Meet Anthony Grant | Actor & Creative

We had the good fortune of connecting with Anthony Grant and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Anthony, have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?
First, I want to say that I truly think that the idea of ‘giving up’ gets a bad reputation. It immediately gets associated with being a quitter and I don’t currently know anyone who would enjoy the idea of being looked at that way. Which is unfortunate, because I think knowing when to give up is both crucial to growth and opens you up to the possibility of being able to potentially pivot towards something else.

For example, I started out pursuing both music and acting, and although I’d made progress in both, it was hard for me to try to juggle them simultaneously. Had I not made the decision to ‘give up’ on my music desires, I don’t believe I would’ve had nearly as much success in my acting career.

I think that for someone to keep going in any area of life, you need to have a clear idea of what you could be potentially ‘trading in’ for whatever it is that you’re hoping to gain, and being able to make peace with the terms of that trade off. For example, if acting comes with a certain level of financial instability, then I need to try my best to be at peace with that, because, in this trade off, I’m also looking to gain in the areas of career fulfillment, career success, and hopefully more financial stability when my acting career reaches the places that I aspire for it to be.

If there comes a time where you feel like the ‘trade off’ of something is no longer worth it, then I think it’s okay to give up on that particular idea if it no longer serves what you may now want from your life. Don’t keep going just because you don’t want to be seen as a ‘quitter.’ If you decide to keep going, do so and be at peace knowing that your achievement of that goal would mean more to you than what you risk losing.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I would like to think, that when people think me, my brand, my story, that I am someone who ALWAYS at least attempts to do whatever it is I set my mind to. I am primarily an actor but,before anything else, I’ve always been a Creative. Before I started acting, I’d already made music, written fictional stories, and drew art. At a certain point, acting became the primary focus and it was anything but easy. In a lot of ways, it still isn’t easy. I can’t imagine someone,who has TRULY taken acting seriously, ever saying that it’s an “easy” career choice. People were definitely skeptical when I decided that I was going to be an actor, and there have been a few times throughout my journey where I wish I had picked literally almost any other career. However, I’m someone who will never say at the end of my life that I didn’t try my best to do something that I really wanted to do.

I went and got a bachelor’s degree in Theater performance, I moved to Los Angeles once I realized that Miami wasn’t really a market for growth in my career field. I took acting classes, workshops, and did audition after audition after audition. It took me almost six years before I ever made it onto television for a role.

There are so many more things I could list but the biggest lessons that I’ve learned along the way are that 1) there is truly power in perseverance and 2) you have to be willing to adapt. I’d say that, so far, my proudest moment was that first time that I saw myself in a speaking role on television. Outside of the excitement of that, it was also a role that I’d self submitted for with no assistance from an agent. That moment solidified to me how important it is to bet on yourself and know that even when they’re in your corner, no one is going to root for you to the same extent that you should be able to root for yourself. I’m hoping that when it’s all said and done I can inspire other people to really pursue and attempt the things in life that they want to do.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Even though I dislike the fact that people automatically think of South Beach when they think of Miami, if my best friend had never been, it’d definitely be a must visit during their visit, it catches people’s attention for a reason.

I’d also take them to the Wynwood Art District. It’s changed a lot over the years but the art on display is still the forefront and I think most people would appreciate walking the streets and taking it all in. Plus there are a lot more food spots available, events, etc. Taking them around the Bayside or Brickell area for food would be up there on the list of things to do as well.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would absolutely have to Shoutout my family. When I say family, I mean my extended family as well. My parents and sister for being extremely supportive of my goals and decisions in life, and constantly encouraging me to whole heartedly pursue my dreams and passions.

I also have aunts, uncles, and cousins who have been there in their own way along my journey, and I know that not everyone has the privilege of saying that. Even my godfather and godmother have kept me encouraged when I was at a low point or doubting certain decisions that I’d made.

Website: https://www.antoniusdagreat.com/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/antoniusdagreat

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyryangrant/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/antoniusdagr8?lang=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnthonyRyanGrant/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqnyVh7Zf7rOJgtCSzta4JA

Image Credits
Paula Lareeze Robert Scott Fatima Ayala Scott Seip