Tarik Frimpong // Determination, Creativity, Disney Motion Pictures

// Determination, Creativity, Disney Motion Pictures

Today I bring you the powerhouse that is, Tarik Frimpong!

I can’t wait to tell you all about him, but first I need to say this.

It’s been a heavy week in the world with the police murder of George Floyd in America. I found myself overcome with emotion, finding it hard to breathe and concentrate on anything in my life. How could I record a sparkly introduction to a performing arts podcast episode with such weight overwhelming me? So I decided to get on the mic and speak my truth.

Ultimately, this podcast explores humanity - there are many parts to this, good and bad. Racism is not new in our world, it is just being filmed now. I implore anyone reading this to follow Shaun King to educate yourself, join the conversation and take action to create change. It is going to take as many people as possible, and the time is now. Use your voice.

It is also National Reconciliation Week in Australia, and it is important to own and remember what our ancestors have endured and the injustice that still exists here today. I would like to acknowledge our traditional custodians of our beautiful land and pay respects to our indigenous brothers, sisters and elders, past and present.

When I contacted Tarik to share the way I wanted to start his episode, he was right there with me. He is advocating hard. In retrospect, this episode seems like divine timing. Both Tarik and I are mixed race African descendants and we found our chat naturally flow in a direction that explored these themes when we recorded long before the events of this week.

So who is Tarik?

Tarik is a trail blazing actor, singer and dancer from Melbourne who is making his mark on the performing arts industry worldwide. He has worked as a commercial dancer for the likes of Justin Bieber and FKA Twigs, performed in musicals such as The Lion King, Aladdin, Bring It On and MADIBA in Australia and on the West End, and made his Disney Motion Picture debut in the role of Angus in Mary Poppins Returns. In this film he starred alongside acting royalty including Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Meryl Streep and Colin Firth. In our chat we discuss his experience on set of Mary Poppins Returns, as well as another Disney Motion Picture he was involved in filming before COVID hit.

We discuss overcoming self-doubt and self-sabotage, as well as Tarik’s life mantra, “If you want something, go get it. Period.” This guy is seriously relentless, he truly lives the advice he gives. He is also super creative which you will get a taste of during our chat. There is plenty to take from this one!

I hope you enjoy the chat, it’s hard not to be inspired by Tarik Frimpong.

. . .

Please use your voice and take action here: https://www.justiceforbigfloyd.com/#petition #BlackLivesMatter