Today we’d like to introduce you to Wenston Black.
Hi Wenston, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My name is Wenston Black. I’m from West Baltimore, Maryland both born and raised. My story as an actor and spoken word poet is a little bit different than a traditional tale of an artist. I would like to say I was born an artist but the truth is—- growing up I had no interest in being an artist. All I wanted to do was play basketball for a chance to make it to the NBA. My mother was always on top of me academically. In the Summer, before I could go outside she would either have me read a book and summarize what I read, or I had to write a poem that she thought was good enough for me to get the okay to go outside and play for the day. The poetry writing was inspired by my 3rd grade teacher. She told my mom that of all the children in my class, she thought it was interesting that I was the only one who wrote about a worldly experience while others wrote about what was happening in the classroom. When my mother heard that, she chose to cultivate my skills as a poet early on.
My days growing up consisted of wanting to going outside, following behind my older brothers watching them practice. Sooner or later I would join in, but when they felt like I was unable to play good enough, they wouldn’t pass me the ball. I would resort to imaginative play. They’re playing basketball while I’m pretending I’m a power ranger or someone from Dragon Ball z.
Needless to say, I believe my creativity as an artist came from consistently being ignored. Where inclusion was something I longed for I found acceptance in my arts and crafts. Whenever I was upset, writing just seemed to be the best way to get the idea out. I never really fit in as a kid. Most people thought of me as being weird. I grew up around kids and teenagers older than me. I was stuck in the middle, like an inception Limbo. I was too immature to hang with the older kids, and too mature to be accepted and understood by those my age. It was about my Junior year in high school when I felt the most excluded from peers. As the youngest of 4, going to school you adopt your older siblings friends. You never have to forge relationships until after they graduate. My brother was the only person I truly knew and talked to at school. He was 2 years older than me so by the time he graduated from High school, I was a Junior on my own. I felt out of place. I would began to talk to myself. My peers thought I talked too much so expressing ideas and conversing with them made them feel like I was either a know it all, or they would project that I thought that I was better than them. They would catch me talking to myself and thought I was insane. Those self talks began to become stories, those stories became poems, those poems then transitioned to monologues that I would keep to myself because I was too afraid to share.
It wasn’t until my Sophomore year in college where I discovered I was an artist. I had just found out I was on the verge of being put out of school when my gpa dropped to 1.6. I was a commuter student, catching the bus, a subway, & the school shuttle totaling a 2 hour commute to and from school. I would fall asleep in class to the point professors would tell me they didn’t think I was going to last. I made a tough decision that I would no longer play basketball for my school. Something I longed for since I was a teenager. I was cut from my high school team 4 years in a row, and walked on to my college basketball team (Stevenson University). It was the hardest decision of my life because it was all I wanted since I was a kid, but I was faced with a dilemma. Am I going to play basketball until the wheels fall off, or am I going to get my degree? A sane mind prevailed. I went undecided that year and took a load of classes. One of those classes was an acting course called “Introduction to stage acting” or “Acting 101.”
My teacher Sally Harris, would always pair me with a senior and give me the hardest, most detailed scenes. It wasn’t until I passed the class, she pulled me aside and said to me that she thought I could have a career as an actor. She would talk to me about how good I was even though I was never trained. At first I blew it off as smoke—- just another teacher trying to get you to take more courses to keep you behind but then, events throughout the school would take place like it was drawing me towards the theater.
I had a public speaking class with a woman named Christopher Noya (R.i.p), she would be on my case about how I would enunciate my words, always talking about my Baltimore accent, which made this class extremely hard for me. I was a kid from the inner city, Ebonics is my native tongue but now for a better grade I have to learn to code switch to fit the environment I’m proceeding education within.
One day, Mrs. Noya assigned us to bring something to class that really meant something to us. I immediately thought of my basketball, but through my hours of commuting and risk of being late I forgot to bring my ball to school. She called me to the front to present and I told her I had nothing. She told me either you present or you receive an F. On academic probation that is a death sentence for a degree so I walked to the front and pulled out my phone. I told her, I was unprepared because I wanted to bring my ball but I forgot, instead I have this poem I wrote talking about what I was going through.
As I began to read the poem out loud, I found myself with tears forming in my eyes. I talked about gang violence, turf wars, police brutality, racism, and moments in my childhood where someone was trying to either hurt or kill me. When I finished the poem the entire front row of my class was in tears, the back row was holding their mouths and my professor was in awe. Mrs. Noya would be the second voice that told me I could have a career as an actor or performer. After hearing someone that criticized how I talk tell me how I could make a career talking to people, I began to take Ms. Harris’ words more seriously.
I found myself as a Theatre Media and Performance major by the end of the semester. My gpa went from 1.6 to 3.2. That Summer I performed in a basement Bar called Loafers. I was so young that after I performed I had to leave immediately. My first performance ever performing that poem flawlessly and I received a standing ovation. It was then, I felt accepted, validated, and felt like aI belonged. It was the first time in my life that I knew that what I was doing was a pivotal moment in my life. The following school year I performed in my first stageplay and from then on I graduated from Stevenson University and pursuing the dream ever since.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It was never a smooth road for me. It seemed like I always had to crawl, fight, and scramble to get where I am now and where I am now feels like I only took two steps forward from back then.
I’ve always been dealing with prejudice people, people overlooking my talents to give to a friend of theirs who could not perform as well but wanted to give them an opportunity. It seemed like I was always taking the backseat for an opportunity knowing that I was greater than what I was allowing for me to experience. I had this notion that if I turned certain jobs down it would lead to a lack of opportunity when the reality was taking the jobs set me back more.
I found piece in creating my own projects, although it was a difficult route, it yielded a far greater reward than when I was depending on others to write the characters that I wanted to play. No one knows your character types, they can only assume what they believe you can play best. The truth is, I haven’t given my best performance yet. I crave the role that I have to study and research outside myself to give a stellar performance.
A setback that I’ve had—- was losing representation for being too vocal about what I wanted in my career to my ex manager. They didn’t believe in me anymore and the result was that they were going to stop submitting me for bigger roles because they thought my materials weren’t good enough.
My materials got me auditions, bookings, and more opportunities but they said they didn’t like it. This resulted in me being dropped. In hindsight I wish things could’ve ended better. The only way to contact my ex manager was through text messages, so I believe the tone of my messages were read as hostile when they were genuine questions about my career. If they would have explained by saying, “Wenston, your headshots you’re taking yourself are good, but I don’t think they can compete with New York and LA photographers—- go get headshots from them so I can promote you to better casting opportunities…” Our relationship could have been salvaged. Instead all I was told was
“Your headshots you’re taking are not professional enough.” When I asked what’s professional? They said, “Taken by a professional photographer” later I asked “ So, I’m not being promoted because my photos don’t have a name?” Thats when I was dropped.
I didn’t get insight on this issue until I spoke with Agents weeks later after a showcase. Here they explained to me why my career was moving at the pace it was back then. My photos I took myself were good for Co- star roles, but not good enough for Series Regular and/or leading man. Learning that lesson I now understand that in the future I need a rep that communicates over the phone when discussing serious matters, I also need to be more careful how I approach these conversations so that it cannot be misconstrued as being rude.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a Producer, Director, Writer, Award winning Actor, & Spoken Word artist
I’m more known for my Spokenword being the perfect blend of poetry and hiphop.
Recently I am most proud of the fact that I was able to finish my Spoken Word album this year called “I’m Not Okay” produced by my guy Don Trunk.
My album was currently submitted for Best Spoken Word Poetry Album and is now in For Your Grammy Awards®️ Consideration.
What set me a part from others is that I’m open to understanding that we all are aren’t so different. We’re all grinding, I don’t feel intimidated by others who are talented, because I know how to stand on my own two feet. The better the competition the better I become as an artist to rise to the occasion to challenge them even more. Most of the time I walk into a room of artist and I feel like a shark among goldfish
Who else deserves credit in your story?
First of all God,
He has been in my corner on my darkest nights and brightest days. He gifted me talents, tenacity, audacity, drive, and family that make sure that I stay focused enough to present it by any means necessary.
My mother, My brothers, and My sister have been my biggest supporters. Always there to pick me up when I feel like the industry is shutting me out.
I owe my trainings to Christopher Robin, Ryan Clark, Sally Harris, Christopher Noya, & William Ledent. My professors in college who taught me how to control my stage presence and cultivate the skill in a way that translates to the masses.
Michael Dandridge – A good friend indeed, someone who I studied in college. A true leading man, I watched how he took on characters, studied his scenes and rehearsed and I adopted those habits. Most people will say they look up to a Denzel Washington, well I never been in a class with Denzel. Whenever people ask who inspire me I look to my right and see Michael (Hooch).
Jae Mitch – My cinematographer who has been helping me put my ideas out into the world with a cinematic touch that captivate audiences is ways I could not do on my own. Aside from business he’s proven to be a good friend, whether we’re watching fights at a fight party or hanging out at the bar.
Maceo Tendaji & Matt Coole – some friends I met along the way who have employed me with acting jobs and cinematic clips I can place on a demo reel to push myself forward. Matt told me about an audition for a film he was directing. When I booked the job and performed, the film “Finding Hero” was selected in multiple film festivals. It was selected in 30, won 21 awards, and we all brought home a Gold Telly Award.
Last, but not least Keith Lawson, the producer of the film Finding Hero. Employed me with a role starring alongside Novi Brown (BET, Sistas). Being able to work with her and her fiance Malcom who was the director of photography of the film. Having a scene with her means a lot, it shows that my career has taken a jump in the right direction. I’m thankful for the opportunity that was bestowed upon me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Linktr.ee/WenstonBlack
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/WenstonBlack
- Youtube: https://YouTube.com/WenstonBlack
- Other: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/wenstonblack/im-not-okay
Image Credits
Todd Dring
