Meet Anthony R. Griffin, Jr. | Actor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Anthony R. Griffin, Jr. and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Anthony R., what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
Acting has been a great expression of my outlook on different things life. My pursuit towards an artistic career as a Tv/Film actor began on the set of the film “This is the Year” which was directed by David Henrie. Acting has always been a dream of mine because it has always been amazing to me how you can help tell a story through your own perspective on that character’s life. I believe acting is the only career where you can really learn legit life experiences through your work in whatever character you’re currently portraying. Growing up, I always was the class clown or center of attention in school so being in front of people never really was overwhelming to me. The main reason I act is because the power to steer someones emotional state when watching a film that you worked on is really rewarding and one of the best powers you can have. The writer for the most recent film I was in told me that and it has stuck with me ever since then.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I often remember as a kid wanting to be on TV as an actor and always looking to be interviewed on the news anytime it was a camera around. It was my first dream as a kid but due to my parents wanting me to have proper schooling I sort of dropped the dream and continued on with school. This is when I picked up my own camera and started to do YouTube videos eventually pairing with a friend from school, Dwain. I looked at is as the next best thing as far as making my own content. We had a good run with our channel all throughout high school recording public pranks but once acting came, me and him sort of went on different paths. Through high school is also where I gained a love for science and medicine while going through the Biomedical sciences program during high school. During my sophomore year of college, I was afforded an opportunity from out of nowhere to participate as a background talent with a local casting company. I believe that if something is for you, it will find you again no matter what. This is how I feel about acting. Although, I am still in school, I try to make time for them both for as long as possible. You’d think my favorite part of the craft is to be in front of the camera on shoot day or release day but the best part I’ve experienced so far other than the relationships you build in this industry is the preparation leading up to the shoot. Breaking down the script and finding your characters, “why” on every page and through every scene is really rewarding and gets me excited to bring him to life. Nothing in this life is easy and this is no exception. I tried to run from it at first due to me worrying about how my parents would react to me doing both knowing it make school harder and a little longer. A lesson I have learned along the way in this industry is that opportunities come when you are ready for them, don’t try to rush or force anything you haven’t prepared for. One of my acting coaches always say, “Proper preparation prevents poor performance”

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
So I am currently staying in Birmingham, Alabama. Birmingham has a lot of great and interesting museums to go to. If a friend were to come visit this beautiful city I would first take them to one of the good brunch spots we have around the city, then after we would maybe slide to either the Vulcan Park & Museum just to enjoy the view of the city or the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. The Civil Rights Institute is a a place I like to go to from time to time due to the very interesting artifacts it has. Around lunch time we would then most likely go eat at The Southern Kitchen & Bar for good food and light drinks. As night hits we would definitely have to hit a bar or some sort of nightlife venue here in Birmingham during the weekend. I am not a photographer by trade but I definitely have a love for photography and taking pictures to post on social media. Birmingham has a lot of places that would be great for picture taking so we would definitely find time throughout the week to go find one of the many murals the city has to have a mini photoshoot in front of.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Support for me, is a very important factor in a persons success and no matter how much someone tries to deny it, it plays a part in what motivates you. I first would like to always give a big shoutout to God, who has blessed me with many opportunities that I am very thankful for. I also want to shoutout my beautiful and inspiring parents, Rev. Anthony and Ann Griffin, who have been the driving force behind my motivation to succeed in any aspect of my life. They both have instilled in me and my brother, Trevor, the importance of keeping God first before anything, being kind to others and not burning bridges. I also would like to shoutout all of my extended family, friends in the industry, and brothers who are always there to support me.

Instagram: www.instagram.com/Kingdarkskin.official

Youtube: https://youtu.be/edpnlI0rRwM

Image Credits
Photo Credit: Chris Barrett Photography Dorvell Ferguson (Fergphotography)