I’m Excited For What’s To Come; I Know There’s More!

Shomari Love is the black king we knew was out there but had not discovered yet. Being a relatively new face to the industry, he’s made a headstrong entrance—guest appearing in mainstream series like The Chi, Black Lightning, and New Amsterdam. Love also appeared in movies such as, On Our Way, Maya and Her Lover, and Pulse. But his most exciting film yet is Take The Night. An edge-sitting thriller that fans are waiting to see. Take The Night premiered on July 8^th.

In all honesty, would you say your dream has come true, and is it what you expected?

Great question! As the process began, I never put too much thought into what it would look like when you have a project on primetime television or the big screen. I’m definitely grateful for the progress, but I’m excited for what’s to come. I know there’s more in store, you know. 

Take The Night, the intensity! Tell me about it and your role?

Yeah! I’m no stranger to playing bad guy roles, but this character was different. Different because he’s someone who was at one point a star. He was at the top of the world, and things took a turn. In the movie, we see him down and out. Preparing for that role was definitely a challenge, but a challenge I accepted. I find that every time I get a character whose lifestyle may be different from mine, I take the time to understand how and why they got to that point. That allows me to feel more fulfilled and authentic. Also, be more mindful and less judgemental.

What has been your greatest challenge so far?

It was the pandemic as it was for many people. That was a huge hit. I loved doing auditions in person and front of the casting in the studio. When we transitioned to the self-tape, that, for me, impacted my craft a little. Like it kind of confined it in a way. So adjusting to the self-tape environment and doing things virtually was a challenge for me. It kind of ruined what I was trying to get better at. Now I got the hang of it, but it’s not the same feeling. You can’t replace the real. 

Your recent main roles were lover boy roles. Can you tell me about that?

They were interesting. However, I wouldn’t call myself the lover boy. For Maya & Her Lover, Kaseem was young. Young in age and mentally. He wasn’t as mature as Tosin in On Our Way. He [Kaseem] was finding himself through a romantic relationship. 

They gave me a well-rounded experience. Each character is always someone’s story, and I feel we can learn from them. 

Share with me the experience of guest starring on The Chi? With it being such a natural environment.

It was very authentic, first and foremost. You felt the vibe of being a family on set. Everyone literally worked together. Everyone had the mission in mind. It’s something you felt when you came to work. Everyone worked closely together and had to be meticulous about what we had to accomplish. It was a great experience. It was the first time I performed my own stunts, which was fun. 

I hear an accent in your voice. What is your ethnic background?

I have a mixed background. My family is Jamaican and West African. I have a host of relatives that are Jamaican and also Canadian. When I was young, I spent a lot of time with my grandfather in West Africa. As I got older, I tapped more into the Jamaican side. Sometimes I go into the accent, especially when I’m around other Jamaicans. 

What is one thing you’d like to indulge in if it had no consequence?

Ooh wow, that’s a great question. Everything has consequences, but if we’re living in a world of no consequences, it would be something with adventure. I love adventure; I love thrill. It would have to be doing some crazy mission like going to the Louvre Museum in Paris and giving myself a self-guided tour, and being able to follow any artifact that I want and bring it to my place.