Meet Makinley Patterson | Actor & Producer

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

Hi Makinley, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?
Most people are unaware of the hard work that goes on behind the years of study and practice! As an actor and a producer I have been perfecting my craft since age eleven when I first began. Working professionally in Los Angeles is where you meet other brilliant creatives and bring your hard work and study to a reality. Finding funding to make projects and making sure your set is safe is a whole beast before you even begin filming. As an actor you do random auditions week after week and callback after callback and won’t even get a response. You take acting classes, meet casting directors, get headshots, even learn how to do make up to be camera ready at all times for you to get maybe one or two responses a year that will get your foot closer and closer into the door of the creative space that you want to be in. People see or a hear of a “Big Break” and think the person came from nowhere or gets lucky, but they are under estimating and neglecting the years of work it took to get there!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am an actor & producer in Los Angeles. I have been working in the city for five years now. As an actor I love to tell the stories of people who have hurt, loved, and lost. I bring my genuine persona to each personality to tell. the truth and have a recognizable feeling that everyone watching can relate with. Producing, I love to work on projects that will open the eyes viewers to the lives and stories beyond what they could ever imagine.

I am originally from a small town in Alabama. I began performing at the age of seven by doing impersonations of Elvis and Michael Jackson and then began my performing on the stage by age eleven; this is where I fell in love with the craft and knew that this was my forever home. I went on to study at a fine arts high school and eventually moved to Miami for college to continue studying and being my professional career. After a few years in Miami I decided it was time to take the big leap and move to Los Angeles where I continue to study, audition, and begin my works as a producer.

My journey as been far from easy. I move away from home at the age of eighteen leaving all of my family and known comfort to start the life of my dreams. I lost my mother when I was sixteen while I was doing a summer stock show. Even during this emotionally strenuous time, I knew that my mom’s greatest wish would be for me to keep pushing forward in the performing arts because it is my lifeline. While beginning my professional career with auditioning and landing gigs, everything I had worked for came to an abrupt halt because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This completely change the standard procedures of the industry and absolved many of my working projects. Additionally, moving to Los Angeles, I did not have any industry connections, in fact the only people I knew was a family that had also moved from my hometown in Alabama. When things started normalizing and reopening after the pandemic, my career was met with another halt due to the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strike. While the industry is still recovering from this time I still managed to find myself representation and focused on producing and creating my own projects. In order to overcome the challenges posed by a changing industry, I decided to focus on myself as an artist and cultivating my own works.

I have learned along the way to take in as many opportunities as you can, and listen and learn from professionals who have achieved/are where I want to be one day in this industry. I have also learned how important it is to love and take care of your physical and mental health since as artists our instruments come from all parts of our bodies. But above all, I have learned to stay humble because there is no opportunity that should be taken for granted in this cutthroat field.

I would like the world to know that there is always space in the world for the dreamers who might not come from much but foster immense love and passion in their every step. If you have an idea or story to tell, tell it. The beauty about dreamers is realizing the value of the little kid that lives in all of us, for their imagination unlocks the most interesting, raw, and thrilling stories.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would definitely go for a drive around the city, starting with the iconic Hollywood area letting them see the Hollywood walk of fame and the iconic Chinese and Dolby theater. Afterwards I would drive them through the sunset strip in the West Hollywood area all through Beverly Hills. I would recommend “Joey’s DTLA” for dinner and drinks! Throughout the time here I would recommend a speakeasy such as “Good times at Davey Waynes” as well as another great spot to eat “Bossa Nova” in West Hollywood. I would love to drive them through Mulholland to see the beautiful views as well as “The Fryman” hike in Studio City. A studio tour through Warner Bros. is always fun and I would definitely finish the stay with watching the sunrise of of “El Matador Canyon” in Malibu and invite them for a lovely dinner with drinks and great live music at “Florence Osteria” in West Hollywood.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would not be anywhere close to where I am today without the love and support from my beautiful family back home in Alabama (Roll Tide). My sister Malia, who has supported me since the day I could walk. A heavenly shoutout to my parents that are no longer with us but walk with me everyday as I travel on my journey, as well as my beautiful grandmother “Granny Kay” who believed in me more than I even did myself at times. I would also love to thank Scott Sedita and Deborah Quale for being beautiful and cutthroat mentors in branching me out as an actor. Of course my agent and manger for putting me out for projects to make my career a success. Last but not least at all Aj Lovelace my producing partner in crime for showing me the ropes in producing.

Website: https://makinleypatterson1.wixsite.com/makinleypatterson

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/makinleypatterson/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/makinley.patterson/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqawnppQ0M0

Image Credits
AJ Lovelace Photography
Teen Vogue Photography
Eugene Powers Dreamstime Photography