Steven Norfleet on How Working With Tyler Perry Challenged Him and Why He’s Grateful

Steven: Yes, absolutely! Morehouse, the AUC, and Georgia were a different world. I'm from Detroit, and I love my people, but I was only used to my people. When I got to Atlanta, I didn’t know anyone. I had one cousin I met because I was coming down for school, but that was it. Starting over was scary and exciting.

My college years were some of the most important of my life. You go through so much. What I love about the time isn’t just the education; it was a cocoon between being a child and becoming an adult. It can be hard, frustrating, exciting, and fun all at once. But now, looking back, I appreciate all of it.

Steven: You’re familiar with the AUC, so I can say, Clark Atlanta is close to my heart because I was a part of House Arrest (a respected dance group in Atlanta). I used to go on that campus all of the time. Being able to be a part of it was wonderful.

Sometimes, at HBCUs, not everything is “polished,” but we figure it out. Now, being in this place in my life, that mentality helped give me the ability to maneuver funky situations. So I’m tremendously grateful for that.

Steven: While I was in school, I worked as a tutor and realized I liked teaching. So, after graduation, I started a graduate program at USC, planning to become a teacher.

What I love about math is the process—there’s a lot going on. You can get the right answer, but you also have to back it up and show how you got there.

While I was in grad school, I was also dancing professionally. I went on tour with Keyshia Cole and everything. But eventually, I had to make a choice, and I decided to leave the education route to pursue my dream of dancing. My mindset was: school will always be there, but I didn’t know how long I’d have opportunities to dance.

Actually, one of my first auditions was for Aretha Franklin. I didn’t have much on my resume at the time, so I included anything that might stand out, including that I was a Man of Morehouse. That same night, she called and hired me as a dancer. I think it helped me land the job.

Steven: The last years of dancing was when acting was really knocking at the door. But I was terrified of it. Mainly because I respect the craft so much. It's not something that you can just jump in and do. It comes with so much time and a lot of vulnerability.

And I’ll be honest, Kirby, I’ve spent years working on toughing up. And then to pursue a career that asks me to pull that down—it was terrifying. One of my last final dance jobs was dancing for Tinashe, opening up for Katy Perry in South America. And one of the last things I wanted to do in that career was tour the world. So after that, I decided to try something really scary: acting.

A buddy of mine, DeJohn Tarleton, an actor, producer, and director, was someone I felt comfortable opening up to. I told him how terrified I was, that I wasn’t sure if I should go for it. And he just said, “Do it. Just try.” I’m always thankful for that. My relationship with acting has been a journey, for sure. Because at the end of the day, I just want to make the craft proud. Choosing to be vulnerable has been hard, but it’s so rewarding.

Steven: When you put yourself in a space where everyone’s choosing to be vulnerable, you find yourself not just doing it for the exercise. You’re actually confronting the thing that makes you vulnerable. Acting forces you to acknowledge them. But the beautiful part is, out of that comes TV and film. I think everyone should take an acting class.

Steven: The first thing I recognized is that my character, Charles, was a light in the story. My character’s family goes through it. Now, some of them put themselves in that situation, but they go through it, nonetheless, and it weighs on them.

When I read the script, I saw that Charles isn’t letting what he’s going through dictate how he lives. He’s still choosing to find humor and joy in the middle of all the family drama. And I envy that because there’s something powerful about someone who can have everything thrown at them and still feel in their element. Charles being able to exude that energy gives others permission to receive it, too.

Now, in the real world, I definitely have moments where frustration takes over; I’m human. But what I love about TV and film is it gives the chance to fantasize about what reality could be. And it’s just nice to see Charles living his best life all the time.

Steven: I don’t want to say “the least,” so I’ll go with “the most challenging.” So, Charles likes many, many, many men. And Steven G. Norfleet is not really that. The challenge for me came in working with my coworkers and making sure we both found a level of comfort. I want Charles to be able to be Charles—fully. But I also want to make sure the actor opposite me feels respected by Steven. It’s about taking time to have the conversation.

I was lucky. Everyone I wanted to have that conversation with was cool. It was always love. We figured out the choreography. The challenge comes in not always knowing where people stand. Especially growing up, I saw how some straight men can struggle with that for their own reasons. And I respect that. I really do.

It’s about respecting them while expressing how I feel and then figuring out the best way we can both do our jobs. It’s kind of like a dance. You don’t know how it’s going to land, but you go in open and ready to listen. Communication is key.

Steven: That’s so cool! But yes, Charles is very in shape. Steven does not look like that on a regular basis. So, in order to look like him, it takes rest, exercise, and eating right. LA is geared toward nutrition. The options are various and healthy. Plus, we play tennis, hike, and so much more. Community and lifestyle is important.

In my normal life, I have to be on a great routine to support my work. After a while, when you’re doing it so often, it becomes what you desire. I crave all of that lifestyle now, and I love drinking my water.

Steven: Tyler Perry is a true gem from God. When you see how many people’s lives he’s changed, it’s wonderful. And now, with my life being changed, being on a hit TV show, and having financial stability to help out family and friends and enjoy my life more. I’m happy to be a part of that.

How he curates his world has brought on its own challenges because I’m not used to shooting in a matter of weeks. But that has pushed me in further ways than I can imagine, and it’s been amazing.

Steven: I can respect that. For some people, it can be fast. It’s a beast. But I’ll say this, Kirby, there was a time I was really questioning my memory. I used to have a hard time remembering lines and people’s names. At first, I joked about it, but then I started to worry, especially since my grandparents had dementia. Taking on a role like this, with so much material to learn in just a few weeks, really tested my memory.

One reason I got into acting was to push myself into uncomfortable, challenging situations. Now, after completing the season, I can say I put in the work, handled it, and feel okay about where my memory is.

Steven: Wherever you are right now, enjoy that. Your dreams may or may not come true, but just having the desire to pursue something is a gift. Being alive and wanting more is a gift. Don’t get so focused on what’s next that you miss the present. I’ve been fortunate in my journey, and even now, as I hope to go further, I see how important it is to appreciate the moment you're in because not everyone gets that.