From Newark To Movies: Therron Dumas On Purpose, Perseverance & Power Moves In Film (Inspirational)

What does it take to go from being doubted on day one to becoming an award-winning actor with 60+ films—without ever auditioning to be an extra?

In an era where doubt, distraction, and dead-end dreams stop most people, Therron Dumas breaks the mold. From his early days in Newark to becoming a Navy vet, and now a celebrated actor, screenwriter, and director, Therron's story is one of grit, grace, and getting it done—even when nobody believed in him. Whether you're an artist, entrepreneur, or anyone chasing a dream, this episode delivers raw truth, hard-earned lessons, and game-changing insights for those who refuse to settle.

Key Takeaways:

• Discover how Therron overcame self-doubt, rejection, and career pivots to thrive in the entertainment industry.
• Learn how he balances multiple creative roles without losing focus or purpose.
• Get powerful life advice on managing emotions, staying ready for opportunity, and defining true success.

Hit play now to hear how Therron turned resistance into resilience and built a career without waiting for permission to succeed. (Excuse the audio change Therron's earpiece died during the interview)

Therron's social media and website:

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/therrondumasacts

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Tdumasactor

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@actordumas

Linktree - https://linktr.ee/therron.dumas

IMDB  - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4870808

Actor, Black actor, Producer, writer, movie director, Navy veteran actor, Black filmmakers 2025, faith-based film industry, actor success story, overcoming doubt, Newark to Hollywood, award-winning indie films, black creatives in media, motivational podcast, inspirational podcast

Transcript

Welcome to Real Talk with Reginald D. I'm your host, Reginald D. On today's episode, I have Therron Dumas, a Navy veteran turned award-winning actor, writer, vocalist, director, and producer with over 60 films to his name. From growing up in Newark, New Jersey, to achieving international acclaim, Theron's journey is a masterclass in resilience, faith, and fighting for your dreams. Welcome to the show, Theron. How are you, brother? Doing good, brother. Doing good. So glad to have you today. Thank you. Thank you for having me. Ron, can you take us back a little? What was your life like growing up in New Jersey?

You know what? I had to actually change what I used to say, because I used to say, you know, Newark is considered, unfortunately, most people will call it the hood or whatever per se, because, you know, it's a lot of hood stuff that go on. So, you know, I happened, you know, I went back home a few years ago. I hadn't been home in like eight years. So, you know, I go through the house and whatnot. So, well, growing up, you know, I went to a private school. My mom's worked for the government. My grandmother had her own beauty salon. So, I wasn't that off as I thought I was, you know what I'm saying? So, you know, so when I be saying, well, I'm from the hood, then I look, you know, I went home and, It was nostalgic. I hadn't been home in almost 10 years. So I'm walking around, you know, I'm in the basement. I'm looking in the kitchen where I learned how to cook and used to sneak down in the basement to cook. My grandmother's beauty salon from, you know, once she closed the building down, the bedroom, you know, when I got into girls, used to sneak them in there and whatnot. And I'll go to the first floor. So I'm just going through each room, second floor, my old bedroom, my mother's old room, my grandmother's old room. Because we still actually had a house that I stayed in since I was four. And I'm 52 now and still have the house. I'm on the second floor. I'm on the third floor. Tell me, hold on. I was like, wait a minute. I grew up in a seven-bedroom house with two kitchens and two living rooms. I'm like, Stop saying I'm from the hood. I'm of an urban area, but nah, I guess I didn't have it as bad as I thought I did. I'm like, okay. I guess when you're a kid, you know, you don't see it. Like even with the clothes and stuff, like I didn't get shelter. I'm like, you know, everybody's got the Lee jeans and you know, this stuff like that. I got Pierre Cardin, not realizing I had name brand stuff. I just had, my mother was just dressing me like an adult. So I didn't want, you know, I'm thinking I got knockoff stuff and I'm, you know, I'm like, I don't want to wear this. Not knowing I got the expensive stuff on when it came to it, really. But that was the good part. So the bad part, I did anything you could do in Newark, you know, because everybody wasn't in the same position I was in. to have friends. I did the whole hustling thing. I did the whole, you know, I didn't jump in a stolen car or two, but that really wasn't my thing. God showed me that early that that wasn't my thing because I was in one particular one and lost control of it. And just before I got to the brick wall, I yanked the steering wheel to the side and the car rolled up like, you know how the Dukes of Hazzard used to be on two wheels? The car literally rolled up on the side of the wall like that. Now, you know that wasn't nothing but God, because you know damn well I'm not supposed to be able to turn the steering wheel and put two wheels up on the wall and two wheels on the ground. So after that day, yeah, that definitely showed me that that wasn't my forte. But after that, it was always, I would do stuff to fit in, but it still had my upbringing, my grandmothers, my mothers, my aunts. Cause I got raised by predominantly women. So yeah, that really wasn't me. Then as I got older, you know, I was trying to make some changes. 17 and I was about to become a father. So I was like, all right, I gotta let everything go now. So ended up at the tail end of a desert storm. So I did my thing on there. I was a green shirt on the flight deck. So you see those Navy commercials and you see the guys on the top of the aircraft carrier with the green shirt and get up under the jets and then get out of the way before they take off. That's what I used to do. I hurt my knee during Desert Storm, came back home, kind of, you know, that wasn't my intention, but forced to do it. Then I got into a couple of other things. You figure, I done personal training. I done been a bartender. I done been word processing. And you figure, I got out in 93. I did a little bit of everything until the end of 2001. So I decided to move to Delaware. So I just uprooted, moved to Delaware. I got into the acting thing. Well, in Delaware, I did home daycare. I've done a lot of different things. I've done a lot. I got into the acting realm probably the end of 2011. And my oldest daughter was being submitted for modeling and it was a an ad for a male actor. She was like, Dad, you want to do this? Like, no. So she sends my picture, my resume, my martial arts background, my military background, and I can hold a little tune when I need to. So it was enough for them to call me. So I went. Long story short, I ended up being one of the posters for the movie. I ended up being an assassin for Terrence Howard. in the movie, but something went on with production in the background, and I got bit by the bug at that point. And then just from there, I just kept going, you know, running, running, running behind the dream. I guess evidently, it must have been my calling, because I did not want to do it, yet I'm an eight-time multi-international award-winning writer, director, and actor now, so I guess it was my thing.

Yeah. So let me ask you this. You was talking about your dreams. Right. Now, were there moments that people doubted you, when it came to your dreams, or you doubted yourself? How did you overcome that or push through that?

OK, well, the doubt was from day one. Like, when I went to film the first project, the director told me, he was like, you're not an actor. He was like, you keep making the same facial expressions and da-da this and da-da that. And I'm like, you know, I wasn't an actor at the time. You know, I was like, you called me. Like, I didn't want to do this anyway. being from Newark, New Jersey, I could show you better than I can tell. You know what I'm saying? So, like I said, the doubt was day one, because if I was one of them type that just, you know, let you say whatever, you heard my feelings and I move on, I might not have been doing anything in the acting realm. So, you know, I pushed through. Like I said, movie didn't even come out. Let's fast forward probably two or three years later, I'm in about 17 films at that time. Same person reached out to me, and I'd give him kudos. He was like, man, every time I look up, you in something else. I was kind of petty, because I was like, I know, making the same faces. But I had to take that shot at him. But we cool now. And as far as doubting myself, I have certain ties or relationships can affect your own self-confidence. create self-doubt. Like, I gained a lot of weight from being stressed and whatnot. And I wasn't, you figure, I've been in shape literally my whole life till about just before I started acting, I started gaining weight. Then, like I said, there's just a certain relationships can make you lose self-confidence in yourself. So that had me giving that. I never stopped the acting. because that was like my release, you know what I'm saying? So when I'm stressing and I'm hearing, you know, whatever in my ear and what I may not be able to do and what I can't do, the acting was like my socks. So even though I had self-doubt in myself, the actings were kind of water and flowing. So, but other than that, once I got back in my groove and certain things ended, I started slowly becoming myself again. I really started taking off running with it.

Right, right. So with over 60 films to your name, what project or moment would you say was your true breakout moment where you felt like, this is it, this is my purpose?

OK. I got two films. One was a short film, and the other, I'm actually the main character. I'm in it from credit to credit. So the first one was called, the short film was I know the title of it was For Love. Now, I'm usually the villain in most movies that I'm in. And this particular producer was like, he's tired of seeing me be the bad guy. You know I can do more. And he made me portray disabled. So I'm like, I'm not disabled. And I'm barely talking. It was more, he forced me to use more facial expression and body language than my mouth. At the time, I actually was taking care of a disabled guy who had Down syndrome. So me not even realizing, I knew all the nuances that they did, like the rocking and then not really making eye contact and always moving the fingers. So, you know, I put that together for what I thought would be, you know, the character. And I got a lot of kudos for it. Keith David from Greenleaf, he reached out to me when Twitter was still Twitter. And he was like, you killed that role. He was like, you embody being like Rain Man and radio. And I'm like, wow, no, this is Keith Davis saying this to me now. And then somebody from Tyler Perry camp was on my, you know, cause I put the film up there cause it's only like 13 minutes. And everybody's like, I don't care what you do, when you submit to anything else, you make sure you use a part of this. And to me, I was like, I didn't think I did that great, and I didn't want to do it. Another thing I didn't want to do, end up doing it, and everybody loves it. So that was one. And the second one was called On Under His Control. This is the one most women can't stand before. Like, literally, last night while I was at work, somebody kept looking at me because now I actually wear glasses and I wore glasses as a character and kept looking and I'm like trying to figure out if she's looking at me because she knows me from someplace else or what. And then I was like, why do you keep staring at me? She's like, because I need to hear your voice. You that husband? I said, yeah, I'm that husband. She was like, I didn't know if I wanted to punch you in the face more or the girl for letting you do all that stuff to her. I said, well, I'm glad you enjoyed the film, but I play a narcissistic husband. My character name is Corey and my wife's name in the movie is Destiny. And it's based off a young lady's true story. So it's based on a true event. And I found out that the young lady whose story it is saw me in another movie and said, he's the only person that can play my husband. If you can't get him to play the part of my husband, I don't know if I want to do the movie."

And I'm like, wow.

Wow. So I was flattered about that. So, you know, yeah, and that was, what, three? Did that movie three years ago. So it's on TV and Prime and stuff like that. But yeah, I'm still getting side eyes for that one from those ladies. But I would say those were my two most proud moments in when I started winning awards because I'm the co-writer. and co-director for a series called Atlantis Ugly. I came in and we changed the name to Point O 2.1. And it was just crazy that my writing, I'm looking at, because I do a lot of casting too, since I work with so many people, I know I have like a knack of knowing who can pull off what roles and like really kill them. So when I did the casting for it, I picked exactly who I know would kill each role. And I'm sitting there looking on screen, and I'm like, it's crazy that I'm watching these people say my imagination on screen and winning awards for it. So that's another proud moment, just the fact that my imagination is garnishing awards, and this isn't something I even intended to do.

Yeah, man, that's totally awesome. And you're talking about, you know, one thing about filmmaking and being in movies, always one of, you know, when I'm looking at it such as yourself, do you have a behind-the-scenes story, you know, it could be hilarious, humbling or hard, that taught you a major life or career lesson you still carry today? Yeah, we gonna just say,

If you slow, you blow. That's one of the life lessons I learned. I had a commercial that I was supposed to do for, so you know, that was a minute ago. So that was a major commercial, which means, well, I wouldn't be getting paid for it now, but I would have got paid for it. And as long as they showed it, no matter if I knew about it or not, they'd still been sending me checks. So what happened is I got into an argument with you know, whoever I was with at the time. So my thing was, when I get frustrated and get mad, I used to be the type like, you know what, I'm just not doing it. So it was one of those situations. I was supposed to go, got into an argument, it got so heated, I just got pissed off to the point where I just didn't go. Made up an excuse why I couldn't make it. I watched that spring commercial, about a thousand times. And every time I watched it, it reminded me, because I think I would have got paid like 500 for the day and probably like another two or 300 every time it let my emotions get the best of me and didn't go. Every time I watched it, I'd be calculating. I'd say, damn, three, six, nine, 12, 15. So I would say, yeah, if you slow your blow and don't let If you can, don't let your emotions get the best of you, because it'll alter what you would normally do, and it can affect you financially and emotionally in the future.

Yes, absolutely. It will, man. You can't let your emotions get in the way. I always tell people that. It's a dangerous thing to do. Right, right. So, Therron, let me ask you this. You wear so many creative hats. How do you stay grounded while switching between roles like acting, writing, producing, and even music? Man, we was talking about that.

This is a prime example. So I was supposed to have been the director of the film, Humble No More. What happened was the lead of the film canceled the day before. So the night before at 11 o'clock, I get a text message. Hey, brother, I apologize. I can't do the part. You can't do the part. It's not. based around your character. This is a whole production. It's not just you saying words. You know what I'm saying? You got people who flew in from Nevada. You got people that drove from Indiana. This a whole production catering, you know, locations. All this is done. You talking in less than 24 hours. We filming and you're the lead. So, Guess who had to take the script and pull off the lead role so it wouldn't falter? I had to step up. I'm learning the script while we're filming. So I go from director to literally the lead role in the film. We knocked it out all yesterday in one shot. Ended up being late for work, but we filmed from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and got probably a whole 45-minute film done. With me, I literally had to learn the script as I'm doing it, still having to direct, still having to do all the stuff I would've did, because it's easier to direct and not be in a movie. All I'm doing is, I'll direct you now, you need to add a little more emphasis to your voice, and this and that. But now I gotta become the person, I usually have more time, it's not usually two hours, and then I gotta film a whole movie. But we pulled it off and it turned out, you know, pretty well and we just got finished talking about that. I'm like, it is a different animal. I'm like, I'm used to getting lines, learning my lines, come, knock it out, go home. Now, writing them, I'm still in front of the camera too, so I'm writing, I'm learning lines, I'm delivering lines, but I'm creating scripts now, I'm directing, I'm producing, people coming to me with ideas. It's work, it definitely is some work because like you said, you have to separate, can't even say the two, I have to separate the four and it's like, Yeah, yeah, it's hard. I can't even give you the sauce to do it. It's just, that's what I always tease and say. I've always said I'm trying to eat off of acting. So when I got a whole lot on my plate, I can't complain about it. I want to eat every day. It's all on my plate. So I'm managing it. It gets rough. But like right now I'm running off of what, two hours of sleep, three hours of sleep. Cause you figure I worked from nine to three in the morning, got to three hours of sleep. We started filming and nine went all last night. Had to be to work by nine, got there at 10, 15, work till three in the morning, up at eight again, doing interviews. So it's definitely, it's not easy.

Yeah, man, but you know, sometimes people like you, you're built for it.

Everybody is built for it. Evidently I am, boy, because I'm like, man, I start, you know, every now and then, you know, I reflect on what I do, because I'm, you know, I'm usually, I'm on to the next thing, on to the next thing. And, you know, people ask me what I do. You know, I say, I dabble in film a little bit. And my talent manager gets on me like, stop saying you dabble in film. You know how much stuff you've done? And I was like, yeah, but I don't want it to sound like I'm bragging. They was like, no, you're not bragging. You're blessed to be able to do all of that. So, you know, I'm getting more used to telling people, you know, what all I do, but it's kind of vast. So I don't want to sound like I'm rambling, but, you know, it is what I do, but I'm working on it. Like I still kind of trim it down a little bit because I'm, you know, I'm still on the 65 movies and da da da. So, yeah.

Yeah, just humble, man. That's all. Right, right. Just humble. So let's talk about the industry for a minute. In an industry known for rejection and setbacks, how do you maintain resilience and stay connected to your purpose?

I think one is because I came in kind of spoiled. Most people, when they come in, they be an extra on this and such. I didn't come in like that. When I came in, I was actually a character. So I say I came in spoiled. I've never been an extra. The only time I've been an extra is when I volunteered to do it because I was curious. I was like, all right, let me see. Like, since I've never been one, I'm 10 to 12 movies in, I'm usually the villain, you know, so I don't know what it's like. So I'm like, all right, let me see what it's like. So I forget the name of the political drama that Kevin Spacey used to be in back in the day. So, you know, I went to be extra, you know, you get paid, you get paid like $150 for the day. So I get there, it's eight o'clock, he's sitting there, he eating in the room. 12 o'clock take us someplace else eating in a room again because you know you got the ones who used to doing it i'm like so you know what else do we you know we're gonna do so this is it we hurry up and wait till they call us i've been here six hours i've been waiting you know i'm saying so it's like 6 o'clock now. Mind you, I've been here since 9. It's 6 o'clock. Now they finally call us. I was the man in the diner. So I walked past the diner like 30 times. And then there was a scene where I sit in the diner and the people who talk come in. That's who I'm used to being. I'm used to being the people who talk. I'm not used to being the man in the diner. I got home about 1 o'clock in the morning. I was like, oh, OK, cool. I've experienced it. I'm good. It just wasn't my thing. But what I don't do is let people down, extras and background, because even though it's not for me, they're just as important as the main characters. And I always give the synopsis, let's do a football movie with just the people who are talking. just the five or six players who are the main characters who are speaking. So none of the people in the stands, not that referee you see all the way in the back blowing the whistle, not the other players on the field, just the ones who talk. It's not a great movie, but all the people who you're seeing who are not talking, they're making the movie as well. And they're making the movie realistic. Let's do a high school movie with just the students who are the main characters. Not the TSA in the background who blurry, not the other kids in the lockers, the ones not saying anything, not the ones passing, not the one teacher who you see talking to the student. It's not gonna be a real great movie. So all the people, even the ones who are not speaking, are just as important to make this movie a masterpiece. So I never let anybody shun any background or any extras, because they just as important as you.

Exactly. A lot of people don't look at it that way. They don't look at it that way. If you can go back and speak to an 18-year-old Therron in Newark, what was one thing you would tell him to hold on to?

The one thing I would do different at 18, I'd definitely pick something else to do in the military other than what I did. I picked that, honestly, because the girl I was dealing with at the time was still in Jersey. I wasn't really trying to go too far in the school. that taught that particular job that I taught was in New Jersey too. So I wasn't looking at it career-wise. I was looking at it like, I ain't trying to go too far. You know, I done got stationed in Virginia. So that's only six hours from Jersey. I would do that, definitely pick something else different. Even the field I was in, I would have picked like aviation fuel or something like something I could use when I get out. Like I could still been working in the aviation field and I would have been the ones fueling the 747s. I picked something that I could not use at all when I got out the military. So I definitely would say don't pick what you trying to do with your heart. you pick with your brain, pick, you know, use some common sense behind it. I pick with my heart because I wanted to be around. I want to be close and end up not even being with the girl. All these decades later.

Right, right. Yeah, you got to use the mind man sometimes. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. Don't let that heart get in the way. So, so you've seen adversity, but you also built a legacy. In your view, what's the real definition of success?

success most people I mean financially you want to be like I would say when they use they always use the word fame and fortune together I would take fortune before fame I can you know I've had a little money you know in my lifetime I can manage fortune but fame is usually what gets people hung up or in trouble. A lot of people can't manage fame. They're not used to being recognized, especially if you're to the point where you can't even do normal things. So success for me is being able to pay my bills without stressing. If I want to get myself something, if I want to go someplace, no matter where it is, if I can do that, and not stress about where the next check is coming from. Oh my God, I can't pay this. This bill is coming up. You know, my kids are grown, but still, even with them, if I need to get them something, if they reach out to me and it's like, you know, dad, da, da, da, I need this. Just living comfortably is success to me. I take rich, you know what I'm saying? But you know, long as I'm comfortable, I feel as though I'm successful. I didn't get all the brand name cars and all that. I'm looking at OJ Simpson Ford Broncos now. I done got all that out my system in my 20s and 30s. But just to be able to live comfortably, nice place, paid for, hopefully. Just live comfortably, to be able to pay your bills and not have to stress. Less stress. It's perfect for me.

Yeah. That's where I look at it too, man. Cause sometimes, you know, too much is too much. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

More money, more problems. And I've experienced it. Like I said, I've had a little money and then you've got the ones who feel as though, you know, they deserve a portion of it. You got the ones that look at you like you don't deserve any of it. It can definitely be a difference.

Yeah, it can man, it can.

Absolutely.

So you're a casting director, co-director, screenwriter for Ego TV. Can you tell us a little bit about that and also tell us what's next for Therron Dumas?

Well, that project yesterday was for Ego TV. I cast a guy who who bailed out the night before. So of course I had to hear that. I was like, I got it. Don't worry about it. I got it. So you're going to do it. I was like, yeah, let's just wait. You keep forgetting that this is what I do too. So, you know, mess with Lady J a lot because You know, she knows I got it. I'm not gonna let it fall to the wayside. I'm not gonna let you cancel a whole production that we done put together. And like I said, people came from out of town and all of that. So I knocked it out. But next, I'm in a series called Marriage Rehab. They just sent the latest trailer for that. I'm directing and I'm in a film called Assassin's Redemption. That's, you know, directed and still by Ego TV and my own production company, Films and Entertainment. I have four movies written that I'm about to start casting for, I believe three series. And then I'm back in as a character on the series that I co-write and co-direct as well. So 2025 is crazy.

Wow, man, you packed, man. Yeah, brother. Hey, it's good, though. It's good. Absolutely. You gotta be in your purpose, man. You need your purpose, and so it's coming. It's still coming. Absolutely. Yeah. So finally, if you could leave our listeners with one truth about chasing purpose and living out their potential, what would it be?

Don't give up, and don't let anybody talk you out of, or have you thinking you can't do anything that you're trying to accomplish. Like I said, if it's, if it's for you, it's for you, you're going to do it regardless of the naysayers. So I would say definitely push forward and don't let anybody try to talk you out of anything you feel that you can accomplish within your ability.

Absolutely. You got to believe in yourself. Can't wait for somebody to believe in you. You got to believe in yourself first. Indeed. Indeed. So Taron, How can my listeners watch your movies and follow your career and find you on social media?

OK, well, I mean, everything is my name. Luckily, I don't have any fancy names. On Facebook, it's Therron Dumas. On TikTok, I believe it's actor Dumas. On Instagram, it's therondumasx. my website is therondumas.com so once you get the spelling of my name and you google me or you can go to imdb which is the internet movie database and i'll have a list of my movies and where they can be viewed at but like i said the two most popular ones are under his control Three most popular, Under His Control, Premeditated Murder, and Empathy. So two are on Tubi, one is on Roku. I mean, they're on other stations as well, but Tubi is free. You know, we gravitate towards free, so that's why I pushed the Tubi versions of it. But a lot of things coming out, most definitely. 

SPEAKER_01
30:03 - 31:03

We're definitely following you, man. We're definitely following you. Thank you. Appreciate you, brother. Yes, sir. So there you have it, the Rondumas. Thank you so much, brother, for hanging out with me today. 

SPEAKER_00
31:04 - 31:14

Thank you for having me, brother. Thank you. 

SPEAKER_01
31:14 - 31:16

Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Absolutely. Thanks for tuning in to Real Talk with Reginald D. If you enjoyed listening to Real Talk with Reginald D, please rate and review on Apple Podcasts. See you next time. 

SPEAKER_00
31:16 - 31:26