Inspirational Women In Hollywood: How Actress Christine Horn Is Helping To Shake Up The Entertainment Industry
…I have a community that I started in 2017 called Hollywood Bound Actors, where I give back and teach up-and-coming actors of all ages — everything I wish someone had told me. I share that with them. A big theme in our community is spreading love, so we use the hashtag #spreadlove. I call us “Booking Magnets” because I believe that we attract bookings and good things into our lives. It’s something we pass on to each other. We call each other Booking Magnets as a reminder that there’s more than enough for all of us. I can help you, and I can celebrate your gig, and you can celebrate mine. It’s about fostering an energy of spreading love and love of self. The more we love ourselves, the more we’ll love our craft and support our fellow performers. So, I would say, spreading love — it changes everything…
I had the pleasure of talking with Christine Horn. Christine is a seasoned actress and career coach known for her versatility and dynamic presence across television, film, and stage. Currently, she stars as a series regular in Classified, a new Amazon Freevee drama. In the show, Horn plays Diane, a complex character who serves as a CIA operative and the stepmother to a teenage girl, the series’ central character, who moves to South Africa to live with her estranged father. The show, blending the intrigue of espionage with the challenges of a blended family dynamic, has allowed Horn to showcase her range and depth as an actor.
Born and raised in the Bronx, New York, Christine Horn grew up surrounded by a mix of Caribbean and Southern influences. Her mother, originally from New York (from Bermudian & Jamaican parents) and her father, from Mobile, Alabama, imbued her with a rich cultural heritage. From an early age, Horn displayed a passion for the performing arts, taking up dance classes and attending Broadway shows with her mother. Her love for acting deepened when her family relocated to Atlanta in the 1990s, where she attended Tri-Cities High School, a renowned performing arts school. There, she found mentorship through Freddie Hendricks, who inspired and shaped her early acting career through his youth theater company.
Horn’s early break came in theater when she joined the cast of Disney’s The Lion King. After auditioning at an open call in Atlanta, she was invited to join the North American tours and later performed on Broadway. Her tenure with the production spanned over five years, during which she graced stages from Las Vegas to Mexico City. This experience cemented her foundation in performance and honed her skills as a versatile actor capable of transitioning between stage, television, and film.
In addition to her current role in Classified, Christine Horn has built a substantial portfolio of work in television, often portraying multifaceted characters. She gained significant recognition for her role as Black Diamond in FX’s critically acclaimed series Snowfall. Her portrayal of Black Diamond, a gritty and dynamic character, earned her praise for adding depth to the tense storylines that define the series. Similarly, in Starz’s Black Mafia Family (BMF), Horn took on the role of Mabel, a character whose morally ambiguous actions made her a subject of social media discussion, demonstrating her ability to engage audiences deeply with her performances.
Throughout her career, Christine Horn has appeared in a variety of prominent television shows, including The Lincoln Lawyer (Netflix), Grey’s Anatomy (ABC), NCIS: LA (CBS), Shameless (Showtime), and Black-ish (ABC). Her film credits include Terminator: Dark Fate and the award-winning feature The Fallout. These diverse roles reflect Horn’s commitment to exploring different genres and her ability to bring authenticity to each character she embodies.
Beyond her acting achievements, Horn is a dedicated mentor to aspiring actors through her online community, Hollywood Bound Actors. Known as “The Booking Magnet®,” she has built a platform to guide actors in their professional journeys, sharing insights from her own experiences in the entertainment industry. Through coaching, workshops, and her active social media presence, Horn emphasizes the importance of persistence and self-belief, helping her mentees navigate the challenges of the industry. Her teaching philosophy is grounded in the idea that “there is room for everyone,” a belief she reinforces by fostering a sense of community among her students.
Christine Horn’s approach to her work is defined by a blend of passion and precision, both in front of the camera and behind the scenes as a mentor. This dual focus on performance and empowerment has made her a respected figure in the industry, as she continues to inspire a new generation of talent. Alongside her professional commitments, Horn is an advocate for self-care and balance, a theme she frequently emphasizes to her mentees. Her love for animals also plays a role in her personal life, recently welcoming a new puppy, Rumi, after the loss of her previous dog.
As Classified continues to build its audience on Amazon Freevee, Christine Horn remains a dynamic presence both onscreen and in the broader acting community. With over two decades in the entertainment industry, her career trajectory reflects a commitment to her craft and a dedication to helping others find their own paths to success. Whether through the layered roles she brings to life or the guidance she offers to emerging actors, Christine Horn’s influence is felt across multiple facets of the industry.
Yitzi: Christine, it’s an honor to meet you. Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn about your personal origin story. Can you share a story of your childhood and how you grew up?
Christine: Thank you for having me. I’m so happy to share my story anytime. Well, I’m originally from the Bronx, New York, born and raised. My mom is of Caribbean descent (Bermudian & Jamaican), and my dad is from Mobile, Alabama. So, I’ve got Southern and Caribbean roots running through me. Growing up, I was an only child until I was 14, so I was always talking to myself — very creative. I always knew I wanted to be a performer. You know, when kids are in kindergarten and they ask, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” and some say firefighter or teacher, I always said singer, actor, dancer. I knew I wanted to perform.
I took ballet, jazz, and modern dance classes, all by my choice. My mother never forced me into anything, but she liked to keep me busy if I wanted to be. She would take me to see plays all the time — Broadway, off-Broadway shows — whenever she got tickets, we’d go. And she told me I was always drawn to the narrator. That’s something she noticed. But I’ve always just loved performing. I loved watching movies, TV shows, and plays, and I was always involved in something.
When we moved to Atlanta in the ’90s, my mom had my little brother, and my sister was on the way. She didn’t want to raise any more kids in the Bronx, so she bought a house in the district of one of the top performing arts high schools in Atlanta. That school was Tri-Cities High School, the same school that Kenan Thompson from “Saturday Night Live” and Kandi Burruss from “Atlanta Housewives” went to — so much talent came out of that school. I’m so grateful she had the foresight to move, so I could attend. Honestly, that’s when my life changed.
Outside of being exposed to the arts at a high level of professionalism, that’s where I met my mentor, Freddie Hendricks. He changed my life. He had a youth theater company called the Freddie Hendricks Youth Ensemble of Atlanta. That’s where I, along with hundreds of other kids, would perform locally in Atlanta. It was the best training. He taught us how to love ourselves, how to create characters, and how to be grounded. We were all so talented, and it really elevated the competition. We were taught to only compete with ourselves, but if you missed a rehearsal, that part could go to someone else. It kept us sharp, and that was the beginning of my journey into being a professional actor. I started acting professionally around Atlanta when I was about 16.
Yitzi: You probably have some amazing stories from all the projects you’ve been on. Can you share with the readers one or two of your favorite stories or the ones that stand out most in your mind from your professional life?
Christine: Yeah, definitely. On the theater side, a big life changer was when I booked “The Lion King.” I had auditioned at an open call in Atlanta and never heard anything back. Then, three years later, out of the blue, they called asking if I could come to a callback in New York. I did, but I didn’t book it. A month after that, they asked, “Can you come on tour?” I ended up being with the show for over five years. I did both North American tours, performed on Broadway in 2008, and got to perform in places like Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Mexico City, and Honolulu. It was amazing. That show was epic, and if anyone hasn’t seen it, it’s worth watching. That was a major career highlight and growth moment for me on the theater side.
As for a favorite project on the film and TV side, there have been so many fun moments. But I would say my most notable and fun role was a couple of seasons ago on “Black Mafia Family.” I played a character named Mabel. I think the internet likes to call me Messy Mabel. She was a homewrecker and just a hot mess, as we would say. Even though the internet and social media loved to hate me, which meant I did a good job, the character was so layered and challenging. I had to take both the good and the bad responses, but it was one of my favorite roles to play.
Yitzi: Beautiful. It’s been said that sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Do you have a story about a humorous mistake that you made when you were first starting, and the lesson that you learned from it?
Christine: Oh, yeah. Well, I’d say when I was a teenager, performing with the youth theater company I mentioned earlier, I got laryngitis. It was a very competitive environment, and I didn’t want to miss a show. They had an understudy ready to go on, but honestly, I was a little jealous that the understudy was getting the chance. So, after a couple of days, I convinced myself I was ready. I told the director, “I can go on. My voice is good enough.” And it was a musical, by the way. He asked, “Are you sure?” and I said, “Yes.”
Well, I got on stage, and when it came time for my solo, I had no voice. It was barely a whisper, so raspy that you could hardly understand me. I just wanted to crawl back into my shell and hide, but I couldn’t — I was on stage, under the spotlight. I’ll never forget that moment. It taught me to be humble and to remember that what’s meant for you is yours — no one can take your shine. But you also have to be realistic about your health and know when to let someone else take the spotlight for a moment. It’s okay.
Yitzi: Can you share with us the exciting projects that you’re working on now? Tell us more about “Classified.”
Christine: Yeah. Well, there is a project I can’t talk about yet — it won’t come out until next year. It’s pretty exciting, a sci-fi show that involves prosthetics, and that’s all I can say for now. But yes, “Classified” is out right now on Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Freevee if you don’t have Prime. It’s also on Netflix South Africa.
“Classified” is a coming-of-age story about a teenage girl who’s forced to go live with her stepparents in South Africa because she’s had some legal troubles. She ends up crossing paths with me — I play her stepmother, Diane, who is the CIA station chief in South Africa. I end up turning her into a spy for me. So, you get this mix of a coming-of-age story with a teenage protagonist and the intrigue of the espionage world. It’s pretty cool. All eight episodes are bingeable and available now, whether you have Prime or Freevee.
Yitzi: Great. How do you compare and contrast your personal character, Christine, with the character you play in “Classified?” How are you similar, and how are you different?
Christine: I would say that Diane, the character I play, is very driven and has a kind of tunnel vision, which I can definitely relate to when I’m focused on a goal or something I really want to achieve. She can also be a bit stubborn, and I can see that in myself too. She knows what she wants, and she’s not afraid to go after it and work hard to get it.
Where we differ, though, is that Diane is willing to put everything above everyone else. She’ll put her job first, no matter if it puts others in harm’s way. She’s not very trustworthy because she has so many secrets. But, even when I read that in the script, I thought, “Okay, how do we bring some humanity to her? How do we make this make sense? Why is she this way?” That part was fun to explore while creating her.
I think, with a lot of characters that actors play, there’s always a part of us that’s similar or shares a character trait, something that’s what we in the acting world call our “natural essence.” For me, I can come off as very powerful, stoic, and in charge in my daily life, so I definitely see some of that resemblance with Diane as well.
Yitzi: That’s great. So, this is our signature question that we ask in all of our interviews. You’ve been blessed with a lot of success now. Looking back to when you first started, I’m sure you learned a ton of things about the industry. Do you have five things that you know now that you wish somebody told you when you first started?
Christine:
- Number one: It’s not too late for you to have your big break. When you’re young, you think time is running out when you’re 18, but it’s not.
- Number two: There’s room for you just as you are. You don’t have to become something or someone else.
- Number three: I wish someone had told me to invest more, sooner. Especially as performers, our lives have an ebb and flow financially with gigs, so investing earlier would have been great. I wish I had done that in my 20s — it would have been awesome.
- Number four: Have a life. You get to have a life outside of your career. It’s really tempting to feel like you have to live this all-encompassing, eat, drink, sleep, acting lifestyle, but that’s not true. It’s important to have a full life.
- And five: This industry comes with sacrifice. You have to be willing to pay that price to have the career you want, and I think not enough people talk about that.
Yitzi: Can you share with our readers any of the self-care routines that you do to help your body, mind, and heart to thrive?
Christine: Mm-hmm. I love hot bubble baths, and I get massages when I can. I’m a big fan of candles — I light them all the time. I drink a lot of water because I like having hydrated skin. Rest has become so important to me, something I didn’t prioritize as much when I was younger. Now, I truly enjoy it — curling up with my favorite TV show or novel and just resting, not doing anything.
I also love going for walks. I have a dog named Rumi, and I’m a huge dog lover, so hiking or going for a walk in the park with my dog brings me so much joy and peace — it helps me reset. And of course, I journal every day and meditate most days. I’d like to meditate more, though. I’m always working on myself, and I’m a big believer in personal development, so I try to read at least five pages a day of something that helps me grow and be a better human.
Yitzi: Beautiful. This is our aspirational question. So, because of your great work and the platform that you’ve built, you’re a person of enormous influence. If you could spread an idea or inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?
Christine: Well, you know, I think I’ve already started something like that. I have a community that I started in 2017 called Hollywood Bound Actors, where I give back and teach up-and-coming actors of all ages — everything I wish someone had told me. I share that with them. A big theme in our community is spreading love, so we use the hashtag #spreadlove.
I call us “Booking Magnets” because I believe that we attract bookings and good things into our lives. It’s something we pass on to each other. We call each other Booking Magnets as a reminder that there’s more than enough for all of us. I can help you, and I can celebrate your gig, and you can celebrate mine. It’s about fostering an energy of spreading love and love of self. The more we love ourselves, the more we’ll love our craft and support our fellow performers. So, I would say, spreading love — it changes everything.
Yitzi: Beautiful. This is what we call our matchmaker question, and sometimes it works. Is there a person in the world or the US with whom you would like to have a power lunch, share a coffee, or collaborate with? Because we could tag them on social media, and maybe we could connect you.
Christine: Oh, man. What a question. There are so many people! The first — oh, actually, two people come to mind. I’m just going to say both of them: Paul Giamatti and Meryl Streep. I would love to break bread with them, watch them work behind the scenes, ask them about their process, or just be a fly on the wall to learn more about how they step into characters. They’re two of my favorites to watch on the screen.
Yitzi: Christine, how can our readers continue to follow your work? How can they watch “Classified?” How can they support you in any way possible?
Christine: Yes, thank you. I’m very active on Instagram at @actresschristinehorn. And for any actors out there, we have Hollywood Bound Actors, with a podcast, a YouTube channel, and of course, Instagram. I also have a lot of fun on TikTok at @iamchristinehorn. And lastly, “Classified” is available on Amazon Prime. Something got in my throat there — excuse me!
Yitzi: Amazing. Christine, it’s been a delight and an honor to meet you. Wishing you continued success and blessings, and I hope we can do this again next year.
Christine: Thank you so much. Thank you for having me. I look forward to reading the article. It’s really been a pleasure to meet you. Have a great day.
Yitzi: You too.
Inspirational Women In Hollywood: How Actress Christine Horn Is Helping To Shake Up The… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.