The Untold Truth Of LaKeith Stanfield

LaKeith Stanfield was born in 1991 in San Bernardino, California, per NME. Though he lived close to Los Angeles, foreshadowing his future career, Stanfield's upbringing was far from glamorous. His mom worked at the fast-food chain Del Taco "and fought to keep her family fed," The New York Times reported. Then, at the age of 11, Stanfield and his family relocated north to Victorville "that carried the unfortunate nickname of Victimville." What's more, Stanfield had to contend with a difficult relationship between his mom and stepfather, a fraught dynamic that would cause Stanfield to "scream at him to leave her alone." To take the train to Los Angeles to audition for roles, the young boy would try to find "lawns to mow or cars to wash." When those avenues didn't work out, "he'd panhandle."

"Hard times. That's what I think about immediately," he told NME about his childhood. In fact, his upbringing was so difficult that he said in Esquire, "I don't want to give details." As recalled by the actor, his family often relocated "because I had family all over. I just kinda ran around, like a wolf-child. I didn't have much guidance."

Though his time in the Inland Empire region of California was certainly filled with hardship, the environment crafted Stanfield's unique mindset. "I'm used to just like letting my imagination run because that's really all you can do there is just entertain your imagination," he told NPR.

In between filming the short film "Short Term 12" and the full-length version, LaKeith Stanfield had a series of unique careers. Had it not been that each opportunity was cut short, Stanfield may have never become a famous actor. At first, he worked "at a cannabis growhouse for a couple of years, tending the plants," Esquire reported. According to the actor, "That's why I don't smoke anymore, I got my fair share back then!" But the growhouse was forced to close and so, Stanfield relocated to Sacramento to live with a family member. While there, he worked for AT&T as a salesman. "It was basically a form of acting, so I did pretty well at it," Stanfield told Nylon.

Looking back, the actor said he enjoyed his time pitching AT&T to prospective customers. "It's very hard but very fun," he shared in an interview for NPR. Stanfield remembered in the role, "You get to try to convince people that you're not there selling them something that they don't really, necessarily need." It also helped with his persuasion skills and ability to quickly connect with others. For example, he would adjust his selling tactics with older potential clients by himself acting "a little bit older," like a classic door-to-door salesman. Plus, he knew how to throw in a well-timed compliment like, "By the way, the way the sun is hitting you, the wrinkle in the center of your head makes you look 20 years younger."

Outside of acting, LaKeith Stanfield has long held another passion. As a boy, he "stapled egg crates in a corner to create a mini recording studio, where he'd rap," wrote The New York Times. After becoming an actor, Stanfield continued to use rap as another form of expression. "Music is a good outlet for me, even though I don't release much of it," he told Palm Springs Life. As the outlet noted, he's teamed up with "Moors, a collaboration with beat-master Hrishikesh Hirway; a group called Ratcheft; and another known as Karosive." He said his work in Karosive "eats away at your brain," predicting he "might get in trouble for" the output. In fact, he once got in trouble for his raps when he "freestyled homophobic slurs in a video he posted to Instagram," recounted The New York Times. Stanfield took down the video and later apologized in a since-deleted Instagram post. 

Stanfield then worked on another project under the name of Htiekal — his first name spelled backwards. He released three tracks as of 2021 and worked on a rap album called "Self Control" in his free time. The album was "about struggling and striving and getting through the harder times — and coming out on the other side with some hope," Stanfield told GQ. One of the songs, "Birds," came as a result of Stanfield waking up to "the harmonious sounds of birds outside of his window," per Pitchfork.

After the tragic death of his childhood friend in 2014, LaKeith Stanfield started using alcohol. "I spiraled out, like, really drinking crazy," he said to Esquire. Drinking then became a common theme for Stanfield. As he told Nylon in 2017, "You learn how to train, you learn how to talk, you learn how to not do interviews drunk, which is the only way I used to do them." In the same interview, he said, "All these parties can be boring, so you have an incentive to get drunk rather quickly, and you have to learn to temper yourself." 

Once, Stanfield posted "videos of himself drinking alcohol out of prescription pill bottles," HotNewHipHip reported. He added in his since-deleted posts, "I like to be by myself because I can hurt myself and no one tells me to stop or fakes like they care." But the actor then assured his fans, "I appreciate everyone checking in on me but I'm good. I'm not harming myself."

As Stanfield continued in entertainment, he sometimes went back to drinking alcohol. While filming "The Harder They Fall," Stanfield revealed in a November 2021 Instagram post, "I would drink every night after work and try to laugh off my pain." Fortunately, Stanfield was able to acknowledge his issue. "Here's to fighting through the trauma to get to myself. Here's to almost 6 months sober," he concluded in the post.

If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

LaKeith Stanfield has starred in movies filled with tragedy but he also experienced heartbreak when the cameras were off. While working on the film "Memoria," Stanfield's mom called him to explain that "his best friend from back home had been killed in a drunken fight," Esquire reported. Even more brutal, the death came at the hands of his friend's own brother, according to Level. "It took me a few days to realize it was real," Stanfield recalled to Esquire. Looking back, Stanfield explained, "I try to see his death as a source of energy, whether it be something I can tap into for a scene or as a springboard to really go for it."

The pain stayed with Stanfield when he joined "Judas and the Black Messiah," which is based on real events. "So I was carrying that with me the whole time," he told Level about filming the movie. "One thing that made those moments real for me is that I know what it feels like to lose somebody abruptly, violently." This emotion translated to many of his scenes, especially one that involved his character poisoning Daniel Kaluuya's character. Stanfield recalled becoming emotional on set that day: "There was no distinction between reality and what I was experiencing in the moment. Most of the takes in that scene, I was actually bawling. I had to tone it back." Though tragic, this emotion translated into Stanfield's Oscar-nominated performance.

From a young age, LaKeith Stanfield found himself in trouble with the law. For example, he used to "bust open change machines and steal sandwiches from Subway," The New York Times reported. As a result, Stanfield was "thrown onto cars by cops, Tasered and arrested for smoking weed." This seemed to be the worst of Stanfield's troubles and he considered himself fortunate for not becoming part of any gangs. Then, Stanfield seemed to be on a more law-friendly career path when he went around as a door-to-door salesman for AT&T contracts. That is, until the actor was fired from the job due to "outstanding marijuana warrants." Stanfield elaborated on these warrants and revealed that he was in trouble for obstructing justice. "I was outrunning the police, and there was this big chase, and everyone was running," Stanfield told the Los Angeles Times. Just like an action-scene in a movie, "I was trying to zigzag, thinking I could outrun the spotlight from the helicopter. For some reason, I thought I could outrun it, but I found out the radius was a lot larger than it appeared in my imagination."

After becoming a star, the actor tried to make amends for some of his earlier mischiefs. For example, he reportedly paid back the specific Subway shop for the sandwiches he once stole. Plus, "he once spent an afternoon in Vancouver handing out $500 worth of $20 dollar bills to homeless people," wrote The New York Times.

As LaKeith Stanfield started to become a household name, the star was romantically linked with actor Xosha Roquemore. She rose to fame playing Tamra Webb on the TV series "The Mindy Project" and starred in movies like "Precious" and the 2021 film "Space Jam: A New Legacy." Stanfield and Roquemore reportedly began dating in 2015, as indicated by the two showing up together at the premiere of his movie "Straight Outta Compton," according to Suggest. The following year, both actors were spotted together at the Sundance Film Festival. In 2017, Roquemore announced that she was pregnant with Stanfield's child in a since-deleted Instagram post (via People). But beyond the announcement, Stanfield and Roquemore have kept their private life away from prying eyes in Hollywood. In fact, Stanfield at first didn't reveal the name or the sex of his child in a 2018 interview for The New York Times. Though the actor later revealed that he had a daughter with Roquemore, Stanfield wouldn't elaborate much more. "I don't really talk about her a lot," told The Hollywood Reporter. As for his home life, the couple apparently lived together in Stanfield's Hollywood Hills house at the time of the interview, November 2020.

Fans were dazzled by Stanfield's fashion-forward look at the 2021 Oscars when he wore a retro-inspired jumpsuit by Saint Laurent. Roquemore especially loved the look and tweeted in response to his photos at the event, "This how I ended up pregnant."

Starting in 2016 with his role in "Atlanta," LaKeith Stanfield became one of the most in-demand actors in entertainment. With his signature solemn expression, he excelled in dramatic roles in films like "The Girl in the Spider's Web" and "Crown Heights." Showing his range, Stanfield also appeared as the romantic lead alongside Issa Rae in the 2020 film "The Photograph." Plus, the actor used his distinctive voice in animated shows like "BoJack Horseman" and "Yasuke." With all these credits in a short time frame, Stanfield has racked up an impressive amount of bills. According to various unconfirmed reports, Stanfield is worth somewhere between $1 million and $2 million.

With some of his earnings, Stanfield was able to afford an impressive home in California. According to Esquire, Zillow estimated that Stanfield's house in the Studio City neighborhood of Los Angeles cost $1.6 million. "I think the design is Japanese-influenced," he told the magazine. "I love Japanese culture. I got a bunch of Buddhas in my bedroom. And nature, man. It heals all." All of his projects also helped Stanfield drive around in a luxury whip. "I got a Tesla right outside," the actor shared with Esquire. This was far from the time when Stanfield would sleep in his mother's "janky old Chrysler with no door handles" in Los Angeles. Reflecting on where he is now and his rise in Hollywood, he said, "It's so surreal that it actually happened."