Today we’d like to introduce you to Spencer Morgan.
Hi Spencer, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My journey started when I was really young. I am not a child actor in the traditional sense, but I did start acting at age nine. That tends to be the theme with most us (actors). We all knew really young or had some sense we were creative.
Nobody in my family is in the industry. My father was a craftsman, and my mother was a registered nurse who were both raised with the values of hard work. They grew up in the “O.G. hustle culture,” where it was drilled into them to work hard for what they have. They introduced elements of that to me (which I now use to sustain myself in this industry), but they always gave me the freedom to explore what I wanted to do. They were never like, “Ok. You are now going to join sports. Here is a football; this is who you are. Go. Be hypermasculine and make us proud”.
They really celebrated and nurtured my creativity when they saw me gaining interest in the theatre. Creativity was always encouraged by those around me. My career is what it is because of my family. And not even just my parents, but my aunt who took me to see my first off-Broadway musical, “In the Heights,” or volunteered as craft services on the first film I directed. These people exposed me to art. They enforced the belief system that this was possible for me. I look at my other friends who don’t have that… and I just don’t think I could do it. This industry is hard enough as it is.
A core memory for me is sneaking into my parent’s closet and taking out their bulky grey video camera. I thought it was the coolest thing ever. I would examine it, figure out how to record, and make these insane sketches in our living room with my brother. Years later, we found out that we had accidentally recorded all our childhood memories. So, there isn’t really a lot of footage of me as a kid playing in the snow or cute candid moments. It’s mostly just me asking my brother what my framing is at age ten. Now, twenty years later, I’m doing the same thing, just on a larger scale.
I wish I could give a cohesive answer and be like, “This is how I got here!” For me, I think it’s so many things: God, getting clean and sober, my family and my friends, therapy, training, practice, time, building relationships, and so much more. That’s my journey. I think for whoever is reading this… Yours is going to look so different. I fear people reading what I have to say and being like, “OK, yes! That’s how he did it! So now I’m going to do that. What I’m doing is wrong.” NO! Keep doing what you are doing. Go where feels right for you. Nobody has the magic answer, we are all just pretending like we know what we are doing.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
There were so many struggles and obstacles, but they usually always came as a result of my alcoholism and drug addiction. I now have long-term sobriety, but man, it was not easy juggling the partying and auditioning. It felt like I wasn’t going anywhere. When it did feel like I was going somewhere, I’d be like, “See! I’m not a piece of shit! I just booked a job, and nothing is wrong!” but then the cycle would continue. It is brave to say, “I have a problem and I need help”, to say “I don’t think this is normal behavior”, it takes courage to say, “I cannot do this on my own”.
Talking about this stuff is vulnerable. I feel like I’m shattering the urge to be seen and looked at as perfect. Something I struggle with now from time to time. It takes me back to “The Gifts of Imperfections,” where Brene Brown quotes, “If you’re not in the arena also getting your ass kicked, I’m not interested in your feedback.”
If you aren’t out here doing the real work, showing up for opportunities, dying to book a one-line co-star, getting rejected time and time again, filming a project you really love only to having it hit the cutting room floor, or watching your friends book work and being like “I’m so happy for them! But damn… I wish that was me” then I am just not interested in your feedback.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The industry has not recovered from the strike (yet). With that said, it has given me the space to go from Television and Studio Films (BABYLON with Paramount, WE HAVE A GHOST with Netflix) and go back to where my heart really is: Independent productions. The real dream is to have a film go to the major festivals. I do see that happening for me.
Most recently, I filmed a short titled “CONTINUITY,” directed by Hilary Smith, which screened at Silver Lake Shorts. I am such a big fan of Hilary, she is an incredible actress, director and writer. Very rarely I see people who are able to be truly talented in all areas, and she has it. I also just wrapped on a series with Rick Darge, which will be out later this year.
My goal for this upcoming year is to work on high-quality, independent projects with talented, great friends. I’m in that era. My team is great. I’m so grateful. I looked around a couple of weeks ago and was like, “WAIT! Is this the dream? Am I in it, and it just looks different than what I thought?” absolutely.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Remain teachable. Take your time. Ask for help. Find your tribe.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/spencermorgan
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamspencermorgan
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LP6paVRf7Ew
Image Credits
Joris Eric Charbonneau
