Real Dancehall Celebrity celebrates 10 years since acting career ‘Out The Gate’
Published:Friday | December 16, 2022 | 12:22 AMStephanie Lyew/Gleaner Writer
Jamaica-born actor and recording artiste Everton Dennis, more popularly known as E-Dee the Real Dancehall Celebrity, is celebrating a 10-year-long journey in the film industry.
Dennis’ debut film, a biopic titled Out The Gate, premiered in theatres across Toronto, Atlanta and Los Angeles over a decade ago and was released on DVD on December 11, 2012.
“It’s my life story, where it all begin and where it all goes back to,” Dennis told The Gleaner.
He added, “All connections were made following my biopic, and the DVD production helped introduce [me] to a wider audience. The music featured, some of which is my own, also made the reggae and dancehall community become familiar with my name. It was my breakthrough and connects everything.”
Recently, a remastered version of the action-drama film, set in Toll Gate, Clarendon, from where Dennis hails, and also in Miami and Los Angeles in the US, was made available on the Amazon Prime platform.
“It is a typical story of a young Jamaican boy wanting to make it big in the music business and thinking that the States is a bed of roses, [but] soon realises it is not so. He ends up in unfortunate situations but quickly makes a positive change, unlike his best friends, who [get] caught up with gangs and drugs,” Dennis shared.
The actor-artiste recognises that Jamaica is not where his largest support or audience comes from, but he hopes to change that in the future. Noting that Out The Gate features a few of the island’s top names in theatre, including Oliver Samuels, who played his uncle, and Paul Campbell, who played the ‘Don of LA’, Dennis said the film deserves more credit for its authenticity and relatable storyline of a Jamaican dancehall artiste’s journey.
Dennis has been cast in several films, including Gangland: The Musical on Starz and Hulu, which was helmed by Hollywood stars Clifton Powell and Tamar Braxton, and also Chocolate City 3 with Lisa Raye McCoy. More interestingly, he has been credited for music in previous editions of Chocolate City, specifically Chocolate City: Vegas Strip, which was directed and written by Jean-Claude La Marre.
“There is so much more coming to theatres near and in Jamaica. Also, with music. I’ve had the good fortune to work with a lot of award-winning actors in between and continue to work with Jean-Claude; he also directed Gangland,” he said.
“My long-term goal is to have a series done for Out The Gate and to have my music in more film productions. My album Elevate, which was released in the summer, is doing well. I’m also writing for other artistes; the work does not stop,” Dennis continued.