How Actors Bring Icons to Life on Stage | Robert Greene

In this episode of Artists Unveiled, we sit down with Robert Greene, actor, educator, director, and playwright, whose career has been built through consistency, preparation, and a deep respect for the craft.

Robert has portrayed some of the most recognizable figures in history, including Nelson Mandela, Muhammad Ali, and Thelonious Monk. But what stood out most in this conversation wasn’t the scale of the roles, it was how intentionally he separates himself from them. For Robert, being able to leave the theater and not be recognized isn’t about disappearing. It’s about knowing the character lived fully, independently of him.

We talk about what it actually takes to sustain a role over years, how preparation evolves once the script is memorized, and why listening, not performing, is often the hardest part of acting. Robert shares how his approach to Mandela changed over time, how stillness became more powerful than delivery, and how responsibility shows up when you’re playing a figure the world already thinks it knows.

The conversation also moves into discipline, leadership within an ensemble, and how artists learn to show up even when life is heavy. From navigating grief while performing, to understanding when to push through discomfort versus when to protect your well-being, Robert is honest about the parts of the work that aren’t visible to the audience.

This episode is about longevity. About treating art as a responsibility, not a moment.
And about why preparation, patience, and self-awareness matter more than recognition.

🎧 Listen to Artists Unveiled: “How Actors Bring Icons to Life on Stage | Robert Greene”
 Now streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube & Buzzsprout.

Thank You for Listening!

If you enjoyed this premiere season of Dream It Make It- Artists Unveiled, please remember to subscribe, rate, and leave a review—it helps more creators find us!

Connect with the Show and Dream It Make It:

• Website: www.godimi.com

Dream It, Make It is dedicated to empowering artists to build thriving, sustainable careers.

#ArtistUnveiled #DreamItMakeIt #CreativeEntrepreneur #Holiday

Transcript

Robert: My favorite thing about playing Mandela is leaving the theater and people not knowing who I am. I love that. Because to me, that said, I’d done a job of separating Robert from Mandela. You know, I put on my Yankee hat and I walk out the theater and then I’m back, take the costume and suit off. And now I’m Robert again. And then now I’m talking with the way I talk and not in Mandela’s voice. So it becomes different. So he’s like, whoa, that was you? So it’s an interesting thing to see the separation. And it feels good for me.

Holiday: Hi, and welcome to Artists Unveiled, a show where we bring on exceptional creators to not just tell their story, but to give you real insights into how they went from striving to thriving. My name is Holiday, and on today’s episode, we have the honor of interviewing a dynamic individual who’s played some truly iconic roles, Robert Greene. He’s an educator, actor, director, and playwright. Welcome to Artists Unveiled. Did you ever have any concept that you would be playing Mandela?

Robert: Never in my life. Never in my life. I remember when I was a kid, there was this whole campaign of Martin, Mandela, and me. And, you know, Malcolm, Martin, Mandela, and me, all the M’s. Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Nelson Mandela. And these shirts that, you know, people used to wear back in the day. And then I remember like certain shows highlighting him. And then I knew who he was. But you never know. You never think the people that you’re going to play. I played Muhammad Ali before when I was, you know, in Louisville.

Holiday: I’m afraid I’m going to soon learn that you play like all my favorite people.

Robert: And then I played Thelonious Monk. Muhammad Ali, Nelson Mandela, George Washington Carver. I even did a play we did, this blind casting bit where we all took turns, men, women, people of all different backgrounds playing Abraham Lincoln. It was this unique play we did with the Kentucky Historical Society. And that’s the beauty of theater sometimes, giving you the opportunity.

And then the more you play these people, like I was saying earlier, finding connection of self within them and then telling their stories. Like, hopefully one day somebody tells my story. It’d be so cool for somebody to play me one day, you know, just that energy.

Holiday: You may even play you.

Robert: Sign me up. I think I could do a good job. So yeah, I love that. And then it’s a challenge with each character. And because it’s different time periods, it’s different energies behind it. Like when I played Thelonious Monk, it was in a play called The Great Divine for the New York Theater Festival. And the play wasn’t necessarily just about Thelonious Monk. So it was fun because I really wasn’t the lead actor. And Thelonious Monk happens to be in this play. The play is really a love story about these four different young writers and artistic kids, and Thelonious Monk is like idolized by them. And then they happen to meet him and he happens to show up in the play a couple times.

So that was just interesting, and listening to his records and listening to his rhythm and just finding his cadence and just how he got down. And I had played him after a run of Mandela, so it was just interesting to separate Mandela’s accent and then arrive to Thelonious Monk’s smooth-talking self. So, you know, it’s always a challenge, but it’s always fun.

Holiday: Is there any crossover where you suddenly say, oh, I’m not separating these two characters that I’m working on here?

Robert: I don’t know. It’s kind of, I think for me, first I have to get myself out of the way. My mannerisms, you know, my rhythm patterns and things of that nature. And then usually within the first few rehearsals, because I do a lot of research and I go overboard with the warm-up, like I really dive deep into it because I always want to arrive prepared. You saw how early I was today. So I always want to be on time with the performance. So I’ve done the homework.

So it usually comes to me pretty fast. And if you’re an actor, you should try to do that because in the rehearsal process, the rehearsal process is meant to be that, where you find a connection with your group and your ensemble. But also within the process, if you come already knowing the character or having an idea, then you can expand.

So now like we’re two weeks in rehearsal and I’m so comfortable, I can try some new things. I can stretch it out. I’m able to ad-lib as the character because I understand him or her because I’ve been working on it, you know, so it’s comfortable to me.

Holiday: So what is it like to play Mandela?

Robert: It’s a dream. It’s a dream because he’s such an iconic person. And it’s a challenge. It’s fun. It’s enriching. And I feel good every time we do the show and people come see the show and it’s like, wow, I didn’t know this or I didn’t understand that about him.

Because our story, you see, we meet people. Young Mandela, we see him in the prison years, and we see him post-prison. And a lot of times society, particularly with younger people, they only know old gray-haired Mandela. So you get to see Mandela when he had a mustache, when he was young, running around with the ANC. And it wasn’t a happy time during this particular time during apartheid.

So it’s interesting for me. And also even for me approaching it when I first arrived at the role, you know, going back and finding footage of young Mandela was kind of difficult. But, you know, now I have my collection of that. So finding footage of him, you know, it brought something new to it.

But it’s like a dream come true. And playing him for so long, it gives me the opportunity to challenge myself.

So year one, approaching the script, because I’ve been playing him for like over six years, year one is all about, do I have the accent right, the mannerisms, X, Y, and Z, and then finding the connection with Winnie and the other characters within the play.

Then year two is like, you did it already. You felt so good. Now how can we get better? And now you’re at another theater. Oh, what is the space? Where are the acoustics in this theater? This stage is smaller. Then year three it becomes like, oh, now we’re getting down here off Broadway. Uh-oh, the pressure’s on. A bigger house, more people, more pressure, critiques, X, Y, and Z.

And then you don’t want to get bored. And me, as an artist, I get bored quick. So I always have to psych myself up. Now for me approaching it, it becomes more of a mental challenge because I know he’s in my body and I know the script like the back of my hand. So it becomes a mental challenge. So this last run, my goal was to listen and respond. Because acting really could be that simple. Just listening and responding.

It’s like what you were saying about physically being in conversation with someone, feeling their energy, taking in what they’re saying and responding naturally how you would. Because sometimes if you get so caught up in the script and knowing it, you can anticipate moments and to the audience it might not read as natural.

So I really tried to find those natural moments. Like when does he find his soft side? When is he aggressive? When is he just dropping some knowledge to the people? Or when is his dark hours where he’s having doubts?

And also just listening to what the other characters are saying to him about him and just really, really forcing myself, even though I know the outcome, just living in the process. Process over product. So just living in the process as if it’s happening for the first time. So that’s like a mental challenge I have to put myself through. So in my mind, I don’t know the outcome. I don’t know if I’m going to prison or not. So I have to play it that way as if I don’t know what’s happening.

But I do know I want freedom and I want respect and rights for my people. And I know I have to get my message across. And I know for me as Mandela, it’s up to me to lead. And I feel that pressure to do so.

He’s just such an important person who’s so deeply etched into the psyche of the world. It’s a little overwhelming when I imagine representing that person.

Holiday: It’s interesting.

Robert: I remember seeing On the Mountaintop with Samuel Jackson and Angela Bassett. And it is about Martin Luther King’s last days. And the uniqueness about that play is because I think with historical people, only a certain part of their story is sometimes presented.

It’s like being a southerner and moving to New York. You see New York on TV. They always show you, back in the day, they always show you the city. They show you a little more of Brooklyn now, which is cool. But they show you an aspect of it on TV, but then when you get here, you’re like, oh, there’s so much more.

So when I saw Samuel L. Jackson’s approach to Dr. King, I was like, wow. You know, I didn’t know Martin Luther King smoked cigarettes. You know, in the play, he’s smoking cigarettes. I was like, okay, I never knew that.

But it humanizes the individual, and it also gives you some layers to play with as an actor. And then you can just sniff out those moments and those little whatnots within the character, you know, and it gives you something else.

Like for Mandela, I really love the moments of stillness, right? Because like he’s talking, he’s lecturing, he’s preaching, he’s solving problems. But in the play, he has these moments of isolation where it’s just in his mind.

And then I try to give that with my facial expression or with my body language, but it’s all internalized. And those are the moments like, if you’re really, really in the moment and you’re really, really doing your job, you’re able to convey those moments to the audience without even speaking.

I think those moments allow the audience to connect to these iconic figures because we realize they’re human just like us. Mandela cries just like me. He had a rough Tuesday just like I did last week. X, Y, and Z.

So each time, like I was saying, it gives you something new. And he’s like the character that never stops giving. Never stops giving.

And I also challenge myself every time I approach the role to try to find something new within the research or something new within the story, just to find a deeper meaning to something that’s happening.

Holiday: As an artist, in this instance where you were given the opportunity to represent the character of Nelson Mandela, where’s the balance between getting an offer like this and a sense of perhaps overwhelm juxtaposed to your preparedness for something like that?

Robert: The situation of how I got Mandela is a unique one. Because when it was in its early, early states, rest in peace to my brother in theater, Lloyd Goodman. Lloyd Goodman was originally playing Nelson Mandela. We later lost him to cancer, sadly.

And when I first approached the play, I was playing another character, Robert Mbeki, and I was much bigger back then. And then one of my uncles passed away and then Lloyd ended up passing away.

And I got really conscious about my health and my body. So I started getting in the gym, eating properly. And at this time, it’s around, I guess, 2018, I was writing my one-person play, Situations, that premiered at the Fringe Festival.

And once I did Situations, my one-person show, the producers and directors of Mandela were able to come and see it. Because after we lost Lloyd, they were just like, alright, we’re going to put everybody else back in it. Robert, you’ll be Robert Mbeki, X, Y, and Z. And so it’s like a year-and-a-half hiatus of them trying to find a Mandela. So shopping around New York, casting.

And then our directors and producers came and saw me in this new light after I had dropped some pounds, a little more disciplined and focused, and just saw me do this thing, this whole theater, by myself. The one-person shows are so difficult because it’s just you. It’s just you.

So once I did my one-person show, I just felt like there’s nothing I can’t do. And I guess that just raised my confidence as an artist, as a performer.

And I think they saw that. And then they said, you know, Robert, you should play Mandela. But it had to sit right for me because Lloyd meant so much to me. Because the first play I did in New York, it was with Lloyd. And I always looked up to him as a big brother in theater. I was like, man, I can’t do that. That was Lloyd’s role. And I remember just having this moment in my apartment where I felt like Lloyd’s spirit was like, Robert, you’re an idiot if you don’t do it, man. It’s your time. Do this.

And I thought, yeah, I’m going to honor Lloyd by doing it. So that whole summer, I was rehearsing by myself with the director, swimming, working out, learning dance steps, working on the accent. So about two or three months, it was just me and him working on the script, getting it right. I lived with the script. And then by that September, October, we were at the National Black Theatre doing it. And then we went to the Pregones Theater in the Bronx doing it. And then once I had it, I was like, you know, in my mind, it’s like Lloyd has his and I have mine. And they’re both special. And I felt good about it. And then we just kind of took off.

Holiday: Can you think of an instance when you were developing the Mandela character where you were doing something specifically in the beginning and then you decided later on to change that?

Robert: Yeah. His gestures. His gestures are very minimal in the stillness I was talking about. Because, I mean, he is an outgoing, powerful force. But those moments where you really have to listen. So finding more moments like that within his delivery or his cadence or within what’s going on and just trying to listen. Like the first time approaching it, I felt like I knew what was going to happen. I knew these particular scenes and whatever. But now I really try to be a little more patient with self and kind of let the play come to me, let me feel it.

And then also just kind of arriving at where I’m at that particular day and just arriving at that particular moment. So I guess early on, I feel like I rushed some moments because of excitement. Because of the energy of him and the way it’s written. And then later on, you begin to find those moments of just relaxation and stillness. And it’s a beautiful contrast because it’s just given the character layers and allows you as an actor and portrayal of this character to become three dimensional. Instead of just a plain, flat sheet of paper, you become this cube of emotion and expression. And each time it’ll be something different.

You know, after I learned in the research something about what Winnie had to do when she went to see him in prison with the kids, that she would have to leave the children with the guards while she went to see him.

Like the first few years, I didn’t think about that approaching the scene that we’re in.

So now that I know that within my research while we’re meeting, I’m also listening to her, but I’m thinking about I hope my kids are okay. Because I know they’re out there. They can’t come see me, but I know they’re in the proximity and they’re with some of these people who hate my guts.

So yeah, it gives that scene just that much layer.

Holiday: Tension.

Robert: Yeah, yeah. That much pressure and tension. And to me, that’s what sells. That’s what obstacles and that energy really give characters layers. And the more you can kind of psyche that in and use that, the better the performance could be, and I feel like the better the connection is more believable. So it’s not just one chord. It’s not one little thing. He’s thinking about getting out, what Winnie’s saying, spies, my kids. My kids are out there.

Holiday: The gravity.

Robert: Yeah. So that’s in his mind too. So putting those pieces together, it becomes just a building cycle of things. The physics. It’s just a beautiful equation. And each day you roll the dice and you roll the equation. Sometimes the audience could trick you because they’re talking, they’re laughing, and they’re holding on to everything you’re saying. So you do that show, and then you approach the seven o’clock show and it’s quiet. You say, we must suck. What’s happening out here? Everybody’s quiet. But what it is, they’re listening. So you have to kind of train yourself and allow the audience to be them. We get the post church people. They’ve been in church all day. Now they came here to sit down. So you might hear some squeaky chairs. It’s not because of you. It’s like these people probably been sitting down all day in church, now doing this show. But they’re appreciative. Just like that late audience that might have a couple drinks before they came to the theater. Sometimes we have different groups when the schools are there and the high school kids. So it’s just a different energy.

Holiday: There’s some science behind that.

Robert: Yeah. Rooms attract different people. And we’ve done it at so many different theaters. We did a run at the Black Spectrum in Queens, which is this massive theater. This is after we had been doing it at the American Theatre for Actors for quite some time. So it was the first time we had stepped away from that theater to do something different. But the energy, neither one is better than the other. But like you’re saying, that room attracts a different energy up there because we got to go way up there and get all of that. And then these are subscribers and these are people who come see theater all the time.

And then downtown in the city, you’re there with all the other shows. So these are real theater people, but these are travelers and visitors from out of the state. So it’s just a different energy. And then it depends on the house, the theater, the size. It’s a different show every time. And that’s what I love about theater. It’s a different show every time.

Holiday: Do you think that there’s anything in your earlier life creatively that prepared you for this also?

Robert: I think that’s a great question. I feel like life almost prepares you for everything you’re going to face if you allow it. Because some days I think we have blinders on and we’re not opening our eyes to what we can possibly receive. I tell my students, don’t get caught by the distraction fairy. Adults too.

You know, you be on a mission. I’m going to do this. Look at me. Come on over here. Here’s some coffee and donuts. You don’t have to write right now. Chill in the house. Don’t challenge yourself.

So I think for me, it’s just a lot of different things. Like starting out at an HBCU at South Carolina State, where we had to do our costumes, makeup, and everything. And then going to grad school at the University of Louisville, where there was a costume department, a makeup department, and everything, where I could just focus on acting. But because I had the upbringing of knowing how to do my costumes and makeup, I was comfortable. It was like, hey, I don’t know if he would wear this tie. That’s not really the period. So finding the costumes and knowing that world.

Just like I took a liking to set design and lights. Because yeah, the light’s going to hit me on the stage, but I want to know why is that light amber instead of blue. How do these lights work? So it helps me find my connection on stage by knowing the world of theater as a whole.So that’s another piece of advice I would give to young actors. Go talk to the sound person. Talk to the lighting designer. Talk to the costume person. See what they know. And then my Southern upbringing. Figures like my great uncle Albert, who was a tall man like Mandela, who had this energy of holding the crowd with his words and this beautiful stillness about him.

Watching him as a kid when he was addressing the family or hanging out with his guys, seeing the look of his friends and the way they looked up to him as a leader. And being in situations where I was in other groups where I had the lead, and using that and applying it to Mandela as he leads. And then just the difficulties of life that life hands you, and using those and applying them to what he’s facing.

Holiday: Is there anything else that you think is particular that could help people along in their career that you learned through the process of working in the character of Mandela?

Robert: I think patience.

Everything’s not going to happen overnight, and you can’t get mad at yourself if you don’t have it right away.

But in that patience, you’re doing your homework. You’re learning your craft. You’re making facial expressions in the mirror. You’re making sounds and everybody’s like, is this guy talking to himself on the train?No, I’m going over my lines. So always having a moment of preparation. It’s almost like being in a school where you’re telling teachers to always have teaching moments with kids. So if life is your teacher, you as a student are finding teachable moments for yourself as an artist. Taking off the headphones. Observing people in the park. Breathing it in. Seeing how it applies to you. Seeing how it inspires you.

Holiday: How would someone discern between preparation in all of its incarnations and wasting one’s time?

Robert: That’s a good question. Preparation has to be a discipline of self. If you prepare yourself and you’re in a play with people, then you’re prepared. You come in knowing what’s happening. Then I’m not going to waste your time. I’m going to be on time because I know what I have to do. It’s unique for me in the situation of playing Mandela because I’m the leader within the cast. Let’s warm up. We’re going to have to stay late for rehearsal. Let’s get it right. I run a tight ship because I care so much about it, and so do my fellow castmates. But because I’ve been doing it so long and because Mandela is the leader in the play, I naturally emerge as the leader within the cast. There’s a lot of responsibility in that. It’s about setting the tone with what the director has established and the goals of the group. So I take it seriously, and I hope you take it seriously too.

Holiday: What do you think is really important to remember as a creative working with a group of people?

Robert: That everybody has a different style.

Just like learning, everybody learns different. Some people are visual. Some people need repetition.

I guess also just being open and able to trust.

I think in the business it’s tough, man, because you might be doing a show where you don’t get to hang out with your cast.

I think you have to get to know the people you work with.

I’ve been lucky with the Mandela run to know some of these people ever since I’ve been in New York. These people are my friends outside of the theater.

We do other projects together. If they do something different, I support them.

So it’s about knowing the people you work with and trusting that this is the way I approach it, this is the way this person approaches it.

Trusting that she knows her stuff, he knows his stuff, I’m going to know my stuff, and we’ll find our rhythm.

Holiday: As an actor, what would you say to someone that you think would be really important for them to understand if they wanted to keep opportunities flowing?

Robert: Not taking anything for granted.

Never burning bridges. Never taking any role lightly or any opportunity lightly. Always finding practice.

I went to a seminar years ago, and I forgot who was teaching it, but they said dancers always practice dance. Musicians always practice music. Actors just show up and act.

So as an actor, or any artist, you should practice your art.

My perception of being an actor changed once I moved to New York. Once I came here, I started exploring music, comedy, everything.

I consider myself more of an artist than just an actor now.

Any art you’re doing, you should practice it daily. Have discipline like a boxer or a dancer.

If you’re a painter, paint every day. If you’re an actor, read different plays, different scripts. Practice lines. Get in the mirror. Make silly facial expressions. Challenge yourself.

And also be available to go out and try.

You’ve got the world outside, and then you have an audience in a theater.

Holiday: And it’s a world inside a world. It’s like a rarefied atmosphere. Can you speak on that?

Robert: It’s a collaborative effort.

When you come to Mandela, you walk through, you see prison bars. You hear the African music. You see African fabric draped everywhere.

It’s everybody’s responsibility to bring you into that world.

How does the light bring us to South Africa? How does the sound bring us there? How does the direction and visualization bring us there?

And how do we as actors bring you there?

You also have to suspend your disbelief.

That’s what I love about theater compared to film. Film pays the big bucks, but theater is shared energy.

You’re in the room together. You can’t help but feel it.

When someone says “mm,” or you hear laughter, or crying, you know they’re with you.

Comedians talk about how they feel comfortable once they hear the first laugh.

Sometimes the energy isn’t vocal. It’s a feeling.

When I’m on stage, I feel the audience more than I see them.

I don’t want to stare at them unless the monologue calls for it. I just want to feel that energy and hope they’re on the ride with me.

Holiday: How does it differ from an exchange between two people sitting and having a coffee? Why does it feel so different?

Robert: I think it’s just highlighted by lights and the fact that we know what we’re looking at.

Because the world’s theater. All you really need is one participant and one audience member. That’s theater.

Little kids do theater every day. They play games like, “I’m an astronaut, you’re a dinosaur.” That’s theater.

We do theater when we’re playing with our children. We do theater with our loved ones. Life is theater.

I think it’s just that you’re in the theater, this is what it’s called in that moment, and it’s heightened by sound and lights and everything together.

But to me, the world is a canvas. The world is art.

You like nature. I love nature. Nature is like an active painting.

Art and theater are just around us. It’s everywhere. It’s just based on the terms of what you want to call it.

Holiday: What would you tell people, aspiring or mid-career, about how to really work on the business side of things in this very competitive and ever-expanding market?

Robert: It’s trial and error.

Now we’ve evolved into online personalities where everybody is their own business.

So if my business is Robert Greene, I need to make sure the business is right.

When I show up, the business is present. The business looks good. The business is operating.

Over the years of collaborating with people, I learned a lot.

When I was in grad school, I was part of an improv troupe. We were young college kids doing improv, but we got popular in Louisville.

Then money knocked on the table. Knock, knock. Now people want to pay you.

Now there’s eight of us. We split it, of course, but then we say, what if we invest in buttons, pencils, T-shirts?

Now we can sell those.

Then Indiana wants us to do a show. Maybe we need accounts so we can rent a van. Now we’re driving to Milwaukee.

It’s trial and error. You figure it out as you go.

I try not to focus too much on money because it can be a distraction.

I believe if you’re truly passionate and showing up to do your job, the success and money will come.

But it depends on what you’re chasing.

I chase a feeling of completeness. Feeling good about the work.

Of course I want to get paid. You can’t live off feelings.

Understanding the business side means knowing the different roles in theater, knowing your worth, always being prepared.

You can’t sit at home and expect the business to work. You have to get out and audition.

If something doesn’t work, you tell yourself maybe it wasn’t my time. Next time, keep me in mind.

I did a lot of work with friends early on. If I needed a sound guy and couldn’t afford one, I’d ask a friend. He’d help me, and I’d help him later.

Old school values matter. Be nice. Shake hands. Make eye contact. Be polite. Build a good reputation.

It’s dog-eat-dog. It’s tough.

Holiday: Some people are more naturally gregarious than others. Some are more reserved. What advice would you give someone like that?

Robert: Still be yourself.

Some people are better represented by other people.

I focus so much on the art that sometimes after a play I just want to sneak out the back door.

I feel like I left it all on stage.

But a castmate will say, “Robert, you have to come out. People came to see you.”

And they’re right. You can’t make it about yourself, but you also have to honor the audience.

It comes with the job. It’s like a commercial. “This guy’s cool, I’ll come see him again.”

Holiday: Someone has a gig, maybe they even wanted this gig. They’re doing it for a while and they realize something’s not fitting. Do you think they should keep going, fight through it, or politely step away and say maybe this role is for someone else?

Robert: It’s tricky. If  it’s really causing strain mentally, and you’re not contractually bound, and you feel like for your well-being you have to step away, then by all means, step away. But for me personally, I don’t think I could do that.

Once you sign up, you commit. You learn this in sports. Robert’s late, now we all have to run a lap. If I sign up to do something, I don’t want to let the people around me down. And the tricky part is the audience doesn’t know. One of the toughest moments for me was when my sister passed away.

She passed on a Tuesday. I had two shows Saturday, one show Sunday, then I had to fly to South Carolina on Monday.

When I got the news, it was the first time in my life where everything stopped. I remember calling my theater godmother, and she said, “Well, son, you still have a job to do.” Those are hard words to hear when you’re grieving. But I did the shows Saturday and Sunday.

Flew home. Had her service Thursday. Made sure my family was okay on Friday. Flew back Saturday morning. Did two shows. Did the Sunday show. After the run wrapped, that’s when I allowed myself to release. Frederick Douglass says, “Without struggle, there is no progress.”

Experiencing that loss and still having to show up gave me a level of confidence I didn’t know I had. I felt invincible after that. Kobe Bryant talks about this too. The people in the stands don’t know if you’re hurt.

They paid to see a show. They don’t know what Robert is going through in his life, and it’s not relevant to that moment. They didn’t sign up for your emotional stuff.

If you’re able to do it, you stay committed. It comes with the job. That’s why everybody can’t do it. I tell my team, we’re professional anglers. We’re going out to catch big fish.

If it were easy, everybody would do it. Sometimes you stay in situations you don’t want to be in, and you find a lesson inside them.

Holiday: What is progress?

Robert: Progress is flow. It’s getting better every day. Progress is repetition. Understanding. Monitoring what you did and not making the same mistakes. Sometimes you don’t know what the finish line is. Sometimes you think you know, but it changes.

Progress isn’t an ending. It’s a series of moments. It’s rehearsal. Writing. Sitting in the park. Writing on the train. It’s like being in a classroom with yourself. Shadowboxing with yourself. Sword-fighting with yourself. Doing whatever you can to enhance your skills in that moment.

Holiday: You take it with art as it pertains to children. You sit out a bunch of materials. Sometimes you go to a school and every cookie-cutter art piece looks the same. Everybody’s art looks identical.

So you think about what lesson you’re teaching these kids. Is it to be like everybody else? Or what does so-and-so want to do with his macaroni noodles?

Maybe I don’t want to make a smiley face. Maybe this kid wants to make a record player out of noodles.

So it’s the process of learning what glue does, learning where the paper goes, learning how switching the paper changes the shape, learning what my choices mean to me. And it just keeps going.

This is kind of a sister question to something I brought up earlier. Is there such a thing for an actor as, “This part just isn’t for me”? Or is it really always just, no, you’re an actor, you work it out?

Robert: Some parts are not for you. Some parts are not for you. I must have been in my early twenties when I played Walter Lee in a community theater production back in Louisville. Walter Lee is in his late thirties. He has kids. He’s been through life.

And I’m young. I hadn’t experienced all that. I didn’t have a family or kids. So you’re thinking, “Man, I might be too young for this.” But because of my size on stage, I might look mature enough to play it. So you have to be strategic. You figure out how to make it yours if you can. But then you get to a point in your career where you know. For me now, I chase roles that are meaningful or challenging. If something feels like, “Eh,” I don’t even bother. I don’t want to waste anybody’s time. I’m not going to audition if I know it’s not my lane.

Holiday: Let’s look at it differently. Let’s talk about commerce and income. Old-school thinking was some actors would never do commercials. They’d look into the company first and decide if they could live with it. Then there was theater, film, commercials—very separate worlds. Now the lines are blurred. You see serious actors doing commercials. There’s money in it. Do you think there’s still such a thing as “selling out”?

Robert: It depends on your values. It’s hard to say no to money in this economy. Let’s be real. But sometimes the value of self outweighs the money, if you allow it to. It’s easy to get distracted. Luckily, I’ve been in circles where the morals are usually aligned. Sometimes it’s just, “I’m not the best actor for this.” Maybe there’s another role later.

But I keep it respectful. Friendly. If you do something else, I’ll audition again. Thanks for the opportunity. It also depends on what stage you’re at in your career. When you’re young, starting out, still in school—you want everything. Experience is the best teacher. You want all those experiences. So it’s hard to say no early on because you’re still learning what works for you. Sometimes you only know by trying.

Holiday: You’ve played some substantial roles — Mandela, Muhammad Ali, Thelonious Monk. What’s the moment, or time frame, where you know you’ve really captured the essence of a character?

Robert: It’s hard, because sometimes you feel like you never will. Especially when these are real people.

Even with fictional characters, the writer has an intention, and you may arrive at it differently. That’s the beauty of the creative process — you can bring input. Sometimes I try to minimize it. I’ll say, “I own this scene. I’ve got this scene down.” Then I move to the next one. As a whole, you finish a show and think, “That felt good.” But it’s never fully satisfying. Because if I ever felt completely satisfied, I’d probably get bored and stop wanting to do it.

So it’s always about challenging yourself. I don’t think I’ll ever feel like I’ve captured everything. But if I’m in that 90% range, I’m good. And that still leaves 10% to push myself when I play Mandela again. Now I’m trying to get to 93. Actors get comfortable — “Oh, I did great. They love me. I can phone it in.” No. You can’t. You have to trust it, but keep pushing. For me, it’s a feeling. I can feel the rhythm when a show is going well. But I don’t dwell on it.

If the matinee was great, it’s done. Let it go. Now it’s time for the evening show. You break it down moment by moment. Scene by scene. I don’t think I’ll ever say I have it 100%. Sometimes the audience thinks a performance is spot on. Like Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles — incredible. But if you asked him, he might say he could’ve done better. It’s perception. I want to honor the characters, the playwrights, myself, and the cast. That’s what fulfillment looks like to me.

Holiday: To wrap up, is there anything aspiring performers really need to remember?

Robert: Where’s the camera? This is my moment. Be yourself. Push yourself. Challenge yourself. It’s not going to happen overnight. Get better Tuesday. Get better Wednesday. Get better Thursday. Don’t be so hard on yourself. If you hear “no,” tell yourself it wasn’t no to you — it just wasn’t your time. This generation is blessed. You can create your own work. You can put theater anywhere now. I still prefer live theater, but you have outlets. If you’re not acting, take a dance class. Try stand-up. Do improv. Go see plays. Go to museums. Feed the artistic bug.

The more you do that, the more data you collect. A good actor knows history, the slang, the energy, the body language. Talent alone won’t save you. Work ethic beats talent every time. You need both. Talent gets you in the door. Hard work keeps you in the building. Put that on a T-shirt. I don’t take opportunities for granted. The minute you blink, someone’s coming for your spot.

And there’s always a younger version of you watching. Some kid from South Carolina might see me and think, “If he can do it, maybe I can. You never know who’s watching, but you are being watched.

Holiday: Thank you so much for being here.

Robert: Thank you. I love the space. It feels warm, inviting, like home. Thank you for having me.

Holiday:Thanks so much for stopping by. This has been Artists Unveiled.

Follow us on Instagram @dimi.app.og and visit us at godimi.com.