Meet Wallace Demarria’

Today we’d like to introduce you to Wallace Demarria’.

Wallace, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I first fell in love with acting as a young child. I remember sitting in a theater and watching a play at the age of seven and thinking that’s what I want to do. I auditioned for my first movie at age ten. We shot the movie but it was never released because the premise was to similar to a huge production that was released first. I returned to my “normal” life after that. I graduated high school with the plans of attending the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

However, that never happened because even though they offered me a large scholarship, I couldn’t afford to pay the remainder. From that point, I started scrounging to salvage my life. I eventually convinced Fisk University to let me in despite not meeting their GPA criteria. They understood the underlying circumstances that caused my grade point to be so low. I also had higher than average test scores and the gift of gab. I was a business major. I had put away my dream of acting. However, it had not put me away. For the sake of not writing an entire biography, I will sum it up like this. I ended up competing in a talent competition my junior year. 5000 people competed. I won. I was signed by a real agency in LA. I dropped out of school and moved to LA. I was homeless for a few months. I slept in my car in the parking lot of Cal State Dominguez.

I eventually put up a one man show to get enough money to afford my first place. I eventually got back up on my feet. I got the other agent, started booking a lot. I used that money to pay bills. Then just when I thought I had landed my big break role, the SAG and writers strike happened. I couldn’t work for three years. In that time however, I started writing and creating my own. I started my production company, completed my degree at Fisk and then started producing shows, writing features, shows and stage play. I’ve been nominated nine times as a writer, actor, director, producer, etc. I cast myself sometimes and I take a lot of pride in casting others and giving them opportunities to do what they love.

Has it been a smooth road?
No, it has not been easy at all but I’m okay with that. Adversity shows us who we are and I’ve always been a warrior. I was homeless. I signed on to 3 features only to have the strikes kill them. I lost everything after f ij Nelly getting on my feet and much more but I’m thankful for it all. Because I always came back better.

What else should our readers know?
I write, produce, direct and sometimes act in stage plays, movies and now shows.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Yes, I love LA. It’s home and has my heart. It’s not easy here but the same thing that they say for New York applies to LA too: If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere.

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