Winter Garden Magazine January 2015 | Page 21

Tyler left the military to more fully focus on acting and has since performed on cruises ships and at resorts abroad, as a stand-up comedian, a theme park actor, and voice-over artist, among other notable performances. Tyler has collected extraordinary credits reflecting work alongside Jay Mohr, Bryan Cranston, Andy Garcia, Colin Farrell, Joel Schumacher, Beau Bridges, and Tom Hanks – to name a few. Recently, Cravens was on location in Alabama, where he filmed the upcoming movie “White Water.” The movie is a story of a 9 year-old black boy in segregated 1963 Opelika, Alabama. The boy becomes obsessed with the desire to taste the water from the “white’s only” drinking fountain. The boy goes through quite a few race issues and by the end of his journey after drinking from the white water fountain, realizes it tastes just the same as the water out of the black water fountain. At one point the boy stumbles and falls, and sees that the water pipe servicing the two fountains are one in the same. In this film, Cravens plays a bus driver who gives the kid a few issues with which he has to deal. The actual bus in which Rosa Parks made her historic stand was utilized in the film. Producers are aiming to have the film released by February, to coincide with Black History Month. Cravens was also recently in Key West shooting a Netflix Original Series titled “Bloodline.” Premiering in March, Bloodline centers on a close-knit family of four adult siblings whose secrets and scars are revealed when their black sheep brother returns home. Cravens’ role is a prominent and recurring character in the series, and he has been featured in 3 episodes thus far. When asked about his appreciation for the citizens of Winter Garden, Tyler stated that it is difficult to define briefly. “If pressed to summarize,” Cravens says, “I’d have to say with a feeling of insufficient dynamic, ‘Thank you.’  In truth however, it really is just that: “Thank you for your patronage of our business [Thai Blossom], but more so, thank you for the consistent comments of appreciation for what we do - that not only do we all share residence in an extraordinary community, but that by creating Thai Blossom Restaurant, my wife and I, along with our dedicated staff, provide a significant communal component to Winter Garden.  When we hear these things from so many of our regulars it really solidifies our resolve that we are successful.” Tyler is married to Patcharee, his wife of many years. When asked about their relationship, Cravens says, “It should not be ignored that my wife is instrumental in every element of my life, including the restaurant.  For Thai Blossom we have collaborated on every detail of the operation.  She developed the recipes by combining both family techniques, as well as her experience in previous Thai restaurant ownership in Los Angeles.  The Thai Blossom logo – the flower – is her drawing, and I had the idea to implement it between the store name.  As for my acting endeavors, she supports me completely. She even assists me sometimes in preparing auditions.  In every manner of our life together Patcharee and I collaborate:  business, love, and friendship – we don’t use the term soul mates lightly.” Mr. Cravens has truly had a wide variety of great life experiences, and it was a pleasure learning more about he and Patcharee during our conversation at the