Keep It Positive, Sweetie – “Building A Creative Life With Intention: A Candid Conversation w/ Shannon Wallace”

Podcast: Keep It Positive, Sweetie
Host: Crystal Renee Hayslett
Guest: Shannon Wallace
Date: February 1, 2026
Duration: ~51 minutes (main conversation content)

Episode Overview

In this heartfelt and insightful episode, host Crystal Renee Hayslett sits down with actor, filmmaker, photographer, and creative storyteller Shannon Wallace. Their conversation delves into Shannon’s journey growing up in Long Island, his transition from social work to creative industries, building a life with intentionality, confronting grief, and the ongoing process of self-growth—especially through relationships, art, and community. The episode offers honest reflections on loss, career evolution, masculinity, love, ego, and the power of authentic storytelling, all while maintaining the show’s signature uplifting, candid, and supportive tone.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Shannon’s Childhood & Early Identity (04:12–07:33)

• Shannon describes himself as a shy, quiet, and quirky child who didn't speak much until adulthood:
  • Quote: “To be honest with you, I think I am the little boy. … As a kid, I didn't… I was weird, like they thought things was wrong with me because I didn't, I didn't. … I would just sit by the door in my coat… and just not speak. I would not move until my mom came back.” (04:44)
• Grew up between two communities in Long Island: raised in Gordon Heights (historic Black neighborhood), attended a predominantly white school for better education—felt he didn't fully belong in either context.
  • Quote: “So I grew up in a neighborhood called Gordon Heights, which is like one of the first settled Black neighborhoods on Long Island… The school I went to was like, it was like a PWI… So I was kind of in between.” (06:43–07:13)
• Athletics provided structure, but he didn't form close friendships until college, which helped him “bloom.”

2. Discovering Creative Passions & Transitioning from Social Work (08:05–13:17)

• First creative pursuit: illustration, cartooning, and animation in college, but shifted due to the demands of drawing.
• A pivotal moment: sneakily auditioning for the school play (“Peter Pan”), signaling an early, though suppressed, interest in performance.
• Started as a social worker at 22; found the system emotionally draining and felt stifled by its inability to offer real change.
  • Quote: “I got into early… social work, and that's like a really heart-wrenching gig, and I didn't know how to balance it… the system, structure… wasn't built to change, you know? And that was really disappointing.” (09:20)
• Modeling became his way “in” to acting; he leveraged his height and looks, driven by outside encouragement and as a strategic step.

3. Breakthrough Roles and the Power of Impact (11:06–14:24)

• Shannon discusses the importance of making an impact, regardless of role size:
  • “That became important to me in my work… you have to leave the impact. Right? This show is basically about you without you being there. You have to be remembered.” (12:49)
• Emphasis on “putting the work first” rather than chasing fame.

4. Photography & Hustling in Creative Industries (14:39–16:40)

• Photography emerged as a strategic and creative extension of his modeling; he began taking his own portfolio shots to bridge gaps between campaign launches.
  • “I would reshoot the campaigns on my own… Put those pictures in my book until the campaign came out, then replace them.” (15:39–16:01)
  • Agency discovered his talent and started sending him other models to shoot—jumpstarting his professional photography work.

5. Navigating Setbacks & Lessons from Modeling (16:40–19:44)

• Leveraged his research skills and a Dave Chappelle quote to define success as “making a social worker’s salary while following his heart.”
  • Quote: “If I can make a teacher's salary doing comedy, then I've won… So coming from social work, that was my only goal… and I’ve kept that.” (17:54–18:21)
• Reframes career bumps, financial goals, and downtime between jobs as manageable given this perspective.
• Stresses the necessity of a side craft (photography) for creative control and sustenance.

6. Boundaries, Ego, and Representation (20:07–22:54)

• After losing his brother to gun violence, he initially vowed never to portray such roles—then took the role on “City on the Hill” for its nuanced depiction of humanity behind stereotypes.
  • Quote: “You do them because of the situations and the environment that you're in… For the first time, we got to explore what those things were. So it was a story that I needed to tell.” (22:15–22:36)
• Realizes nuance is key and not to “say no” too early.

7. Processing Grief and Masculinity (23:09–28:49)

• Shannon recounts receiving the call about his brother’s death—a powerful, candid story about immediate grief, shock, and rage.
  • Quote: “My stepdad calls, said, your brother's been shot. He didn't make it. … I just froze… wanted to kill somebody like myself. I really had to remove myself. So I wasn't there for my sisters… that kills me to this day.” (23:59–25:18)
• Initially “manned through it” and credits opportunities in acting for helping him process grief (“performing [that kind of protection in a scene against violence] saved me. … My therapy.”) (28:04)

8. Creative Authorship – Writing and Directing (32:21–35:57)

• His drive to write and direct rooted partly in ego, but also a desire to create nuanced roles for himself and others, feeling he hasn’t been allowed to fully act in roles written by others:
  • Quote: “I wrote what I feel like was an opportunity for myself… filled [the film] with five characters… colored these characters in ways that I feel they should be colored.” (34:54–35:08)
• Got advice from Tyler Perry: “Own it.” (36:07)
• Emphasizes a spirit of collaborative creation among friends and the new generation of filmmakers.

9. New Projects: Film at Slamdance & Storytelling Through Love (37:17–40:28)

• Describes his new film “A Story About You,” about a man learning about himself as five women leave him—based often on lived experience of growing through relationships.
• The film intentionally spotlights the women’s perspectives, providing space for “romantic language” and personal growth.

10. On Love, Relationships, and Vulnerability (41:05–46:57)

• Debunks relationship rumors with Crystal—playful dynamic.
• Reveals he is currently “taken” and happy.
• Lessons learned from past relationships:
  • “Shut up and listen. … I choose people who are smarter than me… the women that I've spent… time with, identify that [emotional] thing before I do. … I'm learning to listen earlier.” (42:26–43:56)
• Discusses the “conflict” between heart, gut, and mind—learning to reconcile internal battles in relationships and lean into growth.
• Self-describes as a “hopeless romantic,” craves intimacy, though notes nobody has ever called him “romantic.”

11. Flowers, Consideration, and Emotional Insight (47:09–49:30)

• A playful conversation about why women want flowers, with Shannon unpacking the underlying reason as “consideration.” Crystal explains the importance of unprompted gestures in relationships.
  • Shannon: “If you don’t even know why you want [flowers], but you do… I can give consideration in different ways than just flowers. … Let’s diversify.” (47:10–49:12)
  • Crystal: “But the thought of my man… just sending me flowers because he thought of me or… to let you know that I see you—it is the consideration.” (48:39)

12. Upcoming Projects & Representation (49:44–51:16)

• Shannon mentions upcoming releases: “Channels” (short film), “A Story About You” (premiering at Slamdance Feb 21st/24th), and returning for Season 2 of “Dion from Detroit.”
• Crystal and Shannon affirm their support for each other's continued creative collaborations.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Growing Through Art & Grief:
  “Performing that thing, getting my nervous system through that thing… was my therapy. Like, I was okay after that.”
  – Shannon Wallace (28:20)

• On Defining Success:
  “If I can make a social worker salary doing comedy, then I’ve won… To make a social worker salary. But spare my heart in this thing.”
  – Shannon Wallace (17:54–18:25)

• On the Importance of Listening in Relationships:
  “Shut up and listen. … The women that I’ve been with… identify that thing before I do… so I’m learning to listen earlier.”
  – Shannon Wallace (42:29–43:56)

• On Choosing Impact Over Role Size:
  “You have to leave the impact. Right? This show is basically about you without you being there. You have to be remembered.”
  – Shannon Wallace (12:49)

• On Masculinity & Vulnerability:
  “I thought I could man through it, you know, I thought I could, you know, control this thing… but I do recommend grief therapy.”
  – Shannon Wallace (25:48–28:37)

• On Artistic Motivation:
  “Nobody knows how good of an actor I am still. I know. But nobody knows. I don’t get the opportunity. So I wrote what I feel like was an opportunity for myself.”
  – Shannon Wallace (34:46–34:54)

Important Timestamps

• 04:44 – Shannon on being a shy and “weird” kid.
• 09:20 – Why he left social work.
• 12:49 – Impact in small roles and legacy.
• 15:39 – Taking his own photos to build modeling portfolio.
• 17:54 – Inspired by Dave Chappelle’s definition of artistic success.
• 22:15 – Navigating roles after losing his brother.
• 23:59 – Recounts the moment he learned about his brother’s death.
• 28:04 – Processing trauma through acting; “my therapy.”
• 34:54 – Writing to create opportunities that weren’t being offered.
• 36:07 – Tyler Perry’s advice: “Own it.”
• 41:42 – Relationship status reveal: “I am. Yes. I'm taken.”
• 42:29 – “Shut up and listen” – on personal growth in relationships.
• 47:10 – The flowers debate: consideration vs performance.

Conclusion

This candid, often deeply personal episode is a rich exploration of what it means to build a creative, authentic life—embracing both the joys and the challenges of pursuing passion, healing from tragedy, and committing to growth. Shannon Wallace’s story, as skillfully drawn out by Crystal Renee Hayslett, illustrates how intention, humility, connection, and resilience weave together to form a fulfilling creative journey.

Key Takeaway:
Success is defined not just by external milestones, but by inner alignment, creative fulfillment, and the courage to keep “becoming” through every season—while always keeping it positive, sweetie.