Meet Stephone Davis | Actor, Entertainer, HealthCare Worker

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

Hi Stephone, what do you think makes you most happy? Why?
Bringing others joy is what makes me happy. There’s something about being the reason a person smiles or laughs that makes me feel wonderful inside. You never know what people are going through. So giving that random compliment or showing genuine interest will make a persons day. It just might be the encounter to give them more confidence. Better yet, it might be the reason they decide life is worth living. It’s the small things that bring people joy, and I enjoy finding those small things.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
When it comes to acting and entertainment I have always loved to put on a show for people. It came naturally but I never really knew what to do with it. I would watch all kinds of movies or shows and would recite the lines all the time to my friends and family. I knew from the beginning that entertainment had a special place in my heart. Whether it was kung fu or comedy I couldn’t get enough of it. I think my authenticity is what has set me apart. I don’t put on an act unless those cameras and mics are rolling! I use to try and be someone else when I was younger because I thought about trying to be cool for other groups. I realized after high school just how non sensical that is. I realized just how cool I really am by being myself. I’ll be as silly or as outgoing in an environment as I want to be because I’m not trying to convince others that I’m cool anymore. I know I am.

I am most excited to see where acting will take me and how far. Nothing is guaranteed but I will enjoy the journey every step of the way nonetheless.

I got to where I am today by doing the basics. Finding out what it takes to be an actor. Getting headshots, meeting people, learning etiquette and important techniques. You learn as you go and deal with rejection along the way of course. It’s all a part of the process. If you don’t know the answer to a question you look it up. If you don’t know if what you’re doing is enough…do MORE! It’s not easy but if you love what you do its more than worth it.

You can’t be afraid to get things wrong. You’re going to have so many auditions for all types of jobs. You won’t get most of them. You have to learn to be ok with that. Most people will quit after the first few years. You just can’t be one of them.

I learned there’s so much more to acting then just waiting for the word action. Preparation and discipline is everything. If you do happen to land a gig. You can make yourself look like a pro instantly by simply showing up early and following instructions.

When it comes to who I am and what I do. I just want the world to know I care about the people. I want to entertain people and bring them together. I want them to know I got to where I am because I went after it and treated people with respect along the way.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Whenever I have friends visit I love taking them to the iconic places first. There’s nothing more iconic than Hollywood BLVD at night. The walk of fame, Chinese theatre, Ripleys Believe it or not. We have to see it all under the lights. Afterwards we can soak it all in at Johnny Rockets.

Next we’ll have to go to Universal Studios with a full tour of the park and its various events. Starting off with City Walk and all the stores and restaurants it has. We then work our way to Hogwarts and enjoy the rides and magical vibes of its world. Pictures with the train and the castle are a must. Of course the Simpsons has to be next because who doesn’t want to visit Moe’s Tavern and take a picture with the lovable drunk Barney Gumble? We do all the rides across the park in every theme area. So Mario World, Jurassic world, Transformers and the rest. We end it with the live Water World show.

The third day we have to visit the beaches starting with Santa Monica pier and its attractions. Then working our way to Venice and Muscle beach. Hopefully we see Arnold there. After spending a couple hours out and about we drive up to Malibu to be somewhere more quiet and relaxing. We probably see a couple stars along the way. Once we want to wind down we head over to Stone Fire Grill in Thousand Oaks and get us some great barbecue.

The day after we head Downtown and to checkout the Crypto Arena where the Kings, Lakers and Clippers play. We take pictures with the statues of all the greats like Shaq, Kobe and Magic Johnson. Then we head over to the shopping center up Figueroa Street and explore the goods. start checking out the rest of the arenas and centers before we head to the fashion district. Since its about time we get something to eat we go to Grand Central Market and go through all the delicious options available.

Day 5 we explore Echo Park and Silver Lake. There’s a bunch of hills and youthful places there so we just hangout and explore.

Day 6 We hike in Griffith Park starting at the bottom then going to the observatory. Then we check out The Thriller house near echo park and go to the Nightmare on Elm Street house in Hollywood. After getting some spooky photos in we head to Beverly Hills to checkout Rodeo Drive. We decide to see some more high quality shopping centers so we go over to the Grove. After walking around for a couple hours. we decide to drive around and checkout all the movie studios. From Sony in West La, to Paramount and Netflix in Hollywood, and Warner Bros in Burbank.

Last but not least we start off with Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles for breakfast before going through horrible LA traffic to get to Anaheim for our grand finale. Disney Land. I don’t think anyone can name all the things you can do there in one sitting. Obviously there’s so much more you can do out here but this is a modest itinerary.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I dedicate all my success to my mother. I was born in Oakland, California in a single mother household with my older sister. We watched my mother perform miracles and feats of great physical, mental and emotional strength every day. She not only took care of us but her nieces and nephews as well. She was going to college and working while my sister was baby. She never made excuses that would stop her hustle, She just kept working. No matter how tired she was she always made time to help us with homework or projects. She always made sure we had a hot meal and time for fun. She moved us to Texas all by herself when I was 6 years old. It was a totally new environment that she knew nothing about, but somehow she found every resource available so we could thrive. 5 years later we moved back to the bay area in Fremont, California. The economy was different, and the cost of living was much higher. Even on government assisted programs it was too much for her with only one job as a teacher. So she did what she needed to and got another. No matter what adversity she faced she always fought through it and succeeded in the endeavor. If she could raise two children by herself in her early 20’s while working and going to school. Then moving to an entire different state only to comeback and work 2 jobs to keep us afloat. What’s my excuse not to be successful? Watching my mother do all the things she did showed me that anything is possible.

All the other people I came across in my life that told me there was something special about me definitely played a part in my success. When you hear something enough times you start to believe it. From my drama teacher Mr.Ballin to my English teacher Ms.T. Or the friends and peers in my highscool and college days. They have all played a part in building who I am today.

I initially decided to work in healthcare because it paid well and would fund my acting aspirations. Thankfully I enjoyed it and grew to love it. Success is having the privilege to balance things you have to do with the things you love to do

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Image Credits
Johnny Pena