Today we’d like to introduce you to Byron L Hopkins.
So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I guess you can say I got “started” when I was a child. I was always an entertainer and an energetic kid. Let my mother tell it I was the class clown from birth to now. The one thing I loved was muting a TV show or cartoon and seeing if I could match the voices. My favorite was anything Robin Williams was on. That guy was amazing. He was wacky loud loving and unapologetically himself. That resonated with me so much because there was someone like me who can bring joy to people and do what he loves at the same time. I grew up on two different cities California and Colorado. It wasn’t until I became an adult to where I pursued acting seriously. I came back to my California roots after being back home in Colorado doing my 9-5 dance for a while. I finished acting school at New York Film Academy and actually got a degree from it.
I started doing background gigs and jumping in front of the camera anytime I was able too. It was a lot of dues to be paid and a lot of extra work. I finally got an agent after some time and I have some great credits currently and I’m also a SAG member. I’m still taking acting classes and improv classes and through all that found out my alter some times hidden ego (Big Black Nerd) was something I could lean on to really show people who I am. And there is a huge community of Black nerds who feel somewhat unrepresented at times. I mean Urkel is great but we are more than suspenders high pants and nasally voices.
So while I am acting up a storm and auditioning like crazy, I decided to start a podcast and a YouTube channel called you guessed it “Big Black Nerd” I interview fellow creative nerds in the industry and we laugh we joke we talk about how we first knew we were nerds it’s great.
Has it been a smooth road?
Smooth road what is that and how do I get off on that exit lol. Yes being a creative is amazing and life-changing and you really feel like you are doing something you love and it’s rewarding when people can love what you do and see themselves in your portrayal of a character or you help them get through something in there life through laughter or sadness both work.
But boy oh boy until your face is on that billboard or you have your own show or get a major part in a movie it’s an everyday battle to keep pushing and keep chasing that dream you love and sometimes work for free from lol.
Not all roads are smooth but they all lead us to where we want to go. Whatever road you are on have faith that it’s the one you are destined to succeed on and ride that thing until the wheels fall off.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Big Black Nerd – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
Well, I am an actor first and foremost. I also do voiceovers which I absolutely love and I feel like the child in me is satisfied every time I go into a booth. My podcast and YouTube show “Big Black Nerd” is an extreme passion of mine as well. I look forward to building a community where people are free to be there authentic selves and not who people want or expect them to be. Take me for example I am a 6’5 former Marine who absolutely loves anime, comic books, and dare I say musicals. You wouldn’t guess all of that by looking at me at all. But that’s the beauty of us humans we are so many things and might I add more times then not we are “more then meets the eye.”
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love the weather, of course, being in California almost everyday can be a beach day. I also love that I met my gorgeous amazing way more talented then me Fiancée here “Paige Bryan.”
What do I like least we’ll, of course, the Traffic. And downtown parking. Other than that, California is an amazing place to be.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ByronLHopkins.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: Byronlhopkins
- Twitter: @Byronlhopkins
- Other: https://imdb.me/byronlhopkins
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