Today we’d like to introduce you to Mckalin Hand.
Mckalin, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I started acting in church as a child, it was always something that interested me but being Atlanta I didnt think it was possible to act unless you were in LA. Growing up, I played sports. Sports was my outlet, it was the thing that kept me away from ” going down the wrong path”. I played basketball, football, and ran track. Out of all of them, basketball was my passion. I would go outside and shoot the ball for hours at a time. One thing about me is my personality, in school, I would be the person laughing or making or people laugh and entertained.
One day, my dad got a call from my teachers and he asked me “why do I do the things I do in class”? I told him I like to entertain people. Shortly after, my dad enrolled me into drama at my high school. It was an amazing experience probably the best experience I’d had in any class. Reading plays, breaking down characters, and telling a story was always something I enjoyed. The only thing is I never took it seriously, basketball was my main priority. So, I went through high school playing basketball not even thinking about taking acting serious. Once I graduated, I didn’t go to school and quite frankly I didn’t even know what I wanted to do with my life. But one thing about me is I always trust my intuition and something was telling me to take advantage of every opportunity.
One day, a good friend of mine told me about background work for different sets in Atlanta. So, I gave it a shot. I was an amazing experience and from there I met more people and them kind of ” showed me the ropes” on breaking into acting. I then got headshots took a couple of classes and got my first audition for a short film. I booked it they loved me, a few weeks went by, I got on set for my first speaking role ever. It was a small set the crew had to be less than 20 people on set but I had tons of fun and learned a lot. When I left set that day, I remember calling my mom and telling her that “I found the thing that I want to do for the rest of my life”. She said, ” Dont talk about it be about it”. From then on, I’ve been going full throttle breaking my way into acting.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Honestly, the road has been rather smooth. I feel as though it’s all about your mindset when it comes to living out your dreams. We tend to get caught up into what the next person is doing instead of creating a lane for ourselves. So, I begin to read more and more about mindset and personal development. The biggest struggle so far is going to an audition and feel like your perfect for the part and not getting booked or even the callback. That goes back to mindset, you have to realize WHAT’S FOR YOU IS FOR YOU AND WHEN IT’S YOUR TIME, IT’S YOUR TIME.
What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of as a company? What sets you apart from others?
I am a full-time actor. I am known for my creative choices and cool demeanor. The thing I’m most proud of at the moment is the last film I worked on. I wrote, acted, and produced the music for the film. I think that’s what separates me from others. The fact that I’m able to do those things makes me a triple threat that is going to be a force here in the near future. I also am learning more about directing. My big goal is to write, act, make the music and direct my own television series. (It’s going to happen.)
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I feel as though there is no good or bad luck, it’s all about perspective. Every time something “bad” has happened, a blessing was right around the corner smiling at me. So, I love the bad and the good. I’m looking forward to everything that is going to happen in the future.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 678-431-9911
- Email: mckalinhand04@gmail.com
- Instagram: mckalinjhand
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