Darrius Garrett is an actor, author, and original Freedom Writer whose life inspired the character “Marcus” in the award-winning film Freedom Writers. A New York Times bestselling co-author of the book that inspired the movie "Freedom Writers Diary." A student of the late actor PJ Van Neil, Darrius attended El Camino College–Compton’s Theater Arts program. Darrius served as resident playwright for multiple stage productions before transitioning to screen. His credits include multiple seasons on Comedy Central’s Kroll Show as the unforgettable water-dousing Offensive Lineman Dante Lavonte, a featured role on Operation Repo for TruTV, and appearances in music videos for major artists such as Travis Scott, Post Malone, and Snoop Dogg. Known for bringing authenticity, depth, and charisma to every role, Darrius continues to merge his passion for performance with his mission to inspire through storytelling.