Hey, There!
I’m Ty.

The most adventurous thing I’ve ever done was on a whim, I decided to jump in the car with my son and meet up with my best friend and family in a cabin in the mountains of Tennessee. It had always been on my “life list” I don’t do buckets, to go zip lining. So I chose to do it right over the breathtaking mountains of Tennessee.

I’ve always been the entertainer of my family. With my siblings and in private family or intimate sessions. Years ago, I auditioned for the role of *Addapearl, the good witch, in “The Wiz” at the Butzel Recreational center. I landed the role and my toddler girls were little munchkins. The play made it onto Barden cable, which was a proud moment for me and my family. That’s when I realized the acting bug had bitten me. 

Life started lifing and I started working at Wayne State University at the Law school while attending classes part-time. During my Africana studies class, a Professional Storyteller came to visit and she randomly chose me to act out a story with her. I remember coming back to my seat and seeing tears in my co-worker and friend’s eyes. She told me, “You are a fool!” I took that as a beautiful compliment. After class, the performer called me down and suggested I give *STORYTELLERING a try professionally. I took her advice and ended up touring with the Michigan Humanities Touring Council across the state. My favorite stop was a place I loved, the DIA. After one of my performances, an agent approached me, gave me her card, and expressed interest in representing me. At first, I chuckled, thinking that these things only happened in the movies. The agent gave me a serious look and I quickly realized it wasn’t a joke.I signed.

I’ve always had a passion for writing and have kept detailed journals since the days of diaries. I write about everything from my children to ***lol not my) romantic experiences. 

My all-time favorite role has to be when I had the opportunity to be a featured extra on the set of “Demoted.” It was a five-week experience with some of the most talented actors and crew I’ve ever encountered. The veteran actors took us “secretary chicks” under their wings and taught us all the ins and outs of the industry. Aside from the amazing craft services and a great company, the fact that it was a comedy made it even more enjoyable. David Cross, in particular, had us laughing both on and off camera throughout the entire filming process.

One funny moment on the set of Demoted stands out. I have a knack for making facial expressions, and during a scene where an exploding toilet was involved, I caught eyes with my BF who was also on set. For some unknown reason, I made a face, causing her to burst out laughing and break character. Luckily, we hadn’t started filming yet, so we were able to regroup and continue after a good laugh.

The most memorable experience was working on the movie Little Murder, the only film I almost didn’t get paid for. It was eventually released in 2011, as the Ghost of New Orleans. Despite the drama surrounding payment and lawsuits after filming, the night itself was unforgettable. The shoot took place at a bar in Detroit, and it was a party scene. When Terrance Howard arrived to film his part, he completely changed my perception of him. He treated every extra like they were family, greeting each one with warmth and genuine kindness. At one point, he even had a mini jam session, playing the guitar and creating an amazing atmosphere. Some of the crew members were visibly upset due to the time it took, but for me, it was a truly memorable moment. And let’s not forget the bag lunch they gave us at 3am. That was funny!

One of the best behind-the-scenes moments I’ve had was during my son’s audition. Back when DVDs were popular, we often traveled to auditions, which could be exhausting. On this particular occasion, I found a classic Cosby Kids DVD for $5 at Walmart. While my son was inside the audition room, I was left waiting outside but could hear everything. There were six people in the small room, including agents and producers. I overheard them asking my son his name, making him comfortable, and then someone asked if he could sing. To my surprise, he confidently said yes. I internally panicked, thinking he couldn’t actually sing. However, he started singing a song from the DVD, and they loved it. The interesting thing is, even though the parents had already been chosen, they liked my son so much that they created a part specifically for him as the main character’s best friend. Every time I saw that commercial I thought of that.