From the sporting spotlight to the stage, Stephen O’Hearn '26 is a student-athlete at Mercer University who ditched his cleats and picked up a script in a dramatic change of career path after graduating college. Standing on set, he waits in eager anticipation for the director’s action call, with the same excitement he used to have to hear the referee’s whistle during his college soccer career.
O’Hearn is from Savannah, Ga., and is part of a quiet wave of former athletes who are discovering an unexpected love for acting as a career. He believes that the skills he has learned on the field have helped him in his transition to acting.
“I am capable of handling pressure and receiving criticism in a way that can fuel me to be better which is very beneficial in the acting business. Not taking things personally, not cracking under pressure, and being challenged both physically and mentally are things that I have applied from my career at Mercer,” O’Hearn said.
He majored in Spanish at Mercer and played soccer at the Division I level for four years with his first two years coming at Georgia State and his final two being at Mercer University.
“I always look forward to working with people from all different cultures and backgrounds. Being a part of Mercer has made me feel that I am capable of making an impact in the world no matter where I go," O'Hearn said. "After a lifetime of commitment to sport, branching out to the arts made me feel free and confident in myself."
On a wider scale, the Macon area prides itself on its commitment to helping young people to achieve their goals in athletics and acting, according to Visit Macon COO, Aaron Buzza.
“Macon and the surrounding area provide numerous opportunities for individuals to participate in their chosen activities, and to have their abilities nurtured, grown and supported,” Buzza said. “Kids get to participate and grow their skill level and then progress through more significant competition levels, as they desire.”
Buzza said the success of young people in sports and acting come from the establishments that have been put in place and invested in by the city of Macon to support them such as Macon Little Theatre and Macon Soccer Association.
“I don’t know that there is a lot of overlap, though there are plenty of opportunities for someone to have both athletics and acting experiences if they’d like to,” Buzza said.
