Burl Moseley is a star on the rise! He talks about his latest role on Your Honor & journey in acting.

Burl Moseley is a tenacious actor with a genuine love and passion for acting. For him, it’s all about the craft and the community of creatives that bring projects to life. I had fun speaking with him about his new role as Zeke on SHOWTIME’s Your Honor.    

What got you into acting?    

Oh man, you know what! I was one of those kids with a lot of energy. I think my parents honestly didn’t know what to do with me. They were trying to figure out what direction I could go in to focus, so they started putting me in Easter plays and things like that. This led to me doing school plays and a bunch of other fun stuff throughout grade school.    

Then when it was time to go off to college, I had teachers saying that I should join the Air Force, be an engineer, or something within that realm. This one teacher told me I should really consider getting into acting. I was like. Oh, I like that idea. So, they suggested I go to college for it, which wasn’t even a picture for me since no one ever told me I could. So, it was a no-brainer from there.    

What do you love about acting, and what keeps you going? You know what, what keeps me going?  

Honesty is the people and the community. It’s when you are working on set and are around such great people. We strive to accomplish something and bring a creator’s vision to life. It’s fun interacting with each other, playing with scenes, and trying things out to get them just right.    

It’s even fun when you aren’t shooting per se. Auditioning is so much fun for me. The process is fun because, during the audition preparation, you are figuring out how you will approach this character. It’s back and forth of what if I do it this way or that way. Every time you bring new life to these characters who you are meeting for the first time.    

You’ve been in the industry for a while; how has the impact of social media changed in your eyes?  

What has changed is that it makes it easier for you to present your work to others. Before social media and other channels, you had to physically drop off your headshots and reels at places. Instead now, you get to send an email with a link to your social media page, website, and other things. You are now just one click away from someone seeing you.    

For you, it’s all about timing! You mentioned it when I asked about producers and directors sometimes wanting social media influencers only because of the high follower count.    

That’s a yes and no answer. Yes, it’s great to have that because you get noticed. But the flip side is that it might not be your timing when it comes to the opportunity. And that’s for anyone in the industry. So, directors and producers must realize that when they scout individuals based solely on numbers. You want to ensure they also set them up for success with the right opportunity and moment.    

At the end of the day, what matters the most is what happens to you when you get on set and if you can get the job done.    

The episodes you are in, Your Honor, please tell me about them.   

I play the character of Zeke, and I am the chief of Staff for Isaiah Whitlock Jr’s character Charlie Figaro. In my first episode, you have Charlie running for mayor and winning. My job in the show is to ensure he keeps his hands clean and upholds his promises to all the constituents. I’m here to make sure he stays in the office.    

When it comes to the show, tell me why you think people love it so much.   

The show provides an outstanding balance of every character you root for, even though some are getting their hands dirty. You see the humanity each character brings to their particular circumstances. It does a brilliant job at you looking at the screen, hoping that this character will do something different this time or it will work out for them.    

You’ve had some great success in the industry. How do you stay humble during the tough times   

I stay grounded with my friends, family, and community. For me, work is work, and that’s great, but it’s the community that matters. Your community, at that. That’s what life is about, and I love it.    

Singing is the secret weapon that you didn’t know would come in handy   

Yes, it came in handy with a bunch of jobs. But the funny thing is I love singing but never have wanted to make a career out of it. So, when they need someone that can sing, I’m happy to take on the role.   

How important is it for an actor to be versatile and have other skills?   

An actor needs to diversify their skillset. You want to be true to who you are and what you like, so they shouldn’t force it. But it’s essential to bring different talents and abilities you have or want to explore. Don’t just do it because you think a role may come one day that will require something like water polo. Yes, you want to be ready for an opportunity, but they will have someone on set to train you on it. So, learn things you genuinely are interested in and are curious about. And remember, most importantly, take care of yourself and consider your mental health.   

Photography Credit: Kelly Balch