Meet Ronald Atkinson of Missouri and Manhattan

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ronald Atkinson.

Hi Ronald, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I was born in Mannheim, Germany, raised in a military household, and grew up in Junction City, Kansas/Fort Riley. Ever since I was a young kid, I have been different and unique in many ways of my personality, whether socially, artistically, or just in general. That goes from playing a lot of pretend with various scenarios and pretending to play many unique characters I got inspiration from in movies, television shows, cartoons, and much more. I often would carry my own tape recorder to mimic voices or act like a radio disc jockey. Those were some great times. This was more so around the era when many kids got a lot of opportunities to go on television and compete on game shows like Figure It Out, Double Dare, Legends of The Hidden Temple, Slime Time Live, and so much more. There was a lot that I wanted to do when I grew up, and that was all part of it. I even wanted to work for Disney or competed with Disney, haha. I always knew I wanted to do something that sparked my creative side, but I was never avid in being an actor or an artist. So even though I wanted to do those kinds of things, I never anticipated wanting to have a career in entertainment. I loved musicals, movies, and theatre, all of it growing up, but I looked at them as hobbies rather than careers. At least to the point where it’s for people’s enjoyment. Almost like sports. We see sports as for what they are, entertainment and games. But we don’t often see sports as a professional career. I never even looked up to movie stars except for the child stars we grew up watching on All That, Mary-Kate and Ashley. At age 10, I remember I got a call from a local theatre organization, and they asked me to try out for a play called A Raisin In The Sun. I didn’t know who these people were that called, how they got my information, or how they knew me.

So the next day, I showed up and was given the script and part to play Travis. When my mom was there, she wasn’t initially going to be a part of it, but at some point, she was offered the role of Ruth, who was also my stage mother. Since then, I have fallen in love with acting and theatre. Over the years, I became more involved with plays and music. But my ultimate dream role at the time was the King in The King and I. In middle school, my mom took me to see The Lion King on Broadway, which was my very first Broadway show, and I knew this was something I wanted to do in the long run; then, my list of aspirations grew. In high school, I still participated in cheer, JROTC, band, and piano, and I even did theatre at the local community company, but I never did theatre in high school except for one musical, Fame. But while I was in high school, I was also into writing my own plays and stories, one in particular where it was somewhat based on my high school love life, which stuck with me for a long time. This came to me when we were in class watching a behind-the-scenes documentary of Lin Manuel-Miranda’s In The Heights. And he mentioned and said, “You could even write a musical about your life,” and that’s when the light bulb clicked about writing plays and musicals and seeing a brief overall perspective of professional entertainment. So I continued writing this story for months and years, even in college. When I was admitted into K-State for music education, I took a few theatre and creative writing courses, but I kept that story to heart while still having a passion for acting. I even had a culinary passion too while working in college. I also wrote columns for Total Frat Move and Collegefession that offered relationship advice. It felt like I was stuck in a ditch because my passion for it was growing, but there was no direction on understanding how to pursue acting and entertainment professionally.

So during those years in college, I learned through screenwriting and networking. I even took the play I was writing in high school and created a screenplay version. This was when I gained insight into the entertainment industry from a different perspective. This was when I wanted my friends and hometown to get involved with this project, and it was in the talk for years until it eventually died down for various reasons. Finally, I received notices that the Power Rangers movie was kickstarting, and I just had to audition for it, but I needed to learn how to do it, what to do, who to talk to, and how to do it to get an agent, all of that. One thing’s for sure is that the industry’s business side isn’t often taught, even to theatre students in college. So I had to go about it on my own to set up an IMDB pro account, a backstage account, and many more. I even had friends in the industry, but I never used them as a source. My college years were the time of what I call ‘the big social media boom.’ Vine was popular on Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter; you name it. I didn’t want, at the time, to use social media to gain “overnight” success. Simply because I looked at it as an unprofessional way to navigate it since I was often always told that social media was dangerous. So I tried to avoid it, yet many successful people started that way. So I thought a bit more conservatively and opened up my backstage profile. This was also when I was notified about untitled Zendaya projects until I graduated college. I ignored those castings until I realized that the project was “Euphoria.” Long story short, I got my teaching degree and started teaching, but I still wanted to pursue the entertainment industry, and I still had no clue about how to navigate my way.

But while teaching, I saw an ad that said, “come audition in front of agents, managers, producers, and casting directors.” With all of the ads I get and see daily, I just assumed it was another scam. But as I looked into it, they were having these auditions just a block from my apartment. I went in, sang Oklahoma, did a monologue from The King and I, and left. The next day, I got a callback and was invited to participate in the ARTS showcase in Orlando, which was a huge and awesome experience. This was where I knew how everything worked and how acting and modeling go hand in hand. I was offered a few callbacks from well-known film schools and agencies in New York and Florida. After that showcase, I was signed to Hoffman Models in Kansas City while also taking courses on learning to model, personal development, runway, acting, and much more.

Later the following year, I returned to Orlando and started to learn the ropes on the modeling side of things. This is where my passion for modeling started to grow, and I saw a different perspective on it. I thought this was perfect. Since then, I have been doing segments with Helzberg Diamonds, FOX4KC, fashion shows with The ARTS, photoshoots, and more. All until COVID hit. Then it felt like I was stuck in a bigger ditch because I wasn’t getting any work, gaining weight, and not taking care of myself as I should. But now, I am getting back into the swing of things and have recently signed with Voices and Models Talent agency.

Would it have been a smooth road, and what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It was not always a smooth road, which is quite normal for anyone who wants to pursue acting, modeling, and singing. Other than knowing the industry’s business side, age and time is crucial. Many people start young and professionally in this industry, especially as a model. Usually, high school is the peak of successful models in the industry doing big work for some of the top fashion designers. Young is what they go for. Bone structure, weight, facial features, youth look, etc., and eventually, the more successful you are, you grow into it. Some don’t work after they hit a certain age, but many are successful doing commercial work as they continue to grow and age, and that’s a blessing if you continue that road. So that’s my hope. Had I known how to go about things in high school or college, I would’ve had a better action plan. The biggest challenge I saw was that these jobs take a lot of time to develop. For some, the entertainment business is tangible and sustainable, but for others it’s not. Most people who aren’t in the business, don’t see this career as tangible and sustainable. Which is quite true to an extent. Like sports, it’s one of the reasons why many professionals don’t look at entertainment as a real job or a business. You can get all the degrees you want, but people are often critical and skeptical about how others make money, what jobs you have, and how these jobs benefit. So there’s a lot of judgment that comes behind it. It’s one of the reasons I switched from a theatre major to a music education major because I was afraid that people didn’t take my goals and dreams seriously, and to this day, people still judge me based on that. Judgment is one, so I struggled with being truthful and honest.

The biggest struggle that not just me but everyone will have to understand is that you must learn to see this as a business. There’s always something for someone in the business. You may not be a fit for one thing, but you are fit for something else. Sometimes it’s not always your time yet. Some people wait years because of various reasons. With that said, you must learn how to accept rejection. High school and middle school life are what taught me rejection, so I had to learn how to guard my heart. I had to learn to be thankful for the opportunities and to accept them, but also that whatever the outcome is, I will always be grateful for things that happened, even if they didn’t turn out the way I wanted. As life continues, there are more chapters and pages; eventually, you must let life play out. You realize that you’re always in competition with other people, so you must work on yourself first and foremost to perfect how you will be able to stand out from the crowd. But don’t always look at others as competition; look at others as inspiration while incorporating your unique personality into your craft. If you’re not getting any work or gigs, focus on improving. I realized that things aren’t coming to you, so you must find ways to obtain them. For example, find many workshops or classes that interest you if you aren’t in that movie or show-use social media and craft your skits and scenarios. If you aren’t in any professional runways, find local fashion shows, designers, and experts, and maybe help their business and get involved. This is where networking comes into play. If you don’t feel confident in yourself, find ways to become that confident person. I work out a lot due to overcoming serious weight issues, and in this industry, your body and looks are important to maintaining like a machine. Day in and day out. Never any off days or cheat meals. So I used it to build myself up.

My advice is don’t be afraid to grow. People will forever judge you, but don’t be afraid of being who you truly are. This was all my struggle during COVID when I realized how important social media was to use because now we’re in a time when people are using it to showcase their creativity and networking skills. When I started using social media, I got a lot of side-eyes, but it allowed me to be different characters and even showcase different styles of clothing and my body in terms of images. To tie in a situation like this, a monumental struggle I find with myself is balance. I am learning how to balance my professional life with work, church, school, and friends and how I carry myself on social media. Some like and support you; some will not. Overall, just be yourself. Someone who’s watching will see the true inner beauty in you. But your character of who you are is most important when treating others with respect, love, and kindness.

Even to this day, I get a lot of rejections, but I still keep faith that for every opportunity that presents itself, take it and be thankful. Even if I didn’t get that booking or job, the key is that part of the job is auditioning, so even doing that alone is still ‘work.’

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I recently talked with my dad about this, and I told him that acting and modeling go hand in hand. If you act, you are also modeling a product or some clothes. If you’re modeling, you also act a character based on your look, vibe, and product. Suppose you were modeling in swimwear or lingerie. You will showcase your body and be revealing because everyone knows what will sell. Same for a non-smoker who might be selling cigars. As an actor or a model, you portray various characters and showcase a wide range of skills. They say that actors are the biggest liars. Which is true out of persuasion of what it is. So I think it’s okay to showcase yourself in many ways possible. I typically do this when I’m doing TikToks, or Reel on Instagram. I showcase myself doing various things or acts. I like it better than trying to cater to one niche because I want others to see the range and not just be limited to one character, person, or hobby. I love planning out and getting ideas on showcasing that side of myself. Some of the things I don’t always reflect the views or opinions, but it’s there for entertainment, connecting to the consumer, and being able to relate to them. As long as I make others feel great about themselves and treat them with love, I’ve done my job well. If I’m showcasing my clothes, photos, looks, etc., and other people who might have the confidence or personal issues, I can be the one to tell their story and be their inspiration and motivation. When in my downtime, I often encourage others with life, love, and success. I am offering advice to others on the side while watching reality television. As an actor and a model, when you’re able to be other characters, you’re stepping into other people’s shoes, and you’re able to connect to that person. And once you connect to them, you relate to them and see life from a different perspective. So my most proud moment is doing just that and giving someone hope, inspiration, and encouragement, all while providing entertainment and joy to them. I love seeing a lot of my friends in this industry growing and becoming successful, being able to connect with them off-screen/offshoot, and seeing that, in my eyes, they are family first. Some of us don’t physically see each other, but when talking to them, it makes me feel good that they’re people going through the same struggles, and we always find ways to help each other out. I still have a few works in the plan. Eventually, I do plan on doing more shoots and gigs. My most recent production was a production of Mamma Mia, where I played Pepper, and I just wrapped up a local production of Guys and Dolls.

I may have mentioned this, but when I’m not acting or modeling, I often get asked to be a music director for local theatre productions. I tend to return to my hometown in Junction City, KS, to music direct a few of their shows, and my love for music directing that’s another thing that sets my work apart. It’s great to act and model, but it’s also great to get perspectives and insights from a creative design/crew side of production. Whether directing, music directing, auditioning, etc., it’s how I like to see other people get their time to shine and be successful in this industry. Because everywhere I go, with my connections, I’m always looking and searching to see who might be that next big star and then counsel them on navigating the industry THE RIGHT WAY.

What was your favorite childhood memory?
I have so many favorite childhood memories I can go on for days. But as a military child growing up, my all-time favorite memory has to be traveling the world. Traveling gives you many insights and unique perspectives on many aspects of the world and different cultures and customs. You look at different aspects of people’s interaction, what they do, and how they do it, and it teaches you, and also taught me, the importance of respect, respect for cultures, their way of life, and so much more. If I had to choose one of the places I enjoyed of all of the places we traveled to, it would be going to Japan. Though I was born in Germany, I don’t get many visual memories of that, or Europe in general, other than the stories I hear from my parents, but visually, I remember Japan the most. Visiting Japan allowed me to connect more to my dream role as The King in Rodger’s and Hammerstein’s The King and I. Still, I also allow my Germanic roots to be the inspiration and connection to another favorite musical of mine, The Sound of Music.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://Instagram.com/RonaldAtkinson9
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RonaldAtkinsonJr
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/RonaldAtkinson9

Image Credits
Photos by Jae Feinberg Eye Model Management Mamma Mia Photos by Katie Locke Photography