Coffee With: Actor And Writer Frank Harts

Frank Harts
Location: New York, NY
Job: Film, television, and theater actor
Education: B.F.A in acting and humanities, The Juilliard School
Twitter: @senatorharts

What was your first job, and how did you get it?

I wanted some extra money as a teenager, and detasseling corn on a farm was the highest-paying gig in the rural Illinois area where I grew up. My dad helped me get the job through a small-town connection. I would go out in the cornfields and get around $14 per hour for the work. That was pretty good for a kid in junior high, especially back then.

When did you realize you wanted to be an actor?

When I was in middle school, I saw a production of Steel Magnolias at my local high school. That opened my eyes. I realized that there was a way to get praise – instead of getting in trouble – for expending energy. Acting got me out of detention and onto the stage. I honestly just enjoyed the attention at first. Later on, it became more about the craft.

How about about your first acting job?

In high school, I booked a small role on Early Edition, a CBS series with Kyle Chandler (who later went on to Friday Night Lights fame) that shot in Chicago. I had a minor role – like “Teenager no. 2” – but I was very excited. I got to go back to school the next week and be a little hometown star, despite the fact that I only had around four lines.

What do you love most about acting?

From a young age, I always found other stories and humans more interesting than myself. It's the thing that made me want to be an actor – the ability to explore the skin of another person. More importantly, I realized that, as an actor, the fun comes from exploring all forms of humanity, but the richness of performance comes from plugging into that special part of yourself that no one else has – that signature that makes you … you. A million people can play Hamlet or Richard III, but no one can play it with my special signature. If you fully believe in yourself and speak the truth, others will believe in you too. That's true for any field.

How did you become a writer as well?

I was born a storyteller. It's literally in my DNA. My mother is Irish/Swedish-American and my father is African-American with Native roots. As such, I am a descendent of the great African (griots) and Black Southern storytelling traditions, as well as those of my Irish/Gaelic ancestors (seanchaí). I was the lucky recipient of amazing stories memorized and passed down through the generations via my grandparents and great-grandparents on both sides. That said, it wasn't until 2016 that I actually had the courage to share my words in story form with people. I had written and delivered many speeches, but never stories. Turns out, some of the people I decided to share my stories with thought my words and ideas were interesting enough to invest in.

What would you describe as the most memorable moment of your career?

Playing George Murchison in the 2004 Tony Award-winning Broadway revival of A Raisin In The Sun opposite Sean Combs, Audra McDonald, Phylicia Rashad, and Sanaa Lathan. It was the first time anything like that had been done on Broadway. It ended up being the second highest grossing non-musical in Broadway history. It was like a rock concert every night. To be a part of that for my Broadway debut was incredible. I got to meet many inspiring people who came to performances. One night, Muhammad Ali was in the audience. When I heard about that during intermission, I sprinted to the 42nd Street subway station and bought a Muhammad Ali poster so I would have it backstage for him to sign. He graciously signed it, and he also hand-drew me a picture and signed that. I felt so touched that he took the time to give a piece of himself. He’s an inspiration to me, and that was one of the greatest moments of, not just my career – but also my life.

What do you spend the majority of your workday doing?

It depends what I’m working on. If I’m working on a television series, it’s possible that they’ll have us there on set from 6am until midnight, except for Saturdays and Sundays. On the off-days, I like to write. I just received my first play commission for a play about Charles Mingus, a super-talented jazz musician. He was an interesting character — very eccentric and off-center. Once I finish it, we’re hoping to mount a production in New York and eventually turn it into a film down the road.

What’s your dream role?

I am waiting to find it in television and film. For the stage, I have a few: If it were a musical, I’d love to play Harold Hill in The Music Man. For a play, I’d love to play Willy Loman in Death Of A Salesman (when I get old enough).

We all know that rejection can be a big part of acting, even for people who are incredibly successful. How did you learn to deal with experiences of rejection?

One thing that helped prepare me for the rejections of life was growing up as a Brown boy with a White mother in the Midwest during the 1980s. As wonderful as that community can be, there were also those who rejected my very existence at every turn. Fortunately, I have a wonderful mother and a supportive family, as well as an indomitable spirit that pulled me through and turned those rejections into pillars of strength – pillars that gave me the power to persevere much later in life as I entered an uncertain and sometimes inhospitable business. The most important thing is to surround yourself with people who truly love and support you. Especially those you can trust to be completely honest with you. You don't need the whole world to love you, just a few special people. For me, that’s my awesome wife, Shelley. But most importantly, you must love yourself. No one can fully love you, unless you love yourself first.

What makes you want to work on a project?

It has to be a hot script. That’s key. I also gravitate towards projects where there’s a director or cast member I admire. With any business, you want to work with people who are easy to be around. You don’t want to work with jerks; there’s no time for that. I also appreciate shows where the lens focuses on Brown people for a second or two. Growing up, I didn’t get to see enough of that. These days, we’re making some progress.

Do you have any advice for staying focused and productive?

The main thing is to find something in life that you’re truly passionate about. If you’re doing something just to make a living, you’re not going to be fed spiritually and you won’t be happy. That’s one of the reasons I’m making the transition into writing — it touches my soul. Beyond that, as an artist, you need to be self-motivated. If you just sit around and wait for the phone to ring, you might be sitting there for a while. It’s about keeping it moving. Don’t wait for someone else to direct you. Be your own director. Self-motivate. Make a schedule and commit to it. Get out of the house every day and find something to do that furthers your career and your personal development.

What advice do you wish you could have given yourself on day one of your career?

Live in the moment. Early on in my career, I spent a lot of time anticipating. Even when I met one goal, I was always looking for the next thing instead of enjoying and appreciating what I had. Part of that instinct helped me get to where I am now, but, as I got older, I had to learn to take a breath every now and then.

Images courtesy of Frank Harts