Establish what your moral compass is and stick to it, even if it prolongs your journey. Getting something quick may bring temporary pleasure but leave you with a lifetime of pain. Get good at recognizing that every opportunity, may not be your opportunity, sometimes it’s the opportunity that others see in you that they can get from you. If you are doing the work, what is meant for you, cannot pass you. Rest is very much, part of the hustle. Recharge. Enjoy life along the way and have interests that have nothing to do with business. You are always good for others when you are first good to yourself, but you must choose it.
As a part of our series about pop culture’s rising stars, we had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Shemeka Wright.
Shemeka Wright is an actress that has remained discipline, patient, and diligent in her love of the creative arts for 20 years through Commercial, Film & Television. She is no stranger to working in front and behind the camera. Her short film “More Than One” is available on Amazon Prime and marks her first, written, directed, and produced project. Shemeka’s leading feature film role, as Michelle Green, in “Secrets in the Building” is available on Lifetime Movie Network (LMN). She was born and raised in New Haven, CT and lives in Los Angeles, CA. Shemeka perfectly describes herself as an energetic actress splashed with playful elegance.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?
I come from a big family where a casual Sunday dinner felt like Thanksgiving. I was born and raised in New Haven, CT, the youngest of my mother’s six children. Five girls, one boy. My parents were working class co-parents, always had multiple jobs, so I spent a lot of time with my siblings. My dad had two sons, which made me one of eight. When I was six years old, my oldest sister had my nephew, Jamar, and to date, I have 12 nieces and nephews and 13 great nieces and nephews. As a child, I had an active imagination one of my favorite things to do was going to the park and climbing on top of the monkey bars, pretending the sand was alligator infested waters like an Indiana Jones movie. I also enjoyed dancing and singing, neither that I’ve done professionally but still will do it. One of my favorite songs was Miss Piggy’s Muppet Babies “I Can’t Help Being A Star” because I knew I was one. I’ve always had adventures and musicals playing in my mind, what I didn’t know back then was that it meant that I was a creative. When I was 11, my mother bought a house in Hamden, CT where I attended Middle and High School.
Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?
In 1985, eight years old, I went to the movies with family to see “The Color Purple”, that was my first time ever seeing Danny Glover; I hated his character “Mister” and walked away truly believing that Danny Glover was a mean man. A few years later, 1987, ten years old, back to the movies with family, we went to see “Lethal Weapon”, I loved it, it clicks for me that, that was the same man in “The Color Purple”. After it was over, I asked my sister, how was the same man in the two different movies? She said, “He’s an actor, he’s not really those people, he’s just playing them” and that was when I knew, I wanted to be an actor.
Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
When I began, I thought the only way that I would get quality work was if I had an agent, a manager and I was a member of SAG-AFTRA, what’s interesting is that; for my first 10years, I had none of them. I solely represented myself as a non-union actor and found my own work by registering on casting sites Backstage, Casting Networks and Actors Access and would simply apply and audition upon request. This helped me build my resume and reel. I did short films, got my first feature film, commercials for Huggies & Bank of America and had billboard print ads all as a non-union, non-represented actor. I also did industrials, corporate training videos, for many companies. Sometimes I’ll get messages from people saying “I think you were the manager in my job’s training video” and I smile and say, yes, it probably was me.
It has been said that mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
When I first started, I was doing background work, on my first job, I knew none of the set lingo, every time they would yell BG, I would just stand there looking around, then just walked in a circle, because I didn’t know what BG meant, one of the actors was nice enough to ask me what I was doing, I said walking a hole in the grass, we laughed and they helped me understand. The lesson learned, even in a new environment, don’t be afraid to ask questions, everyone always has a first day and it is okay.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
My latest film “Secrets in the Building” premiered on Lifetime Movie Network (LMN) on January 6th and is streaming on demand. I will share that I am actively auditioning for film and television roles and feeling optimistic for the opportunities coming my way. I am unable to share details at this time but be sure to follow my socials and stay connected to be the first to know.
You have been blessed with success in a career path that can be challenging. Do you have any words of advice for others who may want to embark on this career path, but seem daunted by the prospect of failure?
Arm yourself with my self-acceptance quote…” I know anything worth having is going to test me, non-stop, emotionally, mentally, financially, and physically, it is my job, not to quit.”
Failure is just the lesson you needed to learn to get you to your next step, please know that it is okay, and it is perfectly normal. Your journey is writing an inspirational story, and even when you think you are not being seen, you are. I have had the most rewarding experiences, that last a lifetime, when I allowed myself to be teachable. I encourage you to do the same and not beat yourself up for mistakes made and/or things you did not know. Stay the course, you got this. If you are putting in the work, your dreams will make room for you.
We are very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in film and television? How can that potentially affect our culture?
It is important to have diversity represented in film and television in front and behind the camera, because that is how honest stories are told and celebrated. Entertainment shapes opinions, and those opinions heavily impact whether individuals create an inclusive or divisive environment.
Historically, underrepresented groups were either not shown or when shown it was mostly in stereotypical spaces, which limits understanding. As a child, I recall watching Black men and woman on television, being shown as poor, struggling, and in fatherless homes, what I was too young to understand was that meant I was not being represented. It was not until The Cosby Show, that I could relate because just like Rudy, I was the baby sister of a big family simply going through life.
“With great power comes great responsibility.” — Uncle Ben
Entertainment is powerful and influential and that alone can vastly improve our culture. In my opinion, it is the ultimate platform and the perfect opportunity to responsibly and regularly educate on the diversity that exists within our communities whether people want to accept it or not, we are here.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? Please share a story or example for each. Watch Shemeka’s “5 things” video here.
Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?
Establish what your moral compass is and stick to it, even if it prolongs your journey. Getting something quick may bring temporary pleasure but leave you with a lifetime of pain. Get good at recognizing that every opportunity, may not be your opportunity, sometimes it’s the opportunity that others see in you that they can get from you. If you are doing the work, what is meant for you, cannot pass you. Rest is very much, part of the hustle. Recharge. Enjoy life along the way and have interests that have nothing to do with business. You are always good for others when you are first good to yourself, but you must choose it.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
Self-awareness and mental health. I’d love to host an annual self-awareness retreat; where a safe and private space is provided over the course of a few days, giving individuals options to be in a ‘no work’ environment. They’d have the options to speak with licensed professionals, participating in relaxing experiences such as comedy, dining, massages, and music with the goal being to breathe, detach and become in tune and to fully take care of oneself to allow them to recharge and step back into their life refreshed and prepared to manage themselves in mind, body, and spirit.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
My dad is one of my best friends and biggest supporters of my life and my career. He has never failed to tell me that he is proud of me and to give advice. In every aspect of my life, he has always given me an ear, without judgement, a shoulder to cry on or a helping hand. Whatever I choose to do, he has my back, whether its start a business or move 3000 miles away to pursue my career with my son. There is not one story that stands out from the rest, he is simply the definition of unconditional love, and I am beyond blessed to be his daughter. It will forever bring me joy to make him proud, I love him dearly, he is my Herm-Dawg!
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
My favorite life lesson quote is “Do what you know you love, and you are good at. You don’t have to do it young, you don’t have to do it fast, just do it.” In 2003, when I took my first acting class at the New York Film Academy in New York, I was 26 years old, I started my journey already feeling like I was late because everyone I came across seemingly had been acting since they were a kid. I truly believed that if I did not have my “big break” in my 20’s, that I would not get legitimate work because, back then, all that was advertised was “young and sexy” and not much diversity. Keep in mind, the internet was no place close to where it is today within the industry, so all I had was, what was on television, in film, casting notices, magazines and reading the room of networking events I was attending. I kept improving my skills, because I love the craft even though that fear, of “aging out” hindered me, creatively. I had convinced myself that it was true and was doing myself a disservice. I was 10 years in my career when the lightbulb went off for me, that I’d been on enough sets to know that they always need people in every age group, I can’t age out, that’s the beautiful part of all of this. When my mind shifted, so did my skill.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
The number one Queen on my, “One day I will work with and learn from them, in person list” is Viola Davis. I love the way she owns her character choices and commands attention of her scenes. I also deeply appreciate her candidness about the industry and life, frankly, when she is a panel guest on any platform.
I fell in love with her performance style when she had a recurring role as defense attorney, Donna Emmett, on Law & Order SVU, this was around the same time I first started my acting journey, she was the first Black Woman attorney that I’d seen represented on television in a role of authority where we got to see her actually do the career assigned to the character and not simply written in the script. Viola Davis is my “representation matters”.
How can our readers follow you online?
Readers can follow me on most social sites. Daily, I am most active on Instagram.
IMDB: https://imdb.me/shemekawright INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/shemeka_wright
WEBSITE: www.shemekawright.com TWITTER: https://twitter.com/ShemekaWright
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/ShemekaWrightActress/
This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!
Rising Star Shemeka Wright On The Five Things You Need To Shine In The Entertainment Industry was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.