Danazia: What’s your name? For those who may not know.
Johnell: “Johnell. J-O-H-N-E-L-L. Young.”
Danazia: Where are you from?
Johnell: “Staten Island, New York”
Danazia: Really, I’ve never been there!!
Johnell: “STATEN ISLAND!! *Laughs* A lot of people have never been there. It’s like the lost bureau of New York, kind of.”
Danazia: I’ve been to New York, it’s just I’ve never been there.
Johnell: “See!”
*Laughs*
Danazia: What’s your major?
Johnell: “Mass Media Arts, concentrating in Radio, TV, Film.”
Danazia: Oh, that’s lit! That’s my major!! I know your Instagram, is your twitter the same thing?
Johnell: “Instagram is @Johnellxyoung. My twitter is not the same, but I have to change it. Its currently @_Johyoung1”
Danazia: Do you have a dream job?
Johnell: “Dream Job?! I’m actually doing my dream job, well my dream jobs playing professional basketball and acting.”
Danazia: REALLY?!! Who do you play for?
Johnell: “Yeah. I just came from Tijuana, Mexico last year overseas but now that I’m graduating I’ll be playing in the states.
Danazia: So did you take a year off, or?
Johnell: “No, I left last year after the season. So now I’m back in school, because I wasn’t going to come back, but I came back just to finish my last year. I play semi-pro but while I’m here I’m acting.”
Danazia: So spill some tea! What are some turn ons and turn offs?
Johnell: “Aw man. I have some fetishes. Hands, feet. I like when they’re done! What else is a turn on? Uh. Intellect, good intellect with a lady. I like to see what she can talk about. A lady that can cook, that S#%! turns me on. There’s some other turn ons, I don’t know if it’s appropriate for this interview.”
*Laughs*
Danazia: Go ahead, I’ll edit it out if it’s inappropriate.
*Laughs*
Johnell: “Just like an attractive, beautiful, curvy woman you know?! Love handles and all of that.”
Danazia: *Laughs*OMG! That’s very appropriate. Is there something you can’t leave your house without?
Johnell: “Cologne.”
Danazia: Oh yeah! I usually hear phones but that’s a great one. Sooo, is there anything at the top of your bucket list?
Johnell: “To travel the world, at least ten countries”
Danazia: That’s a large number!
Johnell: “AT LEAST!”
Danazia: Johnell, so tell me. What is something that inspires you?
Johnell: “My family inspires me, and being able to show my god given talents to the youth growing up in my neighborhood. They inspire me the most. I don’t do most of the things that I do for myself, I just wanna help people, and show people there is a way and that god has a plan for everyone. Im inspired to just be GREAT! It’s easy to do nothing.”
Danazia: That is so true!
Johnell: “It’s very easy to do nothing and I wanna be great at everything.”
Danazia: What are some of your short-term goals?
Johnell: “For 2016? Graduating, booking at least four to five films, leaving school with a good GPA. A 3.0. I’m trying, I’m trying.”
Danazia: And as far as long-term goals?
Johnell: “Tuh. Marriage, family. I want to own at least four different properties. New York, WOW! You’re from Miami, but Miami, LA, and here in Atlanta. And what else? Oh yeah, my own production company.”
Danazia: Do you have a celebrity crush?
Johnell: “Yeah, I have a celebrity crush. *Laughs* I have a few of them.”
Danazia: GO AHEAD! SPILL!
Johnell: “My main one is Keke Palmer. I love Keke Palmer! I LOVE KEKE PALMER!”
*Laughs*
Johnell: “I just love Keke Palmer!”
Danazia: Lol. Omg. What’s your favorite quote?
Johnell: “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard! You can have all the talent in the world, you can be the greatest, but if you don’t have the hard work to go with it then you won’t accomplish anything or get as far as you think you wanna get.”
Danazia: Well I can see you have a lot on your hands, so what is it that you like to do in your free-time?
Johnell: “I like to go shopping, travel a lot, ya know? I watch a lot of Netflix. I’m old. I’m like an old guy. Burn the fire, get some wine, and just relax.”
Danazia: Okay, why CAU?
Johnell: “I chose CAU because I had a scholarship here and when I came on my visit here I felt a good spirit. That’s when I first came here and it was like okay feels like home, I like it. Seeing all my black brothers and sister coming to school here, I liked this environment. And it’s in Atlanta, so it’s like why not?”
Danazia: Is there something that no one knows about you?
Johnell: “Uh. I’m the only child.”
Danazia: *Shocked Face* REALLY?!! The way you speak, id assume you had a few younger brothers and sisters.
Johnell: “Nope, I’m the only child. Nobody knows that.”
Danazia: Wow! Do you have any advice you give to someone wishing to follow in your footsteps?
Johnell: “Oh. Psssh. STAY DETERMINED! Keep going after whatever you wanna keep going after. If you want to do sports, entertainment, or anything else stay consistent. Treat everything and every moment like it’s your last. Interviews, auditions, meeting with coaches, cherish it because you never know when it’s going to be your time. You never know, and it happens so quickly. So quick.
Danazia: You know, I love that. I never understood exactly what that’d meant until I got older. And when I look back on it I wish I cherished every moment of my life rather than taking it for granted, so thank you for those words! Are you involved or have you been involved in any organizations on campus?
Johnell: “Um. I don’t know if the basketball team is one, but I played basketball all my years here. That’s about it. I didn’t really get into the pledging and all that stuff because I have other commitments that are off campus.”
Danazia: Most people have a person on campus that they just adore and admire, do you?
Johnell: “I’ll be honest with you, I don’t. *Laughs*”
Danazia: That’s crazy because from my understanding, a lot of people really love Adrain.
Johnell: “Adrain? Who’s that?”
Danazia: SGA Vice President. Oh yeah, it’s clear that you’re never on campus.
Johnell: “See, I really don’t. I go to class and then I’m gone.”
Danazia: Do you have any bad qualities?
Johnell: “Hmm. Aw. Man. I LITTER! It’s bad, it’s very bad and I know I gotta stop. I litter and I second guess myself a lot. I’m also in my mind a lot. Those are my top three.”
Danazia: Okay, you already addressed this but can you elaborate on what it is that you do outside of CAU?
Johnell: “Church. I’m into church heavy. Acting and basketball. That’s all I do.”
Danazia: So since you’re acting, are you currently working on any projects?
Johnell: “I’m working on a couple of projects, I can’t really speak on them but they will be on Netflix. One is being filmed here actually, and the other is being filmed in Colorado. So be on the lookout for those.
Danazia: Okay. Check you out! I’ll be looking out for them, because I’m a Netflix junkie. Netflix all day. *Laughs* is there someone that’s influential in your life?
Johnell: “My parents. One of my brothers, he’s not my blood brother. I have a band of brothers we call ourselves the New Revolution, One of my brother’s name is Tristan, he’s like an actor as well he influences me a lot, my other brother Etienne Morris, he’s one of the top videographers out right now, my other brother Giz, he’s a rapper and Dale. That’s really who my circle is and they all inspire me. That’s where I get most of my advice from.”
Danazia: Lol. Who do you hope wins this year’s presidential election and why?
Johnell: “I just hope it’s not that bum, excuse my language, I just hope it’s not that dude trump. I’ve just been hearing a lot of negative things. I really haven’t been paying attention to the election race but I don’t want it to be him. So I guess you can say that’s kind of like a biased answer because I’m really not keeping up with it but I just know I don’t want it to be him. I’m not giving him a fair chance, no I’m not.”
Danazia: How do you feel about the Black Lives Matter movement?
Johnell: “Aw man, I wish I had my hat on today! I have a hat I wear every day, it says Black Lives Matter. I wear it on set, when I go to the mall, and just anywhere I go. I’m pro Black Lives Matter. I represent us to the fullest.”
Danazia: Okay, I know I’m bombarding you with questions but this is my last question. When I reached out to you and told you I’d like to interview you what was your reaction?
Johnell: “Umm. Okay. COOL!”
*Laughs*
Danazia: Thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to meet with me, it really was a pleasure getting to know you and all of the things you do.
Johnell: Anytime. No prob. I’d definitely do it again.