AFTERBUZZ TV – AfterBuzz TV’s Spotlight On edition, is a long form interview series featuring actors and TV personalities discussing their roles and shows as well as their thoughts, passions and journeys. In this episode host Madison Chase interview Mandell Frazier.
Mandell Frazier is an American actor best known for portraying a wealthy homeowner on the OWN television series “Tyler Perry’s If Loving You Is Wrong” (2015), Kym Whitley’s personal trainer on the OWN television series “Raising Whitley” (2014) and Patti Stanger’s rival on the Bravo television series “Millionaire Matchmaker” (2013-2014). He’s also a reality TV star, model, musician and former celebrity personal trainer from Detroit, Michigan, USA. His father, Herbert A. Frazier, Jr., a native of Washington D.C., USA, served in the U.S. Navy, was a church deacon and also worked for Chrysler Corporation as a proud UAW autoworker. His mother, Dolores Frazier, is a well-known and respected international missionary/evangelist born in Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
The youngest of 7 siblings, Frazier comes from a family of Ministers and Musicians. His oldest brother, Zachary, was the original drummer for Grammy Award winner, singer, songwriter, bandleader, music producer and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer George Clinton of Parliament-Funkadelic (P-Funk) and also played for 10 time Grammy Award winner singer-songwriter Chaka Khan, 3 time Grammy Award winners/Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Temptations, The Dramatics, Etc. Frazier attended grammar school at McKinney Elementary and Taft JHS in Detroit, Michigan, USA. When he was 13, his family relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, USA after his father retired from Chrylser Corporation after 32 years of service to help support his wife’s ministry.
One year later his family relocated to Chicago, Illinois, USA where he attended Julian HS and DeVry University majoring in Computer Information Systems. When Frazier was 19, his parents decided that he needed a new environment because of his declining GPA and moved him to Terre Haute, Indiana, USA with the intention of transferring him to Indiana State University (ISU) however after getting hired as a production associate for Hulman and Company (Founders of the Indianapolis 500/Brickyard 400), Frazier decided to put college on hold and join the workforce. He would often joke that he was making more money than his college professors.
Frazier relocated back to Atlanta, Georgia, USA in 2000 after being signed by a modeling agency for winning a Model Search contest in Chicago, Illinois, USA however his modeling career was short-lived due to industry politics so he focused his attention on health and fitness and became a AAAI/ISMA certified personal trainer and was eventually promoted to personal training director for LA Fitness in 3 different states (e.g., GA, IN, CA), once managing the largest club in the country and having high profile clientele including Entertainers, Media Personalities, Professional/Collegiate Athletes, Models, Choreographers/Dancers, CEO’s, Politicians, Etc.
Also, while living in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, Frazier became a popular freelance musician (i.e., percussionists) who played for his church, independent gospel artists, did live recordings, concerts, spot tours and could often be seen playing in various drum circles/jam sessions throughout the city. In 2006, Frazier relocated back to Indiana, USA after learning his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and his father was having multiple health problems.
Although, Frazier first began acting at the age of 10 performing in a very popular gospel stage play production written and directed by his mother. It was during this time that Frazier developed a closer relationship with God and discovered his “true passion” after performing in a local church play and shortly thereafter began training with veteran actor, playwright, author and producer Bob Berry at his workshop in Carmel, Indiana, USA and eventually hired him as his private acting coach.
While living in Indiana, USA, Frazier worked for a few companies (any one of which he could’ve retired from) including International Paper, International Union of Operating Engineers, Ford Motor Company and Nestle all while performing in numerous stage play productions including the longest running African-American gospel stage play production “Upon This Rock” as Philip the Disciple/Thief on the cross, the critically-acclaimed national touring stage play production “Kila’Delphia” as J.R., and the first ever gospel soap opera webisode “Confessions” as Troy.
Frazier had originally intended on living in Indiana, USA for a couple years until his parent’s health improved, unfortunately his father passed away unexpectantly during a national church convention and although his mother was a breast cancer survivor she was alone after nearly 51 years of marriage which delayed Frazier’s plans of moving to California, USA to pursue his acting career fulltime.
In 2011, with the blessings of his mother, Frazier finally relocated to Los Angeles, California, USA and began world-class training at the prestigious Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre (UCB), SAG-AFTRA Los Angeles Conservatory and the SAG Foundation and with his acting versatility and powerful sexual presence, he had no difficulty finding work in numerous television productions including Bravo’s “Millionaire Matchmaker” (2013-2014) where he played a no-nonsense personal trainer who always managed to get under the skin of host Patti Stanger.
In 2013, Frazier met actress/comedienne Kym Whitley at the NAACP Theatre Awards at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, California, USA and was asked to be in the season 2 finale of her TV show OWN’s “Raising Whitley” (2014) where he played her personal trainer. In 2014, Frazier was an invited VIP guest of Ms. Whitley for syndicated radio host Tom Joyner’s annual Fantastic Voyage Caribbean cruise where he met and auditioned for actor, director, screenwriter, playwright, producer, author, songwriter Tyler Perry and booked the role of a wealthy homeowner in his primetime television soap opera OWN’s “Tyler Perry’s If Loving You Is Wrong” (2015).
Frazier has played many diverse roles on television including his portrayals of real-life figures but his most challenging role was when he was cast in Investigation Discovery’s “Beauty Queen Murders: Fatal Obsession” (2013) as Larry Hazlett a former high school teacher who was convicted of raping and murdering former Miss Rosamond Tana Woolley in 1978 and is on Death Row.
Frazier who stands at 6’2″ and 220lbs is known for his infectious smile, athletic physique and leading man looks has been cast for several television series lead roles including The Weather Channel’s TV series “Hurricane 360: Battle of New Orleans” (2014) as John Keller a former US Marine who saved 200+ residents during Hurricane Katrina, “Tornado Alley: I Survived a Tornado” (2014) as Robert Reed who was hailed a hero after pulling 12 people from rubble after a monster EF-4 tornado, TV One’s “Celebrity Crime Files: Contenders to Offenders” (2014) as Henry Tillman a former American boxer who defeated Mike Tyson twice as an amateur who went on to win the gold medal at the LA Olympics and Nickelodeon’s hidden camera TV show “Undercover Cupid” (2014) with comedic host Nyima Funk from The CW’s “Whose Line Is It Anyway” as a boot camp instructor and game show host.
Frazier was cast in the interactive theatre production “Delusion 3: Masque of Mortality” as the Warder which was produced by actor, producer, singer, director Neil Patrick Harris. Frazier also had supporting roles in feature films such as “May The Best Man Win” (2014) directed by Andrew O’Conner, “At the Maple Grove” (2014) directed by Christopher Zatta (TV Writer from “Heroes”) and featured in Universal Pictures “Straight Outta Compton” (2015) directed by F. Gary Gray, produced by rapper, record producer, actor, screenwriter, film producer, director Ice Cube and rapper, record producer, entrepreneur Dr. Dre.
Frazier has been a guest star on several popular reality TV shows (e.g., Oxygen’s “Preachers of L.A.”, REELZ’s “Beverly Hills Pawn”, VH1’s “Basketball Wives LA”, Etc.) and has been featured in major network(s) (e.g., ABC, CBS, NBC) primetime TV shows, national commercials (e.g., Ford Motor Company, FanDuel Fantasy Football, BlackPeopleMeet.com, Etc.), industrial videos (e.g., Paul Mitchell, LinkedIn, Etc.) and music videos with actress, singer Selena Gomez, rapper, singer-songwriter Wiz Khalifa featuring R&B/hip hop recording artist Akon and electronic music project Major Lazer featuring actor Terry Crews, comedian/actor Nick Kroll and actress/model Lauren London.
Because of Frazier’s health and fitness background, he was asked to be one of the guest speakers at “President Barack Obama’s Global Preparation Academy Health and Wellness Event” in Los Angeles, CA, USA alongside LA Lakers Head Coach Byron Scott, Brooklyn Nets Head Coach Lionel Hollins and World Series Champion/Cincinnati Reds Hall of Famer Eric Davis. Frazier currently resides in Los Angeles, California, USA. Frazier currently resides in Los Angeles, California, USA.
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3/4/2015
