Today we’d like to introduce you to Bam Hall.
Bam, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I have a unique story on how I ended up in LA. (Chuckle). Let me start by stating that I’m from the south side of Chicago. I originally came to LA to continue my college career playing basketball in ‘04. When I first came out here, I only had basketball on my mind, I honestly didn’t think of much else. But being from Chicago, I couldn’t help but to be amazed by the way things that were out here. I had never moved further than an hour away from home, and here I am, thousands of miles away. It was a shell shock to say the least. It was kinda one of those “finding comfort in an uneasy situation” moments for me. Unfortunately, before our school year started I tore my knee during a workout. I bumped knees with a teammate and hyperextended my knee. I had a few tears and sprains that ended in having surgery and that’s when things got a bit rocky for me. I had never felt the pressure of real stress until that situation. Growing up, sports helped me cope with stress and kept me balanced mentally for most of my life. Losing that ability was extremely difficult and I didn’t know where to turn for comfort. Sitting around during that time, recovering by myself, really put a strain on me mentally. My coach at the time, Trevor Schickman was a blessing. He kept me in good spirits and checked in on me everyday.
Soon after I started rehab, I was thinking to myself “How do I start a life and just stay out here, in LA. My mission was to not move back home. Basketball was last on my mind now. I had an interest in acting, but I didn’t know where to start, so I started asking questions to the friends here and finally, my coach put me in touch with a guy named Ben Watkins. Ben Watkins was the first person I would know that was really in the business at the time, so I would reach out to him when I had questions. Soon after, I would find myself on the computer everyday submitting to roles on Craig’s List. One day, I was casted for a small role in this indie film. I didn’t have a car, so I had to catch a bus from Westchester to South Central. I had never done such thing while staying here, but I was determined to be on a movie set. When I got there, I got this feeling of joy, it was so weird, I was so anxious to see what It was about. I was on set for over 12hours and I was still so amped. I knew I found something I loved because if you had me anywhere else for that long, I would’ve been asleep or trying to find a way out of there. That day made me feel like it was possible for me to do anything I could ever dream of doing.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Being so far from my family and friends was a huge struggle for me. Adjusting to a world I had no experience in bothered me so much because I found people weren’t honest or they withheld information because they didn’t want me to get ahead of them. I struggled a lot with being vulnerable. Being vulnerable, from where I’m from, had so many different stereotypes. This led me to constantly being self-conscious of how I looked playing a role or I would think about how people back home would perceive me. That really hindered me a lot to be honest.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I like to call myself an artist because an artist is someone who can express in many different forms. I act. I’ve been fortunate to work as an actor. My claim to fame is my commercial work. I’ve had the pleasure of being in over 20 National commercials, from major companies like McDonalds, Fed-Ex, Pizza Hut, Bank of America, Walmart, AARP, Kool-Aid, Goodwill, Xfinity, Apple, Pepsi, Wonderful Pistachio’s, Verizon, Gatorade & Cox Communications respectfully off the top of my head. I’ve guest-starred or reoccurred on shows like CBS S.W.A.T, CSI Cyber, & Amazon series Hand of God.
One of the most rewarding times was when I was nominated for a NAACP Theatre Award. It wasn’t the nomination that was rewarding, it was my dedication to discipline myself and focus on the play. Growing up, I didn’t really have much discipline and easily distracted. This moment is where I decided to change and tell myself I could do it. This particular play “An American Tract” was one of those plays where I was the lead and my character held the story on his back. So I was very proud of myself for staying locked in for over four months of work. That’ was the confidence moment I needed to assure me that I could do anything when I check-in and commit.
What sets me apart from others is, I’m true to myself, and when I say that, I mean I really follow what my heart/intuition tells me. I’m naturally a people person, so I’ve always been charismatic. I’ve always wanted the best for those around me, I find myself encouraging all those around me. I believe everyone has a VALUE and sometimes it takes someone else to point it out and to spark that push you may need to start your journey.
This love to encourage people has inspired work I do for young adults and created a program called Hoodie Season. My team is able to give warm clothing to hundreds of underprivileged teens and young adults. We are looking forward to expanding that to mentoring and scholarships.
How do you think about happiness?
I’ve evolved so much, I never thought I’d be married with kids. So this answer is truly special to me.
My family really makes me HAPPY! My wife and I have three kids together. Justus Hall being our oldest at five, Love Hall age three, and my baby Liv Brave Hall, one-year-old.
My kids bring me so much joy. Being able to be present in their lives means so much to me. I’m able to instill ethics, morals, integrity and values into their character. I didn’t have much of a relationship with my dad growing up and being an adult finding ways to better myself I realize how much parents really impact a kid’s life whether good or bad. My kids have made me look in the mirror and seriously peel layers of myself to identify my pain and issues that may have hindered my growth. I don’t want to pass any of that hurt or hindrance to my kids. Knowing that I can give my kids accessibility to anything they have interest in gives me joy as well. As a kid, a lot of things I had interest in wasn’t accessible.
But honestly, I wouldn’t be a great parent without my wife Alisha Hall. We push each other to see different perspectives and to just live and love more every day.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.bamhall.com
- Instagram: www.Instagram.com/BamHall
- Facebook: www.Facebook.com/BamHall
- Twitter: www.Twitter.com/BamHall
- Youtube: YouTube.com/BamHall
- Other: http://www.imdb.me/BamHall
Image Credits:
Porterhouse LA Love LLC
