We have been blessed over the years to watch amazing actors such as Ethel Waters, Dorothy Dandrige and Hattie McDaniel, which were followed by Sidney Poitier, Morgan Freeman and Cicely Tyson. These exceptional monumental performances by these actors in motion pictures carried over and spawned the likes of Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Samuel L. Jackson and many others.. Now, these established actors are passing the torch down to the next new wave of up-and-coming actors.
Sean is a prominent phenomenal actor on the rise. Born and raised in St. Louis MO, Sean began his acting career in 2000 performing in numerous stage plays such as To Kill A Mockingbird, where he portrayed the role of Tom Robinson and Inheritance where he played the role of Foster Rogers. After four years in theater, he transitioned over to acting in film. Along the way, he became an indie pro wrestler going by the moniker “Shawn Almighty.” Hard work and dedication have been paying off for Mr. Brasfield in the film world. He has had a role as an extra in George Clooney’s film “Up in The Air” and enjoyed being on set soaking up every piece of knowledge that he could. Last year, Sean accomplished one of his greatest achievements by acting in the film “The Ghost Who Walks” which was a top 10 pick that premiered on the mega subscription-based juggernaut platform Netflix. Sean has appeared in a few of my films like “The Lou” and the mini YouTube series B.A.R.S. When Sean isn’t auditioning and striving to lock down that next great role, you can catch him appearing in numerous commercials such as Scott Credit Union and UPS.
When asked why he wanted to become an actor, Sean stated, “I always wanted to take something someone else wrote and bring their story to life using my body and voice.”
Sean is very conscious of the roles that he chooses and feels that it is his duty to take on roles that will help further his career. When asked what challenges he has faced in the world of acting he answered, “Overcoming the stigma of people trying to typecast me as a thug is a full time job.” One of the best rewards he has experienced on film sets is being able to bond and connect with people from different backgrounds and getting to know them on a personal level.
His aspiration is to act in films alongside The Rock (Dwayne Johnson), Angela Bassett, and Tom Hanks.
When asked once his film career is over and what he wants people to know about him. Sean answered without hesitation, “That I strived to live a balanced life, doing the will of God and showing genuine love to my fellow man.”
Sean has an upcoming film with screen legend Tony Todd titled “All Gone Wrong.”
Rob was born and raised in East St. Louis, Illinois. He has an extraordinary story when it comes to being on the big screen. I asked him how long he has been acting, “Leave it up to my parents, they would tell you I’ve been acting my whole life.”
In January 2018, he started taking acting classes and by the end of that year he was cast as an assistant prosecutor in Tyler Perry’s film “A Fall From Grace.” Wood attended college at Southwestern Illinois College and Ashford University. Wood has a very powerful belief in God and has performed in many church stage plays. When asked about some of the challenges he has faced in the film industry he stated, “Rejection, and knowing how to handle it. “Also receiving a script from your agent at the last minute in the midst of balancing family life and being able to memorize the script in 24 hours.”
One amazing thing that he has learned while being in the industry is that it’s great to know who you are, “I’m not trying to find myself. That helps eliminate a lot of potential foolishness,” Rob stated that he couldn’t have been on this great journey in life without his beautiful wife, Cheri Wood cheering him on.
Denzel Washington, Brad Pitt, and Halle Berry are three of his favorite actors that he would love to perform on the big screen with one day. You can catch Rob in his most recent role as Aretha Franklin’s saxophonist in the critically acclaimed Aretha Franklin’s Biopic film, “Respect” starring Jennifer Hudson and Forest Whitaker. I asked what was it like being on set with Jennifer Hudson, “She was so cool and down to earth. She is a kind, gentle-spirited person.”
When asked once his film career is over and he is long gone from the earth, what is it that he wants people to know about him, “I kept God first and the benefit of my career is a result of it.
Rob just finished wrapping up his next role in Tyler Perry’s new film “A Jazzman’s Blues.” slated to drop next year in 2022.
When it comes to method acting. There has been no one better than Jason J. Little. Born and raised in St. Louis Mo, While attending Ottawa College, he had two interests, football and acting. Fed up with practicing a lot and still not being able to get any playing time on the field, he was offered some scholarship money for theatre. He auditioned for a show and was selected for the lead role in the stage play, Oleanna. Once he hit the stage, he never looked back.
Jason has performed in multiple plays such as The Christmas Carol, Othello, Malcolm X, To Kill A Mockingbird and Shakespeare at the Park alongside Tony award-winning actor Andre Deshields. He also performed in August Wilson’s play Two Trains Running. Little has given mind blowing performances at the St Louis Repertory Theater and The Black Repertory Theater. He got his first break into film when he appeared in my short film “Right Hand Man” Which catapulted him into acting in a co-starring role in “Four Way Stop.” Jason’s dedication and persistence has earned him roles as an extra in the hit TV series Empire and the Netflix smash “Stranger Things”.
With his focus and passion for the artform, It’s just a matter of time before he gets that breakout role. I asked Jason what are some challenges he has faced on this journey, “Juggling, working a regular job and finding time to participate in these films. Sometimes there is no pay, so you have to find that role that will make it worth your while.” Jason’s dream is to co-Star alongside his favorite actors Laurence Fishburne, Denzel Washington and Chiwetel Ejiofor, “To be honest, I just want people to know that I existed here. I took care of my responsibilities and I did exactly what I said I was gonna do. I want people to see I made a difference.”
