Actor Branden Wellington chatted about being a part of Tyler Perry’s series “Sistas” and the digital age.
Daily motivations
On his daily motivations an actor and performer, he said, “I have a profound love and respect for acting. I’m motivated by getting better and seeing the outcome of persistence.”
“10 to 20 years from now I want to be able to say that I kept going; but the key to endurance is going one more step without looking too far ahead. On a daily basis my goal is to find the truth in the moment and a story and transmute that as honestly as I can,” Wellington elaborated.
‘Sistas’
On his experience in “Sistas,” he said, “Returning to Atlanta and reconnecting with the cast is always a highlight for me. The atmosphere is familial, and everyone genuinely enjoys each other’s company.”
“Tyler Perry is efficient, and I like the pace in which we work,” he said. “You know when you show up that you’re going to be up on your feet and will get a chance to develop a rhythm.”
“Acting is energy in motion, you just have to be ready and stay ready. As a regular on the show, there’s a sense of belonging. With that comes more responsibility and as an artist you feel honored that you’ve been entrusted to do more,” he said.
The digital age
On being an actor in the digital age, Wellington said, “I’ve had numerous conversations with other actors about how adding social media to the fire can be a bit overwhelming but it doesn’t need to be.”
“I think it’s important to know who you are and where you’d like to go. I do my best to keep the main thing the main thing, and use social media as a bridge to connect with people directly,” he said.
“It’s an opportunity to share what’s going in your world that people may not know about and an outlet to keep a pulse on other intriguing artists, brands, and people,” he added.
Future plans
On his future plans, Wellington shared, “At heart, I’m a creative that loves other creatives. My long-term goal is to produce projects for myself and others. I also enjoy the world of investing and would like continue to grow more in that area so that I can educate others.”
Dream acting partners
When asked about his dream acting partners, he responded, “I would love to share the screen with the same peers I studied and grew up with. My friend group is pretty diverse and creative. It’ll be a full circle moment to live out the dream with the people you dreamed with along the way.”
Advice for young and aspiring actors
For young and aspiring actors, he said, “Live life, utilize all your talents, and live below your means. So much of acting is having reference points to pull from, the more life you experience the deeper your reservoir…within reason.”
Wellington continued, “If you can act, write, and sing- then do all of those- you never know which one of your gifts will make room for you in this game. Don’t settle on one talent if you’ve been given two or three. Most importantly, to win the game you have to be in the game.
“This isn’t an industry you jump into because you love the lifestyle. It’s a marathon and it may take a while before you can live solely on your art, it might not, but the safe play is to aim for a modest living to concentrate on your artistry while minimizing financial pressures,” he explained.
Success
On his definition of the word success, Wellington said, “Success is enjoying what you do as well the people and places you share your time with. If you can find joy in the simple, then you’ve already won one of life’s biggest battles.”
Closing thoughts on ‘Sistas’
For viewers and fans, Wellington concluded about “Sistas,” “As a viewer of ‘Sistas,’ it was about finding what storylines and conversations I could learn from. While it entertains, it also invites introspection and dialogue while providing valuable life lessons and insights.”
To learn more about actor Branden Wellington, follow him on Instagram.
