Benjamin: Tell me a little bit about who you are, how long you've been living in Las Vegas, and how you ended up here in the Valley.
Moe McCoy: My name is Moe McCoy. I've been living in Vegas for about six years. It is hot, but I really like it here.
Benjamin: Where did you move from, and how long were you out there?
Moe McCoy: I actually moved from Houston. I lived there for six years as well.
Benjamin: What originally brought you out to Las Vegas?
Moe McCoy: I wanted to get closer to California because of my film and acting work. I wanted to be close to Los Angeles without paying those incredibly high prices. Vegas was the best choice. Plus, I love the Vegas skyline and the massive entertainment scene here.
Benjamin: What is the one thing you really love about living here? You mentioned the skyline, but what's your absolute favorite area to go hang out or relax?
Moe McCoy: I really like checking out all the different hotels, but I also love the mountains. I enjoy going up to Lone Mountain in the Northwest part of the Valley. There is a nice sitting area up there near the peak where you can just chill out, look over the entire city, and enjoy the fresh air.
Benjamin: Let's talk about your films. How long have you been doing this, and what originally got you into it?
Moe McCoy: I started doing film back in 2008. I put my first movie out in theaters, then on DVD, and I fell in love with the process of making movies. I started working on my craft, developed my own process, and applied it to my own films. I just went crazy with it. Right now, I'm at 74 films that I have filmed and edited. I have acted in almost all of them except for one. I fell in love with the process and just kept doing it over and over everywhere I went.
Benjamin: Out of those 74 projects, what is one of your favorite films you've made? What project left a big impression on you or really shaped who you are today?
Moe McCoy: I think it's a film called "Film School." I played a character named Earl, which is a character I made up a long time ago in Houston. He was a teacher. We filmed it here in Las Vegas and we faced a lot of challenges, like not having filming venues. But we just incorporated those real challenges right into the movie. That's what happens when you make a film; you face problems and you have to solve them. You don't just quit because a problem happened. You keep going. We filmed at Sunset Park, at one of the hotels, and we made it work. We even got to use a creative space called the Dream Center where they make glass. It was completely improvised. People can watch it on my YouTube channel.
Benjamin: It sounds almost like a documentary. Did it feel like that?
Moe McCoy: Yes, it definitely had that feel. I have actually made about ten documentaries too.
Benjamin: Let's talk about your future projects. What do you have coming up next?
Moe McCoy: I'm part of a movie called "Ain't Grown Yet" by Benji Yahweh. It is her first movie. I play a bar owner in the film, and I also worked behind the scenes helping with the camera, advising, and co-directing. We filmed for four days in Memphis, Tennessee, and we are wrapping it up in Los Angeles this August. I also have another film with her called "The Grass Is Not Greener" where I play a character named Miles. On top of that, I started a new TV show called "Hood Fades." It's about putting the guns down and picking up boxing gloves to empower the youth to solve their problems without violence.
Benjamin: That is powerful work. Let's talk about the Las Vegas community. You've been involved in a lot of local projects. What community initiatives have you done that you want to share with our readers?
Moe McCoy: I always make sure to volunteer at food drives when I'm in Vegas, helping load food into cars. But the very first movie I did in Vegas was a big community project in itself. It is called "The Bad Boxer" and it is available on Tubi right now. We had about 174 people from the community participate in it, and it was the first time acting or being on a film set for almost all of them. It was incredible to teach them and give them their first real experience with filmmaking on both sides of the camera.
Benjamin: You have a massive following online. How is the digital side of things going for you?
Moe McCoy: It's going great. We have 60,500 subscribers and over 60 million views on the YouTube channel. I put the majority of my movies on there so people can watch them completely for free, while keeping select projects on Tubi and Amazon Prime. I also connect with our community and share behind-the-scenes updates on my official Facebook page and my Instagram profile.
Benjamin: There is a big push for the movie and production industry to grow here in Las Vegas. What is your perspective on the local film scene?
Moe McCoy: I absolutely love it. Vegas keeps me working constantly. I've been booked on the World Poker Tour, Ninja Warrior, and on movies where I don't even know the name because I just get booked over and over here. I love that they are bringing film projects to Vegas and growing the industry here.
Benjamin: If you could change one thing about Las Vegas, what would you change?
Moe McCoy: I would focus on helping our homeless population and the people living underground. Since we have so many rooms in Vegas, I feel like we could house them in a skyscraper or a dedicated building. I know it is a big challenge, but I think we can do more to help get people into stable housing.
Benjamin: I completely agree. Having lived in Vegas for over twenty years, that is something I have watched grow significantly. It hasn't gotten better, especially when it comes to having the right support.
Benjamin: To wrap things up on a fun food note, Vegas has a lot of great spots. What is your absolute go-to restaurant that you will always visit?
Moe McCoy: There is a local neighborhood spot called Gritz Cafe over on Stella Lake Street, near the Strip. They make amazing fried fish, chicken, and grit bowls. The lines are always incredibly long, but nobody cares because the food is so good and the prices are very fair. I go there weekly!
Benjamin: When there is a line out the door and nobody minds waiting, you know it's a great spot. Moe, I really appreciate your time today. Thank you for sharing your story and everything you do for our local community.
Moe McCoy: Thank you, Benjamin. I appreciate you having me!