Today we’d like to introduce you to Elijah Everett.
Hi Elijah, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Elijah Everett born the last of five children was raised in North Philadelphia moving later to Sharon Hill. Elijah is the first of his siblings to graduate college grabbing his bachelor’s in mass media arts & journalism to an MBA. Interning at BET D.C. under the tutelage of Ava Lizette Hall, Rudy Ray and Lillian Blankson Bossman of BET International, Elijah traveled to Los Angeles, CA to the BET awards 2008 with only $25 in his pockets in hopes of a job in the DC office. In L.A. 2008 is when his entertainment career developed. Connecting with Crystal Wiiliams, BET – NYC, he becomes a production assistant giving him an opportunity to work on 106th and Gospel in NYC. His inquisitive nature, hardwork and warm personality captured the heart of Executive Producer Marilyn Gill who presented the opportunity to work with Oscar winner Mo’Nique on the late-night, Mo’nique show. He then became a Photo double for Tyler Perry and later that year Shaquille O’ Neal. In 2014, Elijah decided to pause his producing career to follow his heart in the art of acting. “These were my toughest years. (2012-2015).
All jobs I applied kept saying I was over qualified. I was unemployed in the corporate world for being overqualified. I was signed to an agent but I wasn’t booking anything for a little over a year. I had no money and I was too broke to take acting classes. Eventually, I went back to being a PA and as I made the concrete decision to be an actor, I told myself I wasn’t changing careers again and to give it all I got. To make it work. There is no plan B. I was broke so I’d watch YouTube on acting every single day, techniques, books, and films. I eventually became a grip to help balance finances, watch actors and learn on set. In 2015 I had my first movie opposite the great Jamie Foxx and Michelle Monaghan. From there, the ball rolled. I started flying every weekend to L.A.for Ivana Chubbuck acting classes after a 60-hour work week as a grip w/ auditions. I was just hungry to be better. I still am.” Since Elijah has been climbing in his career, he is a recurring character in Law and Order: Organized Crime, Uncle Drew, She Hulk, Underground Railroad, national commercials and Shaq’s Photo Double over 10 years. ” Through my struggles, I listened to Les Brown, ET, Tony Tony Robbins or anything encouraging. I kept my faith throughout all the struggles, acting has taught me accountability, vulnerability and responsibility. The expression of life as a job is a dream. I’m literally living a dream.”
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I don’t think any career in entertainment is considered smooth, part of the creative process is the journey. If You’re wise, you’ll learn so much along the way and enjoy the journey, failures, victories and cruise control moments of life. Everyone’s Journey is different. I literally had to learn myself all over again, it’s confusing yet the reward is peace and freedom of thought. Some struggles to keep it genuine was I struggled w/ myself I learned to have better responses and to be my own hero. Sounds easy but it was a struggle learning accountability and looking myself in the eye. Finances, availability and balance were also struggles. I’m glad I learned and found solutions.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I loved playing Big Anthony because Barry Jenkins allowed the character to go places emotionally which communicated to the audience for an emotionally. Those thought-provoking moments last, I love making powerful scenes. It impacts the audience so much. My dialogue was cut out so to impact the audience without dialogue, I’ve always wanted to do and to do it with a legend such as Barry Jenkins, I couldn’t have been more honored. It’s great to have a diverse character-based career. One of my strengths is versatility. I’m 6’6, I can sing, I write and play music, athletic and intelligent and the crazy part is I can dance. I’d like these attributes along with some personality traits to be transparent in my characters. Being unique is what makes someone interesting, Displaying some of these nuances in each film, I feel gives stronger more authentic choices to the character,
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Doing what it is that you want to do and it makes you happy.
I did a community give-back to over 300 people. a great charity event that helped the community I grew up in. To me, that’s success.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: iamelijaheverett
- Facebook: elieverett
- Twitter: skoolatharula
- Youtube: elijaheverett
Image Credits
Amazon
