“I’m stirring up the pot a little bit and I’ll be here for a minute,” he comments. “It’s going down for real. I’m excited about Single Ladies and I hope to be a worthy contributor to the show.”
Plotting and scheming are what Terrell says he engages in rigorously, but he uses his energy for good and not evil.
“As a kid, there was always a need to express myself in some sort of way and I found something that resonated with me in acting,” Terrell admits. “It was amazing to see iconic productions like A Raisin in the Sun and the work of Sidney Poitier in Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?. Because of where I grew up in South Central, L.A., I didn’t have a choice for myself otherwise. I knew what I wanted to do and wouldn’t let anything stop me because the idea of ‘no’ always fueled me.”
Terrell earned his B.A. in African American Studies from the University of California at Berkeley, where he studied with Sanaa Lathan, Golden Brooks, and other actors and writers who were a part of the Black Theatre Workshop. Two weeks before he graduated with a Masters in Fine Arts from Rutgers University, Terrell landed his first contract role on Guiding Light, where he met his wife, Victoria Platt.
“The acting profession is crazy because it’s volatile and it’s like being a gypsy because you don’t know where it’s going to take you, but I love the activity of it and I always hope the next job is different than the last,” he says. “I gravitate to the work and I feel fortunate to do it.”
The modern day gypsy landed his next major role on the Showtime series Soul Food. Throughout his career, Terrell has co-starred in several television shows and movies, including his recent stunt on the daytime soap One Life to Live and a series regular role on Lifetime Television Network’s The Protector.
Through his craft, Terrell says he needs to be expressive in other ways, other than acting and as a curator. He decided to check out the scope on the other side of the camera as a movie producer. Terrell says both Broken Roads (2012) and H4 (2013) are in the post-production stage.
“I’m constantly discovering and rediscovering things about myself,” he adds. “I spoke it into the universe and it happened. I’m activating a muscle in my body I haven’t used yet. I have a strong desire and passion for expression.”
Terrell also expressed his passion for interacting with the public and showing his appreciation to them for respecting his work.
“We’re all the same at the end of the day and it’s great to hear when my work resonates with someone,” he comments. “We live this life once and we hope to live it fairly well. It’s a privilege to do what we do and I don’t want to take this life for granted.”
Visit Terrell's website at www.terrelltilford.com
Follow him on Twitter @TerrellTilford
Photo Credits:
Photography: Dave Ellis, daveellisstudios.com
Photography Assistant: Collin Chappelle
Styling: Dave Ellis Studios
Wardrobe: Barneys CO-OP of Atlanta
Jewelry courtesy of BStar71
Makeup: Mara, M-A-R-A-Z.com
Hair: Christopher Leneo
