THE MOVIES, THE LIGHTS, THE STRUGGLE, THE MAN...
Friend, character, ball of energy, infectious spirit, sweetheart, perfectionist, and driven are many but limited words that cross my mind when I hear the name Antjuan Tobias; A man beyond his words who exudes more than what’s asked. Tobias is better known as an Actor for Lifetime Series Army Wives Season 4 and 5. But not before he’s been taking over in the independent film realm; with films such as LIFE.LESS which has been turned over to many Film Festivals. In early 2011 I had the opportunity to interview this wonderful man at the Beat Break Radio Studio’s in Atlanta, GA. Check out the interview below:
Lola B: Antjuan, How are you?
Antjuan Tobias: I am great just sitting here in my hotel room. Actually I have an early day on set tomorrow at 5am, so I’m in Charleston right now just chilling.
Lola B: Movements!! So you’re still getting it in.
Antjuan Tobias: Yea Man, yea man, I’m trying to, (laughs)..
THE MOVIES….
Lola B: Alright Tobias, in 2010 you’ve done six movies/short film’s would you say that 2010 has been a big year for you? Or consider it to be an uprising of your career?
Antjuan Tobias: It was a big year for me. It’s crazy because when I look back on last year until this time, I look back and I say Wow, I accomplished a lot of things. It literally blows my mind sometimes. I made a conscious decision by creating what I wanted. I put it out there and it just happened. In 2010, it got to the point where I put in so much work, non-stop, constant work that by the time the end of the year rolled around, I was like I’m doing it, I’m really doing it! I told myself that it’s going to happen and I believed in it. With you putting those numbers out there I’m looking back and saying, OMG I did do a lot of stuff. I’m really blessed that I did but 2011 is going to be even better. (Laughs)
Lola B: (Laughs) that’s right, Claim It!! Last year you also started your recurring role as P.F.C Guy Riggs on Lifetime Series Army Wives Season 4. Tell us about the moment you found out that you were taking this role.
Antjuan Tobias: Man, Forget the Moment; let’s talk about all of the auditions I had to go through. I probably had a plethora of auditions before I landed a role of P.F.C Guy Riggs. Which is funny because you go out for something whether it’s for an audition, a job, or whatever you want, and you may not get it but you continue to strive. I kept auditioning and trying and telling myself, Man what am I not doing right, why haven’t I gotten this role yet! Then I realized that the Universe was telling me to wait on my particular role. The funny thing is the script that they gave me was for another audition for a role that I didn’t get, and I’m like awe I have to read this again, but I went in and I prepared myself, and I did it. We had callbacks to go back in, and I went in, relaxed myself, and did what I had to do. My agent called me and said, "Hey you got it"!! I loved my admiration dispite the tribulations within seeking the right role for me. I thank god for that ability to keep striving. I love the Lovely Folks over at Army Wives.
Lola B: Wow that is amazing! You’ve also appeared in the film LIFE.LESS which has been sent to the Sundance Film Festival where you played the role as Tinu. Tell us more about that.
Antjuan Tobias: Well I do know that you’ve seen the short film RIFF on Facebook, I believe on Valerie Love’s page. We did this film years ago; when I first got in the acting game, and I had no idea what I was doing. We did RIFF, and Robinson Vil the writer/director/producer of both films said that he wanted to do a feature to RIFF which was LIFE.LESS; and also that he had a role that he wanted me to play. It’s been about four years now, he finally got the script, and budget and we filmed it in Atlanta. The movie screening was also in Atlanta, GA but I haven’t had the chance to check it out, from me working in New York. I am excited to see it, and I hear it’s an amazing film, with great actors, and the story line is great! It was a good project though, and I can’t wait to see it.
THE LIGHTS…
Lola B: Well that’s good, I can’t wait until we can actually see it either so we can blast the locations on Beat Break! Now I do understand that you are a frat Brother, but from which fraternity? I want to say you’re a Nupe, but I don’t want to get it wrong.
Antjuan Tobias: (Laughs) you think lol? No, I am a Nupe actually. Give it up 100 years baby!!
Lola B: My father’s a Nupe, you all rep hard!!
Antjuan Tobias: Of course, we got to!!
Lola B: Speaking of you already being in a Fraternity, with you playing a role in Stomp The Yard 2: Homecoming which was shot here in ATL, how could you relate to the role?
Antjuan Tobias: Well I didn’t have a huge role in that, but I really got a chance to experience being on set, and being around great minds with everybody working towards a common goal; Which actually helped me when I took on the role at Army Wives, and other projects because I had my feet wet and I felt comfortable. As far as the terms as being in a fraternity and playing a role in one, I actually got a lot of slack from that from my Frat Brothers, and they joked about it. But it was fun because it just brought back memories. I had a really good time and so did everybody on set. Plus those fraternities were real about that; (Laughs) everybody was serious about their Frats! In some of those fight scenes I might have got in a couple of real licks, fo’real. (Laughs) but we definitely had a good time!
Lola B: You also have a small video clip on Facebook of you on the set of Stomp The Yard 2: Homecoming where you all were just acting a fool, and having fun. You recently mentioned that everybody was really serious on set. It was funny to see all of you, and knowing that you were able to work by well known faces such as Terrance J. (106th & Park), and Columbus Short (Stomp The Yard) for instances. How would you say that acting itself has helped build you?
Antjuan Tobias: Just in general, not necessarily acting itself, but the grind. Anything that you do that you love, how I love this, you really have to put yourself and your heart into it because it’s a lot of hard work and dedication. Of course everybody will try to tell you, everybody has to work hard. You just really have to be dedicated. You really have to have faith in yourself, in some kind of higher power, and in life itself. Because the grind is what really makes you grow! You have to grow up into whatever it is that you want to do, and it takes a lot out of you; so instantly you grow up! Instantly you become a man, or a woman, and it completely puts you in your place when you’re grinding it out.
THE STRUGGLE….
Lola B: From the inspiration that you’ve gained not only from your grind, but from the roles you have played as well; which role can you relate to the most?
Antjuan Tobias: Every role that I’ve played so far I’ve found some of myself in it. I will say that I played a role in a Theatre in Atlanta called, “A Lesson before Dying” by Ernest J. Hensley. I played Jefferson, he’s this young black man, in the early 1900’s, and he was committed of a crime that he didn’t do. He had to endure a lot of stuff and become a man in the process; while awaiting to be executed. I’m pretty sure a lot of you guys have either heard the story or have seen it. But that was one of the first opportunities where it allowed me to become this character, actually feel what he felt, and go through what he went through. I wasn’t alive back in the early 1900’s (Laughs) but it took me back and allowed me to take on some of that pain, and that was a lot for me to do because I was doing that twice a day for a couple of months. It was liberating in a sense because I got a chance to connect with that character. Also, it was frightening a bit because it showed me what it was like back then. It was close to home, but it wasn’t; as a “black man” I got a chance to experience that. It was this freaky, surreal, kind of situation. I loved the opportunity though. I love stuff like that.
THE MAN…
Lola B: That is great! A lesson in life and it’s all about gaining opportunities. So growth in the process is amazing. When preparing yourself for a role what do you do to pump yourself up? What kind of affirmations do you use for your roles, or on set?
Antjuan Tobias: It depends on the role, and it depends on what it is, because sometimes you have to center yourself for your character. For the most part your roles may be months or weeks ahead but before I get on set I just do a lot of research, and get to know my character. In theatre there’s breathing exercises and stretching because its theatre, it’s live, it’s more of a workout. You have to tune your instruments, but most of my work is done at home prior to me getting on set. By the time I get to set I’m pretty much ready to go.
Lola B: So you’re good to go!!
Sean Garvey (Host): I have to ask Antjaun, what kind of music gets you prepared to get to the studio or on set?
Antjuan Tobias: I have a lot of Jay-Z!! Every role that I get has its own soundtrack. I did Top dog- Underdog not too long ago, and I was playing the “Mack” soundtrack and “Wayne”. I mean it just depends because I listen to everything; every genre of music that you could imagine. It also depends on how the character makes me feel and I kind of create soundtracks based on the characters.
Sean Garvey (Host): So you can say that you’re pretty diverse with your selection. One day you may listen to Biggie the next day it may be “Teach Me How to Dougie”?
Antjaun Tobias: (Laughs) Yes, I’m all over the place. I may listen to some Jazz one day and mix it up with some Hip-Hop, Neo, and Rock the next. I love music, I’m not an artist in a sense of the word “musician” but I breathe music, I write it and I play the trumpet, but I don’t go to the studio and put down tracks. I guess that makes me a musician (Laughs). I’m inspired by Music!
More Than Ashley (Co-Host): What’s your role of a lifetime?
Antjuan Tobias: A dad! (Laughs) as far as acting, I mean there’s so much that I want to do. I can do so much, but the role of a lifetime right now? I really want to just do good work. I know a lot of people say that and it comes out quite often, but I just really want to do great work that inspires people. I want to change the world, and change lives through my art, really. I don’t know my role of a lifetime just yet but I do know that I want to continue doing good work that inspires and getting bigger roles that allows me to show you all what I really have. The next Interview maybe, I’ll know which role.
Lola B: Thank you so much for this interview Antjuan, it’s been a pleasure interviewing you.
Antjuan Tobias: No, thank you all so much it’s been great!
Check out Antjuan Tobias online:
(Twitter) Antjuan Tobias
