Meet Wayne Bucknor Jr.

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Wayne Bucknor Jr. a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Wayne, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?

One thing I love about creatives, or people in general, is how malleable our perspectives and values are. We live in a world where one quality can equally be a strength or a weakness, and it’s almost always based on how you yourself view it. Freckles on a person can both make someone insecure, or boost their confidence. Humor, clothing style, special interests, all of it creates a unique individual, and just as we can learn to accept what we like and celebrate it, we can also choose to celebrate the qualities that we cannot change in the exact same way. So that when you are the only one in the room that looks like you, it becomes an opportunity to share a new experience, not shrink away. It all depends on your relationship with the unique.

I will say, that takes time, thanks to the way our usual systems view things that are different from the norm. That malleability I mentioned, it’s often taken to the negative extreme, which is how we get prejudice, and misguided forms of supremacy. So it’s easier to shrink away. One of the first steps I took to retrain my brain, so to speak, was clocking every time I internally did that, and listed reasons as to why that type of thinking isn’t helpful, and how it was hurting my chances to do what I loved.

That restructuring happened a lot in the beginning. I started playing cello in middle school, and my parents put me straight away in a community orchestra, all of whom were not black by any means. I continued playing in city orchestras until I graduated highschool, and I’ll say I saw one other kid that looked like me go through the same system. It was very easy to seem like an imposter, when all of my friends were doing other things like playing sports. It took time (and a little praise from audience members) to get me to understand that I had something unique to me, a passion that no one else could replicate. And to give up that passion would be robbing others around me from the light I had to give.

One of my favorite compliments to receive now is “I’ve never heard a cello played like that before”, as well as appreciation for representing a minority in a field where the vast majority of people don’t look like me. It reminds me of how needed this is for people who do look like me. Living in your uniqueness sends a message to those similar to you, a message that says “You can do anything you set your mind to. Anything.”

I’ve had plenty of acting auditions where essentially the same reasoning applies. It’s getting better all the time, but it’s very easy for the Black actor to get “typecast” as the thug, criminal, sports player, etc. And while I maintain that I can play anything, there are many other types that are more relatable to me and my life. It’s discouraging, to say the least when I’m called in over and over for the same parts. Reminding yourself that you still bring your unique flair to the role, as well as taking steps and looking forward to the day when you can play those roles, helps keep you going in this industry.

Explore that is unique to you. It’s cliche, but you’re the only you there is, and the parts of you that are the most unique are often the most powerful, and stand the best chance of leaving an impact on others. Do yourself and others a favor and celebrate the fact that you’re the only one in the room that is you.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I am an Actor, Musician, Composer and Instrumentalist Based in the Southeast for now! I’ve graduated from SCAD with a drgree in Performing arts and Music Composition. I work as a musician on Several media types. Primarily film scores, but musicals, TV shows, and Exceutive Media and Commercials.

I work as an actor in Film, Television, Theatre, and Musical Theatre. I’ve recently had the pleasure of playing the role of Mercutio in Lowcountry Shakespeare’s immersive retelling of Romeo and Juliet in Savannah GA. I was a featured guest in SCADs BeeSharp Holiday Spectacular, with sold out shows in the southeast, and I just finished the first block of shooting my feature film in a starring role, Birdy. We shoot the next block in less than a month and I’m so excited to tell more of this story. Birdy is written and directed by April Aguilera and is independently shot in Savannah GA where I went to school. As an independent film it has raised all of its own funds for the project. April is passionate about bringing more and more representation into film for actors with down syndrome and other disorders. Thanks to gracious sponsors we’ve made it this far in production, but everything counts in order to get this film finished and out for the world to see. If there is anyone who’d like to donate, you can visit https://www.projectmoonrose.com/ to see what we do and why we do it!

I’m also an instrumentalist and producer myself. I play cello, bass, guitar, piano, drums and saxophone! I’ve been working with synthetic and authentic instruments for about 7 years now, and have worked with several artists varying in genre and style. I often post about projects I’m working on, as well as mini covers I record on my instagram and tiktok.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Again, cliche, but attitude attitude attitude! Being hardworking and deliberate when it comes to honing, and speaking about your craft are very essential, but maintaining the right attitude at all times and with all people will get you so far. It’s more than just “being nice to everyone” (which is not a bad idea). It’s treating others with the same type of safety and warmth that you’d want to receive if you were confused, unsure, or uncomfortable. Take a few minutes and go out of your way to makes someones life better. Simply wear a smile at work or in public. Its that simple.

That being said, have the work to back it up. If its what you love, you’ll find a way to make the work fun. Be systematic, ask yourself “Is there anything, big or small, that I can do to move my self forward in any way?” Progress is Progress and work is work, no matter how small.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?

There are many. My first mentor, my dad. He’s also a musician, and before I took a class on songwriting, music history, arranging and transcriptions, or theory, he was there to give me the spark. I honestly think if not for him, I’d be an engineer. My family in general has been super supportive of my goals.

SCAD of course. Talk about a place to sharpen your skills. I would not call myself a singer, dancer, or professional cellist without their push. Not only did I get knowledge, but they gave me to confidence to say yes to opportunities that would’ve otherwise seemed to daunting, thinks like answering interview questions. 🙂

Its also super important to have your crew. A group of people in your field who are just as passionate, skilled and driven as you are, if not more. These people are not only the family you get to choose but they’ll fuel you.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @wbucknorjr
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wayne-bucknor-jr
• Other: TikTok @waynebucknorjr

Image Credits

Derrick Burton
Dawson Cifarelli
Shannon Zaller
Aman Shakya