Today we’d like to introduce you to DeRon Cash.
So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I originally moved here to grow a clothing line I had launched in Atlanta, GA. A friend of mine who knew that I needed to grow along with a change of scenery offered to let me sleep on an air mattress in his apartment until I would be able to get on my feet. When I first got here, I worked as a personal trainer, because my friend I was staying with owned a gym and needed help. Over time I began to explore some of the creative opportunities here in Los Angeles, and I began to look for roles as an extra in different productions like music videos and other tv/film outlets. The first production I ever got to be apart of was a music video for Jay Rock, in the video I played a friend of his, and was able to get featured camera time…from that day forward I knew that I had found my passion and it was clear that going forward, I would be building my career in the tv/film industry.
Great, 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?
There’s been a lot of struggles along the way before I ever ended up here in Los Angeles, I lived in Atlanta for about eight years. During my tenure there, I learned a lot about myself, I have been broke beyond measure, I have slept in my car, I have been evicted, robbed, unemployed, nowhere to live…the list goes on. After a few years, I was able to begin a stable career as a teacher in the Atlanta Public Schools system. While I’m thankful that it provided me the means to sustain a somewhat healthy lifestyle, it still wasn’t my passion…and when I decided to move to California I was probably at the peak of my level of comfort while residing in Atlanta. So once I made the cross country trek by car to Los Angeles, not only was it a culture shock, I have never been more broke in my life. My car broke down, I couldn’t find a job, I would go days barely eating…I can remember going to McDonalds and not having enough money on my debit card to get something off the dollar menu, so I would split the cost and put half on my card and the other half would come from change I found outside in the parking lot….the journey has not been easy, taking the bus to and from auditions and part-time gigs will forever keep me humble. But I’ve grown to appreciate the ups and downs, especially the downs because I truly believe God doesn’t give you more than you can handle and he was just preparing me for the life of abundance that has already been promised.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I’m an actor here in Los Angeles, I’m currently building my career on a day to day basis. Every week I’m in class, and then I bartend during nights and weekends so I can keep my availability open during the week for auditions. The thing that sets me apart is that I know how to not quit, I’m a survivor, and half the battle when pursuing this career or anything similar here in Los Angeles is being able to stand the rain. How long can you go with being broke? How long can you go with not seeing your family or going home during the holidays? What are you willing to sacrifice in order to achieve your goals? These are just a few of the necessary perspectives you have to have in order to really chase your dreams.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Faith, without the ability to believe in things that are unseen, how will you be able to adapt when things get rough?
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/deron_cash
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/deron_cash
Image Credit:
Dawnie Marie @dawniemarie
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