Fantasia Launches Devin Thomas's Acting Career

He starred opposite Fantasia in her newest music video, “Bittersweet,” playing the former American Idol winner’s frustrated love interest in a scene at a club.

Thomas didn’t know Fantasia before filming the video but said that he’s wanted to break into acting for some time. He got his first chance when Darren Sharper, Fantasia’s first choice, was unavailable.

“Sharper was too busy, so my PR guy [Trevor Julien] sent them some pictures and they were excited about the opportunity,” Thomas said Friday.

The next thing Thomas knew, cameras were rolling as Fantasia serenaded him.

“That was my first time meeting her,” Thomas said. “When I got there, Fantasia said she just wanted to make it real sexy and real hot, so I followed suit. Everybody was real happy with the final result.”

Most of Thomas’s Redskins teammates have been very supportive. But Santana Moss won’t be asking for his fellow receiver’s autograph anytime soon.

“He was joking about her kissing up on me,” Thomas said. “He’s just jealous that he wasn’t in the video.”

I’m not sure what material Moss has been using to tease Thomas. I hope he’s told him that the song was called “Bittersweet” because his teammate was straddled by a popular singer, but that the singer had to be Fantasia.
 
“This is just the beginning,” Thomas said about his acting career. “I want to do some more videos and get into movies. I want to be in as much stuff as possible, as long as it doesn’t interfere with football.”

But what kind of movies does Thomas, who took theater classes at Michigan State, want to star in?  

“I feel like I could jump right into the action scene,” he said. “That would be the best way for me to get going. Like, "Predator"-type stuff. Be a military kind of guy or something active.”

Despite being just one gig into his acting career, Thomas is already thinking long-term. He’s worried about being typecast, so he plans on varying his role the next time he’s asked to be in a music video.

“I have the ability to evolve to do other things and be successful. I don’t want to get stuck doing just one thing and then they think that’s all I can do,” Thomas said. “Maybe next time I’ll be a mean dude or a nerd or something, just to be funny.”

A huge Will Smith fan, Thomas wants to pattern his acting career after the guy who went from making fun of Carlton to saving the world in “I Am Legend.”

“He’s the icon of a great actor. An action guy but he’s versatile, done so many different roles.”

But what’s next for Thomas (other than training camp, of course, which is 13 days away)?

The third-year receiver has already got an idea as to who he’d like to work with the next time he appears in a video.

“All the sexy singers I grew up with are taken nowadays,” Thomas said with a laugh. “The one I can say right now that is still free and I’m intrigued by is Nicki Minaj. She’s hitting the scene hard right now. We could click and make some hot things happen.”

If Thomas and Minaj do collaborate, a video wouldn’t take place until next offseason, because as excited about acting as the receiver is, his top priority is still football.

“I’m always going to be dedicated to football,” Thomas said. “I just want to be known as more than just a football player.”