Today we’d like to introduce you to King Judah.
Hi King, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My journey to this point in my life has been what most would consider a roller coaster. Born and raised in Newark, NJ, I found my passion for the Arts early. Coming from a household where my parents and older brother all took part in the Visual Arts made the connection much easier for me. As a child, I was certain that my future occupation would be within the scope of the Visual Arts, but life had something else in store for me. During my adolescent years, my father passed away. It was a sensitive moment for me. I suppressed many of my feelings and emotions but did not have a form of release. Thanks to my older brother, I grew a love for sports (specifically football, basketball, and baseball) and music. Naturally, I enjoyed watching movies, but I began to pay closer attention to mannerisms within the dialogue. Eventually, I would also develop a love for the Performing Arts. I would find myself trying to memorize movie monologues or think of song lyrics to jot down while at different sports practices. It was a “home away from home” when sports demanded so much from my mental wellness. As much as I enjoyed taking part in plays and studying various monologues, sports would become my biggest focus throughout my high school and collegiate years.
During my post-graduate years, I would move on from my norm in search of a career that would deliver a sense of fulfillment. My first venture into the world would be as a police officer for the City of Newark, NJ. I eventually became a detective working in various units such as the Street Crimes/Gang Unit, Citywide Special Enforcement Unit, Major Crimes, and Criminal Intelligence. Despite achieving these accolades during my 5-year tenure, I decided it was time to move on. At this point, I became a firefighter for the City of Newark, NJ. I would stay in this position for over 3 years before deciding to move to Georgia in search of further fulfillment. I would venture back into the law enforcement field for another 6 months but one day, apart from my norm, changed it all for me.
I found fulfillment when I decided to audit an acting class after getting off a shift. It was something surreal about being in the atmosphere of unapologetic creative minds. It sparked a burning desire in my heart that I hadn’t felt since childhood. It was like I made a deeper connection with the inner child that I tried my best to ignore. That is when I decided to pursue an acting career full-time. Since then, I have been blessed with the opportunity to work on several film and television projects. Such as OnTen The Series (Produced by Mann Robinson), Snapped (Oxygen Network), Kingdom Business (starring Yolanda Adams, Kirk Franklin), Tom Swift (starring Tian Richards, Ashleigh Murray, Marquise Vilson), ATL Homicide (TV One Network), Payback (TV One Network), and Creed 3 (starring Michael B Jordan, Jonathan Majors) to name a few. My goal is not only to be a working actor but also to serve as a prime example of what can happen when you follow your heart and walk the path that fulfills your deepest desires.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I firmly believe, “If it’s too easy, then it’s probably too good to be true.” I appreciate every struggle I’ve endured since taking this journey as a working actor. I started my acting career from a blank slate and in a new state without any guidance. So for me, the biggest struggle was finding out the steps to take to get my foot in the door and become an actor in Georgia. From there, it doesn’t get any easier. As a working actor, your training and growth never end. From searching for a go-to acting teacher/school, finding a quality headshot photographer, learning about the self-tape process, buying self-tape equipment, etc., an actor is bound to run into these issues. On top of that, you will receive more “No’s” than “Yes” working in the film industry, so learning to accept rejection and not letting it defeat me was another struggle.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I take part in the Film/Entertainment industry as an Actor. Aside from continued training in the Meisner, Stanislavski, and Method acting techniques, I am currently focused on training to specialize in stunts, fight choreography, and wire-work. At the moment, I am most known for working on Snapped (Oxygen Network), Tom Swift (The CW), Kingdom Business (BET+), ATL Homicide (TVOne Network), and Payback (TVOne Network), OnTen The Series (Mann Robinson Studios). I am most proud of my leap of faith to become an Actor. I’ve always enjoyed the Performing Arts, but diving into it despite my reservations and how many people disagreed with my decision took a vast amount of courage. I stepped out of my comfort zone and feel that this is where I will experience the most growth. What sets me apart from others is that I have many experiences thanks to my life that I can pour into my Acting. An experience that most people probably wouldn’t wish to endure. I’ve seen things that most people would run from. I’ve faced issues that would’ve defeated most people. I am resilient enough to stand up after every time I am knocked down and driven by my purpose, whatever it may be at any given point in my life.
How would we have described you growing up if we knew you were growing up?
As a kid, I was an introvert and lacked confidence in most areas. I only had a handful of friends from the neighborhood and mostly enjoyed being around family. For the most part, I was all about my school work and my visual art. It wasn’t until my teenage years that I began to blossom into an extrovert and gained immense confidence in myself. This change allowed me to make connections with people of various backgrounds. My interests during my teenage years were all over the place, but my main interests were sports, the performing arts, almost all forms of visual art, music (songwriting), and fashion. I like to say that I was versatile and multi-faceted. I tried to dabble in a bit of everything to build bridges with all walks of life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.backstage.com/u/kingjudah/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kingjudahofficial/
