Today we’d like to introduce you to Adetinpo Thomas.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was born and raised in Southern California. My family moved to Henry County, GA when I was in the 10th grade and that’s when I started acting. It probably would have made more sense to start acting when I lived in LA but what can you do? I’m not ashamed to say that the very first play I auditioned for was actually the musical Footloose, I was pretty much sold after that.
I finished high school and studied acting in college and grad school. After I finished my M.A. at UCONN, I came back to Atlanta where the industry was really flourishing and I have been here ever since. I’m excited for the opportunities the city has to offer!
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?
The biggest struggle so far has been me questioning whether I should be an actor in the first place. If my name didn’t give it away, I’m Nigerian and like any first gen kid, there is tons of pressure to succeed. My pedigree put me on the fast track to being a doctor, engineer, or pharmacist. My parents didn’t exactly move to this country for me to become an artist, so even the initial whispers of leaning towards this profession were met with tension. This industry has no promise of success and that’s hard for most people to swallow, let alone immigrant parents. In spite of all of that, I chose this. Or this chose me? Either way, once I decided to commit, I haven’t looked back. Of course, I still have moments of doubt and concerns that I’ll let my family down but I believe in myself. Paulo Coelho taught me that as long as I follow my personal legend, the universe will conspire in my favor. It’s important to follow your dreams, even if culturally they seem unconventional.
Please tell us about Adetinpo Thomas.
I think accurate representation is incredibly important. So many marginalized groups have voices that are only now, in the year of our Lord 2019, getting acknowledged, let alone showcased. That’s a large part of why I felt strongly about acting. I want to be apart of normalizing the black female experience in media and because of that, I’m really excited about two projects I wrapped recently. One is a web series written by Melissa Oultan Haas and the other a short film directed by David Silverman.
The series premieres in March and it’s called #PrettyFunny (follow us on Instagram) and was produced by You42. Melissa created a truly honest and hilarious project that I was so honored to be a part of.
The short written by David Silverman just made it into a film festival in Nevada and another in South Carolina so we’re really pumped to see how far it goes.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
When I was seven or eight years old, my family all piled into the car and went to Malibu. Growing up in Southern California, each city was so self-sufficient that going more than 15 minutes away seemed tedious, so driving the hour to get to this particular beach and city was a big deal. I just remember how excited I was because of how unprecedented the circumstances were. It gave everything a sheen that I realize in hindsight may not have been there. It was special though, my parents in the front seat, my brother and in the back, my younger sister hadn’t been born yet (sorry sis) and the cliffs and eventually the beach and the waves. We were gone the whole day. I don’t remember us talking about much but I remember it being pretty and peaceful.
Contact Info:
- Website: adetinpothomas.com
- Instagram: adetinpo_thatsme
- Facebook: facebook.com/adetinpo.thomas
- Twitter: adetinpothatsme
Image Credit:
Connecticut Repertory Theatre, Viviana Chavez, Melissa Oultan Haas, David Silverman, Liz Metz and Carole Kaboya
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