CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – A former Kenwood High School student is making his way in the acting world, landing a recurring role on the Paramount TV series “Mayor of Kingstown.”
Marcus Brandon, 39, will appear in the role of Dedrick, the intimidating leader of the local Bloods gang and rival to Bunny, head of the Kingstown Crips.
“Mayor of Kingstown” follows the McLusky family – power brokers in Kingstown, Michigan – where the business of incarceration is the only thriving industry. Brandon appears alongside hit TV and movie stars such as Jeremy Renner, Hugh Dillon, Michael Beach and Dianne Wiest.
(Warning: Explicit language in trailer.)
Acting lessons from TV
Born to a military family constantly on the move, Brandon spent most of his early life in Europe. His parents, Lorenzo and Brenda Brandon, came from humble beginnings in Moss Point, Mississippi. In order to pave a life for himself and his family, Lorenzo Brandon enlisted in the Army.
“I would be awakened from my father getting up at like 3 in the morning, getting ready to go to work … and I wouldn’t see him until bedtime,” Brandon said. His father taught Brandon a lot of humility.
“I think seeing the world at an early age really gave me an open mind,” Brandon told Clarksville Now.
He said his parents didn’t often have childcare, so he would sit in front of the TV to keep himself occupied while his parents handled tasks and chores. He said that was where his love for acting began.
“I would watch a Kung Fu movie and then I would think I was Bruce Lee,” Brandon said. “I would watch some James Bond movie and pretend I was a spy. ”
Every time there was a play, he would ask his mother if he could do it. From middle school all the way through college, Brandon had a craving and a love for acting, even on the stage.
He spent his high school years in Clarksville. Brandon attended Kenwood High, where his nickname was “Goat.” He was part of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Clarksville, a youth mentoring organization.
“Clarksville is home for me,” Brandon said.
He earned a football scholarship to Middle Tennessee State University as an outside linebacker. He initially went to college for acting but switched his degree to something with more financial stability and earned his bachelor’s in computer engineering. He was a star Division 1 outside linebacker and a proud member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity.
But he never lost his hunger for acting.
The entertainment industry
“As an actor, you get into the flow of rejection,” Brandon said. “You just navigate that. And when you get auditions, you do your best work, but then you kind of just release it and let go because there’s another audition coming … hopefully.”
Originally, Brandon auditioned for a co-star role as a correctional officer in “Mayor of Kingstown,” and after numerous follow-up auditions and callbacks, he was offered the role of Dedrick.
During one of the callbacks, Brandon was told to act out a scene with lead actor Jeremy Renner.
“It was last minute. I was sweatin’ trying to get it done, and I messed up, a lot, on some of the words,” Brandon said. “But I learned that just like human beings, there’s beauty in flaws. When bringing these characters to life, they’re not perfect either.”
Brandon said he learned a lot from his time on set, especially from Renner, famous for his role as Hawkeye in the Marvel movies.
“I learned a lot just by watching him, how he navigates the set, interacts with the other characters,” Brandon said. “He’s very open-minded, very welcoming. … There’s a humbleness about him.”
Brandon said his role as Dedrick will recur in six to seven episodes during Season 2, starting with Episode 2, “Staring at the Devil.” The series airs Sundays on Paramount Plus.
He also appears in Episode 3 of the Peacock series “Poker Face” and has several other projects lined up, including an Indie film set to film in the Philippines.