Mike Press on Being Relentless
By Kadesha Maddox (@_Dede_Monae)
Mike Press is living life without a second to spare! The talented model (and up and coming actor) from Mount Vernon, New York was a participant in NY’s 2015 Inaugural Men’s Fashion Week, and even had his image featured on Vogue.com. Currently, Press is attending castings, working with acting coach, Nina Murano, and is set to be our social media correspondent at the 7th Annual Red Pump Red Tie Affair on December 5, here in Charlotte, N.C. to commemorate World AIDS Day 2015.
Signed with agencies in Canada, Germany, South Africa and the United States, Press’s portfolio includes work in Vogue Turkey, MTV, Coca Cola (TV commercials), Reebok, Fifth Third Bank advertisements, K-Swiss, Belk, and Macy’s. Press follows a doctrine of hard work and belief in his talent. His latest passion is acting; Press is studying the teachings of Sanford Meisner, and his acting coach, Nina Murano is teaching him how to use natural feelings and emotions to come off visceral. In 2011 Press landed one of his first big breaks playing Beyoncé’s high school boyfriend in her official music video for the hit song “Best Thing I Never Had.”
Press credits his success to his motto, “Be Relentless.”
“If you live your life as if you have all the time in the world that’s going to equal procrastination,” says Press; “but if you live like you [only] have one second and you can’t waste that one second, that’s going to instill drive in you and you realize you have to get stuff done.”
After graduation from Johnson C. Smith University where he studied Sports Administration, Press relocated back to New York to pursue his dreams of modeling and acting. During this time Press felt like he had all the time in the world to pursue his dreams, but after three years in New York he still hadn’t landed a gig.
“I felt that I knew it all coming from Charlotte,” Press reflects. “I realized I didn’t understand myself or who ‘Mike’ was. I didn’t understand how to be patient, I didn’t understand that everyone had his or her time, and I didn’t understand how to create my own image. I was too focused on trying to copy other people’s poses and styles. I wanted everything fast. I wasted three years not doing anything, and I could have gone a lot farther, but I didn’t jump on certain opportunities.”
During those years Press spent a lot of time discouraged because he hadn’t yet grabbed the attention of a big agency, yet he knew he was talented. Press credits his best friend, Mike Stallings with keeping him motivated during that downtime. Stallings taught him how to be his own brand and really make it work for him. Stallings reminded him that wasn’t about the agency or the booker, but instead about how he walked into the room and the first impression he made. Although it took some time, Press eventually listened to his best friend, learned to understand his own look and brand, and hasn’t looked back since.
Now, Press is always digging deeper to find something different within himself. Although he is still new to acting and doesn’t want to type cast himself, he is interested in dramatic roles. He believes those more dramatic roles will show a different side to him and really challenge him to step outside of his normal funny self. Press is also evolving on runways. He understands that although runway shows are fun, they end quickly. Press says, it could take him about four hours to prep for a show and only mere minutes to actually walk the runway; but in those minutes he makes sure to put his entire self into every step.
Understanding that what he invests in himself will determine how far he will go, Press is committed to living his life to the fullest, always looking for ways to reinvent himself in his career and being relentless in the pursuit of his dreams. He is no longer wasting time.
We are thrilled to have him as part of our client roster. Mike Press is available for appearances, hosting assignments and media interviews. For all press-related inquiries, please contact Jameka Whitten at Jameka@jswmediagroup.com.
