Rising Stars: Meet Merrick McCartha of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Merrick McCartha.

Hi Merrick, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Originally from Detroit, Michigan, I grew up in a very blue collar household. Starting with my dad working at the car plant to later both mom and dad joining the Detroit Police Department as patrol officers, I grew up with a traditional work ethic. My parents and family encouraged me to work hard, get a good job, and raise a family. Taking risks on my future was not encouraged. It was only after learning that I had a talent for performing did my parents realize I might stray from the path they chose to take. They both and big dreams and had chosen the safe path, for the sake of their children. Along with performing, I also gained a skill with math. This lead me to a career as an electrical engineer. Although I harbored desires to perform, I guess you could say I was affraid to put much effort into it, especially since I was thriving as an engieer, husband, and father by this time. Only after passing of my dear mother, and the separation from my wife, did I have the epiphany that I did not want to live a life only to wonder ‘what if’ towards the end. By this time, I was living in southern California and had met a few actors that pointed me to some acting classes. Soon after that I landed an agent and starred in my very first short film, which won multiple awards. The film was ‘Just A Man’, directed by Michael Brueggemeyer, and when it screened at a theater, I looked up and saw for sure that this is what I wanted to do with my life. From there, I took my fierce persistence and work ethic and put all of myself into a career as a professional actor. The rest is what you see before you.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Starting out as an actor was an immense struggle for me. I quickly learned that in order to be successful, you have to learn the business of acting, do some networking, and go to lots of auditions. This means working a ‘regular’ 9 to 5 job would make it near impossible for me to have the level of success to which I aspired. It also meant that landing acting jobs would be few and far between at the begining, and certainly not enough to live the comfortable life I’d lived as an engineer. Committed to my decision, I decided to find part time jobs with flexible schedules and hours that would least likely impede my ability to audition at a moment’s notice. This included wating tables, banquet serving, phone sales, and even moving furniture. Even then, keeping these jobs was a struggle because starting a career as an actor is so demanding if you want success. I lived, for lack of a better term, in poverty. Though it was only for a few years before hitting my stride of working consistently, it was the hardest struggle of my life.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I love acting for many reasons, but among them is my view that it is one of the purest forms of artistic expression. I say that becuase it does not require any external item other than yourself. No instruments, no paint brushes, no sculpting clay…just you. It’s also difficult for me to descibe, as I’m not an acting teacher, nor am I yet a scholar, but I will say that it is an art of ‘living your truth in imaginary circumstances’. Many people think actors simply have a knack for being convincing liars, but that is misleading and a bit insulting to what we do. The best of us..in fact…tell the truth. Sure we are convincing, but not in deception, but because of the truth we bring to what you observe us doing. In my career I’ve done commercials, sitcoms, tv dramas, and films, and my proudest moments are when I’m most truthful in a scene. So you see, great acting isn’t a skill of lying, it is a skill of revealing yourself…in a most private yet imaginary moment.

How do you think about luck?
Luck to me seems to have a negative connotation….as if it is un-deserved. When I think about what most people call luck, it’s more like the ancient saying, “when preparation meets opportunity”. I constantly work on being prepared. When I have an audition, I focus on proper preparation for that specific work. When I don’t have an audition…I STILL prepare…every day. It’s very much like what successful athletes do; when theyr’e not playing an official game…they’re practicing. This way, when it’s ‘Go Time’….they’re ready. My talent representatives are key to me getting the opportunies, but even they can only be successful when I have a proven track record of being perpared. If I am not prepared, my opportunites will quickly dwindle. Now, as for the aspect of luck that most people think of, the ‘miracle’ nature of it, there’s lots of that on the path to success, yes. The role of luck for an actor is when, not only are they prepared for the opportunity….but they happen to be percieved as the right person for the role by the decision makers. That can very much be considerd ‘luck’. No matter how prepared I am for the opportunity, no matter how much more skill i have than any other actor that auditions for the role, if I’m not right for it….it won’t go to me. Being ‘right’ for a role is the most subjective and variable, yet pervaisive element in the casting process, and it can be soul-crushing for actors trying to tame it. You just never can know. All you can do….is be prepared….and that’s gotta be a big source of your fulfillment as an actor.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.merrickmccartha.com
• Instagram: @therealmerrickmccartha
• Other: https://go.rippily.com/wave/f7de6ef3/2c55334c

Image Credits
Photos by Peggy McCartha