Conversations with Maurice Moore

Today we’d like to introduce you to Maurice Moore.

Hi Maurice, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I grew up incredibly poor in Wadesboro, North Carolina. I was fortunate enough to be raised, along with my siblings and cousins, by the most unbelievably strong women. Beginning with my incredible grandmother and trickling down to my amazing mother and aunts, they taught me to “fight for everything I wanted and never give up”.  We all grew up together, living in a very tiny home… all TWELVE of us! These women inspired me to be the best man I could be, by putting others first, and to not be afraid to chase my dreams.

When I was just eight years old my life changed! It was announced a major movie was going to be filmed in my tiny town. I desperately wanted to be a part of it.  I auditioned and by some miracle, I was cast in a speaking role and that film (more importantly, the people involved in this movie) changed the course of my life forever. That film was “The Color Purple.”

I knew after that experience on set that I was going to be an actor, and nothing was going to stand in my way. Unfortunately, once the film was done, there was no way for me to build my skills because there were no acting classes or theatre offered in my small town, however a decade later I graduated high school knowing I was going to pursue my dream.

By the grace of God and my extraordinary football coach & mentor Ed Emory, I was able to go to college. Ed taught me so many valuable lessons as a young man that helped prepare me for my pursuits ahead. Once I got to college, I was very excited to finally make good on my goal and passion for acting. But one day in English class, when asked to read out loud, at 20 years old, I was smacked with a humbling reality. It turned out; I was basically illiterate – I was only reading at about a 4th-grade level. Imagine my surprise! It’s important to understand…if one wants to be an actor, READING is an essential skillset to have!

I have been blessed to have some amazing people in my life. One of those people is Travis Malone, who was one of my college professors. After recognizing my struggles, he took it upon himself to step up and step in and help. He asked me to meet him in his office one morning at 5am where he put a newspaper in front of me and said…READ! Every morning after, this man helped teach me how to properly read. To this day, we are still great friends, and now he is a part of my Creative Reading team at my Film Company.

Once I finished a challenging but successful five years of college, I was off to Austin, TX where I began my career. I moved in 1997 where I struggled financially while pursuing my career. Then I was blessed enough to meet Boyd Vance of ProArts Collective who gave me an opportunity to be a part of the growing African-American theater company on the east side of Austin. This is where I really grew as an artist and as a man. Mr. Vance took me under his wing and taught me life lessons and how to translate those onto the stage. I was with ProArts for more than a decade. I was also fortunate enough to have an opportunity to work with one of the more prolific theatre establishments in Austin, Zachary Scott Theatre. I was a cast member of the then popular children’s theatre arm of Zach Scott called “Project Interact”.

So, there I was, an ACTOR…everyday, all day. I was busy doing children’s theatre by day and then performing on the main stage every night, and in between learning everything I could about the industry from both companies. In addition to working as an actor, as well as becoming a father, I was building the first of four film companies I’ve created. I was writing, directing, and acting in “award-winning” films that I produced with other talented friends in Austin.

After the birth of my pride and joy little girl Kiana, and about a decade of living in Austin, it was time to take the next step in my journey. I was moving to HOLLYWOOD! I moved in 2006 and struggled there like most do. I ended up divorced…I was almost homeless… I had zero money, but I knew and believed that I was good at what I did, and I was NEVER going to give up. Besides, how could I teach my daughter to chase her dreams if I let anything stand in the way of mine?

Once again, because I am surrounded by beautiful souls, people extended a helping hand that allowed me to continue to push forward. While in LA, I met great people that continued to propel my career forward, not only as an actor and director…but as a WRITER. There I was, a man who at 20 years old could barely read, now in my 30’s writing and selling movie scripts to some of the biggest producers in Hollywood! Crazy right?

After almost a decade of what I consider a successful stint in Hollywood, I did something I knew I would always do.  I moved back to Texas to be a part of building up the amazing talent here and contribute to Austin continuing to put its name on the film industry’s map. I believed in Austin’s endless potential in the arts. I was armed with a tremendous amount of knowledge from my time in LA, my passion had grown exponentially, and my MOTIVATION was out of control. Most importantly…I had a PLAN.

I promptly created my acting company, Breathe Acting Studio, where we are celebrating our sixth year of existence. Breathe has built a sensational FAMILY of artists with some incredible success stories and the actors I’ve coached have gone off to do big things such as Fear of the Walking Dead, The Blacklist, The Walking Dead, and Walker…just to name a few. I love teaching, it is truly my way of GIVING BACK and sharing a part of me that not everyone gets to see. Never giving up, pursuing my dreams, and passing it on are things my grandmother motivated and inspired me to do with my life. Educating and sharing knowledge is one of the greatest ways to show love to anyone.

In addition to founding Breathe Acting Studio, I am also the Founder and CEO of my fourth film company, MO}TIVATE PICTURES, an independent multi-media production company that focuses on film, television, unscripted docu-series and reality tv. I have an incredibly talented and passionate team with me on this journey as we share stories that connect with a diverse audience and help encourage unity as well as be extremely entertaining.

Motivated Pictures recently wrapped its latest feature film the psychological thriller “The Place She Dwells”, that I am humbled to have written and directed. With a number of projects in post-production and development, I take a MOment daily to look to the sky and say THANK YOU to not only God but to the most influential person in my life, my grandmother Maggie Lee Moore. Without her hand on my life, I would not be the man I hope and believe I am.

My beautiful mother Katherine has taken the mantle from my grandmother and has been my source of inspiration for everything I do. I strive to ensure that the lessons I’ve learned, I pass down to my wonderful daughter Kiana. If I am a good man, it’s because of the GREAT women in my world, and that is continuing today, as I have the love of my life next to me as I continue my journey. My beautiful girlfriend Jennifer shares in my continued fight to build something special and provide opportunities for those who need it, as so many people have done for me. I couldn’t think of a more extraordinary person I’d rather have next to me.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Not smooth at all. It has been an incredibly difficult road. Overcoming illiteracy was just the beginning. Here is a list of other significant challenges I had to work through and overcome.

– Being African-American in both Austin and Los Angeles.

– Going through a devastating and unforeseen divorce.

– Not being able to find a job in the film industry or anywhere for that matter, and almost being homeless.

– Constantly being told NO as I pursued my dream.

– Most heartbreaking…dealing with unscrupulous people that tested my faith and character.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am both an Acting Teacher (Breathe Acting Studio) and Filmmaker/Writer/Producer (Motivate Pictures). I own Breathe Acting Studio where I work hands on with actors who pursue their passion as artists. I specialize in connecting with these actors to help them find abilities and emotions that they otherwise may not discover. I am most proud that Breathe Acting Studio has not only survived the last six years but has thrived and become one of the top acting studios in Austin and we are now known around the country. I’ve been able to work with actors in NYC, Los Angeles, Atlanta, North Carolina, Boston to name a few places. I think what sets Breathe apart is the incredible family dynamic that has been created with the actors. We are not just an acting studio, we are FAMILY. We all support one another and love one another. Class is more like a family gathering of extraordinary people who happen to work on movie scenes together!

At Motivate Pictures, I produce, write, direct and act in feature films and television shows. Our specialty is in emotional, dramatic, and challenging human stories. I love writing and telling stories that reveal how we as flawed people handle adversity and become better humans.

I am so proud of the team that has come together to make Motivate Pictures what it is today. This talented collection of artists (writers, producers, cinematographers, directors…etc.) is the foundation of Motivate Pictures. Our success is based on the team and our relationships.

Our diversity and unity are what sets us apart. We are well represented in gender, color, lifestyle…etc., so there is always a voice in the room to represent the current state of our country, world, and our creative stories.

Contact Info:

• • Email: maurice@motivate.pictures
• • Website: motivate.pictures
• • Instagram: @maurice.motivate
• • Facebook: Maurice Moore

Image Credits
Photos by Alex and Frank Rios