Sometimes in life, your purpose will find you…at least, such was the case for Chicago-born actor, producer, and writer T’Shaun Barrett.
A Hollywood-esque situation of time and chance led him into the world of acting, and he hasn’t looked back since. The south side native has appeared in numerous national commercials and films like Barbershop 2: Back In Business and spent two seasons playing the role of Jon on Shonda Rhimes‘ hit ABC medical drama, Grey’s Anatomy.
His latest film, Not Another Church Movie, is a classic spoof film on the black church in the vein of legendary comedies like Airplane and The Naked Gun series. Written and directed by Johnny Mack (“Real Husbands of Hollywood”), the movie features an ensemble cast including Jamie Foxx, Tisha Campbell, and Vivica A. Fox.
N’DIGO recently caught up with Barrett to learn more about his start in the business and everything in between, including what’s coming up next.
N’DIGO: In your own words, who is T’Shaun Barrett?
T’Shaun Barrett: T’Shaun Barrett is a fun, God-loving person with a heart for humanity
What are three words family and friends would use to describe you?
Compassionate. Hilarious. Thoughtful.
Did you always know you wanted to be an actor?
I didn’t really know what I wanted to do until I was about 15 years old. A couple of things happened then that led me to the path of acting.
How did your acting career begin?
When I was 15, I got suspended from school and had to clean my dad’s church. There happened to be a stage play called “Choices” that was rehearsing in the basement of the church at the time, and one day, one of the actors was late, so they asked me to stand in for him. It was an instant fit. They ended up offering me the guy’s role after they saw my talent. Plus, there was no way I was turning down what the role paid! The show ran at the Regal Theater, and when I came out to take a bow after the first show…the amount of love I got from the audience made me realize I was born to be an actor.
Who is the first actor that you remember seeing that inspired you?
Harry J Lennix. The first time I ever saw him it was in the movie The Five Heartbeats. Then I got to meet him at my dad’s church. Later that week he sat down with me at a breakfast spot and told me everything I needed to know about acting.
Was there an a-ha moment in which you knew you’d make it as an actor?
It was when I landed a recurring role on “Grey’s Anatomy.” I had auditioned for that show a number of times. It was THE hardest show ever to get on. So that was definitely my a-ha moment – that show was so much pressure. I knew if I can make it on that show then I can make it as an actor.
Tell us about your latest film, ‘Not Another Church Movie‘.
‘Not Another Church Movie‘ is a parody of black church movies. It pays homage to black film directors who came before us, like Tyler Perry. It is a really fun movie and features an all-star cast, including Jamie Foxx, Tisha Campbell, Jasmine Guy, Kyla Pratt, and Vivica A. Fox, to name a few.
I pulled triple duty as an associate producer on the film and played two unique characters. My characters, Darnell and Tallahassee, are spoofs of Charles and Orlando, respectively, characters in Tyler Perry’s ‘Diary of a Mad Black Woman‘ movie.
All-time favorite actor?
Without a doubt, it would be Richard Pryor.
What is your all-time favorite movie?
Nothing will top ‘Coming To America‘ for me.
Best advice to up-and-coming performers?
Simply be great. Strive and work hard for greatness.
Favorite quote or affirmation?
I love it when I’m able to say, “Today was a good day.”
What’s next for T’Shaun Barrett?
Next up is a movie called ‘1992‘, which will be in theaters soon. The movie stars Tyrese Gibson, Ray Liotta, and Scott Eastwood. In this one, I pulled double duty, taking on a small role in the film and being a co-producer on the project.
Not Another Christmas Movie is currently in theaters.
Connect with T’Shaun on Instagram: @tshaunbarrett.
