MADEART
Stay strong, listen to
your gut and always
outwork everyone; I’m
a living testament of
what happens when you
believe in your dream
no matter what.”
BET, Bounce TV and major films
starring alongside with Megan
Goode and Billy Dee Williams
among other notable actors.
However, Hollywood wasn’t
always Keyes’ final destination.
The Detroit born, Flint raised
former foster child began his
career as a thespian and cut
his chops in plays for years. His
dedication to the craft eventually
led to a life-changing meeting.
“Tyler Perry attended one of the
plays that I was in and after the
show, he approached and asked
if I would like to be in one of his
productions,” said Keyes. His
response? “Hell yeah!”
What happened next was what
he called the best learning
experiences of his life.
“I was forced to realize what I was
really made of,” he said. “Those
cross country plays included two
to three shows per night with
huge crowds of people with high
expectations.”
He said that learning to be a
theatre actor taught him how
discipline and work ethic can carry
you wherever you want to go.
“Through the experience, I learned
that my time should always be
spent bettering my future,” he
said. “In this business, that school
of thought is hard to come by.”
In light of the #MeToo movement,
which opened the floodgates of
men and women who allegedly
endured sexual assault or
misconduct at the hands of
high-powered executives, Keyes
said he’s all too familiar with the
phenomena.
“I’ve been in this business a long
time and have seen some crazy
things that I will speak more about
at a later time -- but what I will
say is that I’m glad I have such a
strong will,” he said. “I think these
conversations are long overdue.”
Through his own experiences,
he’s says he is more than willing
to pass his knowledge along to
young, aspiring actors.
“Stay strong, listen to your gut and
always outwork everyone; I’m a
living testament of what happens
when you believe in your dream
no matter what.”
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