Conversations with Mar Gray

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mar Gray.

Hi Mar, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My love for acting and singing started in my hometown of Cleveland, Ohio participating in church plays and choirs. It deepened when my mother began to take me to the Playhouse Square Theatre. Seeing other people create stories via the art of acting and music made me feel like it was possible for me.

Throughout my life, I always created something. Rather it was fantasies in my head or something tangible, I always had to play out what I saw in my mind’s eye. In college, I majored in the History of Art and Architecture that granted me the opportunity to dive into Museum curating which kept my creativity flowing as I was finding myself further. Along with that, I also worked as an event planner and hosted my own college radio show while acting as the master of ceremonies for several events at my university. It was in college where poetry found me as another outlet to express myself. Even with everything I was apart of, I still felt as if I was just throwing ideas towards a wall that would not stick because I wasn’t focusing on what I always wanted to do. Two years after I graduated college, I decided that I spent too much daydreaming about being an Actor and Singer that it was time for me to take a major leap of faith and move to Los Angeles. My cousin (who moved with me to pursue her dreams as well) and I made the choice to move in April 2017 and in August of the same year, we drove across the country to California.

Our plans took an unexpected but blessed detour as we spent the first year and a half living with our Aunt in Clovis, California; a city in Fresno County. I was able to get acquainted with living on the west coast which is a totally different vibe and world compared to the midwest. I was also able to frequently visit LA and scope out the city before head diving into the city of Angels. During this time in Fresno, I begin to write songs, perform monologues, and write and create two Spoken Word albums ‘Confessions of a Recovering Heart’ (2018) and ‘Lost Love Letters’ (2019). I didn’t have money for acting classes or to record music at a studio so in the meantime, I researched anything and everything that came to mind regarding my desired careers on Google and Youtube. To this day especially in a pandemic, Google and Youtube are still my best friends for finding out how I can use what I have to make my dreams come true in addition to some masterclasses I’ve been able to afford at this point.

Early April 2019, I made the move to Los Angeles starting out in North Hollywood then Van Nuys moving from one Airbnb to the next and each time sharing small bedrooms and the same bed with my cousin just to be able to make it every day and eventually I was blessed to move into my first apartment in Los Angeles this year which is HUGE to me. In those first few months, I was able to land my first television gig which was ‘Supreme Justice with Judge Karen’ and a lead role in a student short film titled ‘Stand Up for Something’ coming out of the Los Angeles Film school which has yet to be released. I understood that opportunities like that don’t always come so early in an Actor’s career especially for one with minimum formal training as I have had, but I knew GOD had a plan for me and with my hard work and his grace and blessings, I realized what is for me will be for me. As of now in the year and world we live in today I’m working on finding a way to release my music and grow my acting career while still writing poetry.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Smooth road? Absolutely not, lol. The first obstacle was deciding to take this biggest leap of faith in my life thus far which was making the move in the first place. I had to overcome the projected fears of family and friends along with that voice in my head screaming at me “ARE YOU CRAZY?!” but I believe you have to act outside of what seems “logical” and “safe” to make awesome things happen for you. Driving from Ohio to California was mentally and physically taxing, but by the grace of GOD my cousin and I had friends along the way to crash with as we took our journey. At first, the plan was to live in my car and get gym memberships so we could shower as we looked for places to work to eventually have enough money to find our own place, but thankfully we had family in Central California to live with for a time.

The biggest obstacles have all been centered around money. Anyone who knows anything about LA knows that it is not cheap especially when you’re trying to simply survive AND fund a career as a creative. Also, the opinions of others and that voice in your head that says things like “many people come to LA and then have to go back home” or “the industry is saturated” or “am I good enough?” etc. can really get you down from time to time, but I always fight those negative thoughts, because I know deep down they don’t dictate my future. I always say LA IS my home now, tell me what industry on the planet isn’t saturated and it’s going to happen for somebody and that somebody can be me, and yes with GOD I can do all things so yes I am good enough.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a Professional Television and Film Actor, Singer/Songwriter, and Poet with two spoken word albums currently out on my website IamMarGray.com At this time, I am very proud of being able to land work so early in my acting career and of my poetry album: especially my latest one ‘Lost Love Letters’ because on that particular album I felt that I poured out every fiber of emotion and truth inside of me even more than I thought was there. I believe what sets me apart is that I create from a space of vulnerability. Ever since I can remember, I always appreciated the very human (and scary ability I possess) to speak up for myself and live out loud in my truth in every aspect of my life. I love being an artist because I get to tell stories from the most authentic depths of myself in hopes that I can encourage other people to do the same. In my opinion, it’s our job in entertainment to work from and in spaces that scare us and pushes us because that’s how we can build relationships and community,

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
First and foremost, I have to give credit to my Lord, Savior, and Waymaker Jesus Christ. In my heart, I know that I would not be able to pursue my dreams and goals without his mercy and grace in my life. I have to credit my mother because she is the one who introduced me to the entertainment world. She also blessed me by taking me on vacations with her and in and out of the U.S. to show me that the world is much bigger than my town and that allowed me to dream bigger and feel as if nothing is outside of my reach. I also thank my core friend group that is consists of people who do nothing but support me and my endeavors. Friends with who I can share my victories and hardships alike have been an incredible gift to me.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.iammargray.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iammargray_/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarcusTannerGray
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/iammargray