Former Secretary of State Colin Powell once said: “A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work.” Andrew Gray is a driven and gifted individual that epitomizes this quotation, and he has found his voice in acting, fitness, and staying creative.
On the Netflix series Bling Empire, he said, “It feels good to be on Bling Empire. This show has taken over five years to create from an idea, and the fruition of it is a big win for everyone. It’s very exciting.”
“My favorite experience was pitching the show to Jeff Jenkins, and seeing Kelly Mi Li shine as the show has come out and the full season. She is on top of the world right now and I couldn’t be happier about all that,” Gray said.
“Watch it for entertainment, enjoy it. Find some gifts and some of the lessons that you might see in there,” he said about Bling Empire. “The response so far has been really big. It has been globally accepted.”
He is drawn to streaming platforms and the digital age for a variety of reasons. “I absolutely love the digital age. It gives more people an opportunity to escape from their daily lives right now, and escape their quarantine,” he said.
Each day, he is motivated and driven by his “faith,” in an effort “to pursue integrity relentlessly.” “I’ve always had an innate drive and I am just very passionate,” he admitted. “I want to be a better person than I was the previous day, that’s my motivation.”
Regarding his future plans, he revealed, “I have a dozen projects in development and I spread my days out in three-hour increments. I usually work 12 to 15 hours a day, and I work on each project for about three hours. At the beginning of the day, I take three hours for my health, that’s when I do prayer, meditation, and my physical workouts. Then, I stay very grounded.”
On his career-defining moments, he said, “In my younger years, when I was a model, acting was always my focus. I didn’t know myself, unfortunately. My parents were unable to give me my rites of passage, as a man, and I needed to get lost and find myself and start building the layers and the tough skin.”
“After six years of modeling, traveling, and exploring, I can say that I found myself. I came back to Los Angeles, and I got to work. I started developing a team, and it took time to cultivate the soil, but afterward, work, life, and relationships took off, and I am excited about that. At 33 years old, I finally feel like I’m ready,” he exclaimed.
Gray acknowledged that it was the adverse times in life that have made him stronger, and molded him into the strong and ambitious man that he is today.
He opened up about portraying Troy Burrows, the Red Power Ranger in Power Rangers Megaforce. “Playing Troy was a dream come true, as a kid,” he said. “Watching Power Rangers growing up, and coming home to that show was freeing for me. It was my escape, it was so new and it was very foreign to anything American at the time, and I was pretty blown away by it.
“To play that character didn’t really sink in initially,” he said. “It was surreal each time they called ‘action’ and ‘cut’ on the first day. Looking at the white gloves and taking off the helmet was just amazing, and something that I never thought would happen to me.”
For Gray, quarantine has been one of the best experiences of the last five years in his life, since it allowed him to focus on personal health, solitude, and finding value. “I can breathe, I can stretch, I can see how bad I want things,” he said.
“My needs and my priorities have shifted while in quarantine,” he added. “In my priorities, I feel like I’ve gained decades of growth, especially in regard to personal health.”
During the quarantine, he revealed that he took on boxing as a hobby. “Building up my shoulders, cardio, and the endurance. Focusing on my breathing has helped me in my life for composure. To be composed and contained is so important,” he said.
For young and aspiring actors, Gray encouraged them to “trust the process.” “You don’t need to understand the process, just trust it,” he said. “Work harder than you’ve ever worked in your life because we only have one life. Love yourself and the whole process.”
“Love is patient, kind, tolerant, wise, courageous, and bold. Don’t do those things, be those things,” he underscored. “Know that everything is going to be okay if you don’t listen to the naysayers. Also, find a way to give back, and have fun, and don’t beat yourself up. It’s not worth it. Be that person that makes everybody feel like a somebody.”
“Ask for help, say ‘I love you’ and ‘I am sorry.’ Be the first one to do it. Don’t hold grudges, don’t react, and fact-check. Effort shows intention,” he added.
If he were to do any track and field event, he noted that he would do the shot put. “I love shot put and the half-mile relay,” he said. “Now, I would love to do the triathlon, I love watching triathletes, they are so badass.”
He listed the “breaststroke” as his favorite stroke in swimming. “I really love the breaststroke,” he said. “The backstroke is a stroke that gives you a lot of confidence.”
Regarding the title of the current chapter of his life, he responded, “The Rebirth.” “The old me died. I killed him. He had to go, it was a slow death, he had a great life,” he said. “Andrew Gray is reborn.”
Gray defined the word success as “loving himself.” “Be the first one to say ‘I love you’ and ‘I’m sorry.’ Success is righting your wrongs. Falling short and rebuilding yourself with gold. I am a follower of Christ and I think a man of success carries his cross. Success is integrity and peace of mind,” he said.
He expressed his appreciation for his fans and supporters that have been with him on his journey. “Thank you. I am grateful for every one of you. I hope you guys continue to stay tuned. I am just very thankful for all of you,” he told his loyal fans.
French poet, journalist, and novelist Anatole France once said: “To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.” Gray is an actor that embodies this inspirational quote, and his life story and journey through life is an inspiration for us all.
To learn more about actor Andrew Gray, follow him on Instagram and on Twitter.
For more information on Bling Empire, check out the official Netflix website.
