Meet Tommie Earl Jenkins: Actor, Singer & Creative

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tommie Earl Jenkins and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tommie, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I pursued an artistic career because I wanted to feel the freedom of expression and to be able to share my gift with people. I felt that if I could make people feel something special based on something that I had done, then it was a job worth doing. I also did it for me because it was a way to take a step back from reality for a moment and escape to an imaginary world full of possibilities where you could be anything you wanted. Now granted, at fourteen I wasn’t as clued up as that when I first started out. This was something I had to understand with time and maturity.

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.

I suppose when I talk about my art, it’s my career in the entertainment industry that spans 40+ years. I’ve pretty much done a little bit of everything. I’ve danced in Ballet Companies, I’ve been a model, experienced being a pop star in Europe, starred in shows on the London Stage in the West End and performed on Broadway and still continue to act in television/film and VoiceOver projects.

The thing that sets me apart from others is, I’m me. I don’t mean that with any arrogance, I mean that it is the only thing I have that no one else has. We all have to remember that. We are all originals. It’s the one thing that no one else can be because that position is filled. We must trust and believe in ourselves and what we have to offer. I have to say that I’m most proud of myself for staying grounded through all the ups and downs and not becoming bitter, jaded or twisted in an industry that is so competitive. One must have a very thick skin to survive all these years in an industry that could easily chew you up and spit you out. Thankfully I’m still here and I’m excited for what’s yet to come. I’m excited that there are more people getting to know who I am, who have never even heard of me before. I have no idea where I’ll end up next or on what projects, aside from the ones I already know about. But I find it very exciting and sometimes frustrating not knowing what’s coming next. The funny thing is, you could wake up one morning and receive a phone call that could potentially change the entire trajectory of your life. I love that.

I got to where I am today through sheer determination, hard work and faith. Although I’m not overly religious, I do have my faith and my spiritual beliefs. I meditate, I pray and I try to live in the present moment as much as I can. It is a daily practice believe me.

It hasn’t always been easy trying to do what I do. I have heard the word no, more than I have heard yes. I think that from an early age, all I wanted to do was what I loved. I was just happy to do anything that let me perform and was happy to do it all. I never had the dream of being famous, I just wanted to do the work, do it well and on a regular basis. With that being said, as time passed, I learned that I had to become a little more focused on where I was headed. Roles would come and go. Jobs would become harder to get because competition became stronger. Diversity wasn’t a thing at the time and every black man was competing for the few roles that were available. You stood a chance if you had a high profile and not so much if you didn’t. There’s always new talent coming up. Fact. One must learn to stay current and move with the times or get lost in the shuffle.

Learning to accept being gay was a challenge, especially in an industry that once encouraged you to hide that fact, but is now more accepting of it than ever. We’ve come a long way but still have further to go. Representation matters. There were never any openly gay actors for me growing up that I saw as role models and now we have so many, and I want to stand among them and show others that being gay, it isn’t an affliction. It is a gift and a blessing to be proud of who you are. Authenticity is key. I don’t have to necessarily parade my sexuality, but it is my job to accept it and own it.

As you get older you start to move into different casting brackets, and how you choose to do that is entirely up to you and your team of reps to help those transitions. The challenge is always trying to get people to give you an opportunity. I still fight for those opportunities today. Nothing has ever been handed to me on a silver platter. You can be extremely good at what you do and have all the experience behind you, but if someone doesn’t take that chance and give you an opportunity, you just keep on grinding. I believe what is meant for you, will not pass you by. I’ve learned that the universe brings things to you when it knows that it will serve you. Patience will serve you. Never give up. Trust and let go.

The lessons I’ve learned along the way, were many. I learned that it’s not enough to just want something. You have to REALLY want it. It has to be in your blood. I would never suggest anyone get into this industry for anything other than the love and the passion you have for the craft. If you can’t think of anything else you’d rather do with your life and it gives you all kinds of joy, then go for it. Your work will eventually lead you to making a living at doing it.
I also learned that comparing yourself to others, being concerned with what other people are doing and how their career is progressing is detrimental. Run your own race. Everyone excels in different ways and at different times. Your time will come.

As far as wanting the world to know about me, my brand and my story, I’m pretty much an open book already. I post a lot on social media. What you see with me, is what you get. I’m easily approachable. I’m very serious about my work and I’m a champion for a lot other people. My personal life story has shaped me into the man I am today. I was adopted around 4 years old and I was recently reconnected with my birth mother and two brothers that I never knew existed yet our stories were connected during the whole time I was growing up. Going to the same school, knowing the same friends and living in the same neighborhood and never knowing we were brothers. I won’t go into detail but this story will blow your mind. My mind is blown daily when I think about it. I’m writing about it so watch this space. I can’t wait to share more.

I’ve been doing what I do for four decades and I’m not finished yet. There is so much more of Tommie Earl Jenkins to come.

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.
I still consider myself new to LA but to be honest I’ve lived here now for six years. I’m still discovering places. I suppose I’d have to do the standard tourist places like visiting the Hollywood sign, drive down Sunset Boulevard, and of course hit the beaches. Zuma is a must. I live in The Valley near Studio City and I love it. I also would head along the coast on Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) to Malibu. There’s an amazing restaurant in Malibu called Geoffrie’s that would recommend to try. The food is incredible and the view of the ocean is stunning. Shopping in Beverly Hills on Rodeo Drive is something you can’t leave LA without doing. The Granville in Studio City is one of my favorite restaurants along with Aroma Cafe in North Hollywood. SoHo Warehouse downtown LA is incredible from their rooftop in the evening with stunning views of LA. SoHo House in West Hollywood also is pretty cool.
I do like a hike and of course Runyon and Fryman are my go to hiking places. The Griffith Observatory would have to be included on the list.
I honestly don’t get out that much. I’m pretty much a home body. My husband and I love hanging together, watching movies and binging Netflix and just chilling.

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?
Well now, there’s a few people to which I owe gratitude and thanks for getting me started on this journey. I’d have to start first with my Junior High School choir teacher Marion Crenshaw, may she Rest In Peace. She was the very first inspiration and the first to believe in my voice and helped to nurture it. That gave me confidence to pursue singing from an early age. The Urban Arts Caravan would eventually become a training ground for my musical theatre background with Tess Hanson who would be the first director I had the pleasure of working with and learning from and would eventually use my talent on many projects. I don’t know where she is these days but if she happens to read this I salute you Tess. The Players Guild Theater of Canton kept me rooted in the theater and classes and the opportunity to perform in many stage productions. It was the Canton Ballet that really pushed me in the world of dance and the discipline it took to learn my craft and execute it. I owe that to Cassandra Crowley the Artistic Director of the company and Carol Hageman who was a great mentor. Now don’t get me wrong as I could probably go on and on with others who contributed to my success, but these people were part of a tribe of warriors who taught me what it meant to be an artist on so many levels and in ways I could never have imagined.  And for the first time I’m realizing that they were all women. Very strong women.

Website: https://tommieearljenkins.com

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Twitter: @teejaye84

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Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI2P2sZg0urmyHYbgwmpV8g

Image Credits
Cameron Radice JC Olivera /Getty Images