FWM: With over 80 film and television credits, you have worked with acclaimed Directors including John Hughes, Paul Verhoeven, and David Lynch. Were there any similarities in their approach?
It was a dream working with these iconic Directors. While they have completely different personalities, the one thing they did have in common, is that they were very open to improvising and switching gears if they saw something that sparked their interest. On John Hughes’ film, PLANES, TRAINS & AUTOMOBILES, he had me improvise a scene with John Candy and Steve Martin. When he yelled “Cut”, everyone was practically on the floor laughing! When I was working with Paul Verhoeven as a pizza dough girl on ROBOCOP, he saw me juggling pizza dough balls in between takes, and shouted, “Great! Do that!” On David Lynch’s WILD AT HEART, I was fire-eating during a big dinner scene, and at the end of the scene, I spit a big ball of fire, which added a great dramatic effect to the scene.
FWM: Did your childhood lead you to act?
Since early childhood, I loved expressing myself through art, writing, and dance. When I was 7- years old, after much pleading, my mother enrolled me in ballet with the Portland Parks and Rec. Ballet Company, where my love for the theater and performing blossomed. Over the next 7- years I danced in over a dozen theatrical productions with the company. In the Summer of 1979, my mother moved me and my sister to Los Angeles, and despite having a very rough start, at times facing homelessness, my mother found a small guest house for rent in Beverly Hills. Attending Beverly Hills High School later that year was a major culture shock, but I found familiar ground by enrolling in modern dance and drama. It was the following year while attending Santa Monica High School, taking dance and drama classes, that I firmly made up my mind to pursue an acting career.
FWM: When was your first break?
Like a lot of aspiring Actresses, I started by modeling, and because of my dance background, I ended up dancing in a handful of music videos in the late 80s. I got my first real break by being hired as a dancer in John Hughes’ PLANES, TRAINS & AUTOMOBILES, in which I ended up improvising a hilarious scene with John Candy and Steve Martin. The scene was cut from the final version of the film, but that earned me my SAG card.
“I enjoy playing strong, fierce women with emotional depth. I strive to find depth in any role I take on.”
FWM: What roles do you enjoy the most?
I enjoy playing strong, fierce women with emotional depth. I strive to find depth in any role I take on. I love fleshing out a character and delving into their back story, and discovering what makes them tick–what makes them get up in the morning. When the character’s history hasn’t been explored in the script, it’s so much fun coming up with the missing pieces, either on my own or with the director.
FWM: Who do you admire?
That is truly a tough question. Of course, I have a long list of favorite A-list Actors and Directors who I dream of working with, but I really have to give it to my Indie Film friends who I see giving it their all year after year, working hard and never giving up, no matter how much they are tempted to just throw in the towel at any given moment. I’ve seen so much genuine talent and heart at every level, so I’m careful never to underestimate someone who seemingly isn’t at the top of their career. I always think, just you wait–just give them a few years and be prepared to step back and say, “Whoa!”
FWM: Share your accomplishments as an Author.
I’ve been writing since I was quite young. I wrote a children’s play when I was nine and started writing a children’s book around the same time. I also illustrated a lot of my earlier work. In 2010 I joined Dark Beauty magazine as a writer/contributor and my articles and short stories were published in the edgy monthly magazine for the next five years. I was then welcomed by WPad Publications, and my short stories have been published in their last five anthology books, which are all available on Amazon. I also have a few scripts in development.
FWM: Was there a monumental moment during your film career?
Yes, there most definitely was, and it was quite recent. I had the honor of winning the” Best Actress” in a Horror Comedy award for THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS ZOMBIES at the 2019 Los Angeles Nollywood Film Awards at the Miracle Theater in Inglewood, CA in August. It was a marvelous awards ceremony with many notable Actors, Directors, and Recording Artists. I’m very thrilled to have won this prestigious award, and I’m very grateful to King Bassey, Joe Williamson, and the LANFA for all their love and support.
FWM: What advice would you give upcoming Actors?
There are a lot of basic steps needed for any Actor to create a firm foothold for themselves to be able to navigate an acting career. All the practical things. But the number one thing to consider is, is this the thing that keeps you going? Is this the thing that you live for? Do you have anything else you’d rather be doing? If there is, then go and do that. Acting is a long uphill battle, and unless this is the thing that you have to do to live and breathe, the novelty of it will wear off and you will want to commit unspeakable acts, right out of a Quentin Tarantino film–haha!
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