Building a successful career in acting isn’t something that usually happens overnight. Lots of hard work goes in behind the scenes before an actor finally starts seeing results. After a decade in the industry, Stephan James is finally starting to enjoy the fruits of his labor. The last few years have been huge for Stephan, and things won’t be slowing down any time soon. He became widely known when he played the late John Lewis in the 2014 film, Selma. Since then, he has landed several other prominent roles including that of super star Olympian, Jesse Owens, in the movie Race. He is currently starring in the new Quibi series, #Freerayshawn. Throughout his career, Stephan has shown that he has the ability to take on any kind of role. Keep reading for 10 things you didn’t know about Stephan James.
1. He’s From Canada
Many people probably assume that Stephan is from the United States, however, he was born and raised in Toronto. Like many other successful Canadian actors, Stephan got his start on Degrassi where he was a cast member for two years. He eventually decided to move to Los Angeles to pursue his acting career.
2. He’d Never Read A James Baldwin Novel Prior To If Beale Street Could Talk
James Baldwin lived and died before Stephan was born, so he didn’t know much about the well-known writer and activist. In fact, prior to being cast in the film version of Baldwin’s novel, If Beale Street Could Talk, Stephan had never read any of Baldwin’s books. However, once he began filming he referred the book frequently.
3. His Brother Is Also An Actor
Being a talented actor is clearly something that just runs on Stephan’s family. He is the younger brother of fellow actor, Shamier Anderson. Shamier also began his career in 2010 and has built up a solid list of acting credits since. He is best-known for his role in the TV series Wynona Earp.
4. He Describes Himself As Reclusive
There are celebrities who enjoy every second they get to spend in the spotlight, but that isn’t Stephan James. He prefers to focus on his work and doesn’t like too much attention outside of that. He considers himself “reclusive” and prefers to keep his private life away from the public eye.
5. He Loves Fashion
Stephan may not technically work in the fashion industry, but he definitely has a great sense of style and he isn’t afraid to show it off. He loves putting together outfits that show his personality and his looks have landed him on the cover of some major magazines including Elle.
6. Michael “Pinball” Clemons Is His Biggest Role Model
Everybody has someone they’ve looked up to, and for Stephan James that person is Michael “Pinball” Clemons, a businessman and former football player. When explaining why he’s always admired Clemons, Stephan told Brief Take, “When I was eleven, he took me to a Raptors game. He took me a couple of kids from my neighbourhood to a Raptors game and that was something I never forgot, even to this day. It was my first Raptors game and he took us down to meet the players at the end of the game, we met Vince (Carter). Just that he would pluck us out of our little world and even be thinking about us, that always meant a lot to me.”
7. He Has Jamaican Roots
Even though he was born and raised in Canada, his is actually from Jamaica. She immigrated to Canada with the hope of giving her children a better life. She raised Stephan and his brother alone and made sure they understood the importance of hard work and perseverance.
8. He Almost Went To School For Forensic Psychology
Stephan was accepted to college to study forensic psychology. Getting an education is something that has always been important to Stephan, however, his acting career has made it difficult for him to attend school. He hopes that one day he gets the chance to go back to school.
9. He Got The Opportunity For Selma After David Oyelowo Spotted Him In An Old Trailer
Life is full of surprises and one of those surprises is what let to Stephan being cast in Selma. He told Interview Magazine that he was discovered for the part after David Oyelowo, who played Dr. King in the movie, saw Stephan in a trailer for the movie When the Game Stands Tall. Even though Stephan only appeared briefly, David had a feeling he was the right person for the role of John Lewis. David reached out to director, Ava DuVernay, and the rest is history.
10. He Believes That Hard Work Beats Talent
Most of us are familiar with the phrase ‘hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard’. Those words are what Stephan has lived by in his career. During his talk with Interview Magazine, he said that this mindset is what set Jesse Owens apart from his competitors.
