Life & Work with Marcus Ellison Jr. of Van Nuys

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marcus Ellison Jr. 

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’ve loved art in its’ many forms ever since I was a kid. Be it music, video games, illustration, dance, or comic books; artistry was a constant presence in my young life. But my true north star was film & television, the worlds that they transported us to and the characters that they allowed us to meet consumed me. Unfortunately, though, I didn’t really see anyone that looked like me occupying these spaces back then so I didn’t see a way in for myself. The combination of that and growing up in an area with no real avenues to explore acting made it so that my journey into film was a long one. It wasn’t until college that I truly got to dip my toe into that realm and on the last day of my first acting course my professor followed me out of class and said something to me that shaped my future; “If you don’t do anything with acting, I’m gonna be disappointed in you”. There have been many events, both big & small, that got me to where I am today, but that was the moment that jumpstarted it all. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Hah of course not! Then again, the roads of destiny are very seldom smooth. There’s been many challenges along the way from mental health struggles, to predominantly acting in a small region, to the industry still operating on certain dated viewpoints in terms of diversity & inclusion. But I believe that the biggest & most constant challenge/hindrance to my journey has always been fear. Fear, more than anything, has gotten in the way of progression for me and it’s something that I make a concentrated effort every day to overcome as make my dreams a reality.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work? What do you feel sets you apart from others?
So, as I previously started, I’m an actor but I’m also a freelance editor & a podcaster (Press X To Start, available on all major streaming services). Based on what I’ve done so far, I’d say that I specialize in “dramedy” and I’m probably most known for A Christmas Cancellation (available on Amazon Prime) or several videos from popular doctor/Youtuber, Chubbyemu. 

I’m proud of a majority of what I’ve been able to do in my young career so far but probably what I’m MOST proud of is a fantasy TV pilot that I was a part of back in October. I can’t really divulge much info but I’m really excited to share more when I’m able. 

As for what sets me apart from others? It’s gonna sound cheesy but I guess just the fact that there’s only one me. There’s a lot of super talented creatives out there who can occupy a similar space as me but ultimately, I’m the only Marcus Darrell Ellison Jr. that there is. 

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
So… I moved here almost 6 months ago now so I feel like I’m a little too new to the city to say much about it. But so far what I like the best about LA (outside of the weather) is probably the wide variety of dope food spots, I feel like there’s a little something for everyone no matter where you go in the city. As for what I like the least? Definitely the homelessness. Coming from the DMV, the homelessness out here is on a WHOLE different level. 

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: pressx2start.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inc0g.negr0/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarcusEllisonJr
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/fel0ndegeneres
• Other: https://vimeo.com/user33409261

Image Credits
Bayou Elom
Mark Soriano