By: Erika ‘PR Diva’ Enyolu
As Shannon Wallace returns for Season 2 of Diarra From Detroit and steps into his first leading feature role in A Story About You, the actor, filmmaker and photographer continues to expand his creative footprint across film, television and photography.
In this exclusive interview, Wallace sits down with Erika “PR Diva” Enyolu to discuss creative risk, artistic transformation, New York roots and why his greatest ambition isn’t to be recognized on screen, but to disappear into every role he takes on.
Erika “PR Diva” Enyolu: Returning to Chris in Season 2 of Diarra From Detroit, what new emotional layers were you most excited to explore, and how has your growth as an actor influenced the way you approached him this time around?
Shannon Wallace: The thing about Chris in Season 1 was that we didn’t know the guy. We were introduced to him as Chris, then he became Ambien, then Deonte. The whole time it was, “Who is he?” I didn’t know either, so I had to fill in the blanks myself because there wasn’t much backstory in the script.
For Season 2, I finally got those answers. There were small shifts and adjustments I had to make, which was a lot of fun because this is the first time I’ve come back for a second season of a show.
It’s now a guy who’s been kidnapped twice and rescued twice. Where does that leave a man? I got to explore the frustration, anger and confusion that comes with finding out the life you’ve always known isn’t entirely true. Being able to confront his mother and her role in all of this was a lot of fun too. I also got to work opposite Ms. Phylicia Rashad, which was incredible.
Enyolu: Is there one major moment in the season that you’re able to tease?
Wallace: There’s a moment in Episode 1 where we get a glimpse of what he’s been bottling up. Deante is the kind of person who constantly asks himself, “Is it worth it?” before reacting, but those pressures build over time.
I think this season is really special. I’m excited to see how audiences receive it because I think we’re going to see some movement around the show this time around.
Enyolu: A Story About You marks your first leading feature role while also serving as a producer. How did stepping into both roles challenge you creatively, and what did you discover about yourself through that experience?
Wallace: Up until that point, I had never done a feature film before. Film is different from television because I know where the entire journey goes and I’m able to plant little breadcrumbs throughout the performance.
When I got the script for A Story About You, I saw opportunities to strengthen it creatively, which is why I decided to come on as a producer. Originally, it was written as a play, and I felt I could help shape it into the strongest film possible.
Most of my producing work happened before filming and after we wrapped. During production, I was able to focus on being an actor, which I really appreciated.
Enyolu: Do you have a preference between acting and producing?
Wallace: I’ll tell everybody this. I don’t enjoy producing at all. It’s a necessary evil.
Producing is the thing I have to do in order to create opportunities for myself in front of the camera. Acting is what I love and what I’m obsessed with.
If I had to choose, I’m choosing acting and directing every single time.
Enyolu: Both Diarra From Detroit and A Story About You explore relationships in very different ways. What drew you to these stories and why do they resonate with where you are in your career today?
Wallace: Full transparency, Diarra From Detroit came at a time when I was down professionally. I hadn’t worked in probably a year and a half.
I had interviewed for a full-time photography position with Gap and had booked a play when the audition for Diarra From Detroit came in.
At first, what drew me to Diarra was simple. I needed a job. Then I got the scripts and realized I was joining a really great story with an amazing team.
A Story About You was completely different. It was a Brooklyn love story, and I knew that character. I had been that guy at different moments in my own life.
Preparing for that role taught me a lot about life, love, relationships and attachment styles. I read the book Attached while preparing for the film, and it unlocked something for me. I started understanding what I had been doing wrong, what I was really looking for and how I wanted to approach relationships moving forward.
I needed that film.
Enyolu: Whether you’re acting, directing, producing or behind the camera as a photographer, your work consistently feels emotionally grounded. What does authentic storytelling mean to you in practice?
Wallace: It really starts with why I wanted to become an actor in the first place. I remember watching young actors like Haley Joel Osment and thinking, “If a kid can do that, then it has to come from somewhere deeper than technique.”
Early on, it was about imagination and giving yourself permission to completely believe in the moment.
As adults, we become self-conscious. We worry about embarrassment or what people think. I’ve always been attracted to the honesty that exists when you’re simply playing and telling the truth.
All the different creative things I do are really chasing that same truth. As a writer, I can create it. As a director, I can shape it. As a photographer, I can capture it.
Enyolu: Was working across multiple creative disciplines always part of the vision, or did it evolve naturally?
Wallace: My life has always been like that. I played five sports in high school and I’ve always needed to stay busy. That’s just how I’m wired.
I’m also naturally curious. People sometimes ask how I balance acting, directing, producing and photography, but I don’t really see them as separate careers. It’s all art. It’s all creativity. They’re simply different mediums.
Enyolu: Your directorial debut, Channels, alongside your acting and photography, suggests you’re thinking beyond individual projects. What kind of creative legacy are you hoping to build over the next decade?
Wallace: I don’t know if I think about legacy as much as people expect me to. If there’s one thing connecting everything I do, it’s pursuing grounded and truthful storytelling.
What I don’t want to do is what’s already been done. I want to have fun. I want to create stories that surprise people and challenge expectations.
I want people to watch something I’ve created and think, “Whoa, I didn’t expect that.”
Enyolu: Looking across your recent work, what thread do you hope audiences recognize as uniquely Shannon Wallace?
Wallace: Honestly, I don’t want there to be one.
My goal is actually the opposite. I want to become good enough at my job that audiences don’t immediately recognize me from one project to the next.
Someone told me they thought I was much more muscular after watching Beauty in Black. I had intentionally gained weight for the role.
Eventually, I want the performances themselves to transform me so completely that people aren’t seeing Shannon anymore.
I want to become unrecognizable.
Enyolu: How do you balance building your personal brand with protecting the mystery of your performances?
Wallace: That’s probably been my biggest hesitation with social media.
The more people know Shannon, the harder it becomes for them to separate me from the characters.
I’m still figuring out that balance because you have to promote your work and connect with people. But I also want to preserve enough mystery that when someone sees me on screen, they’re meeting the character instead of Shannon Wallace.
Enyolu: As this summer marks another major milestone in your career, what excites you most about the stories you haven’t told yet?
Wallace: Photography has evolved for me over the years, moving from fashion into portrait work. Acting feels the same way. There are still so many corners of storytelling I want to explore.
This might sound like a ridiculous flex, but I honestly think I’m pretty good at what I do and people don’t yet know.
When those opportunities come, I hope I surprise people. I’m capable of a lot. I just want to do the most.
Enyolu: What does being from New York mean to the man you are today?
Wallace: Everything.
I bring New York everywhere with me. I’m living in Los Angeles now, but I’m still a New Yorker. Home is home, and that will never change.
I honestly don’t know who I would be if I hadn’t been raised where I was and the way I was.
As audiences prepare to see what’s next in Diarra From Detroit, A Story About You and beyond, one thing is certain: Shannon Wallace is only getting started.
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