If you’re a true baller you live by the slogan, “ball is life!” Raised predominantly in Cleveland, Ohio, in order to keep out of trouble basketball and church were the main things Marcus Emanuel Mitchell was exposed to. Ball was life growing up until college; He was bestowed with a full ride scholarship! Dancing didn’t become a factor until then. Upon meeting a friend from Ghana he became more interested in dance.
Luckily “the college I was attending was also a liberal arts college!” Once his hobby was becoming more of a passion after free styling on campus and at parties with friends he looked into dance classes on campus. This lead him to take rigorous “advanced dance electives one of which included theatre” which started to peak his interest a tad bit more! “By the end of my freshman year he changed his major from architecture to theatre and dance!”
Dance took basketball’s position as life! “Basketball was becoming too much of a job… with workouts and practices…” it was just all too much with this new passion in his life. He then reached out to his mother about the situation who was extremely supportive of his choice to “walk away from basketball”. “Going into my second year I felt that the college just wasn’t for me…”
While his sister was living in New York he took a break from school and visited her, and was fortunate to meet underground dancers! Fortune continued in his favor as he was able to get on the set of Step Up: 3D! He fell more in love with his new craft, unfortunately it was too late to get on the project, but the choreographers put him on to their friend who was looking for dancers for none other than Stomp The Yard Homecoming! He auditioned of course and returned to school afterwards. Not long after he had been hoping and praying and he was cast in the movie! Of course he was excited! He was so ready to leave college!
His supportive mother allowed him to do the film, but was shocked when he told her that he wasn’t going back to school in order to pursue his career in LA. Expecting him to fall on his face she gave him two weeks to get a job. That didn’t stop him! He ended up on Nick Jr.’s Fresh Beat Band! He also landed roles in Teen Nick’s Victorious and Disney Channel’s Zeke and Luther!
While taking acting classes his career continues to blast off as he broke his dancing mold into acting roles! Marcus has grown quite fond of film! Independent film to be specific where “you don’t have to compete with other big name actors… There’s no egos…” He has two projects coming out just this year, Breaking Through and Highstrung. They both have him great experiences.
The project that has left the biggest impact on him is the film coming out next year, Odious in which he has the lead role of “Marcus!” Keep an eye out for not just “Marcus” the character in this new film, but Marcus the up and coming actor. “Right now my job is not to book the role but to audition… My goal is to get into bigger rooms, get my name out there… Go the independent film route and get into festivals, be seen, and just enjoy the ride. I think up and coming actors are too worried about getting their next job and not enjoying themselves… You have to have the passion!” That is definitely one thing other than talent and work ethic that Marcus does have is passion, and it is going to take him far!
