Robert Swain Jr. graduated from the BVI High School and the Academy of Art University in California. Now 24, he has acted in several short films and participated in theatre productions in the United States, the Virgin Islands, and many Caribbean countries. Mr. Swain currently lives in California, where he is employed with a company called Celebrity Red Carpets, which provide red carpets for parties, movie premieres and other events.
I was grew up mostly in Sea Cows Bay for half of my life, and the other half in Horse Path. At age 12 when I went to high school, I spoke with Celia Georges, the head of the English Department at that time, and inquired about a drama society, because at the time the school didn’t have one. She looked at me and said, “Oh my God, I’ve been waiting for you all my life.” I found out then that she was also into the arts. Within months, we had a drama society.They couldn’t give me the title of president at that time, because I was too young, which was fair. Since then we’ve done so many things around the community, with teachers from around the world.
When we first started, we had about 60 people. It could have been more. There were a lot of people that were shy. We encouraged them to join, went to different classes to ask people to join. We had people who would come to the drama society one week very shy and then the next week you would see them just bloom, open up and be free.
It was the little games and exercises that brought people out. In high school at the time, there was so much pride; people thought they couldn’t be who they were at all. They felt if they came out the box, they would get shut down. I tried to explain to them, get rid of the whole box instead. Don’t even think about stepping out the box: There is no box. There were people that would laugh at us, saying it was silly. Not everyone got it.
How about life after high school?
In 2006 September, my dad signed me up for college. In the first semester, I signed up for six classes: dropped two, took four. The next semester, I signed up for three classes, took two, dropped one and ended up dropping out. By early 2008, I was out of here to the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. I got a scholarship from the government. In the interview, I was asked if I was going to come back to the BVI. “Of course,” I said. I want to have a production company here in the BVI. I’m done with the academy now, and I still have plans of coming back. I just have a lot of things I want to accomplish first.
How did growing up in Sea Cows Bay and Horse Path help to shape who you are today?
I had a troubled life at home, so I didn’t like being at home. I didn’t like my family situation, with domestic violence and so on. Acting helped me to focus on something else instead of being at home.
I watched a trailer to one of your short films called “I Ran.” I think it was about domestic violence. Was that inspired by your childhood?
No, I didn’t write that. I only acted in it. I always wanted a way out. My father was always into music and is a deejay, so I would always go help him out, but it just wasn’t something for me. The feeling I get on stage in front of a camera is like I can’t breathe without it. I feel really restricted if I am not acting. I could be working at the radio station, I could be in the office, but will be so restricted if I’m not acting. I didn’t find out until I was 20 that I actually spoke the sentence “I want to be an actor” when I was three. My mom told me that. She thought I already knew. It just so happened that I’ve been destined to do it.
What about acting do you love so much?
It’s the fact that I can change people’s lives just with a thought and emotion: make them laugh, smile and make them angry.
What’s the most emotional response you’ve received from your audience during or after your performance?
At Interlochen Arts Camp, after our opening performance, this very feeble old lady walked up to me. I remember her trembling and almost crying. She said, “You were the only one that I understood and liked and appreciated.” I couldn’t do anything at that time but shed a tear, and I knew that was what I wanted to do. I’ve had people who have written me letters about some of my short films and how it touched their lives.
How do you hope to use acting to influence change or be a voice in the community?
I’ve always wanted to do a theatre company where kids can be themselves, be it dancing or acting. I’ve always wanted to have a place where kids can come every afternoon, get them out the streets and have them be productive.
Interview conducted, condensed and edited by Ngovou Gyang.
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