Through 3 Years In Hollywood, Detroit-Born Darren Weiss Is Starting To Turn Heads

Darren Weiss always knew that he was meant to do something unique. Growing up in the metro Detroit area, he felt destined to do something bigger and bolder with his life.

As the years went by, the passions changed — at first it was a desire to study economics and the nuances of the business world at Michigan State University; Weiss then looked to the world of sports, where he eventually became a member of the scout team for MSU’s women's basketball team.

But it wasn’t until the senior year of college that Weiss found the perfect place to put his unbridled passion for success: acting.

Taking The Leap

Since graduating from Michigan State University in 2016, Weiss has spent his life in Los Angeles, the city of hopes and dreams in the film and television world. Aside from taking a few drama courses and playing a small part in a student production at MSU, Weiss had practically no experience before moving to LA.

“I actually had no real interest in acting before my senior year of college,” Weiss told Benzinga in an interview. “I had basically fulfilled all of my requirements and was allowed to take whatever courses I wanted to finish out my credits. The drama classes seemed interesting enough so I gave them a shot. Little did I know that they would totally change the trajectory of my career.”

Weiss’ little experience with acting prior to moving to Los Angeles didn’t stop him from enrolling in the Lesly Kahn Acting Studio and the Michelle Danner School of Acting, where he began to truly dip his feet in the complicated waters of trying to make it in Hollywood.

The Climb To Triumph

Through three years and a lot of lessons, Weiss landed roles on TV shows like "The Young and The Restless" and made an appearance on a Thursday Night Football commercial in 2019.

Despite the devastating effects of COVID-19 on the entertainment industry, 2021 is looking to be Weiss’ best year yet. He recently wrapped up the filming for three movies: "Donny's Bar Mitzvah," "Social Disturbance" and "The Runner," a feat that seemed practically impossible during a worldwide pandemic. This is in addition to his appearance in "Bad Impulse," a feature film released in 2020 and is currently Amazon’s Prime Video, OnDemand and iTunes.

“With this year being so unpredictable and full of doubt, I'm just thankful and appreciative to have been able to work on multiple projects while honing in on my craft and getting better,” Weiss said. “My goal through acting and the arts is to have a positive effect on people through characters I play, and to show people they aren't alone in any battle or struggles they may be having. I love playing complex characters.”

Weiss reviewing his lines while being prepped for a scene in Bad Impulse

All The Right Ingredients For Success

For Weiss, the passion for acting came easier than any other interest he’d encountered throughout his life.

“It was this love that I didn’t know I had, almost like a switch being turned on,” he said. “When I started taking acting classes back in college it was the first time in my life I looked forward to going to class and doing the work.”

Fortunately, the young actor’s parents supported their son’s love for acting, something that would take most parents of a 22-year-old economics graduate by surprise.

“I’m so fortunate and lucky to have such a good support system. My parents told me to go do it and not look back,” he said. “It certainly makes the transition to do something with such little certainty a little smoother when your parents support and encourage it. I've seen it first hand in the acting world; there can be a lot of uncertainty with family.”

Weiss’ recent success comes on the heels of struggle and resilience. It's no secret that most people who try to chase the acting dream in the City of Angels end up falling flat on their faces. For Weiss, this almost became his reality, as well.

“You just have to be mentally strong because more times than not you are going to hear ‘no’. Most auditions or jobs I go out for I don't book. Honestly, I’m lucky to book one out of 30,” Weiss said.

Of course, rejection and uncertainty are only two variables in the equation of a successful acting career. Growing one’s general skill set is another whole challenge that many aspiring actors, including Weiss, have to tackle on a daily basis.

“Acting was and still is very difficult. It’s just like anything else — in order to get better at it, you just gotta do it,” Weiss said. “You can never be satisfied with your skills as an actor, well at least I can't. Every time I'm on set I'm trying to learn something, anything from a more seasoned actor or director that will make me better.”

For Weiss, growth in his general acting abilities is the key metric of success.

“The actor I was three years ago is not the actor I am now, and the actor I will be three years from now is not the actor I am now,” he noted. “I’ve been able to continue improving, and I do that by playing characters that I have a hard time relating to. You’ve got to be able do things you’ve never done before to get places you’ve never been before.”

Learning From His Detroit Roots

Weiss also credits growing up in the metro Detroit area for his ability to stay humble and maintain a strong work ethic throughout his young career’s many tests and trials.

“Detroit is a very blue collar, midwest city. I feel like growing up and seeing so many people work so hard for their families really struck a chord with me,” he said.

Weiss also credited a few of the city’s most successful entrepreneurs as inspiration for staying strong through hard times.

“You see people like Dan Gilbert or Mike Illich, KC Crain and Jason Raznick," he said. "These are people who started from humble backgrounds and turned dust to diamonds through pure work ethic. It’s the work ethic of Detroit. Being from Detroit just gives me a chip on my shoulder."

The Future To Come

Weiss believes his career is just getting started. Although the 26-year-old has completed more projects in his first three years in LA than most in his position, there is plenty more on the horizon.

For Weiss, future success starts with developing himself even more as an actor.

“I just want to get better. I strive to want to give the best performance possible. Of course, I’m aiming high for a lead on a network show and to eventually win an Oscar, but that’s shooting for the sky,” he chuckled.

“But someone’s gotta do it, so why not me?”