Meet Shi’Darius Barrett

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shi’Darius Barrett.

Shi’Darius , we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Acting started for me when I was five years old. I thank my mother who signed me up for plays for a way for me to express myself. I didn’t know that I would later be thankful for that decision. I started taking theatre seriously during middle school my sixth-grade year. I told myself when I was five that acting was going to be my backup career. Sixth grade is the year I decided that this is what I wanted to do after watching the Nickelodeon Awards and watching Jaden Smith a young African American such as myself on stage re-enacting a scene from his class “Karate Kid” remake. I remember that night still oddly. I still was obsessed with IT sports and that’s when I started training to later attend a performing arts high school where I studied theatre and competed in many play festivals nationwide, locally and regionally. My first show in high school Unexpectedly, I competed regionally, statewide then nationwide and was awarded the title “Best Actor” at the Southeastern Theatre Conference in Mobile, Alabama March 2014, my sophomore year of high school portraying Stockley Caramichael a civil rights activist and the founder of the SNCC.

That role help me later be rewarded a full-ride scholarship to many universities and conservatives to study acting from the States to Europe. One of the biggest decisions of my life was moving to Los Angeles and attending the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Hollywood where I continued my classical training in acting. The academy is responsible for many great legends today. Right graduating high school and moving to Los Angeles one month afterward I was scouted to model. I didn’t plan on or even think of seeing myself modeling or anything. I didn’t know it was a vocation, more so a hobby. I just wanted to work and say I had a job in California other than my day job at the time and that’s how things started in Los Angeles for Shidarius.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The path that I choose in this new age of digital media is hard for anyone, no matter your background. I would say it has been a struggle being that I left college early to professionally work because I received too many offers that I denied and decided it’s time to work because they’ll never be a perfect time. I felt I had enough training in high school u too later I started using lessons learnt from college in my work or process of studying. I was afforded opportunities thankfully through the grace of God. One of the hardest things about working in entertainment is that work ethic is not all a guarantee to success in this industry. Hollywood does not care what college you attended. Talent and many other components take in account to building a career in entertainment in today’s new media world and that true X factor that makes you stand out as a brand. I think in my opinion the most important key to success in an industry such as is keeping God first and having faith in his doing. With that being said that the reason why I would say the road has not been smooth but still worth it. I wouldn’t trade anything for it. I don’t have any regrets thankfully for the grace of God because I’m taking my time and letting the lord lead me into his righteous path to be the storyteller he set me here in earth to be or not to be. Faith in the holy lord above will take you places.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I would say I am more so a Renaissance man. That mainly stems from attending a magnet school back in my hometown in North Carolina where I engaged in more than just performing arts, but also sports where I even competed regionally and on a state level in track and field! I have to thank for cross country and track coaches that pushed my work ethic while in high school. Those habits later helped me start an online dropshipping store with eBay and Amazon back in 2016. DNA has a lot to do that because I come from a working-class family. I was raised by the Bible “ A Man who does not work is a man who does not eat”. At eighteen years old after not being able to afford senior week because I sacrificed time to do shows and run track and pay for high school necessities. I started a drop shipping store one week after graduating high school to later make thousands a day, where I started to practice business internationally in Shanghai.

Nowadays I coach brands and entrepreneurs on how to start their own online business. I published two books on Amazon called “How to start a successful dropshipping store” and “Shopify Mastery 101”, you may purchase on Amazon or if you are subscribed to Amazon Kindle you may read for free. My first projects, I creatively directed many published photoshoots and scenes streaming. I made my runway debut with TME back in 2019 and had the pleasure to be coached by “America’s Next Top Model” Rio Summer. I credit Rio for my later runway gigs where I walked in Los Angeles, New York and Atlanta. My first publication was in CIE Fashion Magazine issued in July of 2019. My first catalog was published in from 2020-2022 with Uscape Apparel. Many more urban clothing brands I’ve campaigned with and very thankful for every opportunity more than I can describe. God is beyond a blessing to my life .

what are you known for etc?
I would say modeling but now so I found the confidence to start exploiting myself as an actor. Acting came later because I didn’t think I was ready or even good enough still I am still training but writing my own technique. One day after realizing that modeling has taught me enough, I started submitting back in 2021. Before then, I had no confidence to do anything but take photos barely. I made my TV debut on the Oxygen Network original series “Murdered by Morning” season 2 episode 1 which aired in May 2022. I am more known for my work in “Catching Gold Digger” an episode that streamed over 8.5 Million views. The Blessing of the lord. Recently I starred in the TUBI original “Shattered Choices” portraying the character Malik. Also, you may also find me in season 1 of the tv series “Base” on TUBI. Coming soon to more streaming platforms will be “Base” season 2. One of my favorite productions to film was the recent BET plus hit “Legacy” produced by Manny Halley and Yolanda Halley. One of my favorite projects I worked on. I’ve missed many bookings due to over-scheduling and just once again like to thank God first and my family, educators, and everyone else has helped me on this journey that’s at its start. I would say the most thing I am proud of is not quitting. I thought about quitting a long time ago. I just didn’t have any faith in what I was going to do. I didn’t know how I would get to that path. Faith has played a huge part of that. In life, you have to make sure you keep a positive mindset and keep God first always!

How do you define success?
I believe success can be defined in many ways. Success to me is when you achieve what you aspire to do. It doesn’t matter the vocation or what you earn for doing it in my opinion. I think anyone can be successful if they stick their mind to it. The definition of success can mean many different things to each and every one of us. I do think it is important to not compare your accomplishments to others because you are a unique individual out of 8 billion your path of success is different than someone else. That is how I would define success.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://m.imdb.com/name/nm6894976/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
• Instagram: www.Instagram.com/shidtv
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/ShidariusBarrett