It’s not every day a 12-year-old books his first gig as an extra on a film nominated for eleven academy awards starring Oprah Winfrey, and years later lands a role on an NAACP IMAGE Award-winning drama series airing on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN).
This was the case, however, for actor Timon Kyle Durrett, who grew up on the South side of Chicago. Through persistence, hard work and his never give up attitude, Durrett has defied the odds by landing his first major role in “Queen Sugar,” created, directed and executive produced by Ava Duvernay, alongside Winfrey. In the series, Durrett plays ‘Davis West’ a successful professional basketball player, who with his wife and teenage son uproot their life in Los Angeles and move to Louisiana to claim and inherit an 800-acre sugarcane farm.
The drama series has since broke OWN records with its two-night debut last year. Durrett shares that these accomplishments and the opportunity to be involved in a show that touches so many lives is a dream come true.
“As an actor, being part of something that is physically acclaimed, award-winning and very well received; to be part of it it’s mind blowing,” says Durrett. “To be up on stage and to accept the NAACP award for an outstanding drama series it was surreal. I could talk about these moments, dream about these moments, think about it and visualize it and it was one of those pinch me moments, you know like this is actually happening right now.”
The actor describes the series as artistically rich and robust, touching up on topics that people deal with in everyday life. He credits the all-female directional team for the shows organic touch.
“They bring that balance that I really enjoy. When they direct, they come from an artistic viewpoint, not only just from a woman, but from a seasoned professional who does the work. I’m so intrigued with the emotional component that brings about a balance that makes it not just one sided – I think that is so great, that is so neat, I love that it is so groundbreaking and so trailblazing,”
Despite the success of the show and his passion for acting, there are still moments when he is taken back and reminded of the violence going on in a place near and dear to his heart, Chicago.
“It’s very disheartening and heartbreaking because the city could be so much better and I think a lot of it stems from decades and decades of deprivation, suppression and gang interaction, and drugs in the community. I believe there’s many things that caused all this violence and it’s sad that it has escalated, it’s not slowing down and it’s not getting any better,” says Durrett.
This pain from losing friends to gun violence since the 8th grade, is part of what drives Durrett to work hard in an effort of inspiring others and giving back hope.
“Not in the sense of the humanistic hope, but the actual essence of hope – the things where you can say ‘hey man, we can turn this around.’ I want to say to my hometown let’s embrace one another, regardless of what side of the city you’re from, no matter what hood you claim, we’re killing each other, we’re not thriving the way we could be, we’re going backwards and I just feel like I want to give back this hope that could change and that together we can come out of this.”
Aside from spreading positivity and acting, the 6’5” actor spends his free time painting, drawing and writing – even publishing a self-help novel Who the Hell Do I Think I am? The son of eight’s portfolio also includes runway modeling, being a body double for Scottie Pippen and starring in Nike Commercials with Michael Jordan.
Creative Credits
- Written by
- Jodelle Maglaya
- Image courtesy
- Oleg Bogdan
- Photography
- Alissa Pagels
