SPEAKER_01: 0:00

You're listening to the Staffa Corner Podcast, a Staffatarian look at entertainment and life. With your host, Greg Staffa. My guest this episode is talented actor Jaden Lucas Miller. He is an actor, singer, dancer. He can be seen now as a series regular on Reasonable Doubt on Hulu. Jaden, thank you for joining us today.

SPEAKER_00: 0:41

Yes, thank you for having me. It's actually a guest star.

SPEAKER_01: 0:44

Yes. Guest star. So tell us a little bit about yourself. You were born in North Carolina. What was that like growing up? And how did you know that you wanted to become an actor?

SPEAKER_00: 0:56

Yes, I was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, RDU. Growing up as an actor in North Carolina, it's quite lonely a little bit. You have theater, not so much film or television. If it is, it's normally taped on the outer skirts where out of the Outer Banks is located, closest to the beach area. But in the triangle, it's not a lot of dreamers or imaginations to feel like you're an actor. So it's mainly for me, where I was starting at the age of four years old. It was just trying to find the opportunity to get in front of the camera, find a script, whether it's theater, whether it's finding my mother had luckily connections of people that was in college that was introduced to the film and they moved out to LA, came back here, and started up different projects. And luck, I was blessed enough to meeting Johnny Dutch, which gave me my first chance to be in front of a short film, and having that role to play and understanding, okay, what acting is and how to imagine myself being a character and bringing that to life gave me so much of a reality check of like, okay, I can actually do this, I can keep working and see what happens after that. Eventually, I ended up getting an agent, and the rest was history.

SPEAKER_01: 2:20

Now, growing up, were you a single child, your brothers and sisters?

SPEAKER_00: 2:25

I'm the oldest out of two other younger siblings, very much of a representation of being a good positive leader to them.

SPEAKER_01: 2:34

And growing up, when you know, you're the oldest, so for a while there you were on your own as far as being the only child. Did that help? Is that part of the reason why you started getting involved in acting? Was acting kind of an escape that allowed you to put on a different role or to put on a different, you know, be someone who other than who you were? Was that kind of your motivation, or was it just you love to act?

SPEAKER_00: 3:01

Yes. As far as the motivation and being a method actor as well, pulling from certain situations and certain life experiences and what other has, what other people have experienced. And then seeing that, I'm able to pull from those situations and bring them these characters to life as, like you said, an escape. But definitely it was it's just amazing to know that I can be another person and bring them to life and tell their stories, and hopefully, someone that's watching the viewers and the fans of whatever show I'm in or movie, they get to see themselves of that character.

SPEAKER_01: 3:34

And in reading your bio and learning a little bit about you beforehand, it appears that your mother was a big part in your success and everything that you've done. What has that been like? And what tell us a little bit about your mother's involvement. You said she had connections. What has that been like? Because I know a lot of kids, they're looking at getting away from their parents and form their own identity, but your mother has been instrumental in your success. Tell us about the kind of a working relationship you have with her.

SPEAKER_00: 4:05

Yes, her college background shaped her to be not just a hard worker because she's very efficient with work and she's not always equipped to the best like people that's around. She always is seeking for more information. And that led me to find an agent and a manager and a team. She's she's very much involved in my success as far as, and still is to this day, as knowing what it means to have a team and somebody fighting for you as much as she does, and she's very understanding of that, and she just wants the best for me. And when I say connections, I mean like friends seeing that I do have a passion, I do have a talent to be an entertainer. So I think it's just as more than just acting, I think it's just as being an advocate towards any adolescent, any type of age, of you know, you have a story to tell and making sure that I'm able to represent those stories as I'm given that opportunity and earning every single opportunity as well. And my mother always tells me that you keep yourself close to the ground and making sure that you have a faith and a type of mindset that you you can accomplish anything that you want in this world as long as you're very much faithful and it's coming from the heart.

SPEAKER_01: 5:18

Now you're 20 right now, uh, you've been doing this for a few years. Was it hard as you know, a young kid to be taken seriously? Because, like I know, looking back at my life when I was younger, you know, 16, 15, you know, people wouldn't take me seriously if I said what I wanted to do, or you know, if I dreamed of doing this, it becomes easy to dismiss someone younger. How did you face those challenges? And what would advice would you give to someone younger that that really sees this as their dream, but yet adults have a tendency, right or wrong, to kind of dismiss you as, well, you're not really serious, you're you're just a kid.

SPEAKER_00: 5:59

Yes, that question. It I'm starting to realize that now as I'm getting older, and as I was a teen, I started to realize, like, okay, from kid to teen to now, you know, going to the adult, it's more of a my imagination has to be there at all times. And for any younger kid that's watching or hearing this, it's definitely a delusion that you have to have. Even walking into school, some teenagers are gonna be like, oh, what are you doing with your time? You're going home, you're doing auditions, and it may not seem like you're doing anything because you're just getting those little increment moments of what it's like to be on set. Because it never changes being in the audition room. You may have a two-minute audition that you have to submit. But to be on set, it's like a lifetime experience, and you have to cherish that and don't let anybody or anyone tell you what's right from wrong when you feel as if it's right in your heart. And that's what helps keep the imagination flowing throughout your soul.

SPEAKER_01: 6:56

And that's great advice on the outside, but when you're also now coming onto sets, how are you viewed? And do you feel like you're you're treated as an equal? Do you feel like you have something to prove initially when coming on a set that it takes a little bit of use to going, you know, here's a young 20-something year old, here's a young, you know, in the past few years, 60, whatever age when you started, did you feel like you had something to prove, or was your work speak for itself and you found yourself pretty well not necessarily 100% respected, but people were respectful that you were an actor and not some child that just showed up to set?

SPEAKER_00: 7:37

I would definitely say the seeking of validation sometimes, like just wanting to be seen and your character to be noticed. It definitely is. They definitely are paying attention as long as you're being yourself as much as possible. And you gain a lot of wisdom from just being around such legends and such as Clifton Davis, Tamara Tooney, they always talk to me about from beyond the gates, the cast, the whole cast, the whole everybody's just, they have a lot of wisdom that they share with me. And I cherish those moments because I know I will need those moments as much as possible to replay in my head wherever I go to know your worth as well. And your imagination is your worth and your delusion of knowing that you have a passion and this is your purpose. You feel as if if you feel as if you're called to do something, you are called to do it. That's you. And nobody should be able to criticize you. Take the criticism, especially if it's criticism. And I start to learn that as well. It's just like sports. You have somebody in the fans that's saying something, you know, that you don't like, but at the end of the day, they're they're watching you. They won't, they don't know if you're gonna win or not, but it's up to you to know if you're gonna cross that line and first.

SPEAKER_01: 8:51

And I apologize for asking all the young related questions. I I can't imagine that's fun, and I'm sure that's something that you get put upon you often. Uh, no one ever talks about Tom Hanks and his age and when it comes to acting, but for some reason, because you're younger, we have to kind of validate you or or whatnot. And I do apologize for that because I know that you're on here as a serious actor and and want to expect to be treated as a serious actor. Uh I just have one more question though regarding the age. Did you your commitment to acting has it hindered you at all from also being a child? I mean, you're 20 now, but you know, a lot of kids are finding themselves 17, 18, 19, 20. Was there anything that you feel like you missed out on that was worth the sacrifice that you wish you could have gone back and experienced? Or has this been the right career path for you?

SPEAKER_00: 9:47

Yes, just the other day I started to realize how friendships and relationships are definitely very much important for us to experience at this age, that's 16 to 20. You know, you you're going through life and you're just trying to figure out how do I balance this, how do I balance that. But that's just a part of life. You're gonna have to make a sacrifice with any career because people are gonna go their separate ways. As soon as you get that diploma out of high school, you're like, what's next? You know, like nobody really cares. My parents is so hard on me about where I'm gonna go to school or where am I gonna, what's my career? You're you're still confused, but at the same time, you're still having to learn about yourself. And that's and you're the part of your question was, would I go back? I think I wouldn't be here today if I didn't make those sacrifices and reaping the blessings that I have and cherishing them. And now, now I'm inspiring those that maybe I wasn't a good friend, or maybe they weren't a good friend to me. But now it's uh, you know, it's okay. You know, we're we're going. I understood that. I understood the assignment that I was given that everyone has to learn, learn about themselves and be independent and learn about the individuality. And my spirit was always kind and nice to everyone. So I don't see envy within anything as far as relationships and friendships. It's more so, okay, let me figure out my life first, and then I can be able to have friends and relationships because I want to inspire as well. You don't just want to be the dampener on anybody's life, so they have to end up moving on, no matter what the reason is, they just have to.

SPEAKER_01: 11:23

Now you're seeing yourself, you're at an age, really, where you could play, you know, the high school, you know, student, but you also could play a young man that, you know, is a kind. Are you seeing your roles being almost like a teeter-totter where you're you're either the looking for roles as the kid or as a young adult? How are you approaching roles that you're interested in and auditioning for?

SPEAKER_00: 11:47

Honestly, whatever hits the email, and I'm reading the breakdown, I'm just breaking down what's coming from my life, and hopefully this character can be brought to life and we can be best friends. Because I look at these characters as best friends as well that I play, like how can I relate to them, or who do I know that can relate to them and bring that to that, that um, that aspect to them as well. So far as being a kid, a young man, any adolescent age, middle or older, it's it's kind of tricky too, because you don't know, okay, how much of life did they live or where they're coming from or where they're going, what's their dreams, what's their goals, what's their aspirations, what's their desires, it's all these different things. And it may be different for each and every character. But to understand that is it's a beautiful thing, and that's a part of life. So it's a lot of questions that go into whether it's a kid, where they're gonna turn out to be, you just never know. So you just hope for the best, or whether it's a young man, it's it's it's crazy because then the facial hair, okay, can I grow up this? Can I grow up that? And I'm totally down for that because we get to change our look as actors as well, which is kind of crazy. So it's surreal, but then it's it's like, you know what? I really did choose a cool career because I can grow my hair up tomorrow and then cut it off today. It's like, what? You know, so it's a it's an amazing, wild ride to be from high school to to young man.

SPEAKER_01: 13:09

And growing up, how much who did you look for for inspiration? Who are actors that you admire even now? Who are actors that you've worked with that really gave you some mentoring? You hinted at that earlier, but let's delve a little bit deeper into role models and who have kind of taken you on your wing that you've worked with.

SPEAKER_00: 13:30

Uh being on the set of Beyond the Gates as well, but also to go back in time as far as the starting out and learning. I would say Kyle Pratt, she said, all you need is one. Don't worry about what's next all the time. You just need one to help you understand what you're doing and working on that movie set, not another church movie, and then going on and doing short films with Don Halfkenney and Shantae Hughes. And now Beyond the Gates, I'm playing a character each and every day. So each and every day, as I recur on the show Beyond the Gates, the daytime. I've been able to talk to so many honorable actors that's been putting in years and time and weeks and hours into this career. It's brought a whole nother light each and every day. Like it's my light is just getting brighter and brighter. I'm developing a new light bulb each and every day, another question. They're always cooling down to at to answer those. Some days they may not have the answer, but they always use their life experiences to answer those questions. And that's a part of this feeling that I get of like, okay, I just need to learn. I just need to just live my life as well and be a good human being, be a good son, be a good brother, and be a good friend to those that are around me.

SPEAKER_01: 14:43

You've done a lot of serious roles at such a young age. Is that something that you like? I mean, you have Murder Chose Me, you have Homicide Hunter, you have Murder Decoded, not exactly fun, kid-friendly things that you'd associate with the kid actor. Are those things that you're drawn to? Are those things that you just got cast in? Is there genres that you like? What kind of stuff are you drawn to?

SPEAKER_00: 15:08

Like the like the rap artist uh Nipsey Hustle said, he said, many people are carved, few are chosen. I look at that as a blessing as well, to be able to play those characters and knowing that it may be murder in it, but to bring those characters alive because that's somebody's life and somebody's family member has been through those things or friend. And for me to be able to play that, it's a it's a responsibility. I started to learn that as people are now asking me questions. And I study psychology. I know that it can be sometimes hard on me when the character is kind of getting very close into my personal business, and I tend to really have to break away. And sometimes I still carry the emotions, and it just comes with the territory a little bit, but I don't discredit it. I never will not take advantage of, okay, this opportunity, whether I, whether it's not murder or if it's Nickelodeon, I'm able to play that character. And this is a career that I chose. However, if I can tell those stories and make those people feel seen and help them feel what's going on through these characters' lives, because everybody has an experience in life where they think about, you know, ending it, ending it for themselves to not see tomorrow. And there's always hope, there's always another day, there's always faith that you can just talk to somebody. So if I can be an advocate towards those type of you know, lifestyles of what they're living, it's uh it's a blessing.

SPEAKER_01: 16:39

One of the things that I don't think a lot of people realize how much actors go through as far as rejections and in many ways a breakup. You know, you get cast in a role that lasts so long and then it's over and you're back searching again. I don't think we appreciate it's almost like a job, you know, uh a job search that you're constantly going through, you're always constantly applying. How is a young man? How do you deal with that kind of rejection knowing that it's not personal, it's just business, but you're when you're younger, you're not fully used to those kind of rejections. How do you build yourself up to realize that it's not personal? What would you advise other people that are are going through the kind of same struggle? Because you know, you you talk about the fun things about acting, but there's a hustle out there that I don't think gets appreciated that you have to go through uh where you're constantly trying, you're constantly getting rejected, and you have to just put on a happy face and move forward. How do you deal with those kind of emotions at such a young age?

SPEAKER_00: 17:44

Uh, I would definitely say keep yourself busy. And whether it's sports, whether it's just music, or whether it's just working a nine to five job, because this feels like part-time of the inconsistence of auditions sometimes in certain seasons, pilot seasons. You may only get two auditions, but your best friend that's in the same industry gets 10, and he gets more bookings than you this season, but then your season, you're booking more than him. And sometimes that jealousy factor, that personal, can get a little too competitive to where it takes you out of your zone of what you were called for. And I would definitely say it can become very heartbreaking, and your family members should be there to lift you up, but some don't have that type of strong stability in family. And it's just up to you. And I understand, Zach, where you're coming from as far as the it's hard to say, okay, I'ma just keep a smile on my face and move on. It's it's called just tough skin. And you have to have a very thick skin. And I've developed this from sports. I run track and field, it's very, very hard on the body and it's painful, but nobody sees that until you run like a fast time on the track. And they don't really see that until you do a good performance. And it's it's a part of it's a part of the the, I wouldn't say a game, but I would say it's a part of the career. It's very much a part of what you chose. And some quit and some still maintain. I just want to be the one to still maintain. And for anyone that's dealing with that, I would definitely say keep your head up. You never know what tomorrow may bring. You never know what the next couple hours may bring, whether it's a phone call from a casting, a director, a producer, they may have a job for you just to come on set and say a line and maybe boost you up to a regular. You never know. So always have that faith in your mind that tomorrow is it is promised. Just always have that faith and inspire somebody today because you never know if they're gonna inspire you, inspire you tomorrow. And that's called respect.

SPEAKER_01: 19:42

As you're doing these roles, are you also curious about writing? Is there any curiosity towards directing? Is that something that you're absorbing at the same time? Or are you focused mostly on acting?

SPEAKER_00: 19:54

I would definitely say I'm always writing. I'm always thinking about what story could be brought to life as far as trying to get the camera right now up and ready. Uh, right now I'm really focused on the craft of acting as I'm going back and set back and forth to set for beyond the gates. It's very uh it's it's it's not easy trying to, you know, articulate to this, such such person about a certain thing that I have in mind and trying to show up. So right now, I would definitely say what's next and what I truly want to do is definitely writing and producing, directing. However, right now in my life, I'm just trying to focus on getting better at the craft of acting, and then I'll make my way behind the camera. But I've always had a uh an idea in store. Tell us a little bit more about what brought you to Beyond the Gates. Well, it brought it to me, to be honest. But my mother, she was talking and she's very manifestive and very faithful about what I'm gonna do next. She always has this never, this, this never, this, this for lasting faith that, like, okay, you did this, now I know exactly what's next. And I always go to her for prayer, and I'm learning from her as far as her discernment. But what brought me to Beyond the Gates is definitely the amazing cast. I mean, I I wouldn't have turned it down anyways, but it's more so, it's very historical. 25 years, the newest daytime soap opera, and just the writing is just amazing. The cast, Clifton Davis, Tamara Tooney, and Daphne the Play, Carla Mosley, and the the merge from bold and the beautiful, young and the restless, having that, and to be a part of that world and that universe is a blessing. And we all look forward, we as actors, we look for those jobs where we keep it consistent working and being able to play a character and becoming that character's best friend, or just seeing yourself as this character and like, wow, you know, I really did it. I really am doing it. It makes you feel like you're appreciated, especially when you go on the set and everyone's just happy spirited and everyone is super hyped to just get on set, read a script, and just get to playing. It's amazing. And my mother, like I said, to go back on her manifestive, she manifested this two years ago. She was watching Shamar Moore on, I believe it was Young and the Restless. And, you know, she was like a lot of the great veterinary actors, alumni, honorary actors, award-winning actors started out on soaps, such as Chadwick Bozeman, Rest in Peace, Michael B. Jordan. They all started out on soaps. It's a lot of them. And I could just name a few, which I did. There's a whole lot that I've that is on the tip of my tongue, but I don't even remember right now. But it's, it's, it's, I'm a part of history, and to make yourself as a household name, as my mother says, as you're building yourself and you're gaining a lot of knowledge, in which I am, I'm coming back home. I'm like, mom, I learned this on set. I learned, okay, 50-50 with the camera, because it's just like theater. But, you know, it's it's faster, it's faster paced, it's a lot of lines. But taping two or three episodes with a hundred pages a day does more of a calculation that videos out there about how many episodes we tape or how many lines we're doing. Just to be a part of it and then to see the inspiration of how many years that that people dedicate their lives to just come in a set. And, you know, you're seeing the same people every day, but it feels like work, but you're knowing that you're creating that piece of art for my kids and um their kids to look back on. It's it's a generational blessing.

SPEAKER_01: 23:39

And that is on CBS, Beyond the Gates. And now Hulu has just cast you as a regular on Reasonable Doubt. Tell us about how that came about.

SPEAKER_00: 23:50

Yes, to be casted as a guest star on Reasonable Doubt, it's that's another blessing that came in the same year and to be taping three shows and this one to be ending off the year, the cap off the year, is like, wow, I really did do this back to back. Like I'm on beyond the gates, and then I go to Reasonable Doubt, and I'm juggling. And that comes with the hustle as well, because there's a hustle process in there as well, as you're getting to this character, and then you're having to transition to another character. I I had so much fun just being on the set. And although it's it's very um heartbreaking as what happened in the last episode, as I'm episode nine, and then going to that last episode, I'm like, wow, I'm really a part of this. And fans are coming up to me, asking me questions, like, who you think did it? And I'm like, we gotta find out. And to know that I'm being seen as a real actor sometimes is mind-boggling because did I imagine this like when I was 10 years old? No, I did not. I didn't expect to be working this consistently sometimes. But then I started developing confidence, which happened over time, of understanding, okay, if I could do this project, I could do that project. I'm seeing what the greats are doing. I'm studying. So I'm always studying from all the way back to Sidney Portier and the different generations of um Hollywood and the different generations of film. I'm definitely very much inspired, and I look up to those such as Denzel Washington, Damson Idris, Aaron Pierre, all the new coming actors and all the going out actors. I look at them as of who I aspire to be on and offset. Are you able to?

SPEAKER_01: 25:31

I mean, we look at adults and a lot of adults, and I don't know about your parents, but a lot of adults work the same job for 10, 20 years and then they retire. As an actor, it's really in the moment. And I don't think we appreciate that. Are you able to appreciate Beyond the Gates and Reasonable Doubt in the moment, knowing that, you know, if it lasts for two or three seasons, that's great. If it lasts for four or five, that's wonderful. If it lasts for more than that, that's amazing. But it always seems like as an actor, there's a ticking time bomb that's kind of following you, saying this isn't gonna last like a 30-year career. How are you able to appreciate what you're doing in the moment? Are you able to kind of pause and look around and say, you know what? Right now, it's really good. Like you said, I'm I'm juggling three shows. You know, not all actors can say that. I mean, that's something that's that's very commendable.

SPEAKER_00: 26:28

Yes, very much a blessing.

SPEAKER_01: 26:29

Are you able to appreciate that in the moment? Or is it just it's busy work and when it runs out, whenever it runs out, I'll worry about it then.

SPEAKER_00: 26:40

I'm starting to experience the afterfeeling of wow, I'm going back to my old files of auditions and old scripts that I used to read of just going up for this, that show. And I'm like, wow, I'm I'm really doing it. I'm I'm I have a momentum, and I never knew what a momentum was until this year, and going into the next. We just never know what next year would bring, but always focus on the moment now, and I'm learning. I'm learning that balance of being present in moments. Uh sometimes my mother's like, just calm down, be present, just take a deep breath. Because sometimes the anxiety will build up of wow, I'm just juggling a lot. Like, am I doing okay? Am I doing it right? But then to the the thing that I very much appreciate is the fans and to be seen as, okay, an actor and as the advocate as well, and still juggling school, it's not easy. And college is very much not easy dealing with exams and dealing with homework. But to know that I have a strong support system and I'm inspiring a lot, such as my siblings and inspiring younger children, to know that you can still pursue your academics and still get in front of the camera and perform. And performance is something that I've enjoyed doing and I've always enjoyed doing since I was a child. And to bring that to life and really look in the mirror and be like, okay, I'm going to this set today. Okay, I'm going to the next set today. It's a dream, but sometimes they say, pray for what you be careful what you pray for. And I'm like, no, you know what? Because I made the sacrifices to get here, and a lot of people are praying for me. And I know I have a lot of people praying for me, and they're telling me, and they're making sacrifices with me. So I very much appreciate them as well. And they keep me focused and dialed in on what's the true prize at the end of the finish line.

SPEAKER_01: 28:29

Now you mentioned a long list of actors that have gone on to become very famous that have done soap operas, and right now, like you said, you're doing Beyond the Gates on CBS. If Steven Spielberg was to catch an episode of Beyond the Gates and say, I really like what Jaden's doing, I want to give you Steven Spielberg money to tell a story that you find is important to you. Is there a story out there that you would love to tell?

SPEAKER_00: 28:55

Yes. I would definitely talk about the coming to America stories, like the foreigners coming to America and the experience of living in America, it being a free country. Now, I'm not the best at politics. I don't want to get into all that. However, it's not easy. It's not the best way to live sometimes because you're just so new to your environment and the ecosystem that's around you. And sometimes we take that for granted when we're growing up here and living in America. And then for someone to come here and experience more than us, we sometimes get jealous. But then to also play something fantasy like a superhero or something that's very universal to a lot of people, and it's it doesn't categorize you in a certain range of an as an actor, but I would like to explore those ranges and explore those ranges myself. And if he can watch an episode and he can see that through my acting and through my efficient work of, okay, I know I'm here for a reason, and to bring those type of characters to life. Mean more than just the world to me, it would mean the world to someone else. And once I see that, I will then realize okay, I'm really inspiring and really pursuing something in a career to know that people in school are watching an episode or they saw me with their parents in a movie theater and they get excited to see me. That's something I really will cherish in my heart till my heart stops beating.

SPEAKER_01: 30:26

As an ad, you know, as an adult, we're always asked, you know, what do you see your five-year goal as? Uh if somebody asked me when I was 20, my answer probably would be nothing compared to what my life turned out to be. But what do you see your future? And is there a career path that you have in mind that you would love to see pan out? What is your what are your hopes and dreams?

SPEAKER_00: 30:50

I would definitely say open up businesses and franchises, and then to also tell stories that people have never really witnessed, but they can feel something from it because of what they may experience just that in that within that year, and then they go to the movie theaters or they're watching a series, and they're like, wow, I mean, I I just went through something like this, or they're about to experience something like this, and like, wow, I really learned a lot. So it's a learning story, it's the stories that you can learn from that I would love to tell and to educate those and inspire them as well.

SPEAKER_01: 31:28

So we have Beyond the Gates on CBS. We have reasonable doubt on who. What else can fans expect to see you on that you can that you're able to talk about?

SPEAKER_00: 31:40

I would definitely say the four sisters uh on BET Plus for Tyler Perry. Uh that's the only thing that I got right now that I can really spill. We got a first half of the season out on BET Plus that you guys can watch. And then the next half, I don't know, I'm not sure when it comes out. Haven't heard the word. But yeah, just stay tuned for that and also keep tuning in to be on the gates, 2 p.m., Monday through Friday. And it's just streaming and keep watching because it is very, very dramatic. And I love it because these are very much real stories and hardships that we all go through. So if you could be able to watch that and let me know and follow me on Instagram, that's the next thing that you can do. At official Jaden Lucas Miller, I would really appreciate it because I don't know myself sometimes of what's next, but I'm planning as I go along. And I do have a life, a life goal that I would love to experience, but if it never happens, I can't be down about it. And I just would like to succeed as much as possible, and that's the main goal as well.

SPEAKER_01: 32:47

And as we're wrapping things up, and again, I appreciate you coming on. One of the things that I've always done anytime I've had a job interview, is I've always left a job interview going, darn it, I wish they would have asked me about this. And as an actor, you're always getting asked relatively the same questions. You know, we're always talking about reasonable doubt, we're always talking about, you know, um beyond the gates, you have the same set of questions. I I'm I'm guessing none not many of my questions were original to you at some point. But when you leave an interview, what's a question that you wish someone would have asked you about?

SPEAKER_00: 33:25

I would get I get that all the time. Uh like when I'm washing dishes, like, man, I wish you asked me this question. Now I'll have an answer for it. But I would definitely say keep living your life. Don't think you're above anyone or uh think you're better than someone because somebody just would like to have you in their space and to see that you're an inspiration to others. They want to be inspired by you. So if you could just share a few words to anyone, do it. And you have, if you have the time, definitely do it and share it because you never know what they're going through, what that person may be going through. And life is hard, life can be life thing, as they say nowadays, and you just never know what to expect in the next couple of years. You're having to adapt to new environments, you're having to adapt to new people, and it's not easy with learning because I have questions myself and I questions others, and it was like I always relate it back to just being upset. If somebody that has been acting for this many years can just talk to little old me at the age of 20, and they're saying that, man, you just have time. Just don't focus so much on the just trying to impress, focus on impressing yourself, learn as much as possible and take notes because I will be in their shoes. And to know that they can say that to me, such as Clifton Davis, I was sitting down with him in the um hair make the hair makeup. And I asked him, I said, at your at my age, what could you tell me, like any few encouraging words of what to do when you were my age? Like, what would you tell yourself along those lines of the question? He was like, never look back. Just never look back, always look forward. And he said, when he looked at me, he saw a lifelong experience, he saw himself at my age just experiencing and learning as much as possible about the craft, whether it's music. And he still loves to play the piano to this day. And he talked about how his mother taught him how to play the piano. And those moments made me get emotional because I know how much my mother is important to me in my life. And to hear him say that, and at the age that he's at at 80 years old, and still running up and down the hallways and knowing so much about what's going on set and still being present with his lines, it's it's inspiring. I definitely would love to just spend a whole day with him if I could, and always talk to him on the phone if I could. But being on set is is more than enough because I'm sure he's very busy as well. But he's definitely very much of an inspiration, as he's a very much a guiding light to our generation and the generations that he's lived in because he's seen it all. Like he told me, he's seen it all, and I plan to see it all as well. Nice.

SPEAKER_01: 36:17

My final question, and I asked this of all my guests is so often with young actors or actors of any kind, we associate them with the roles that they've played. You know, you're you're jaded from beyond the gates, you're jaded from reasonable doubt. But when you get up in the morning and you go into the bathroom and splash a little water on your face, look in the mirror for the first time, who is it that you see?

SPEAKER_00: 36:42

I see an older brother, I see a young son that is still trying to figure out what life has for him. And getting through the day, knowing that, okay, somebody may see me as a character, but then I'm still learning myself. But that character is still my best friend, so I approach it as like a yes, but I'm still in school. I still have a sign we that's due tomorrow or an exam that I have to get through. And then I love working out. I enjoy working out. That's something that I would always cherish. And to keep my body moving and relaxed and calm throughout the day, it helps me get through those moments of who am I when I splash that water in my face or when I'm just brushing my teeth or I'm just doing something as they would call regular, such as mowing the lawn outside or taking out the trash. You're never too big to do regular people things as they would call it. Just because you're in a show, my mother always says, You're gonna wash these dishes, you're definitely gonna, like Denzel said, he said that when he came home, he was like, Man, I never imagined what it'll be like after I book all these movies. And his mother was like, You're gonna get that broom and that mop, and you're gonna mop these floors, and you're gonna sweep. So coming back home and then always remembering that, okay, I'm still on the ground. I'm not, you know, flying every day. It definitely is a heartwarming feeling. So don't ever think you're bigger than anyone. Don't ever think you're too good to talk to certain people.

SPEAKER_01: 38:13

Well said. Now, finally, beyond the gates is on CBS. And as we said, reasonable doubt is on Hulu. Draden, I want to thank you for coming on, but more importantly, I really want to thank your mother. I want to thank her because I don't think she gives enough credit for what she has done. Every indication that I've read in doing the research on you, your family, your upbringing, your mom has a critical part that I don't think gets appreciated. And I don't mean that to just to to downplay the hard work that you've done, but I don't think mothers that are like yours get enough credit for the young man that they've raised, the hard work ethic that you clearly have. Uh you still had to to show up for everything and do it. But I think your mother has a a strong presence and her fingerprints are all over the young man that she has raised. So I want to thank your mother for all that she's done, but also thank you for coming on, sharing your story, and I look forward to seeing uh what the future has for you.

SPEAKER_00: 39:14

Thank you. Thank you so much.