m on Empire.
I started as an extra on about 3 episodes of Empire then got a speaking role that fast, but we didn’t get a chance to finish the season due to COVID-19. That broke my heart. It was a dream come true moment meeting and working with Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard just being there I’m still speechless. A year after I got booked for my first supporting role as “Derrick” on “The Bodyguard” which is now streaming on Peacock, Tubi, and Amazon Prime. Man end of that year (2021) was hell, I lost loved ones and ended up in depression, grieving as hard as ever I fell into a dark place where I didn’t see myself coming out of.
What sets me apart from others is that I’m different and I’m me! I don’t care to be here, there, or to even be around people. I don’t follow trends, or don’t try to be like the next person. I will be in my world I don’t care to be misunderstood, liked, talked about, or nothing I will be more focused on bettering myself and accomplishing my dreams and goals because I know I have the potential. I get depressed when I’m not doing so and I just can’t be around people who aren’t trying to change or grow. Life is too real to be wasting time borrowed time at that.
What I’m most proud of is me, I’m proud of me for not giving up when life was hard and dark, for fighting all the obstacles the enemy tried to destroy me with. I’m proud of how far I’ve come as I look back 7 years ago that 16-year-old boy saw none of this, he might wanted it but he didn’t see it happening because of where he was at mentally. Even last year, I thought that was my last year living so I’m just so proud of myself and this new me for not throwing in that towel. I’m also proud of myself for having the strength and vulnerability to even go to these schools, get on TV, and talk about my mental health because it’s a lot of people are dealing with these things and silent, so I’m proud to be the voice for us people who deals with grief and depression. Because it’s not easy. I got a lot to do and it’s a lot that I’m about to do.
I act, write, direct, and mental health advocate. I also do digital billboards in every city in the United States (Billboards By MQJ). I’m known for acting and mental health advocating.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
The first 6 months of 2022 were so dark, heavy, painful, lonely, and numb. Every day was a fight, battle, and challenge I fought for my life for 6 long hard months with no support! I had to take a whole year break from my career, the world, everything, and everybody. Most days, I was weak but I didn’t break. After those 6 months, it still was a fight but wasn’t as hard as the beginning, I had to cut a lot of people off that wasn’t good for me or my future, they weren’t meant to be a part of my new life and experience this new me! At the end of 2022, I filmed 2 movies “Rock Bottom” (supporting) and “A Coldhearted Christmas” (lead) is now playing on Amazon Prime, AppleTV, Tubi and more platforms. then got invited to a school to talk to the students about mental health and gave back clothes and shoes to the students.
My life challenges and God got me where I am today, but 2022 completely changed me and opened my eyes to a lot of things and people. I needed that to get back on track and focus on God’s plan and purpose for my life. Next year 2024, I’ll be filming at least 2 of my projects written and directed by me. It’s going to be major. I’m just getting started. New me, new chapter, new run.
when you’re on the road to success it’s never gonna be easy. Some of the hardest challenges for me have been my mental health, grief, depression, and anxiety. I was so young and new to mental health, grief, depression all that stuff at 16 so I didn’t have the understanding or knew what I was dealing with.
Then sometimes having no support could be challenging until you learn and understand that not everyone is gonna support you, be happy for you, or even clap for you and I’m talking about from people who you thought would do so! So, I don’t ask or beg for support cause, why expect support from someone who doesn’t even support themselves or trying to change their life? So, if they’re not doing it for them, what makes you think they’re gonna do it for you or be happy for you?
I just keep God first in everything that I do, whatever I need I go to him and overall, I talk to him all the time no matter what it is because I know what that man upstairs can do and what he’s capable of. Once I started my road to success was smooth, I just trusted him and His timing, believed in him, and had strong faith!
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
My Goal and Mission is to become a big social media influencer and content creator who will inspire and motivate so many people to get started on their journey’s. Because that’s all it takes is for s person to see someone doing the something that they want to do, see the outcome/progress behind it and they will hop on board.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Instagram.com/marlonqualls
- Facebook: facebook.com/mqualls0
- Youtube: Youtube.com/MarlonQuallsJr
- Other: Instagram.com/expressyourselfwithmarlon Instagram.com/billboardsbymqj https://www.tiktok.com/@marlonqualls
Image Credits
Express Yourself with Marlon, Jay Gholston, FOX: Empire, BMDTGO: Mia Jaye, Ta’Rhonda Jones, Marlon Qualls Jr (MQJ) and Action 5 News