Today we’d like to introduce you to Ty Kruz.
Ty, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I come from one of the biggest states and cities in America, Dallas Texas. I am the middle child of 5. I’ve always been an introvert with a big personality, stuck in a shell. My mom always pushed me to my full potential. Growing up, my mom put me in everything and tried to nurture what I liked most and was good at. I was sports driven more than anything, specifically basketball & track. My mom enrolled me in an acting class at the age of 7, it tremendously sparked my interest & gave me an unexplainable feeling; however; I was too shy to continue. The feeling stuck with me from that day forward and I wasn’t able to find it anywhere else. Track was my first love since the age of 4! I had some speed behind me and I have received a ton of medals throughout my childhood. I actually ran in the Junior Olympics in 2005 and boy was that a time to remember. Basketball then snuck up on me at the age of 8 when I tried out for my first team and ended up falling more in love with that. For a while, I balanced both up until high school when I decided to dedicate all of my time to basketball. Throughout all of those years, I began to come more and more out of my shell and always dabbled in & out of acting. I knew something was there, but I was never consistent. My senior year of high school came and reality hit me that my sports days will most likely be ending here. It was a tough pill for me to swallow because all I ever knew was sports. I had to pull myself together and start planning life after high school. I went off to college at Prairie View A&M University to study Nursing, a CRNA to be exact. My first semester of college came, with a schedule full of science classes and labs. I remember sitting in Microbiology super bored and uninterested. I looked around and everyone else was fully engaged. I said to myself, “What am I doing in here, I don’t want to be a nurse”. My mom always preached to me how important it is to love and have a passion for what you do & that “It will never feel like work if you love it “. For some reason that really resonated with me while sitting there as I began to think to myself what is it that I love to do. I immediately texted my mom & said ” I want to act & I’m sure of it “. She responded, “Go for it, you have my full support “. I walked out of class and went straight to my counselor to change my major. Unfortunately, my school no longer offered a Theatre major so I changed it to Mass Communication with a concentration in Tv/Film. When I tell you from that day forward, I loved all of my classes and learned so much. This is how I knew I made the right choice. I found an acting coach and started self-submitting myself for small projects to build my resume and get experience. I was in Houston Texas, which is really dry for entertainment. There weren’t many opportunities at all, so I knew after college I had to go! I made a plan to relocate to a place where I can thrive and is full of opportunities. I was excited from so much planning; I couldn’t wait to leave Texas. I enrolled in Summer school every Summer and took the maximum hours every semester from then on! I finished my Bachelor’s degree in 3 years and was off to Atlanta to chase my dream at the age of 21. I have been here almost 2 years and I couldn’t be prouder of myself and how much I’ve accomplished. The sky is the limit for me!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The road I’ve been traveling has been a little rocky and I’ve definitely encountered some speed bumps. Relocating at the age of 21 was one of my biggest challenges. After living in one place my whole life, Texas was all I knew! I migrated to Atlanta with my sister and that’s it! We had a hand full of friends here with no other family members. Of course, my loved ones are only a call away but not physically having the love and support in my presence took a burden on me for a while. Back home I was surrounded with all of that so the transition was hard at first. The entertainment industry is a tough industry to break in and I never realized how much my loved ones played a big part in fueling me to keep going. Nothing is promised in entertainment and I’ve got a thousand of NO’s! I have my sister here with me and we are very close, chasing the same dream! I am so thankful for her and the way she’s helped me overcome so much.
Tell us about your work – what should we know?
I am my business, Ty Kruz! I am a full-time actress waiting for my big break. I lean towards Tv/Film and Commercials rather than Theatre. I’ve studied with numerous coaches back home in Texas and right here in Atlanta. I am currently looking for a new agency to get with but in the meantime, I self-submit myself, take classes, attend industry events and take multiple workshops. One of my favorite Acting Schools is Get Scene Studios. I’ve never took their classes but I’ve done a ton of their workshops. I love how they bring in industry professionals to teach, which gives students a chance to network and showcase their talent in front of agents, casting directors etc. My favorite and what I am strongest at is Drama & Action. I enjoy being able to portray a range of emotions and allowing the audience to really feel me. For viewers, sometimes being able to relate to storylines and characters is a coping mechanism for them. Being that vessel for someone to give them to courage and strength to better their situation is a breath of fresh air for me and that is why I love what I do. I am most proud of how much I’ve honed my skills and how many connections I’ve created through networking. Learning the business all around and wanting to win so bad has allowed me to pick up new skill sets that will only better my career. I’ve picked up writing & it has opened my mind up tremendously. Writers are the show runners of any production! Writing has broadened my mind and helps me understand characters and stories much more. It allows me to get to the core and dig deeper. I wrote a pilot script that I will soon pitch out! Stay tuned!
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I would like to first start with my sister, Te Kruz! She is the only family I have her with me in Atlanta and having her by my side makes thing easier. We relocated together and made a plan to chase our dream together. She is my older sister; I’ve always looked up to her and she sets great examples for me to follow. Although we’re a year apart we get mistaken for twins so much we’ve just started telling people we are twins. We use it to our advantage and go out for twin/sister roles. We help prepare each other for auditions, attend events together, we even wear matching clothes sometimes. Her love is so pure and genuine and she keeps me going!
Next, is my mom Nikki Kruz. My mom has had a hidden passion for acting since I was little but could never fully engulf in it because she worked three jobs to provide the best life for us. I do feel she vicariously lives through me when it comes to acting, so I always want to make her proud. She is real and always has my best interest at heart. Before making a big decision about something, I run it by my mom and she always gives the best advice. She has instilled many significant morals, values and life lessons in me! Since I’ve been away from her, failure has never been a fear of mine because I have a tool box of valuable things she’s taught me. She’s molded me into the woman I am today and that is priceless. She does heroic things everyday as a mother and my biggest goal is to retire her and make her proud!
Lastly, my boyfriend Gerell. Gerell was one of the first people I met when I moved. We started as friends for a couple of months and later begin dating. I love that it happened that way because it allowed us to create a bond and friendship before taking things further. In relationships now days, couples don’t have a friendship which can later reflect in the relationship. He is like a brother, homeboy, and boyfriend to me and I value what we have. We are from two different parts of the world, Texas and New York, which are two totally different places! Our upbringing was different and we are different as people in numerous ways. We use it to our advantage because who wants someone exactly like them? He helps me see the world through different lenses and not just what I’m used to. Although, we are different we do have share similarities and like minds. He gives me a great balance and outside of my crazy career, it feels good to have a partner who uplifts me and can get my mind off things when needed.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 214-986-7388
- Email: iamtykruz@gmail.com
- Instagram: thetykruz
- Facebook: Ty Kruz
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