Season 2 of OWN's show David Makes Man is just around the corner, releasing next week on June 22, 2021. The show is centered around the titular character David, played by young actor Akili McDowell.

Described by Oprah Winfrey as "poetry on television," the show follows the story of an African-American teenager who tries to make it into the high school of his dreams while dealing with poverty and the death of his close mentor. 

He Wanted to Be an Actor at 8

The actor, who graduated high school in 2021, first picked up the acting bug when he was just eight years old.

During an interview with the In Creative Company, McDowell revealed that he first thought about becoming an actor when he saw Kyle Massey portray Cory Baxter, Raven's brother in the Disney show That's So Raven.

The way he brought his character to life and has so much personality and in his character I could see a lot of myself. 

He Has a Lot in Common with His Character

Since he was just an eight-year-old nagging his mother about how he wanted to be like the guy on TV, she had a hard time believing him.

Still, after a lot of pleading, the actor claimed that his mother realized that his passion and commitment were undeniable even at such a young age.

In the same interview, he also suggested that he had a lot in common with his character David. Be it the fact that both of them were raised by a single mother or the fact that they want to always be there for their family, the connection between the two was real. 

So, even when McDowell was simply acting out his part in David, he confessed he had learned a lot from that character that applied beyond the reel life. 

His Height, Weight, and Age

Hailing from Huston, Texas, McDowell's other extracurricular interests include playing football. In fact, he played for his home team North Shore Mustangs, and even boasts a NextGen All America Camp badge on his player profile. 

Other details in his profile include his height, which is five-foot-four, his weight which was 135 pounds, and his birth year: 2002, which puts him at 19 years old as of 2021.

As per his profile, he was enrolled in North Shore Senior High School and had a GPA of 2.9. 

Fresh Out of High School

McDowell recently took to his Instagram to announce his high school graduation to the world. The post featured a series of snaps of The Astronaut Wives Club star posing in red academic regalia.

In the caption, the actor encouraged all those who read it to make sure to complete high school when they were ready and cherish every moment spent doing so. 

"I’m officially done with with Highschool," he concluded, "On to the next chapter..."

Even though he is fresh out of high school, his acting portfolio already has 10 credits on his IMDb page. He is best known for his roles in The Astronaut Wives Club, Billions, and obviously, David Makes Man.