Meet Semaj Miller | Story-Teller- (Actor, Director, Writer)

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

Hi Semaj, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I’ll share this poem, it sums up how I now think of risks…

“Come to the edge,” he said.
“We can’t, we’re afraid!” they responded.
“Come to the edge,” he said.
“We can’t, We will fall!” they responded.
“Come to the edge,” he said.
And so they came.
And he pushed them.
And they flew.”

― Guillaume Apollinaire

I just want to fly… and the desire to rise above something you’ve never seen is risky, but that’s what makes life worth living. I always say, you get one life to live, and if you do it right, that’s all you need.

For context, I’m an actor… and I say that because most people reading this to an extent would probably agree that choosing this career (or any arts based profession for that matter) is incredibly risky. We hear it all the time, there are a lot of “no’s”, that’s seriously my testimony. The journey to success isn’t linear. Work can be inconsistent. You know, I’ve performed on stages at a theatre only to turn around and work as their bartender after my show has closed. But acting, story-telling makes me feel most alive, connected both to my ancestral past and the present.

It’s cliche but I’ve grown the most where I’ve been uncomfortable, growth is risky.

Also, a fully realized, deeply connected, visceral performance, takes some level of risk. It’s the characters and narratives that I’ve found at the start of a process scary, because they demanded so much of me, that in the end I remember the most fondly because they taught me something about either myself or the world around me.
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Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m most proud of my short-film #MoreLife.

Earlier we talked about risks, I came to LA right after finishing my Masters in Acting, in 2020. You know what that means, right? I came to LA when it was shut down. DOWN! I wasn’t in the union, I had no LA credits, I was stuck, until I realized the only person that could help me was me.

I wrote a short-film, asked my friends to be in it, asked the community to support it financially, (which was really tough for me), it got made on a tiny budget, it turned out pretty good, and is now playing around the country.

Nothing about my journey has ever been easy, but every artist I’ve admired, all taught me the value of hardwork and how to be innovative. Any challenges I’ve ever faced, I always got through, because I trusted my work ethic, and I believe this is the path for me.

What sets me apart…. I embrace failure, I welcome it, because my life is one big ass experiment. Failure has been my greatest teacher, and anytime I’m called to the work, I bring all of that with me. Anywhere I’ve gotten is because I’ve become okay with falling, as long as I’m falling forward. I also think my heart is in the right place, I want to see everybody win, genuinely.

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’m a fat ass… so any friend visiting gon’ expect us to eat good. I love the food truck scene here in LA. And being from the midwest, I love that you can sit and eat in the park. Smorgasbord, the little food truck festival will definitely be on the list.

LA has some nice roof-tops so that’d be the vibe. I love grabbing drinks on a rooftop, especially if there’s live music involved. We’d definitely have to hit Leimert and Baldwin Hills for the culture. NoHo is full of people from Chicago, my hometown, so I’m always over there, and they social scene is nice over there.

But yea, I’m still learning the city myself- I’ve gotten into hiking and yoga outside, which I never thought I’d like. I’m down for suggestions, especially round sushi and Thai spots.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
So many… I have to acknowledge my late mentor, Felix Cochren, who modeled for me what it meant to be an artist. And also, to be honest Black women have always shown up and shown out for me. From my late mentor, Mrs. Yvonne Nesbitt, who introduced me to August Wilson, put me in my first play, gave me my first teaching job, and came to every show I was ever in. My sisters who ride for me and support me without question. And my mom who is now showing me everyday what it means to be brave and how to push through a tough time.

There’s so many people that have helped me out along the way. I’m a kid from the southside of Chicago and the number of people that saw me, actually saw me, who said “he’s got something”, and have made space for me to shine, they’ve changed my life by introducing me to my own potential. But no one has held me down quite like the Black women in my life

Website: www.SemajMiller.com

Instagram: Semaj__M

Facebook: Semaj Miller

Image Credits
Photo #1: Don Ipock Photo #2: Don Ipock with fellow actor Walter Coppage Photo#3: Photo #4: Van Green Final Photos: AJ Lovelace from #MoreLife