Life & Work with Mark Anthony Brooks

Hi Mark Anthony, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I discovered acting very early-on in school. After realizing I could put a smile on the faces of people through my performances, I knew I had found “my thing”. In learning this, I have been on an evolving journey to perfect my craft. In 2018, I was afforded an opportunity to further train at the University of Oxford Mid-summer Program in England which truly challenged my views and approach to the art-form and the work. I later landed my first major role on the CBS television series Blue Bloods which has opened various doors for my career to take flight for which I am grateful.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It has not been a smooth journey by far. Ultimately I decided to pursue acting as a career which is definitely different than playing the lead school plays. Professionally, the audition cycle alone is tough as I, and every other actor I’m sure, face a small fraction of “YES” in a sea full of “NO’s.” For anyone, constant rejection is tough but in this game thick skin is a must. I have learned overtime that I can’t control the decisions nor the outcomes. However, I can own every moment and opportunity given then release my interpretation of the work into the world and move on.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a part of the film National Champions currently in theaters and streaming on Amazon. I portray the role of a young man named Scotty, alongside the amazingly talented Oscar winner J.K. Simmons, who finds himself at the epicenter of the chaos that breaks out right before the football team’s biggest game of the season. The film focuses on college athletics and the rights of college players which I believe will serve as a catalyst for some very necessary conversations amongst viewers. As an advocate for social justice within marginalized groups paralleled with the ongoing fight for equality, this film offered me a unique opportunity to explore both on screen.

Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
An important lesson I was actually reminded of during the pandemic is the importance of spending time with my family and close tribe of friends. Those moments matter most to me when the cameras are off and I’m alone with my own thoughts. They are the memories that I most find comfort in. This was a very great reminder during these precarious times.