Da’Vinchi On BMF, Escaping Poverty, Refusing to Glorify Drugs, Faith & Acting + MORE

Da’Vinchi sits down with Rickey Smiley for an honest and inspiring conversation about faith, mental health, purpose and the decisions that shaped his journey from poverty to Hollywood.Best known for his roles as Terry Flenory on BMF and Darnell Hayes on All American, Da’Vinchi opens up about starting his career in music, transitioning into acting and why he ultimately became uncomfortable with the messages he was being encouraged to promote through his songs.Da’Vinchi reveals that although he has experienced arrests and sold drugs in his past, that lifestyle did not create his success. Changing his life, strengthening his faith and educating himself are what helped him move forward. He explains why he refuses to glorify the very circumstances he had to overcome and why portraying a character is different from personally promoting a destructive lifestyle. The actor also discusses the intentional thought behind the roles he accepts, landing his breakthrough opportunities on Jessica Jones, All American and BMF, and the responsibility he feels to tell stories without losing himself in the characters. Da’Vinchi and Rickey also dive deeply into mental health, emotional discipline, technology, depression and the importance of preparing your mind to handle loss, change and life’s inevitable challenges.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.