*Etienne Maurice is making waves in Hollywood, not only through his acting career but also by creating meaningful change in his community.
This holiday season, Maurice stars in the heartwarming “Mistletoe & Matrimony,” premiering on OWN Network and streaming on Max, while simultaneously launching “FilmGood,” a groundbreaking film and wellness festival that kicked off on December 12. Maurice’s journey to success wasn’t linear. In fact, he was on the brink of giving up acting altogether.
“I was gonna give up acting, to be honest. Once “WalkGood” started to pick up and we were building this community, I thought, well, I guess that’s it. I’ll just focus on this, and I would have been completely fine with that,” Maurice shares.
But destiny had other plans.
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“I think God just kind of showed me otherwise that I had so much more to offer. I thank God every day that I’m afforded this opportunity to do the work that I’ve wanted to do all my life.”
In “Mistletoe & Matrimony,” Maurice portrays a charismatic wedding photographer who finds himself entangled in a whirlwind of romance and family drama. The film follows Olivia Morris, a top-tier wedding planner tasked with organizing her sister’s Christmas Day wedding, whose life takes a twist when her ex-flame arrives as the wedding photographer.
Maurice brings an extra layer of personal excitement to the role, having recently married his own love, Stephanie Maurice, shortly after wrapping the film.
“We literally said wrap on June 30. I was getting married July 6. We flew straight from the set to Jamaica, and we were even heading into a category five hurricane. But I told my wife, if we can make it through a hurricane, we can make it through anything.”
At the heart of Maurice’s work is WalkGood LA, the community organization he founded in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests following the killings of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, and Breonna Taylor. What started as a protest space has evolved into a robust community wellness platform offering yoga, running, and hiking programs.
Maurice credits much of his drive to his mother, Sheryl Lee Ralph, whose wisdom continues to guide him.
“Be kind to as many people as you can for as long as you can, because you never know the same person you kick today could be the one you have to kiss tomorrow,” he recalls her saying.
Now, Maurice is extending his commitment to wellness into the film industry with “FilmGood,” the first-ever film and wellness festival, which launched on December 12 and runs thorugh Dec 15. Get more info at https://www.walkgoodla.org/. This innovative festival reflects Maurice’s belief that wellness and storytelling are interconnected. With over 200 short film submissions and a carefully curated selection of six films, FilmGood explores the emotional and psychological dimensions of creating art.
“When we think of healing, we tend to think of yoga or meditation. But mindfulness and well-being can also be storytelling. We want to talk about the joy of creating art,” Maurice explains.
The festival is a natural extension of “WalkGood LA,” blending his passion for storytelling with his dedication to community wellness. The films, along with panel discussions and wellness activities, aim to provide a holistic experience for attendees, fostering dialogue about mental health in the creative community.
Maurice hopes that FilmGood will inspire artists to prioritize their mental and emotional well-being while pursuing their craft.
“I want people to know they’re not alone in their struggles and that their stories, their voices, matter. This festival is for them.”
With “Mistletoe & Matrimony” hitting screens and “FilmGood” on the horizon, Etienne Maurice is carving a unique path as an actor, community builder, and wellness advocate. Through his various endeavors, he is creating equitable, healing spaces for underrepresented communities, proving that success in Hollywood can come with a deep sense of purpose.
“Mistletoe & Matrimony” airs on OWN Network this Saturday and streams on Max on Sunday.
WATCH the full interview via the player at the top of the page. Watch the trailer, below. Also, be sure to scroll down to react and leave a comment.
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