Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with David Banks

David Banks may be a self-proclaimed “late bloomer,” but he’s quickly creating an impressive résumé that rivals any. Throughout his journey, the talented actor has grown hungrier and has fought harder for each and every opportunity. And the ones that get away? Well, that just motivates him more. Pop Culturalist caught up with David to learn more about his journey in the entertainment industry, what he’s been up to, and his latest project, Preacher Six.

PC: How did you discover your passion for the arts?
David: It’s funny. They say anyone who wants to be a part of the entertainment industry must be a little crazy. I guess we’re all sort of nuts. I know I am. [laughs] I went to a seminar once and Juliette Lewis was speaking. She said, “Some of the best actors are a little bit out there. They’ve had a troubled past, or they’re just a little bit weird. Anybody here that has a story that they can pull from will do pretty well.” So I was like, “Oh, okay.”

In that moment, I saw a bunch of people’s hands go up in the air. I was like, “I got that! I guess the craziness is all around us.” But it’s not to say that people who don’t have that aren’t good actors. She was just stating that the more you have to pull from the better. I had a tremendous family, but there was a part of me that knew I was a little bit out there.

The traditional nine-to-five wasn’t in my favor. I tried it and I kept getting fired from those kinds of jobs. Of course there’s a part of me that misses that steady paycheck, but it also forced me to work even harder to make this job work—to make this happen. Every year keeps getting better and better. You get this validation from God saying, “You’re doing the right thing. It’s good.”

I mean, every actor has to fight and faces this insane amount of rejection. But it’s part of the process. Like I was saying earlier, it makes you value and appreciate when you do get these opportunities—when you get the yeses or the noes that turn into yeses. Those things don’t happen in the first five years, but the more you do it, the more it starts to work out in your favor.

People used to complain that Adam Sandler uses all the same people in his movies and it wasn’t fair. But over time, he does that because he knows what he’s going to get from the people he’s hiring. There’s no drama. There’s no stress. He knows he’s going to get good quality work from these people.

When you get to that point, it’s a phone call: “Are you available on Friday? I think you’d be great for this job.” I see a lot of that happening with friends of mine who have been doing this for years. They’re like, “I just got this wonderful opportunity.”

I love hearing those stories. I love hearing when that happens because it’s part of the business. It’s thirty-three percent luck, it’s thirty-three percent timing and talent, and thirty-three percent who you know. The more you do this, the more people you’re going to meet. It’ll keep growing from there. I think it’s wonderful.

PC: You’ve been pretty open that a lot of people in your life were telling you, “Don’t get into this industry. There’s a lot of rejection.” But you continued to push forward. What did you learn about yourself during those times when you were getting those noes? Who or what instilled that fight and belief in you?
David: It made me a stronger fighter. I almost live for the noes. It makes you want to prove them wrong. There was one casting director who I kept auditioning for. I’d say for about seven years. She kept calling me in almost once a month. By the third or fourth year, I was like, “I’m going to go play. I’m not going to worry about trying to be good, trying to liked, trying to be funny, or trying to win the room over. I’m going to be me, and I’m going to give her the best version of me. If she likes it, great. Maybe one of these days it’ll click. If not, that’s okay. What could be worse? It’s been no, no, no, no, no, and no. It’s not going to get any worse.”

That drive really helped me. It kept me going. The hardest part of this business is the start. That’s why I never told anybody what I was doing. I was afraid if I did, they would be like, “You’re an actor. What have you done? Anything I’ve seen you in?” The first five years, there’s nothing that they would have seen me in because there’s nothing that I’ve done. I decided that I wouldn’t tell anyone and when things started to take off, I would let my work speak for itself.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
David: Definitely my family. Everybody has their cheerleaders. Everyone has that person who picks you up and says, “You’re doing well. Keep going. We got your back.” That’s super important.

My mom has always been a huge cheerleader saying, “You got this. You’re going to do great. They’re going to love you.” My dad was more of the realist. He was like, “You know what? It’s great what you’re doing but just be prepared for these noes. Be prepared to fall on your face. It’s going to be really, really difficult. I’m not saying you can’t do it, but I’m saying maybe have a backup plan.”

I used that as fuel. I liked hearing that because again, it made me say, “No, no, no. I’m going to prove to you that I can do this. I will do this.” As a father, I loved that. I loved that about him because it came from his heart. It came from a place of love. It was like, “Hey, listen. I don’t want to see you get hurt, get rejected too many times, and then lose interest and fall.” I said, “No, no, no. I need that. I need that.”

PC: You’ve had a lot of success already in your career. When you look back, is there a particular moment that stands out to you?
David: All the noes, the ones I didn’t get. Like I said, I’m always putting pressure on myself and the ones that I didn’t get. I would say it’s almost like dating. For some reason, we don’t remember the great dates that went perfectly. We always remember the dates that for some reason didn’t go well. It’s like, “Wait a minute. Why wasn’t she into me? Why didn’t she like me? Why didn’t she call me back?” The noes stand out the most, but again, it makes me want to keep plugging away to hear that yes. The yes is that much sweeter.

PC: You have a new project coming out. What can you tell us about Preacher Six?
David: That was one of the last films with Carmen Argenziano, who was probably one of the best actors I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. When people talk about giving actors, that’s him. I remember leaving the set after twelve- or thirteen-hour days and we didn’t want to leave. Kyle Hester is the mastermind and creator behind this. What a gifted soul.

I met him in an acting class, going back maybe twenty years ago. He’s always been a really, really good actor. He was like, “Listen, I’m working on this project. I’ve got Zach Galligan from Gremlins. I’ve got Naomi Grossman from American Horror Story and Carmen who’s been in everything.” I grew up loving his work, so it was a real thrill to be a part of.

I think the tagline was “Offering salvation one bullet at a time.” So it’s got that raw, gritty vibe to it. He handpicked every actor either from someone he’d worked with or knew. So again, there wasn’t one person on set that wasn’t loving every bit of this, and it showed. It came out in every scene. It was a thrill.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
David: Anything on Lifetime.

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
David: Planes, Trains & Automobiles. Also Christmas Vacation.

PC: Favorite book?
David: The Five People You Meet in Heaven

PC: Favorite play or musical?
David: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
David: I can go anywhere from Metallica to Fleetwood Mac to John Mayer to Babyface. Yeah, I’m all over the place. It’s crazy. I love the ’80s and ’90s.

PC: Who would play you in the story of your life?
David: Sam Rockwell

To keep up with David, follow him on Twitter and Instagram.