Today we’d like to introduce you to Taurean Stokes.
Hi Taurean, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My journey into acting started early, back in high school, where I first discovered my passion for performance. That interest stayed with me through college, where I chose to minor in theater and continue developing my craft. After graduating, I stepped into the workforce and, like many people, found myself putting that passion on pause for a period of time.
Everything shifted around 2020–2021 when I became more active on social media. I started creating content, building an audience, and unexpectedly began going viral across platforms like Instagram and Facebook. That momentum reignited something in me creatively and pushed me to return to acting with a new level of purpose and confidence.
Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to work across a variety of projects, including short films, feature films, music videos, commercials, and other creative productions. Each experience has helped me grow not only as an actor, but as a storyteller and creative professional.
More recently, I expanded into modeling toward the end of 2023. What started as an opportunity connected to a runway show quickly turned into another lane I’ve grown passionate about. Since then, I’ve walked in multiple fashion shows, including New York Fashion Week, Columbia Fashion Week, and Concord Fashion Week, along with several runway events in Charlotte, North Carolina.
At this point in my journey, I see everything I do, acting, modeling, and content creation, as connected. It’s all about expression, storytelling, and creating moments that resonate with people. What started as a high school interest has evolved into something much bigger, and I’m excited to continue building on that foundation and exploring where it can go next.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It hasn’t been a smooth road, but it’s been a necessary one. I’d describe it as tough but, fair. One of the biggest struggles has been learning how to stay patient in an industry where things don’t always move on your timing.
I’ve dealt with missed opportunities, auditions that didn’t convert, and moments where I felt like I was doing everything right but still not seeing the results yet. On top of that, balancing real life work, responsibilities, and finances, while chasing something like acting and modeling can be challenging.
There were also moments where I had to rebuild confidence, especially coming back after taking a hiatus. It’s one thing to love something, but it’s another to reinsert yourself and prove to yourself that you still belong in those spaces.
But all of that ended up strengthening me. It made me more intentional, more disciplined, and more aware of my value.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My professional life is really a combination of both my creative work and my career in Marketing and Customer Experience. On the creative side, I’ve been actively building my career in acting and modeling, working on short films, feature films, commercials, music videos, and runway shows. That’s where a lot of my passion and long-term vision is focused.
At the same time, I’ve built a strong professional foundation working in a marketing and operations-related role within the plasmapheresis industry. In that space, I’m involved in Marketing campaign coordination, customer experience strategy, and aligning contact center operations with broader marketing initiatives.
Interestingly, both paths complement each other. My professional experience has strengthened my ability to understand audiences, messaging, and execution, while my creative work allows me to bring those ideas to life in a more expressive way.
Overall, I see my career as a blend of creativity and strategy, where I’m not only performing and, but also understanding the business and audience behind it.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
Podcasts: Wiz Khalifa content, The Diary of a CEO, Myron Golden content, 85 South Show, CX Today, Film Courage, GQ (These can also be considered Youtube Channels)
Books: The 6 Working Geniuses
Pricing:
- Pricing varies depending on the scope and nature of the project, but for modeling, I typically start at a baseline rate and adjust based on usage, time, and production scale. Acting opportunities are often negotiated per project depending on the role and production. I’m open to collaborations and always willing to work with brands and creatives to find something that aligns with both the vision and the value being brought to the table.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/goldie_burnafino
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/goldie_burnafino
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taureanstokes/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@goldie_burnafino
