You have been part of ALL AMERICAN for all 4 Seasons. What has that experience been like?
Life-changing. I’ve grown so much because of this show. It has taught me so many life lessons that I’m forever grateful for.
In what ways have you grown both as your character and as an individual?
I answered the first question before even looking at this one…what a perfect segue! The comfortability has increased exponentially when it comes to JJ. It’s so easy for me to know exactly how he would handle a situation. How he thinks, moves, and feels. I just really get him now. Getting so deep into a different mindset has taught me new perspectives and angles, which makes me feel more comfortable as an individual as well.
Over the last few seasons, what are some skills you sharpened? Lessons learned?
Patience has been a big one. I think sometimes we work so hard and want things so bad that when perhaps it doesn’t happen within our time frame we get discouraged or frustrated. That being said, it’s so important to seek affirmations from your actions and not so much your acknowledgments. I think when you get too focused on the building you lose all the goodness that is in the process. Instead, I try to focus on laying each brick as perfect as I can each day, the rest will come.
Looking back on your first day on set, what is something you would tell yourself then?
I am genuinely reading these questions one at a time and it’s like every answer plays into the next question perfectly! Haha! I would just tell myself to soak it all in and enjoy the process. Life is a marathon, not a sprint, and taking each day and opportunity for what it is makes everything more beautiful in my book. Great question.
Why did you decide to get into acting?
I felt like it made my voice matter. It gave me a platform to speak. It was an outlet to tell stories that impacted others which I think is one of our greatest gifts. The ability to show or share something with someone in a different light… so cool.
We all face many challenges in life. How do you deal with overcoming obstacles? Any advice for our readers?
Ah, advice for the readers out there? Keep reading. That’s my advice. I am a big believer in “one thing is everything,” and I think life can be broken down into some fundamental basics, one of which includes the ‘one foot in front of the other’ approach. We can often become a deer in headlights when life gets overwhelming and I think paralysis analysis can sometimes linger for years, ya know? We often overthink and get in our own way. I say keep moving. If you don’t know a word, that’s ok, keep reading. It will almost always make itself clear once you gain some perspective of the context. Substitute “word” for whatever it is that appears as an obstacle. Keep reading.
What truly inspires you?
My name. And I say that in the most selfless way imaginable. I take a lot of pride in what I bring to the table but it’s really not about me. It’s about those who believe in me. Those who support me. Those who love me. I feel an honorable obligation to show up and fight for them every single day.
Growing up, did you ever feel like you didn’t belong? Can you dive deeper into that?
I think at some point we all feel a little out of place. Especially when we start to question the current that we’ve been floating with and see if that is by choice or influence. I think belonging is something that is best served like most things, with you in control. So I’d advise you to get to know yourself and let your crew and team build out from that.
Where do you hope to go next?
Life is already moving too fast, I just wish these moments I’m in would last longer. I don’t know. I feel if I project or plan too much then I’m capping where it really could go. Why put a ceiling on something that has no limits? I hope my love for life and others continues to deepen and my ability to communicate through different mediums whether it be written or visual sharpens so that I may positively impact as many people as I can until my time down here is over.
@BELLOmag
Talent Hunter Clowdus @hunterclowdus
Photographer JSquared @j2pix
Stylist Evan Simonitch
Groomer Dane “DC” Diego
Interview Alexandra Bonnet @alexbonnetwrites