It is my supreme honor to feature Therron Dumas, the next cast member to be added to the highly anticipated crime/thriller film, To Avenge, written and directed by Nick Belial. Therron will be portraying the Chief of Police, and after my recent chat with this talented professional, there is no doubt in my mind that he equal to the task. It is with great joy that I highlight the skilled and humble Therron in this post today.
RH: Hi, Therron, and welcome to the cast of Nick Belial’s To Avenge. It’s so nice to be able to chat with you today.
TD: Thank you, Ruth, I’m very happy to be here. And very much looking forward to chatting with you as well.
I notice you are listed as being a part of the recent Showtime film, Jason’s Letter. A couple others in the cast of To Avenge were a part of that film as well.
Jason’s Letter with Vivica Fox
Yes, you can see me at the very beginning of the film.
I was reading your biography on IMDb, and I noticed that you had a very different but interesting story.
Yes, I actually didn’t get started with acting until much later in life. Early on, I had an interest in both music and martial arts.
So with that kind of background, how did you get started in acting?
Well, the acting, of course, was all by happenstance. Acting was not my thing when I was growing up. It wasn’t something that I ever considered, and I only started about seven years ago. My wife was submitting our daughter for modeling. There was also an ad for male actors, and she said to me, “They’re looking for male actors. Would you like for me to submit you for it?” I looked at her and said quite simply, “No.” And I kept going on about my business. But what I didn’t know was that she submitted me anyway. All she sent was my photo, my military background, and the fact that I could sing. So I guess between the look and my background…I guess I look mad or evil anyway. So with the look and the little bit of info she sent, they gave me a call back, and I ended up going in for this job. They wanted me to do a quick monologue and sing a quick song, and as a result, I ended up being in the movie. We filmed for a couple of months, and during that time, I got bit by the bug. And after that, I was like, “What’s next?” And it just went on from there.
Before all that happened, I know that martial arts was a passion of yours as you were growing up. How did you get involved with that discipline?
Well, it’s true. By the time I was seventeen, I had a black belt in Chi Fu Ka Ninjutsu. Now since I was growing up in the ’80s, the Karate Kid movies were popular. On Saturdays, that was my thing. I would watch the movies then go out in the backyard and try to imitate them. So my mom put me in martial arts, and I started excelling in it rather quickly. When I was younger, I had to pay attention to my bedtime and couldn’t always stay out practicing the sport like I wanted to. But as I got older, I typically stayed longer than I was supposed to practicing the sport. I basically would be there for 3:30 till nine o’clock at night. And it was just the black belts and me who would be practicing. At that time, I was only an orange belt. I wasn’t really fighting within my ranking. I was learning the advanced stuff because I was hanging with the masters and grandmasters, even when I was supposed to be home two hours ago. It was always my thing.
Once I got my black belt, I didn’t aspire to get more and more black belts in other martial arts. Because I got my initial black belt in the art I was interested in, I would get the basics and some advanced techniques and incorporate it into my style. I was not a point fighter that would be going to tournaments. I would tell people that you fight like you practice. If you fight point fighting, you get in your head that after you make contact, there’s a pause because there’s usually a ref. So you can train yourself to fight like that, and you’ll then find yourself fighting like that in the streets. I decided that wasn’t me, so I decided to stay away from tournaments and focus on fighting that was street usable. In fact, I remember a time when I was training battered women in usable techniques. I couldn’t teach them to pop the guy and then stop because maybe he’ll stop. You have to keep in continuous motion until he stops.
So what about your singing talent?
Well, when I was growing up, singing was not the cool thing for boys. After all, I come from Newark, and that’s just not the thing boys are supposed to do. But as I grew older, I learned that girls like it.
Shotgun Mythos
I know what you’re talking about since I was a music teacher, and it was always hard to get the boys to sing. Things have changed somewhat, but there is still that stigma that real men don’t sing.
Exactly. But some real men gotta sing. And I’m glad I have the chance now.
You also served in the military for a time.
Yes, I was in the navy pre-commission. It was right at the tail end of Desert Storm.
I was actually in high school when that was going on.
I was fresh out of high school. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to continue. I hurt my knee. I was on the flight deck. When you flip the air carriers and you see the green shirts on the flight deck–the ones that hook up the jets and then get out of the way before the jets take off…that was me. So not being able to squat and run and things like that wouldn’t have been a good combination for my job description.
Once you started out on this unplanned acting career, what are some of the projects that you’ve been a part of that you would consider more significant?
Well, it was only a couple of lines, but I was in Barbershop: The Next Cut. I’m also in two series on Amazon. One is called Shotgun Mythos. And the other is called Kidnapped. And I’m also in two or three movies on Amazon Prime Video. I try to stay busy. I’m preparing for To Avenge. But I’m also preparing for one called The Recession. That’s a web series. And another called Bulletproof Cowboy.
It sounds like you’re able to keep yourself busy and that things are beginning to take off as far as film and TV up in the New Jersey and Philadelphia area. So that’s great to hear.
When I first started acting, this was my method. A lot of people seem to have the mentality that when you come in and you start acting that your goal needs to be in these big movies. I have never looked at it like that. I decided I was going to say “yes” to everybody and to everything that I can. Even it seems to be the worst movie in the whole world, I’m gonna carry my part. As long as I carry my part and the person I’m acting with carries theirs, when I send my stuff to the next person, they’re not looking at the whole movie. They’re looking at that forty-five seconds to a minute of me acting. And it works. I’ve accumulated about thirty/thirty-five projects that got better as I went on. But after the first three or four, people started getting familiar with me and I didn’t have to reach out so much. People are reaching out to me. I can now go on Facebook and if I see someone casting for something, or even if they’re not, or maybe they’ve got something coming up. And if they like what I’ve done in the past, I’ll get contacted and let them know they can call me when they need me. I always send my body of work with my submissions and let that speak for me. And my personality shines through also. Plus, I always try to bring to them the character the way they want it.
Barbershop: The Next Cut
Wow, Therron, the way you’re going about all this is exactly the right way. Anyone who starts out needs to have this kind of attitude in the business.
You know, we always have this conversation among us actors. I would rather be the lead in a decent indie movie than the guy with the black hat in Batman. You can have this giant resume with all these big-named movies, but you have to press pause just to catch yourself in the movie. I mean, you’re not even acting if that’s what you’re doing. You’re not having the opportunity to get any better, and you’re not even practicing your craft. It might sound good to say, “I’ve been in Batman and Wonder Woman.” But you’re the guy in the crowd. You’re the guy in the restaurant. You’re the guy standing by the lake. I know it’s fun to say you’re in those big movies, I don’t really want a resume filled up with those kinds of roles. I want to act. I want to portray somebody. I want to be the co-star. I want to be the lead.
I really like that philosophy, Therron. I just may quote you when I’m chatting with other actors. I am a lifelong learner, and I really appreciate all that I learn when I interview people. I think some of the younger actors just entering the profession could stand to hear some wisdom like that.
You know, I used to worry because I didn’t start acting when I was younger. I’m forty-five now, and I started out when I was about thirty-seven or thirty-eight. I was listening to some of what the A-list actors talk about, and they said that the roles don’t even get good until after forty. So if I look at it that way, if I was twenty-one and playing in a military movie, I could play a private or maybe an officer. But at my age now, I can play a private, a sergeant…if I don’t die this gray hair, I could play a general. It actually opens up even more opportunities for me because I’m older. When you’re younger, you can’t make yourself look older without the use of some kind of prosthetics. But now that I’m older, all I need is a five-dollar dye job, and it knocks ten years off me. {laughs}
So how did you get involved with Nick Belial’s To Avenge?
Probably about a year or so ago, I reached out to Nick, and since that time, we’ve been trying to make connection. But there was always something that kept us from doing it because we both are such busy people. But finally, we made the time to make that connection. I had looked through the characters in To Avenge, and I told Nick that the police captain was the ideal role for me. I get used in law enforcement roles all the time. So he agreed, sent me the lines, and I sent him the video of me doing the lines.
After Nick watched the video of me doing the lines, he came back with some critique about how he would like for me to do the lines a little bit differently. I have a tendency to speak the lines too slowly, and Nick preferred that I speak the lines more quickly. I was actually in law enforcement for a while, so I understood what he was after. I began to understand from Nick that the police captain was a good guy, but he was kind of high strung. He is loud and kind of boisterous. So I was able to take that information and use it to bring across the role the way Nick wanted it done. And so I got the role, and I’m looking forward to getting started on filming it.
So now why do you want to be a part of this film?
Well, I like the storyline of the film. I really find the script unique, and my character is kind of the opposite of me. I’m not the loud, boisterous type; I’m more the calm, mellow type. So with my role in this film, I’m going to get a chance to really act. It will get me out of my comfort zone since I get to play a little more of a jerk.
Have you worked with any of the other members of the cast on other works?
Yes, on Jason’s Letter, I worked with Nikee Warren and Kevin Benton. But other than that, no, I haven’t worked with anyone else in the cast or crew. I’m definitely looking forward to it though.
Anything else you’d like to be sure to mention?
Yes, I will very soon be moving down to Atlanta. There are a lot of opportunities that have opened up down there, and Atlanta is now considered the new Hollywood. Also, I’ve been SAG eligible since about the second thing I’ve done in this business, but I decided to wait to get my card until I get down there. And once I get that card, it opens me up to be able to be on the bigger films.
Therron, that is so exciting! I love to see those kinds of things happen for actors, so good on you. I wish you all the best with that, and of course, with your upcoming role in To Avenge as well. It was great getting to chat with you today.
Thank you, Ruth, it was great to talk with you too. And I can hardly wait for this new chapter of my life to begin as well as playing this great role in To Avenge.
The thing I appreciate the most about Therron is his unmitigated humility. Even though he came to acting later in life, he has come into this profession with the most amazing and authentic attitude. While he could probably work his way into the uncredited roles of a plethora of well-known movies, he has instead chosen to align himself with characters and projects that afford him the opportunity to hone his skills and actually act. He has not come into the profession with an eye for fame or notoriety. Instead, he has chosen the higher road that some of the more experienced actors have chosen as well: Never turn down a role you are offered if at all possible. And in his case, this has provided him with experiences that some of the less experienced actors who are chasing stardom may not receive. While I have not had the honor of seeing Therron’s work on-screen as of yet, the fact that he is committed to quality work and acquiring experience are two elements that impress me to no end. For that reason, I cannot wait to see his work in To Avenge and more. I encourage my readers to visit all the links below (Therron, To Avenge, and Nick Belial) and consider following each where applicable. In light of the fact that Therron is willing to invest the requisite work and even receive criticism without complaint are attributes that I believe will take him far, and I can only wish him all the success in the world as he continues to press towards reaching all of his dreams and goals.
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