One on One with McKinley Freeman

For those of you who live under a rock, Hit the Floor is a VH-1 scripted series that combines outstanding acting, explosive dancing, and strong writing that airs on Mondays at 9:00 PM EST.  A magazine I freelance for called,  I Am JMARiiE had the opportunity to speak with McKinley Freeman, who plays heartthrob Derrick Roman.  In this amazing conversation we discovered so much about him and his character.

To begin, he explained that his journey has not been easy.  Many people do not know that Freeman started in the corporate world at IMG.  His creative gene has always been prevalent but he used it differently.  Freeman would display his marketing abilities by creating portfolios and packages for various corporations.  He has a bachelor’s degree in business and finance along with a master’s degree in marketing and information systems “I started doing some modeling just because I felt like I was missing something, there was a part of me I wasn’t allowing to grow.”  From there he was soon cast in the popular soap opera “All My Children“ and his career took off.  To make sure he was up to the task he began to immerse himself into learning the craft of acting. 

When he read the script for Derrick’s character his first response was, “Cool, let’s do it!” Freeman states “When I got the script, it was the first time in my career where producers were like, here’s the work go create something.  It was a really great opportunity to do that, and challenge what everyone thinks is your stereotypical professional athlete.”  McKinley explained that Derrick’s best and worst character trait is being passionate and relentless.

The live dancing combined with the big personalities keep the making of the show fun and exciting but they still maintain a big level of professionalism.  “It’s like being at summer camp!” he laughed in reference to working with his co-stars.

I was getting a lot of insight about Derrick but, I wanted to know more about McKinley!  As fans of the show know he has an amazing physique.  McKinley explained how he exercises frequently to give his workout the time and respect it needs.  For workout advice, he says to pick out two things that work for you and do them consistently over a month.  Cardio was his recommended choice. McKinley isn’t lacking in personality which made it is easy for him to later speak about his crush on Zoe Saldana, and his life being single.  “A sense of humor and confidence is important.  At the end of the day you can find that in celebrities or plenty people who aren’t celebrities, it’s all about connection.” 

What stood out the most about McKinley Freeman, is his positive outlook and go-getter mentality.  “You have to get to a place where your peace of mind and your future isn’t conditional on anyone’s choices.  When you do that I believe things will conspire to make those things happen.”  At the close of our conversation, he let me know there is a lot more to come in these next episodes and that there will be a season three! Make sure you support McKinley and the entire Hit the Floor cast every Monday at 9PM EST on VH-1.