…American actor signals for more support in local theatre and film industry
The energy within the Marriott Hotel was beaming through the roofs as American actor Malik Yoba sprinkled a touch of greatness on dozens of Guyanese actors, theatre practitioners, and spoken word talents who were ready to take their talents to the next level.
He is known for his starring role as NYPD Detective J.C. Williams on the Fox police drama New York Undercover and as Yul Brenner in 2007 American comedy-drama film adaptation written, produced, directed, and starring Tyler Perry.
Speaking at the event, Yoba inspired the crowd by using one simple metaphor—one in which a young 7-year-old aspiring actor was present at the event who was just about to showcase an act for the crowd gathered at the event, however he did not receive beaming support from Guyanese onlookers.
American Actor Malik Yoba
He highlighted and made it very clear that his points were not meant to cast judgment but to bring awareness to what he had observed so far.
“Imagine we have a kid here that’s saying he’s an actor but we are not clapping and giving him enough energy that he needs to showcase his talent, clearly, he is just nervous, but we don’t have the right spirit to really build the things we want to build because if we want to play in Hollywood and on a global level, it’s going to take energy and real resilience to do that,” the award-winning actor noted.
He further went down the line of this figurate speech to reveal what this can cause for the industry later down the line.
“Because of the lack of energy, it’s not a judgment; it’s an observation. If young people are the future of your country and you don’t have the ability to applaud and give energy—not anything financial or even your time, because he’s already here—maybe it’s a cultural thing; I don’t know; it’s my first time. But if you’re going to play on an international stage, you’ve got to bring it because that’s what the world is expecting.”
His advice, which did not fall on deaf ears, resonated with those gathered at the event, affirming his speech and signaling a change in their mindsets.
This led him to say that passiveness of support cannot coherently thrive in the film and theatre industry.
“You can’t be passive in an industry that’s not looking for you. If you’re going to create your own space, create your own space even in a simple moment like this…. even though the young man was nervous, he didn’t leave. So, if we’re going to build anything, we must stay committed…have vigor, we have to have conviction, and we have to have energy in it because the world ain’t laid back like that, especially in the creative community.”
It was quite evident that nothing ever holds Yoba back in life; however, he expressed the source of this and his uphill growth.
“I’ve never focused on challenges and obstacles; I’ve focused on what I want and what I believe. What’s for you will not pass you; if it’s divinely yours, what God has for you, then nobody can take it from you. If there are challenges in life—not just in the industry—the question is, if this is the thing that you believe you are supposed to do, you get up every day believing in it.”
Amidst the series of shows that he was involved in, he urged people to get into the film industry and to focus on monetising their gifts.
Abdul-Malik Kashie Yoba, who was born on September 17, 1967, is known for his starring role as NYPD Detective J. C. Williams on the Fox police drama New York Undercover and as Yul Brenner in the film Cool Runnings. He appeared as former FBI agent Bill Harken on the Syfy drama series Alphas, as Jim Hudson in Revolution, and as Vernon Turner in Empire. He also starred in the role of FBI Deputy Director Jason Atwood in the ABC political drama, Designated Survivor. In 2018, he joined the Netflix drama Seven Seconds as a member of a support group for parents who had lost their children. He also appeared in Jordan Peele’s TBS comedy The Last OG with Tracy Morgan.
National film commission
Just last week, President, Dr Irfaan Ali had announced that his administration is laying the groundwork for a national film commission in an effort to inspire a world-class film production environment in Guyana.
The President made this announcement during his address at a special sitting of the 12th Parliament on Thursday.
Other cultural initiatives that have been given a boost is the Guyanese Prize for Literature initiative, which is now an annual event that recognises and rewards local literary talent in a rapidly growing list of categories.
The president also recently highlighted the Creative and Cultural Industries Grant, which remains unmatched in the Caribbean in terms of size and scope and has awarded over US$450,000 to local artists and entrepreneurs for a variety of creative goods and services.
Looking ahead, the Government plans to launch a public consultation in 2025 on a revised National Cultural Policy.
This framework will address issues such as integrating culture into development, heritage preservation, and the growth of the creative industry, while also considering the impact of the digital ecosystem and Artificial Intelligence (AI) on culture, entertainment synergies, and the creation of recording studios to nurture local talent. (G2)
