Writer, actor, model, and motivational speaker, Monti Washington is a man who has not let life’s challenges slow down his path. From sleeping in parks to drug addicted parents, Washington paved his own lane to success, without letting anyone or anything get in his way. The man of many hats stars in Tyler Perry’s newest television series, BRUH and to say he’s got ladies around the world completely smitten, would be an understatement. We caught up with Monti to discuss where his nickname, “America’s Adversity Coach” comes from, how he turned adversity into real life success, and much more!
Tell us about your role in BET+’s BRUH.
Well, I play Bill. I’m an architect and I am one of the four BRUHs. We all are lifelong friends from college. Bill’s storyline this first season is really about trying to get the love of his life. Like most men, we realize the love of our lives after lose them. That’s what happened with my man Bill and he’s just been spending his time trying to get his woman back for a lack of better words. He’s there for his BRUHs and is navigating life on a day to day basis as a black man living in Atlanta.
How were you able to get to where you are today as a writer, actor, model, and motivational speaker?
Wow! I’ll say this, there is a lot to it. Persistence is a cheat code for life. I genuinely feel that if you continually persist, treat people well, grow and work to hone your craft and skill, you’re going to get there. As far as speaking, I did a lot of free gigs until I got good enough for people to pay me. I learned the business and now I am able to live off that. I’ll tell anyone that is pursuing acting or is an actor, you have to keep going. What’s for you is going to be for you. The opportunities will come, it’s just about whether or not you’re prepared for it. Acting is one of those things, you have to be in it for the long run, you have to make sure you love your craft, work on it, and find your lane to develop.
Where did the name, “America’s Adversity Coach” come from?
Just my life. My mother was a drug addict and prostitute and I’ve never met my dad. I grew up sleeping in crack houses and in the streets. I spent so much time in group and foster homes where I was abused. I was hospitalized and went through depression. Despite all of that, I was able to go to college and get two degrees. I’m able to be an author, motivational speaker, and I’m starring on three different shows currently right now – which all are getting second seasons. It’s all a part of going over that. I don’t think we obtain success in our life despite the adversity we face, it’s because of the adversity we face. They all enable us to go further in life.
What are you currently working on and what can we expect to see from you in the future?
I just finished the second season of BRUH. It will come out mid 2021, I believe. I have another show called Games People Play on BET. I play Terrence, he is a detective. We will begin filming the second season in January. I’m on another show called Stuck with You on UMC – Urban Movie Channel. I play Vaughn, a real estate agent and we will film in November. Aside from that, I have this great online resource my partner and I came up with called GiveAdults.cov. It’s a way to help people explore and learn to amplify black voices. We all learn from our shared experiences. You’ll see examples and videos of the things that black people face here in America that a lot of people don’t know about. It’s a way to understand what’s going on out there from their personal experiences rather than the media and social media. I’m blessed to be working on some acting gigs and working on my own projects. I’m doing a lot but I am definitely blessed.
For more on Monti Washington, follow him on Facebook & Instagram.
Featured Image courtesy of BET
Add Comment