The Tomorrow War star Keith Powers talked with Shadow And Act’s Trey Mangum about his career and how he’s kept his mental health intact during the pandemic for the Opening Act podcast.
In the interview, Powers said he is constantly aware of his mental health in the film industry, particularly after the pandemic. For instance, Powers said he lost a film role due to the first lockdown.
“I had booked a film the day before we went on lockdown…I remember it was a state of emergency and then I remember [there were] two days in between and [I went] to a casting office and there were no actors there,” he said. “…I remember reading, they liked it, they booked me, and the next day we went into lockdown, and for months, Sony never would give an answer baout when they were going to start back productions. We never got to negotiations…then the movie just never happened.”
He mentioned being “traumatized” earlier in his career after losing a film role he was excited for due to his contract with a television show he was a part of at the time. But he said this time, losing a film didn’t affect him as much.
“I think knowing we were all going through something similar, was kind of like, okay it’s more than just like me not being able to [do] this cool acting job because of this serious pandemic,” he said. “It was more like there are people losing everything. I was still able to be in my spot, playing video games just chilling until I get a phone call or until we get the virus in order…I was like, ‘Let me not complain, it could be way worse.'”
Powers is probably best known by fans as Ronnie DeVoe in BET’s The New Edition Story. Powers said he’s grateful for the role and the cult-like following the miniseries has.
“I think it just put more eyes on me. People were able to see who I was and know me for [me],” he said. “I think in the past, I was in Straight Outta Compton briefly, playing Dr. Dre’s little brother, and before that, as social media started picking up, I remember people just sharing my photos on Tumblr. So they kind of knew of me, but I think being on New Edition was them being like, ‘Okay, he’s Keith Powers. He’s an actor.’ It just put more eyes on me, and that’s what I was most appreciative of.”
The Tomorrow War, starring Edwin Hodge, Jasmine Mathews, Sam Richardson, Chris Pratt, Betty Gilpin and J.K. Simmons, debuts July 2 on Amazon Prime Video.
Check out the full episode below, in which Powers talks about how he grapples with fame, his desire to do a comedy series, his Netflix film ‘The Perfect Find’ from Numa Perrier (in which he stars opposite Gabrielle Union) and much more:
