By Taroue Brooks
What inspired you to become an actor?
So many things, including my beautiful mother, inspired me to become an actor, but one of the most poignant inspirations would be (feel free to tease me about this) the movie “Can’t Buy Me Love”, starring Amanda Peterson and Patrick Dempsey. The summer it came out, my best friend and I watched it 11 times in one week. I related to the “Ronnie” character and was absolutely in love with “Cindy Mancini”, played by Amanda Peterson. I had never been so moved by a romantic film and at that point I knew I wanted to be an actor.
Tell us about your most current project and the role you play.
I have a couple films in post production at the moment and one film that was just completed. “Lazarus”, is a film where I play the super-villain POET. It was written and directed by RL Scott. It is about a Hero called Lazarus, played by Sean Riggs. I also star as Marcus T. Hunt in the film “Cash Collectors”, which has an incredible cast including Michael Madsen who plays my mentor in the film. In Cash Collectors my character is that of an aged Action Star who’s now in debt and forced on to a Reality Show where I must collect millions of dollars from Cash hording billionaires in return for the absolving of my debt. And finally “Songs of a Raven”, which I wrote and will star in, is in pre-production. In Songs of a Raven, I play Michael, a singer songwriter, and single father, who befalls the tragedy of losing a loved one and trying to move past the pain and into the light.
What has been your most challenging role and why?
I have to say that every role is a pure joy. The most challenging roles are usually only challenging on the production side, but the challenge of a role is not at play when I am amerced in the character, and I do my best to only choose roles that inspire me in some form.
What is your process to audition for a role?
I first read and decide if I would like to play a particular character. Once I commit to it, I spend as much time as I can incorporating the scene into my day. once I feel a certain oscillation in my body, I then just allow it to be until I audition..
How has life been for you during the pandemic?
I would have to say that barring the incredibly heartbreaking loss of life, my family and I have grown and are using this time to become greater than we were prior to it occurring. I believe that the universe not only revolves in space but within each person. If we take this opportunity to improve and nurture our personal universe then we will have a significant impact on the Universe at-large.
What does success look like to you?
It looks a lot like my life as is. I have a beautiful family, wonderful friends, a lovely condo in the hills and the ability to enjoy everyday that I wake up. I use to think it was about money and fame, but I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor, I’ve been famous and not famous, but nothing has been more joyful than being a Father and a Husband, so if I am a success at those two things, then I am a success in all that I do.
What role are you most interested to play and why?
That is a really tough question because I love to just play, so the role is the conduit to that play time, but if pressed I would love to play Apollo. I have a deep love for Greek Mythology and Apollo is one of my favorite of the Greek Gods.
Where do you see your career in the next five years?
I see myself raising my daughter (who will be a pre-teen) with my wife while we produce films that I have written. I also have a taste for public service in the form of governance, so if I am moved in that direction then I will be of service to the people in a profound way. I love my life, and if I can inspire others to love theirs then I will have lived my best life for sure, and that is really all I could ask for.
Social Media
Facebook Damian Toofeek Raven
Instagram and twitter are @Toofeek27
About
A native of California. Damian Raven grew up in the silicon valley of San Jose. His Career began at the age of 5, when he and his mother Elaine Raven, bumped into a well know actor from the TV show S.W.A.T. and given a contact at the “Brebnar Agency” in San Francisco. Before long, Damian Raven was on the billboards for Macy’s, Emporium & Capwell, Levis, and Mervyn’s as well as touring California in various fashion shows and commercial shoots. From that point on Damian Raven has dedicated himself to entertainment. Multi-talented as an Actor, Singer/Songwriter, Martial Arts and Yoga instructor, and Scriptwriter, Damian Raven is a true artist who appreciates and loves the craft. With several credits to his name, Damian Raven has appeared as a series regular in two different shows, and a starring role on a thirteen episode series for HBO. Damian Raven lives in Southern California and has two children, his son (rap artist Mr. Multiple Minds) who was born when Damian was seventeen, and his daughter born November of 2013. Now, in his early forties, Damian continues to further his career with several upcoming projects including “Songs of the Raven”, “Cash Collectors”, and “Hero 27 and The Future”.
