Today we’d like to introduce you to Drew Newman.
Hi Drew, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
The story of how it started. It started back in 2010 I was in a YouTube group called Da Heroes, our Cereal and Milk video got 85k views. From there I started doing Spoken word/ Slam Poetry in 2011. I went on to do 5 tours and compete in poetry slams, I did this up until 2016 fully committed. I worked a normal job as well but I remember more of the poetry scene than I remember where I worked at. In 2016 I took up personal training until 2018 when my daughter was born, her name is Arie that’s my rollie! A few months before she was born I did a stage play called Clique, it was a 3-day show. When she was born I took a break from things, in 2019 I did a short film called The Conduit then in 2021 I did a voice-over for a short called Chicken Shack, and a short film called Blackout. In December 2021 I went to Discovery Spotlight in Myrtle Beach which is a talent scouting competition, I got 5 out of 8 callbacks, the 3 were music-only scouts and I don’t do music.
I came back and linked with a small production company I don’t work with anymore but during my time there I wrote my first TV show called Operation Santiago which played on YouTube and Amazon Firestick Tv, we only got to the pilot episode and even though we didn’t go full throttle which was the plan, I learned a lot still even though I don’t work with them anymore but while that was happening I got booked for my first major role in a feature film called Absence of Innocence, I play Darwin which was a challenge because the character is my polar opposite so it really tested my acting ability and the response was amazing, the movie has its encore presentation August 26th it’s either coming up or just pasted depending on when this is printed. I am currently filming another movie called Hornets Nest Savagery, and that doesn’t mean stop doing auditions so I have some things in the works everyone will have to wait and just see, it’s been a journey but I’m enjoying it.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No this has not been a smooth ride at all, it ain’t a smooth ride now lol black sheep gang so y’all know who I am in the family, I’ve been homeless 3 times, 2 bad public breakups, was depressed for like 2 years, I get fired from jobs faster than anything, be dead broke but told I make too much for food stamps, these just a few things and I’m comfortable saying it because of how I evolved into who I am today.
My actions and decisions were not always the best, in some cases, some things would have gone smoother had I kept my mouth shut or opened it, but it’s been a journey and challenging for sure but I accept it, all consequences and rewards that come from what I do.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
So my “work” I call it freedom earner, my freedom earner is acting. I love what I do, my happy place is in front of the camera putting on a show that everyone can enjoy. From Tik Tok to Tv on camera I am happiest, even in a sad scene, I’m just happy to be here. If I had to say I specialize in anything I would say writing, I have been writing since I was young and when I got into Slam Poetry my writing advanced from there and now all these ideas just flow onto the page, I find the writing part the easiest, second would be memorizing, I can memorize fast, but it’s weird I can memorize someone else words faster than something I wrote, I’m trying to get that together. I’m most proud of the people around me though, I don’t get here without my circle, Lee, Keith, Shy, Brandon, Sunshiine, Ology, Kisha, and Dreka’s tacos lol I’m most proud of them because they don’t know how much attention I pay when things are rough, I feed off the strength I watch each one of them put on when they get up and gotta face whatever life say is the challenge today, it’s inspiring and I think what sets me apart from others is I’m open.
I’m not famous enough to talk about a past struggle I’m struggling now even with amazing things going on and I’m ok, I don’t need to fake or hide not being ok, because it’s going to be and it’s going to be on time. Haha Drew ain’t got no car, yea right now, I’ve had a total of 17 cars so far ask my dad it’s facts, car 18 gone car 19 on the way, God told me I had to sit down for a min and that’s ok, but who else gone tell you that while they go through it, it’s usually after it’s over you here stuff like this, “I use to have to” no I currently walk a few places, my friends come get me, I’m fine. Sunshiine told me “You can only be embarrassed if you allow yourself to feel that way” I’m not embarrassed, I’m embracing because the lows are part of the story.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
Had I known this section was here I would have waited to shout my people out, lol, but just to reinforce Lee, Keith, Shy, Brandon, Sunshiine, Ology, Kisha, and Dreka’s tacos lol Sunshiine constantly tells me I’m going to be an Icon and it was hard to wrap my head around it because I’m just a kid from Flint looking for his lane, and I found it.
Icon hasn’t settled all the way down yet but she doesn’t let me forget, Keith don’t let me forget, I’m struggling “You an Icon” but I just got suspended from work after they cut my hours “Don’t matter you an Icon” but the woman I been having a crush on finally given me the energy “Well if it’s meant for you it will be for you no matter what’s happening right now because you an Icon” before every audition or the first day of film I get a text from Keith and a phone call from Olo, Brandon and Sunshiine are more than likely where I am anyway, we taking over this acting career as a unit, Kisha is like my unspoken secretary lol and with tacos being my favorite food my homie Dreka comes through, are they good, I’m talking about them in an interview about me lol yes delicious is a weak word for those tacos lol, all my people are directly responsible for why I work so hard and can keep going despite whatever is going on in my life.
Pricing:
- TikTok promo $100
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @TheAlphaDrew
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drizzy.new
- Twitter: Instagram.com/TheAlphaDrew
- Youtube: YouTube.com/alphadrewnewman
- Other: TikTok.com/TheAlphaDrew
