May 16, 2023 • 41 mins
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello, and welcome to the Spirited Actor Podcast with me
Tracy Moore. I was a casting director for film and
TV and commercials for over thirty years. I transitioned to
a celebrity acting coach after I cast a film New
Jersey Drive with executive producer Spike Lee and director Nick Domez.
I auditioned every rapper from biggiees Balls to Tupac, and
(00:24):
I realized that rappers and musical artists they needed help
transitioning to acting. My clients consist of musical artists from
Buster Rhymes to Eve, Missy Elliott, Angela Yee from The
Breakfast Club, and Vanessa Simmons, to name a few. I
also coach sports stars and host as well. I feel
(00:45):
I have the best of both worlds. As a casting director,
I know exactly what they're looking for, and as an
acting coach, I can coach you to be remembered in
that room. Now. I know, I know actors want to
get the job. I get that, but being remembered by
casting director that is powerful. And now it's time for
(01:05):
meditation of the day. If we go for the easy way,
we never change. Marina Abramovic, I just want to say this,
there are no easy ways. There are no shortcuts. If
you're going to go for the shortcut, you are guaranteed
to be shortchanged. Put in the work. Feel good about
(01:26):
yourself at the end of the day knowing that your
exhaustion is from putting in the work. When I tell
actors to read aloud every day, when I say go
over your sides, when I say you know you have
other destinian friends you can read sides with and work with,
I mean every day. Do that every single day. Your
(01:52):
talent is a muscle that needs to be nurtured, that
needs to be exercised. So instead of trying to figure
out a side hustle, the way, a different way to grind,
just do what it is that you're doing. Trust that
what you're doing is the right way. And as our
(02:15):
guests so eloquently put it, Lriissa Romaine, she said, and
I am where I am because this is where I'm
supposed to be. And it's just as simple as that.
Today I will practice being present before we get started,
(02:37):
I'd like to remind everyone to look out for my
new show, Inside the Black Box. I'll be co hosting
with the great Joe Morton. We'll be on Crackle Network
real soon. I'll keep you posted. Welcome to the Spirited
Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore and I always have
treats for you, guys and special dyn people in this world.
(03:01):
And I'm excited because this is my first introduction, although
I am very familiar with her work. Ladies and gentlemen,
please put your hands together for actress singer Loriissa. Thank
(03:22):
you for coming on the show.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
Thank you so much for having me. I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Oh my god, Can I just say this because you
know I love actors. I have a mad passion for
you guys, and all my friends are actors. When I
saw you in Top Five, you didn't know, but sitting
and watching you in the theater sometimes like I feel
(03:47):
like as casting directors, we have montages of your careers
and your journey before you guys see them. And that's
what I saw, and I was like, oh my god,
you're amazing. You know, just how old were you when
you did that film?
Speaker 2 (04:03):
When I did Top Five, I was fifteen.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
Wow, there was That's why the connection with you and
Rosario was so stellar, because I don't know if you
know of this film Kids with a z Okay, so
then there it is, you know, because there's there was
(04:29):
a grounded nos in your foundation as a teenager that
it's very rare that you come across that. And so
I was surround during the time of kids. I actually
cast one of the actors in a film that I
was doing justin Unfortunately he passed and so but I
(04:52):
watched that film and saw Rosario and was like, oh God,
like this is crazy. So that's kind of like feeling
I had when I saw you in Tapa.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Well, well that means a lot to me, thank you.
It's funny too, because I went to that audition.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
Kind of randomly.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
One of my mom's friends told her that they were
casting for it, and we were just like, let's go whatever.
But originally they were casting for like six and eight
year olds. Oh it was just me and a bunch
of like a little little girl and Rosario and I
just had so much chemistry that they ended up going
(05:28):
with me, and they rewrote it to like.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Have that little line about like when did you have
a baby when you were ten? Because I'm like.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
Right, so, and Chris told me too on set that
he reminded me of Rosario because he met her at
the same time, like when she was fifteen, and he
was like, it's like looking at.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Her, Yeah, it's like really bizarre.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
So but she's still at myself so much that that
is like, you know, and there are no coincidences. You know.
This is called the spirited actor, and the name comes
from me trying to decide what was that word that
embodied what an actor should be? Right, And so I
(06:08):
was like spirit, spirit, right, And then our mantra became
empowering the person inside the actor and that's your spirit
and maintaining that. So it's like, you know, as a
casting director, I've worked with actors in the emb real
stages of their career. I've discovered actors. However, when I'm
(06:33):
able to see that vision, I'm like, yeah, she's gonna
have choices and longeviany, you know. So I'm glad that
Chris said that. And a part of the spirit too,
is confirming. This is a confirmation. You didn't know I
was gonna talk about top five, you know, so what
(06:55):
are the chances? So I'm definitely holding on all the
because this is my moment today. Yes, So you know,
our audience consists of creative beings, actors, directors, writers and
even within the spirit Actor alumni. The scene that you'll
be hearing today in class and session, it's written by
(07:18):
a Spirited Actor alumni. Can you share with them your journey,
your story.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
I've had so many ups and downs, and when I
really go into all the stories, people.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
Are always like, oh my god, I thought it was
gonna go one way. I didn't go like you can
write a movie.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
About it anything, Wow, it should be I guess well.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
I started as a child actor and I got to
have my first thing ever was a Broadway show. I
did that for three years. It was called Suppacific at
Lincoln Center, so.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
I was right off. And again that was one of those.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
Like fake things or divine timing things where I ended
up at the audition with somebody that I knew since
I was He was three and I was five, and
we were supposed to be brother and sister, and we
just had this natural chemistry, like when they put us
in the room, it was just like those are the kids, Like,
you know, they auditioned so many people, but we just
were lucky enough to come at the same time and
we didn't.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Know who we were.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
And then I did that.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Show for about three years. I did eight shows a
week and I think I finished it. I started when
I was nine, and then by the time it closed,
I was like twelve, and I just really wanted to
be like a normal kid. I just wanted to like
go to school and have a locker and like the
(08:38):
you know, because I was homeschool that whole time. So
I ended up going to middle school in the city.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Like I'm from Hell's Kitchen, so it's like right, went
to PPAs, and.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
I didn't have the best time there as much as
I thought I was going to do right.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
I was bullied a lot.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
I had a really really hard time, and I think
all that stress ended up and resulted in me getting
really sick. So by the time I was like fourteen,
I actually ended up getting diagnosed with an autoimmune disease
and lost all my mobility, couldn't walk, like had to
to do everything, and I lived at the hospital for
(09:21):
like about a month at one point and feeding tubes
everything like it was crazy. But I got really into
art because I could only use my hands and I
was like in my bed for so long, so I
started painting, and that led me into wanting to do
(09:41):
makeup and do like more like artsy things, and so
I totally quit performing for the time being, and I
actually went to school for makeup once I got better,
and I went for body painting.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
And after that.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
I started to work at this little store and I
would like handle my cards to everyone, and since I
was on Broadway previously, I had a lot of contacts
in that world, and I ended up working doing makeup
on Broadway. So I was working backstage this time. And
while I was there, I was working on two shows.
I was working on Kinky Boots and I was working
(10:17):
on a show called Books on This Island, which I
just absolutely love. And one of the cast members at
Kinky Boots came up to me and was like, hey, congratulations,
and I.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Was like, on what and he was like on the
article and I was like what article?
Speaker 3 (10:33):
And he ended up showing me out of some random thing.
The tenth anniversary of the show Thirdly Modern Milli, they
did ten best performances of the song Gimme Gimme, which
I had sung years prior at a random cabaret, and
somehow somebody found it and put it on this article,
(10:54):
and I was.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
Like, this is so cool. So I shared it on
Facebook and I shared it. At the time, I was.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
Friend with all the cast members, and the person that
I was doing make up for at the time was
Wayne Brady.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
He was.
Speaker 3 (11:08):
And who I've just adored and watched and looked up
and he saw it and was like.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Why are you backstage? Why are you doing this? And
I was like, I like it, you know, I don't know.
I just wanted to step up spotlight. I really enjoy it.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
And he was like, you gotta be you got to
be performing, Like are you kidding? You have to be performing?
And he during the show I'll never forget, like during
one of our shows, he was like, I'm gonna call
my agent at CIA and get you an audition for
Hamilton and you need to be peggy, like you need
to be in the show.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
And I was like, uh okay, like I had four
years I have not under wow. And he did and
he got me that appointment.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
And then I went to work at my second job,
which was Once on This Island, and that video again
kind of got past around the theater and the production.
The company manager ended up seeing it and was like,
I want you to audition for the lead of this show,
which was to Moon, And I was like, okay, And
they ended up being on the same day in the
(12:15):
same casting office at Telsey, within like a few hours
of each other.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
And so I had an auditioned or worked or performed
in four years.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
And then I was auditioning for two of the biggest
Broadway shows for like leads of the shows on the
same day within a few hours.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
And I didn't get either of them.
Speaker 1 (12:33):
But that's nut.
Speaker 2 (12:35):
Reignited my spark for performing, and I was like, exactly.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
And so took a leap of faith. I quit both
of those jobs and I just said, I'm going to
do this.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
Go for us.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
I'm going to get back into it. Everyone's believing in me.
Speaker 3 (12:49):
And I really think the cast for having so much
faith in me, for seeing me as a makeup artist
every day to then like seeing what I can do
and really like pushing me to go do it was
everything to me.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
So I ended up leaving my job and about.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
A month or so, like within the same month, my
mom was.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
She came over and she was riding the elevator with.
Speaker 3 (13:16):
A new neighbor of mine, and she was asking, you know,
small talk, asking Ques, Oh, what floor are you going
to whatever? And he was like, Oh, this one and
she was like, Oh, my daughter lives on this floor.
She's a singer, so if you ever hear her, like,
just tell me and I'll tell her to be quiet.
He was like, oh, she's a singer. That's interesting, Like
I work at a label. Turns out he's the head of.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
A and R at Atlantic Records, God and so connect.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
He's like, does she have any original music? And my
mom calls me and she's like, do you have any
original music? And I'm like, just tell him yes. And
so I went to a studio, wrote three songs. I
was like, sorry, tying up loose ends, send it to him,
and he ended up really liking them.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
He brought me into the office, we started working together.
He had me cut demos.
Speaker 3 (14:01):
He flew me to Nashville a few times and had
me just record these demos for either other artists or
for hopefully placing it with me. And then he, after
like two years of us working together, was like, I
see how hard you work. I think you have everything
that it takes. Like I want to offer you a deal.
(14:24):
And I got signed and then just as quickly I
got dropped for no one else, no one's fault. It
was all like just circumstantial and kind of how the
music business goes.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
Yeah, it's just yeah, at no.
Speaker 3 (14:42):
One's expense, but just like how things kind of happen.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
Sometimes I won't go.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
Into it too much, but but it just taught me
a lot about the industry. I'm very grateful for that time,
and I'm I'm grateful for the independence that it brought
me because I was able to like understand that unless
I have some sort of protection or.
Speaker 2 (15:04):
Like hand in the creative process that you know, I'm
not protect. I'm not protected.
Speaker 3 (15:09):
I need to make sure that I'm writing my own
stuff that I have I know what's going on and
not so like, oh, they're taking care of it. So
I learned a lot of my lessons and now I've
just been managing myself and kind of really taking that
independence to the nice level of like doing everything I
can to promote my my own myself like I got
(15:30):
myself in Pulling Stone from a Cold Mail. I got
picked as one of the favorite entries for the NPR
Tiny Desk Contest last year, again from just me and
my friends like submitting it on our own. I want
a contest and open for an artist named Deerremick Kennedy
for six thousand people on his tour in Boston. And
I've just been able to like cultivate this nice community
(15:52):
and fan base and and I'm.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
Writing on all my own music now and i.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
My latest thing that I cold emailed the president of Title,
the streaming service. Yes, I'm going to be their next
rising artist for the spring, So open the app. It'll
have me on it. And I'm on the playlist right now.
And the article that they wrote about it just came out.
And last year, I released one song a month with
(16:20):
visuals once a month for six months in a row.
That I was like producing directing the videos. I was
editing them, I was coloring them myself. I was sourcing
the crew, I was coming up with the concepts. I
was fixing wigs and styling them. And so I've just
been really taking it to the next step and I'm
really excited to see.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
The payoff of that. It's been really rewarding. That's my
whole life.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
And first of all, we need to do the movie.
We need to do Larissa's song, we need to do
the movie. I'm telling you, this is the most engaging
story that I've heard in a while. And this is
the thing about acting, right, is that acting is recreating
(17:07):
the human experience. You guys are living in the skin
of these people. Right. Real life therapy go under the
layers of who we are to discover who we are
and find out why we react the way we do
and move in all of this. Right, So, it's not
words that tell us about you, it's what you do
that tells us about you. And through every tragedy there
(17:32):
is triumph and as effortless as you are telling us
this story about these connections after you went through such
an experience, a traumatic experience, you know, to be honest, right, however,
there was more than a mustard seed. But there was
(17:52):
this truth about you, this love about you, this faith
about you that was resilient and like, well, you know,
if this is my path being this makeup artist, and
this is what I'm going to be. And then you
have someone of Wayne Brady's caliber who's like, don't dim
me a life. Who you dimming your life for? You
need to be shining in a spotlight, So snap out
(18:15):
of it. That's cute because as he knows and I know,
regardless of how you guys try to disguise it, it
never goes away. I teach. Now I'm not saying I
was ever I ever had a desire to be an actress.
But I did study so that I could know about
the craft, and I did do plays so I could
(18:36):
have that experience. But my intention from six years old
was just to play with my friends because I directed,
I wrote things and directed things in school. So your
testimony is an example. And there's two coincidences allegedly, but
(18:58):
we don't use that word. This confirmation, right, first confirmation
is that my give love today is about being a
living testimon about and you'll get an opportunity because you
(19:18):
know we'll send you everything. But hear the the common
denominators in that. Right, I don't know what I say.
I just opened my mouth and allow the spirit to
just whatever. But that's what came to me this morning,
living breathing testimonies, right, So that's what you are. And
then two, I did Bloody Mary in South Pacific and
(19:42):
my first years full Now I'm not a singer, but
let me just no disclaimer. I just am a very
engaging performer at that time, and you know, and I
could get away with some things, but Bloody Mary and
in the City and so I was like one of
the chances of her saying South Pacific, like this is
(20:06):
how I lived my life and this is how I know. Confirmation, confirmation,
and even just listening like, oh my god, we have
to connect. Spruce knows Spruce Lord Lord Spruce. Henry, my amazing, dynamic,
superhuman producer, knew there was a connection here because I'm
(20:28):
so engaged. I'm like, oh my god, like I thought
I was a fan of fifteen. Oh my god.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
Truce has known me since nine years old and he
has always called me.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
He told me, and I was like, man and again
I at nine years old he saw at fifteen. I
was like, yeah, that's a rap right there. Let me
get her name right now.
Speaker 4 (20:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:53):
So I love I love your story. It is such
an inspiring especially when you know there are different types
of pain, you know, and traumas. Right when you lose
like a mom or a dad, someone closest raising you, grandma,
or you know, unexpectedly get into an accident and you're paralyzed,
(21:14):
like there's different and yours and sickness you know that
could immuse, that could take you in the abyss of
darkness and giving up then, But I did the opposite
you were like really immune says to Okay, well, y'all
have have to work with me, because this is what
I'm doing now, like such a power in that? Did
(21:37):
you feel that I did?
Speaker 2 (21:39):
But I think I was.
Speaker 3 (21:40):
Actually I struggled a lot with depression when I was
like really young, like probably like too young.
Speaker 2 (21:46):
To feel that sad.
Speaker 3 (21:48):
And when I got sick, I almost lost my life
that when I got into the hospital, I would say
for a really long time and no one knew what
it was, and I had some doctors that did not
really hear me, and they kind of just pushed it
off and we're like, oh, she'll be fine or whatever.
(22:09):
And when I finally when they looked at me and
we're like.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
Okay, go to the er, it's like it's bad.
Speaker 3 (22:16):
I got there and they were like if you hadn't
come within an hour, your heart were to stop.
Speaker 2 (22:20):
So it was like a second chance.
Speaker 3 (22:24):
Like I really like took that time and I had
like a new appreciation for life. So it wasn't that
it put me in a dark time and actually like
saved me.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
All the more reason for this story to be told,
because the obvious is for it to take you in
that place right, But this gave you such a freedom
and like, oh no, the preciousness of this gift. And
so then it reflects that's why, because there's a connection
and everything that you told us in the story and
how you went from one place to a and all
these alleged mom in the elevator just talking about you coincidences. No,
(23:00):
these people are planted there, and they're planted there in
my opinion and just observation of this moment that this
is how the all you have to do is just
sit back because things show up to you.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
Yes, but it's also like the heart.
Speaker 3 (23:18):
It's it's both in conductions, like the hard work and
having my.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
Path that was already set for me before I was
maybe even born.
Speaker 1 (23:27):
So it's like exactly, I believe it exactly, and that
that's the that's that your belief is the reflection and
the manifestation of how it's happening. You know what I'm saying,
because it wouldn't happen without that. And I just think
that that is the takeaway from the film. You know
that there's no reason too. Like you said when you
(23:49):
when I went to Africa, I came back and I
had such a respect for toilet paper, for soap, for
the choices of being able to turn on hot and
turn on cold and mix them together and be warm
and accommodate the temperature for me, you know what I mean, Like,
(24:10):
there were certain things like that, and I was like,
I just had different eyes when I came back, and
my eyes this is pre COVID. But the waste in
the garbage cans in front of restaurants or grocery stores,
the waste, and there were certain things and I just
(24:31):
said that, you know, I was so grateful to be
able to have that experience, to be able to realign
myself with the things that are important, the things that
have meaning and purpose. So I appreciately love you. Are
so appreciate, love you sharing man, And we only there
were my so class, we have like five minutes. You know,
(24:53):
I would love you to just if there's anything that
you want to share with these actors to continue to
motivate and inspire them on their journey and anything that
we should be outside from the politician, what we should
be looking at, because I am TEAMU.
Speaker 3 (25:10):
Oh thank you, and I'm us and yeah, yeah, so
I would just say like something that I'm practicing right
now is like I got kind of caught up.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
I never really straight from like who I was, but
I wanted to.
Speaker 3 (25:27):
Maybe cater to what I thought people expected of me
or wanted to have me be, because I know I'm
going to fit in a certain lane, whether it's a
music or acting. But right now, I'm just trying to
focus on like making the work that I genuinely love,
and I know that like through that the.
Speaker 2 (25:43):
One I'm the most vulnerable. When I'm the most myself.
I enjoy the work that I'm doing.
Speaker 3 (25:47):
It doesn't feel like a job, and it also is
something that I feel.
Speaker 2 (25:56):
I will find my audience.
Speaker 3 (25:58):
Because if I'm not being at as authentic as I
can be, then I'm gonna get fans and I'm gonna
maybe have like a little viral moment whatever.
Speaker 2 (26:07):
But those are the people that are gonna stay. So
that's I'm in it for the long run. And and
so I'll just say, like as advice, I would.
Speaker 3 (26:16):
Just say, do what like makes you the happiest, because
it is also a really hard business. And so if
you're not happy, it's gonna kill you. It's gonna be
like so hard to keep pushing. But if you're happy,
then like you're gonna want to do it forever and
keep doing it.
Speaker 2 (26:33):
One of my next things.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
That I'm working on right now that you can also
look out for is I just did two films with
e ET and I'm super excited about those.
Speaker 2 (26:44):
I can't say too too much. One is it it
should be out this winter, and the other is a
thriller that should be out next year.
Speaker 3 (26:51):
And I am trying to combine the music and acting.
I feel like so many people tell you you can
choose one, but I don't. I never believe that, especially
because the way that my life is gone. You know,
the makeup led me to acting, and the music led
me to you know whatever, So it's a it's all connected.
(27:12):
So right now, I just pitched myself to be on
the soundtrack. So for the Christmas film, I have three
songs on that film, and then for the thriller, I'm
playing a jazz lounge singer.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
I won't tell you too much, but.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
I got to open the movie with singing my original
song that I wrote and released last year called Maybe
So Yeah. That's like my biggest pride and joy right
now is the fact that I've been able to actually
combine them, and it's going to be on like network television,
especially eet like representing and having that community like see
my work in that way is incredible to me. And
(27:47):
then I have a few shows at the end of
this month. I'm performing at Pianos for Breaking Sound on
Mason's and then I also have May eighteenth with so
Far Sounds in Williams and then May twenty seventh in Midtown,
New York. And then I just booked a show for
June ninth in la in Santa Monica. So yeah, you
(28:10):
can follow me out in the Land of Laala. I
have a website in the landlala dot com that has
all my tour dates, I have merch, I've got all
my music videos there, my news.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
Updates, so you can stay in the loop.
Speaker 3 (28:21):
And yeah, I just really appreciate you guys having me
and letting me share.
Speaker 1 (28:26):
We so appreciate love you. We appreciate love and I'm
so grateful that I had that vision in that theater
when I saw Top five, because you have gone beyond
and above and I had no expectations. So it's a
pleasure to hear all of this and even more that
(28:47):
is you know, you're you rock to your own beat.
You stand in your own space, and that's what's important.
Because I'm gonna tell you, I don't go to a job.
I go to fun. When people say you go to work,
I go No. I go to fun because I love
every single thing about what I do and I can't
(29:07):
imagine doing anything else. Listen, I decades, but I love it,
and I love the fact that you're going to hang out.
And we have some questions that our actors have been listening.
We're going to bring them on and I will introduce
(29:30):
them to you. They are spirited actor alumni. You can
turn on your camera people, Hey Maxie.
Speaker 5 (29:40):
Hello, Hello you good?
Speaker 2 (29:44):
Good?
Speaker 5 (29:45):
Are you? Oh good?
Speaker 4 (29:48):
Great to hear your story and much success to you
in all that we do. My question is is one
good daily routine to for yourself for a role in
a song?
Speaker 2 (30:05):
And a song? I would say for me, it's a
lot about just taking care of myself. I did a
lot of self care.
Speaker 3 (30:15):
And I I.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
Just try to know the script as well as I can.
Speaker 3 (30:20):
You know, shooting things like doing more TV and film
right now opposed to theater, we're shooting everything out of order.
So you just got to make sure that you understand
the arc of your character and then like where they're
at at that specific time, and then trying to get
into their mindset.
Speaker 2 (30:35):
I just worked with Terry J. Vaughn on the.
Speaker 3 (30:38):
Last BET film, and she gave me great advice about
talking to yourself in your character's voice and having that
conversation and open dialogue with them and asking them the
questions about, like, how are you feeling today, how did
this thing that you're going through right now like make
you feel, and like kind of interviewing yourself as this
(31:01):
as this character so you can like relate it back
to something that has happened in your own life that
you can like take from and then use that. And
then as for singing, I write all my songs so
they're from real places, so it's it's very easy to
remember what it made me feel, but I try not
to go too deep into going back to those places
(31:22):
and come from a more heeled spot when I'm performing them.
Speaker 1 (31:27):
Any question, Maxie, thank you? And Larissa. I worked with Terry.
I cast Soul Santa two years ago for Beat for Her. Yeah,
I know her from the Bay Area. Yeah, oh my god,
oh my god. I love Terry Bond and she was
on Inside Black Box this season, so love her to death.
(31:50):
Our next actor is Epic Jade Hi Epic. Hi, everyone, Hi,
and this is Larissa.
Speaker 2 (32:00):
Okay, nice to meet you. Nice to meet you. Your
story is super asiring, bro.
Speaker 6 (32:11):
Well, one is if and when you may feel any
doubt with anything, especially obtaining to our crafts and like
you know, maybe getting into a head base or like
feeling it or connecting. What are some things that you
do to help get over that.
Speaker 2 (32:31):
That's a great question.
Speaker 3 (32:33):
I really love to spend time with people that have
seen the journey. And I love to lift my friends up,
and they lift me up a lot, and they are
always there for me whenever, you know, I call them
and I maybe don't know who.
Speaker 2 (32:50):
I am, and they remember, they remind me.
Speaker 3 (32:53):
I also there's a random thing that I started doing
maybe a couple of years ago, but I started to
keep a calendar that's like super details like everything that
I did, and I love to go back and look
at where I was exactly one year ago from the
actual date that I am now and see how far
I've come.
Speaker 2 (33:12):
I think I just try to remember that it's always
worked out for me. I think about the.
Speaker 3 (33:21):
Worst moments and the times that I really thought I
wouldn't make it out of whatever.
Speaker 2 (33:25):
I was going through, and then I look at where
I am now and I'm like, oh, I did.
Speaker 3 (33:29):
And I always feel like there's there's something that's always
revealed to me a little bit later on. I've had
real disappointments with booking a job that I really really
wanted and then like the show never came out, and
I'm like someone was saving me, you know.
Speaker 2 (33:43):
So I always try to remember that.
Speaker 3 (33:45):
Like, if I'm having any doubts, I'm always exactly where
I need to be.
Speaker 2 (33:48):
I've never been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Like,
thank you, thank you.
Speaker 5 (33:54):
That's beautiful.
Speaker 1 (33:55):
Oh, such a treat for you guys today. So these
are also the actors who are going to perform in
class and sessions. So we're going to take a little
break right now from the Spirited Actor Podcast with me
Tracy Moore, and we are going to be back because
you guys are still blessed. We're going to be back
with Larissa Romayne and she is going to give us
(34:19):
some words after this performance. Okay, So we'll see you
right back on the Spirited Actor Podcast. Welcome back to
the Spirited Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore, and you
guys are still blessed. We are so grateful to have
Larissa Romayne here with us. She is just I don't
know about you guys, but I'm trying to catch up
(34:41):
with all the jewels that she's dropping with my treasure
yests because amazing, amazing, a soul from beyond. We are
getting ready to jump into this scene. And we have
our spirit actor alumni Epic Jade High at Bay Hello,
(35:01):
and we have Maxy O'Connor. I'm Maxi, Tracy, it's good
to see you, Maxie. I haven't seen you Maxi even Okay,
So we have our scene today is called Whatever it
Takes and it's written by Spear Actor alumni Leon Almado
(35:22):
Interior Brooklyn Grew Mourning. Max watches Fanny with her daily
drool over the same tight ass, stoop and up hedge
front dude that comes in every morning for coffee. He
waits with disgust on his face.
Speaker 2 (35:44):
Ran m hm, I'm gonna see you in one okay
A right.
Speaker 1 (35:51):
She turns around googly eye to hating ass Max.
Speaker 5 (35:56):
So you're thowing yourself at this bozo. Won't give me
a shot.
Speaker 2 (36:01):
Now, please, you douldn't even know what to do with me.
Speaker 1 (36:06):
She begins to make the next coffee.
Speaker 5 (36:09):
Yeah wow, I'll change your life, bro.
Speaker 1 (36:13):
She chuckles and rides him off. He pulls up to
her close.
Speaker 5 (36:20):
So tall. Why won't you do your kids?
Speaker 2 (36:26):
Look, don't take this the wrong way, mix, but.
Speaker 4 (36:34):
Come on come.
Speaker 1 (36:37):
His mouth drops open. He puts everything he was doing
down and follows her around the prep station like a puppy.
Speaker 7 (36:44):
And what do you.
Speaker 6 (36:48):
Oh no, no, no, no, we're gonna do that.
Speaker 1 (36:52):
See things. We can make the same thing on our
paychecks every pay period. That's not cute, man.
Speaker 5 (37:02):
You see that's the problem with all your females. I
asked double stand there, but at the end of the day, realistically,
you're not bringing it to the table yourself.
Speaker 1 (37:13):
Excuse you?
Speaker 4 (37:15):
Oh so the old head can talk to you, crazy,
But I can't see if those dudes were all the
points that are treating y'all like the worst but loved
ones from me, Lucy, get you broken and you'll be happy.
Speaker 1 (37:30):
All while she's serving a customer, he begins to help too.
Speaker 4 (37:36):
I'll be waiting girl, but it's a hot boy summer,
so might not be available much longer.
Speaker 1 (37:44):
Through the window, Max notices the suit guy talking to
a fine woman who passes his other cost me too.
Speaker 5 (37:52):
Talking about available. It looks like your boy.
Speaker 1 (37:56):
She looks too, and she can't believe what she sees
Jackpot from acts. He takes his apron off and walks
around the corner and points to Fanny.
Speaker 5 (38:08):
But I love you girl, see you tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (38:12):
Max walks out and slap your hands for the lady
at twenty, thanking her for coming.
Speaker 5 (38:19):
And see.
Speaker 1 (38:21):
Okay, all right, thank you actors. So Larissa, you could
come back on and whatever feedback, whatever you want to
give him, it's all, it's up to you.
Speaker 3 (38:31):
I just really enjoyed watching guys. I thought you had
it's hard, you know, over zoom and stuff. I thought
you had great chemistry. And what I really enjoyed was
that you didn't feel like you knew what.
Speaker 2 (38:42):
Was coming next. It wasn't anticipated. It was like very
in the moment.
Speaker 3 (38:47):
And I love that you were acting in the in between,
in between your lines, you know what I mean, Like
you both took your time and the pacing was great.
I really enjoyed it had a lot of fun and epic.
You have like a great energetically energy about you, and
thank you and Maxie you are very like grounded and
(39:09):
you have this nice, like calm thing.
Speaker 2 (39:11):
That I thought both of you together was like great.
Speaker 7 (39:14):
Thank you now wow, well thank you you guys. Put
your hands together an audience please for the amazing, outstanding stellar.
I could go on with the adjectives. Larissa Romay, thank you.
Speaker 3 (39:30):
And Ethic and Maxie and Tracy, thank you.
Speaker 1 (39:36):
All of us and Spruce and and thank you so much.
And we're going to be back with the Spirit Actor
Podcast with me Tracy Moore, and I'm going to give
you some love, some love, and now it's time to
give love. I am a walking, living, breathing testimony. I
(39:58):
have had try a radiance's graduation from Howard University, and
I have had traumatic moments in my life. However, through
it all, what my takeaway is is that regardless of
(40:20):
the plans that I have during those times, God's plan
was so much better and totally exceeded my plan. So
what I've learned, whatever your religious belief is, your plan
is cute, but God's plan is cuter. Trust the divine
(40:40):
plan and trust the divine time. Don't forget to look
out for us on our new show Inside the black Box.
My co host will be Joe the Legend Morton. It's
going to be the Spirited Actor Podcast on Steroids. We'll
be streaming on the Crackle network. I'll keep you posted.
Thank you. Thank for joining us on the Spirited Actor
(41:02):
Podcast with me Tracy Moore. I look forward to our
next Spirited Podcast. Thank you.
Hello, and welcome to the Spirited Actor Podcast with me
Tracy Moore. I was a casting director for film and
TV and commercials for over thirty years. I transitioned to
a celebrity acting coach after I cast a film New
Jersey Drive with executive producer Spike Lee and director Nick Domez.
I auditioned every rapper from biggiees Balls to Tupac, and
(00:24):
I realized that rappers and musical artists they needed help
transitioning to acting. My clients consist of musical artists from
Buster Rhymes to Eve, Missy Elliott, Angela Yee from The
Breakfast Club, and Vanessa Simmons, to name a few. I
also coach sports stars and host as well. I feel
(00:45):
I have the best of both worlds. As a casting director,
I know exactly what they're looking for, and as an
acting coach, I can coach you to be remembered in
that room. Now. I know, I know actors want to
get the job. I get that, but being remembered by
casting director that is powerful. And now it's time for
(01:05):
meditation of the day. If we go for the easy way,
we never change. Marina Abramovic, I just want to say this,
there are no easy ways. There are no shortcuts. If
you're going to go for the shortcut, you are guaranteed
to be shortchanged. Put in the work. Feel good about
(01:26):
yourself at the end of the day knowing that your
exhaustion is from putting in the work. When I tell
actors to read aloud every day, when I say go
over your sides, when I say you know you have
other destinian friends you can read sides with and work with,
I mean every day. Do that every single day. Your
(01:52):
talent is a muscle that needs to be nurtured, that
needs to be exercised. So instead of trying to figure
out a side hustle, the way, a different way to grind,
just do what it is that you're doing. Trust that
what you're doing is the right way. And as our
(02:15):
guests so eloquently put it, Lriissa Romaine, she said, and
I am where I am because this is where I'm
supposed to be. And it's just as simple as that.
Today I will practice being present before we get started,
(02:37):
I'd like to remind everyone to look out for my
new show, Inside the Black Box. I'll be co hosting
with the great Joe Morton. We'll be on Crackle Network
real soon. I'll keep you posted. Welcome to the Spirited
Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore and I always have
treats for you, guys and special dyn people in this world.
(03:01):
And I'm excited because this is my first introduction, although
I am very familiar with her work. Ladies and gentlemen,
please put your hands together for actress singer Loriissa. Thank
(03:22):
you for coming on the show.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
Thank you so much for having me. I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Oh my god, Can I just say this because you
know I love actors. I have a mad passion for
you guys, and all my friends are actors. When I
saw you in Top Five, you didn't know, but sitting
and watching you in the theater sometimes like I feel
(03:47):
like as casting directors, we have montages of your careers
and your journey before you guys see them. And that's
what I saw, and I was like, oh my god,
you're amazing. You know, just how old were you when
you did that film?
Speaker 2 (04:03):
When I did Top Five, I was fifteen.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
Wow, there was That's why the connection with you and
Rosario was so stellar, because I don't know if you
know of this film Kids with a z Okay, so
then there it is, you know, because there's there was
(04:29):
a grounded nos in your foundation as a teenager that
it's very rare that you come across that. And so
I was surround during the time of kids. I actually
cast one of the actors in a film that I
was doing justin Unfortunately he passed and so but I
(04:52):
watched that film and saw Rosario and was like, oh God,
like this is crazy. So that's kind of like feeling
I had when I saw you in Tapa.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Well, well that means a lot to me, thank you.
It's funny too, because I went to that audition.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
Kind of randomly.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
One of my mom's friends told her that they were
casting for it, and we were just like, let's go whatever.
But originally they were casting for like six and eight
year olds. Oh it was just me and a bunch
of like a little little girl and Rosario and I
just had so much chemistry that they ended up going
(05:28):
with me, and they rewrote it to like.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Have that little line about like when did you have
a baby when you were ten? Because I'm like.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
Right, so, and Chris told me too on set that
he reminded me of Rosario because he met her at
the same time, like when she was fifteen, and he
was like, it's like looking at.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Her, Yeah, it's like really bizarre.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
So but she's still at myself so much that that
is like, you know, and there are no coincidences. You know.
This is called the spirited actor, and the name comes
from me trying to decide what was that word that
embodied what an actor should be? Right, And so I
(06:08):
was like spirit, spirit, right, And then our mantra became
empowering the person inside the actor and that's your spirit
and maintaining that. So it's like, you know, as a
casting director, I've worked with actors in the emb real
stages of their career. I've discovered actors. However, when I'm
(06:33):
able to see that vision, I'm like, yeah, she's gonna
have choices and longeviany, you know. So I'm glad that
Chris said that. And a part of the spirit too,
is confirming. This is a confirmation. You didn't know I
was gonna talk about top five, you know, so what
(06:55):
are the chances? So I'm definitely holding on all the
because this is my moment today. Yes, So you know,
our audience consists of creative beings, actors, directors, writers and
even within the spirit Actor alumni. The scene that you'll
be hearing today in class and session, it's written by
(07:18):
a Spirited Actor alumni. Can you share with them your journey,
your story.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
I've had so many ups and downs, and when I
really go into all the stories, people.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
Are always like, oh my god, I thought it was
gonna go one way. I didn't go like you can
write a movie.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
About it anything, Wow, it should be I guess well.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
I started as a child actor and I got to
have my first thing ever was a Broadway show. I
did that for three years. It was called Suppacific at
Lincoln Center, so.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
I was right off. And again that was one of those.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
Like fake things or divine timing things where I ended
up at the audition with somebody that I knew since
I was He was three and I was five, and
we were supposed to be brother and sister, and we
just had this natural chemistry, like when they put us
in the room, it was just like those are the kids, Like,
you know, they auditioned so many people, but we just
were lucky enough to come at the same time and
we didn't.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Know who we were.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
And then I did that.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Show for about three years. I did eight shows a
week and I think I finished it. I started when
I was nine, and then by the time it closed,
I was like twelve, and I just really wanted to
be like a normal kid. I just wanted to like
go to school and have a locker and like the
(08:38):
you know, because I was homeschool that whole time. So
I ended up going to middle school in the city.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Like I'm from Hell's Kitchen, so it's like right, went
to PPAs, and.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
I didn't have the best time there as much as
I thought I was going to do right.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
I was bullied a lot.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
I had a really really hard time, and I think
all that stress ended up and resulted in me getting
really sick. So by the time I was like fourteen,
I actually ended up getting diagnosed with an autoimmune disease
and lost all my mobility, couldn't walk, like had to
to do everything, and I lived at the hospital for
(09:21):
like about a month at one point and feeding tubes
everything like it was crazy. But I got really into
art because I could only use my hands and I
was like in my bed for so long, so I
started painting, and that led me into wanting to do
(09:41):
makeup and do like more like artsy things, and so
I totally quit performing for the time being, and I
actually went to school for makeup once I got better,
and I went for body painting.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
And after that.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
I started to work at this little store and I
would like handle my cards to everyone, and since I
was on Broadway previously, I had a lot of contacts
in that world, and I ended up working doing makeup
on Broadway. So I was working backstage this time. And
while I was there, I was working on two shows.
I was working on Kinky Boots and I was working
(10:17):
on a show called Books on This Island, which I
just absolutely love. And one of the cast members at
Kinky Boots came up to me and was like, hey, congratulations,
and I.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Was like, on what and he was like on the
article and I was like what article?
Speaker 3 (10:33):
And he ended up showing me out of some random thing.
The tenth anniversary of the show Thirdly Modern Milli, they
did ten best performances of the song Gimme Gimme, which
I had sung years prior at a random cabaret, and
somehow somebody found it and put it on this article,
(10:54):
and I was.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
Like, this is so cool. So I shared it on
Facebook and I shared it. At the time, I was.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
Friend with all the cast members, and the person that
I was doing make up for at the time was
Wayne Brady.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
He was.
Speaker 3 (11:08):
And who I've just adored and watched and looked up
and he saw it and was like.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Why are you backstage? Why are you doing this? And
I was like, I like it, you know, I don't know.
I just wanted to step up spotlight. I really enjoy it.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
And he was like, you gotta be you got to
be performing, Like are you kidding? You have to be performing?
And he during the show I'll never forget, like during
one of our shows, he was like, I'm gonna call
my agent at CIA and get you an audition for
Hamilton and you need to be peggy, like you need
to be in the show.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
And I was like, uh okay, like I had four
years I have not under wow. And he did and
he got me that appointment.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
And then I went to work at my second job,
which was Once on This Island, and that video again
kind of got past around the theater and the production.
The company manager ended up seeing it and was like,
I want you to audition for the lead of this show,
which was to Moon, And I was like, okay, And
they ended up being on the same day in the
(12:15):
same casting office at Telsey, within like a few hours
of each other.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
And so I had an auditioned or worked or performed
in four years.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
And then I was auditioning for two of the biggest
Broadway shows for like leads of the shows on the
same day within a few hours.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
And I didn't get either of them.
Speaker 1 (12:33):
But that's nut.
Speaker 2 (12:35):
Reignited my spark for performing, and I was like, exactly.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
And so took a leap of faith. I quit both
of those jobs and I just said, I'm going to
do this.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
Go for us.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
I'm going to get back into it. Everyone's believing in me.
Speaker 3 (12:49):
And I really think the cast for having so much
faith in me, for seeing me as a makeup artist
every day to then like seeing what I can do
and really like pushing me to go do it was
everything to me.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
So I ended up leaving my job and about.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
A month or so, like within the same month, my
mom was.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
She came over and she was riding the elevator with.
Speaker 3 (13:16):
A new neighbor of mine, and she was asking, you know,
small talk, asking Ques, Oh, what floor are you going
to whatever? And he was like, Oh, this one and
she was like, Oh, my daughter lives on this floor.
She's a singer, so if you ever hear her, like,
just tell me and I'll tell her to be quiet.
He was like, oh, she's a singer. That's interesting, Like
I work at a label. Turns out he's the head of.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
A and R at Atlantic Records, God and so connect.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
He's like, does she have any original music? And my
mom calls me and she's like, do you have any
original music? And I'm like, just tell him yes. And
so I went to a studio, wrote three songs. I
was like, sorry, tying up loose ends, send it to him,
and he ended up really liking them.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
He brought me into the office, we started working together.
He had me cut demos.
Speaker 3 (14:01):
He flew me to Nashville a few times and had
me just record these demos for either other artists or
for hopefully placing it with me. And then he, after
like two years of us working together, was like, I
see how hard you work. I think you have everything
that it takes. Like I want to offer you a deal.
(14:24):
And I got signed and then just as quickly I
got dropped for no one else, no one's fault. It
was all like just circumstantial and kind of how the
music business goes.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
Yeah, it's just yeah, at no.
Speaker 3 (14:42):
One's expense, but just like how things kind of happen.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
Sometimes I won't go.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
Into it too much, but but it just taught me
a lot about the industry. I'm very grateful for that time,
and I'm I'm grateful for the independence that it brought
me because I was able to like understand that unless
I have some sort of protection or.
Speaker 2 (15:04):
Like hand in the creative process that you know, I'm
not protect. I'm not protected.
Speaker 3 (15:09):
I need to make sure that I'm writing my own
stuff that I have I know what's going on and
not so like, oh, they're taking care of it. So
I learned a lot of my lessons and now I've
just been managing myself and kind of really taking that
independence to the nice level of like doing everything I
can to promote my my own myself like I got
(15:30):
myself in Pulling Stone from a Cold Mail. I got
picked as one of the favorite entries for the NPR
Tiny Desk Contest last year, again from just me and
my friends like submitting it on our own. I want
a contest and open for an artist named Deerremick Kennedy
for six thousand people on his tour in Boston. And
I've just been able to like cultivate this nice community
(15:52):
and fan base and and I'm.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
Writing on all my own music now and i.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
My latest thing that I cold emailed the president of Title,
the streaming service. Yes, I'm going to be their next
rising artist for the spring, So open the app. It'll
have me on it. And I'm on the playlist right now.
And the article that they wrote about it just came out.
And last year, I released one song a month with
(16:20):
visuals once a month for six months in a row.
That I was like producing directing the videos. I was
editing them, I was coloring them myself. I was sourcing
the crew, I was coming up with the concepts. I
was fixing wigs and styling them. And so I've just
been really taking it to the next step and I'm
really excited to see.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
The payoff of that. It's been really rewarding. That's my
whole life.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
And first of all, we need to do the movie.
We need to do Larissa's song, we need to do
the movie. I'm telling you, this is the most engaging
story that I've heard in a while. And this is
the thing about acting, right, is that acting is recreating
(17:07):
the human experience. You guys are living in the skin
of these people. Right. Real life therapy go under the
layers of who we are to discover who we are
and find out why we react the way we do
and move in all of this. Right, So, it's not
words that tell us about you, it's what you do
that tells us about you. And through every tragedy there
(17:32):
is triumph and as effortless as you are telling us
this story about these connections after you went through such
an experience, a traumatic experience, you know, to be honest, right, however,
there was more than a mustard seed. But there was
(17:52):
this truth about you, this love about you, this faith
about you that was resilient and like, well, you know,
if this is my path being this makeup artist, and
this is what I'm going to be. And then you
have someone of Wayne Brady's caliber who's like, don't dim
me a life. Who you dimming your life for? You
need to be shining in a spotlight, So snap out
(18:15):
of it. That's cute because as he knows and I know,
regardless of how you guys try to disguise it, it
never goes away. I teach. Now I'm not saying I
was ever I ever had a desire to be an actress.
But I did study so that I could know about
the craft, and I did do plays so I could
(18:36):
have that experience. But my intention from six years old
was just to play with my friends because I directed,
I wrote things and directed things in school. So your
testimony is an example. And there's two coincidences allegedly, but
(18:58):
we don't use that word. This confirmation, right, first confirmation
is that my give love today is about being a
living testimon about and you'll get an opportunity because you
(19:18):
know we'll send you everything. But hear the the common
denominators in that. Right, I don't know what I say.
I just opened my mouth and allow the spirit to
just whatever. But that's what came to me this morning,
living breathing testimonies, right, So that's what you are. And
then two, I did Bloody Mary in South Pacific and
(19:42):
my first years full Now I'm not a singer, but
let me just no disclaimer. I just am a very
engaging performer at that time, and you know, and I
could get away with some things, but Bloody Mary and
in the City and so I was like one of
the chances of her saying South Pacific, like this is
(20:06):
how I lived my life and this is how I know. Confirmation, confirmation,
and even just listening like, oh my god, we have
to connect. Spruce knows Spruce Lord Lord Spruce. Henry, my amazing, dynamic,
superhuman producer, knew there was a connection here because I'm
(20:28):
so engaged. I'm like, oh my god, like I thought
I was a fan of fifteen. Oh my god.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
Truce has known me since nine years old and he
has always called me.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
He told me, and I was like, man and again
I at nine years old he saw at fifteen. I
was like, yeah, that's a rap right there. Let me
get her name right now.
Speaker 4 (20:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:53):
So I love I love your story. It is such
an inspiring especially when you know there are different types
of pain, you know, and traumas. Right when you lose
like a mom or a dad, someone closest raising you, grandma,
or you know, unexpectedly get into an accident and you're paralyzed,
(21:14):
like there's different and yours and sickness you know that
could immuse, that could take you in the abyss of
darkness and giving up then, But I did the opposite
you were like really immune says to Okay, well, y'all
have have to work with me, because this is what
I'm doing now, like such a power in that? Did
(21:37):
you feel that I did?
Speaker 2 (21:39):
But I think I was.
Speaker 3 (21:40):
Actually I struggled a lot with depression when I was
like really young, like probably like too young.
Speaker 2 (21:46):
To feel that sad.
Speaker 3 (21:48):
And when I got sick, I almost lost my life
that when I got into the hospital, I would say
for a really long time and no one knew what
it was, and I had some doctors that did not
really hear me, and they kind of just pushed it
off and we're like, oh, she'll be fine or whatever.
(22:09):
And when I finally when they looked at me and
we're like.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
Okay, go to the er, it's like it's bad.
Speaker 3 (22:16):
I got there and they were like if you hadn't
come within an hour, your heart were to stop.
Speaker 2 (22:20):
So it was like a second chance.
Speaker 3 (22:24):
Like I really like took that time and I had
like a new appreciation for life. So it wasn't that
it put me in a dark time and actually like
saved me.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
All the more reason for this story to be told,
because the obvious is for it to take you in
that place right, But this gave you such a freedom
and like, oh no, the preciousness of this gift. And
so then it reflects that's why, because there's a connection
and everything that you told us in the story and
how you went from one place to a and all
these alleged mom in the elevator just talking about you coincidences. No,
(23:00):
these people are planted there, and they're planted there in
my opinion and just observation of this moment that this
is how the all you have to do is just
sit back because things show up to you.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
Yes, but it's also like the heart.
Speaker 3 (23:18):
It's it's both in conductions, like the hard work and
having my.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
Path that was already set for me before I was
maybe even born.
Speaker 1 (23:27):
So it's like exactly, I believe it exactly, and that
that's the that's that your belief is the reflection and
the manifestation of how it's happening. You know what I'm saying,
because it wouldn't happen without that. And I just think
that that is the takeaway from the film. You know
that there's no reason too. Like you said when you
(23:49):
when I went to Africa, I came back and I
had such a respect for toilet paper, for soap, for
the choices of being able to turn on hot and
turn on cold and mix them together and be warm
and accommodate the temperature for me, you know what I mean, Like,
(24:10):
there were certain things like that, and I was like,
I just had different eyes when I came back, and
my eyes this is pre COVID. But the waste in
the garbage cans in front of restaurants or grocery stores,
the waste, and there were certain things and I just
(24:31):
said that, you know, I was so grateful to be
able to have that experience, to be able to realign
myself with the things that are important, the things that
have meaning and purpose. So I appreciately love you. Are
so appreciate, love you sharing man, And we only there
were my so class, we have like five minutes. You know,
(24:53):
I would love you to just if there's anything that
you want to share with these actors to continue to
motivate and inspire them on their journey and anything that
we should be outside from the politician, what we should
be looking at, because I am TEAMU.
Speaker 3 (25:10):
Oh thank you, and I'm us and yeah, yeah, so
I would just say like something that I'm practicing right
now is like I got kind of caught up.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
I never really straight from like who I was, but
I wanted to.
Speaker 3 (25:27):
Maybe cater to what I thought people expected of me
or wanted to have me be, because I know I'm
going to fit in a certain lane, whether it's a
music or acting. But right now, I'm just trying to
focus on like making the work that I genuinely love,
and I know that like through that the.
Speaker 2 (25:43):
One I'm the most vulnerable. When I'm the most myself.
I enjoy the work that I'm doing.
Speaker 3 (25:47):
It doesn't feel like a job, and it also is
something that I feel.
Speaker 2 (25:56):
I will find my audience.
Speaker 3 (25:58):
Because if I'm not being at as authentic as I
can be, then I'm gonna get fans and I'm gonna
maybe have like a little viral moment whatever.
Speaker 2 (26:07):
But those are the people that are gonna stay. So
that's I'm in it for the long run. And and
so I'll just say, like as advice, I would.
Speaker 3 (26:16):
Just say, do what like makes you the happiest, because
it is also a really hard business. And so if
you're not happy, it's gonna kill you. It's gonna be
like so hard to keep pushing. But if you're happy,
then like you're gonna want to do it forever and
keep doing it.
Speaker 2 (26:33):
One of my next things.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
That I'm working on right now that you can also
look out for is I just did two films with
e ET and I'm super excited about those.
Speaker 2 (26:44):
I can't say too too much. One is it it
should be out this winter, and the other is a
thriller that should be out next year.
Speaker 3 (26:51):
And I am trying to combine the music and acting.
I feel like so many people tell you you can
choose one, but I don't. I never believe that, especially
because the way that my life is gone. You know,
the makeup led me to acting, and the music led
me to you know whatever, So it's a it's all connected.
(27:12):
So right now, I just pitched myself to be on
the soundtrack. So for the Christmas film, I have three
songs on that film, and then for the thriller, I'm
playing a jazz lounge singer.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
I won't tell you too much, but.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
I got to open the movie with singing my original
song that I wrote and released last year called Maybe
So Yeah. That's like my biggest pride and joy right
now is the fact that I've been able to actually
combine them, and it's going to be on like network television,
especially eet like representing and having that community like see
my work in that way is incredible to me. And
(27:47):
then I have a few shows at the end of
this month. I'm performing at Pianos for Breaking Sound on
Mason's and then I also have May eighteenth with so
Far Sounds in Williams and then May twenty seventh in Midtown,
New York. And then I just booked a show for
June ninth in la in Santa Monica. So yeah, you
(28:10):
can follow me out in the Land of Laala. I
have a website in the landlala dot com that has
all my tour dates, I have merch, I've got all
my music videos there, my news.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
Updates, so you can stay in the loop.
Speaker 3 (28:21):
And yeah, I just really appreciate you guys having me
and letting me share.
Speaker 1 (28:26):
We so appreciate love you. We appreciate love and I'm
so grateful that I had that vision in that theater
when I saw Top five, because you have gone beyond
and above and I had no expectations. So it's a
pleasure to hear all of this and even more that
(28:47):
is you know, you're you rock to your own beat.
You stand in your own space, and that's what's important.
Because I'm gonna tell you, I don't go to a job.
I go to fun. When people say you go to work,
I go No. I go to fun because I love
every single thing about what I do and I can't
(29:07):
imagine doing anything else. Listen, I decades, but I love it,
and I love the fact that you're going to hang out.
And we have some questions that our actors have been listening.
We're going to bring them on and I will introduce
(29:30):
them to you. They are spirited actor alumni. You can
turn on your camera people, Hey Maxie.
Speaker 5 (29:40):
Hello, Hello you good?
Speaker 2 (29:44):
Good?
Speaker 5 (29:45):
Are you? Oh good?
Speaker 4 (29:48):
Great to hear your story and much success to you
in all that we do. My question is is one
good daily routine to for yourself for a role in
a song?
Speaker 2 (30:05):
And a song? I would say for me, it's a
lot about just taking care of myself. I did a
lot of self care.
Speaker 3 (30:15):
And I I.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
Just try to know the script as well as I can.
Speaker 3 (30:20):
You know, shooting things like doing more TV and film
right now opposed to theater, we're shooting everything out of order.
So you just got to make sure that you understand
the arc of your character and then like where they're
at at that specific time, and then trying to get
into their mindset.
Speaker 2 (30:35):
I just worked with Terry J. Vaughn on the.
Speaker 3 (30:38):
Last BET film, and she gave me great advice about
talking to yourself in your character's voice and having that
conversation and open dialogue with them and asking them the
questions about, like, how are you feeling today, how did
this thing that you're going through right now like make
you feel, and like kind of interviewing yourself as this
(31:01):
as this character so you can like relate it back
to something that has happened in your own life that
you can like take from and then use that. And
then as for singing, I write all my songs so
they're from real places, so it's it's very easy to
remember what it made me feel, but I try not
to go too deep into going back to those places
(31:22):
and come from a more heeled spot when I'm performing them.
Speaker 1 (31:27):
Any question, Maxie, thank you? And Larissa. I worked with Terry.
I cast Soul Santa two years ago for Beat for Her. Yeah,
I know her from the Bay Area. Yeah, oh my god,
oh my god. I love Terry Bond and she was
on Inside Black Box this season, so love her to death.
(31:50):
Our next actor is Epic Jade Hi Epic. Hi, everyone, Hi,
and this is Larissa.
Speaker 2 (32:00):
Okay, nice to meet you. Nice to meet you. Your
story is super asiring, bro.
Speaker 6 (32:11):
Well, one is if and when you may feel any
doubt with anything, especially obtaining to our crafts and like
you know, maybe getting into a head base or like
feeling it or connecting. What are some things that you
do to help get over that.
Speaker 2 (32:31):
That's a great question.
Speaker 3 (32:33):
I really love to spend time with people that have
seen the journey. And I love to lift my friends up,
and they lift me up a lot, and they are
always there for me whenever, you know, I call them
and I maybe don't know who.
Speaker 2 (32:50):
I am, and they remember, they remind me.
Speaker 3 (32:53):
I also there's a random thing that I started doing
maybe a couple of years ago, but I started to
keep a calendar that's like super details like everything that
I did, and I love to go back and look
at where I was exactly one year ago from the
actual date that I am now and see how far
I've come.
Speaker 2 (33:12):
I think I just try to remember that it's always
worked out for me. I think about the.
Speaker 3 (33:21):
Worst moments and the times that I really thought I
wouldn't make it out of whatever.
Speaker 2 (33:25):
I was going through, and then I look at where
I am now and I'm like, oh, I did.
Speaker 3 (33:29):
And I always feel like there's there's something that's always
revealed to me a little bit later on. I've had
real disappointments with booking a job that I really really
wanted and then like the show never came out, and
I'm like someone was saving me, you know.
Speaker 2 (33:43):
So I always try to remember that.
Speaker 3 (33:45):
Like, if I'm having any doubts, I'm always exactly where
I need to be.
Speaker 2 (33:48):
I've never been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Like,
thank you, thank you.
Speaker 5 (33:54):
That's beautiful.
Speaker 1 (33:55):
Oh, such a treat for you guys today. So these
are also the actors who are going to perform in
class and sessions. So we're going to take a little
break right now from the Spirited Actor Podcast with me
Tracy Moore, and we are going to be back because
you guys are still blessed. We're going to be back
with Larissa Romayne and she is going to give us
(34:19):
some words after this performance. Okay, So we'll see you
right back on the Spirited Actor Podcast. Welcome back to
the Spirited Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore, and you
guys are still blessed. We are so grateful to have
Larissa Romayne here with us. She is just I don't
know about you guys, but I'm trying to catch up
(34:41):
with all the jewels that she's dropping with my treasure
yests because amazing, amazing, a soul from beyond. We are
getting ready to jump into this scene. And we have
our spirit actor alumni Epic Jade High at Bay Hello,
(35:01):
and we have Maxy O'Connor. I'm Maxi, Tracy, it's good
to see you, Maxie. I haven't seen you Maxi even Okay,
So we have our scene today is called Whatever it
Takes and it's written by Spear Actor alumni Leon Almado
(35:22):
Interior Brooklyn Grew Mourning. Max watches Fanny with her daily
drool over the same tight ass, stoop and up hedge
front dude that comes in every morning for coffee. He
waits with disgust on his face.
Speaker 2 (35:44):
Ran m hm, I'm gonna see you in one okay
A right.
Speaker 1 (35:51):
She turns around googly eye to hating ass Max.
Speaker 5 (35:56):
So you're thowing yourself at this bozo. Won't give me
a shot.
Speaker 2 (36:01):
Now, please, you douldn't even know what to do with me.
Speaker 1 (36:06):
She begins to make the next coffee.
Speaker 5 (36:09):
Yeah wow, I'll change your life, bro.
Speaker 1 (36:13):
She chuckles and rides him off. He pulls up to
her close.
Speaker 5 (36:20):
So tall. Why won't you do your kids?
Speaker 2 (36:26):
Look, don't take this the wrong way, mix, but.
Speaker 4 (36:34):
Come on come.
Speaker 1 (36:37):
His mouth drops open. He puts everything he was doing
down and follows her around the prep station like a puppy.
Speaker 7 (36:44):
And what do you.
Speaker 6 (36:48):
Oh no, no, no, no, we're gonna do that.
Speaker 1 (36:52):
See things. We can make the same thing on our
paychecks every pay period. That's not cute, man.
Speaker 5 (37:02):
You see that's the problem with all your females. I
asked double stand there, but at the end of the day, realistically,
you're not bringing it to the table yourself.
Speaker 1 (37:13):
Excuse you?
Speaker 4 (37:15):
Oh so the old head can talk to you, crazy,
But I can't see if those dudes were all the
points that are treating y'all like the worst but loved
ones from me, Lucy, get you broken and you'll be happy.
Speaker 1 (37:30):
All while she's serving a customer, he begins to help too.
Speaker 4 (37:36):
I'll be waiting girl, but it's a hot boy summer,
so might not be available much longer.
Speaker 1 (37:44):
Through the window, Max notices the suit guy talking to
a fine woman who passes his other cost me too.
Speaker 5 (37:52):
Talking about available. It looks like your boy.
Speaker 1 (37:56):
She looks too, and she can't believe what she sees
Jackpot from acts. He takes his apron off and walks
around the corner and points to Fanny.
Speaker 5 (38:08):
But I love you girl, see you tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (38:12):
Max walks out and slap your hands for the lady
at twenty, thanking her for coming.
Speaker 5 (38:19):
And see.
Speaker 1 (38:21):
Okay, all right, thank you actors. So Larissa, you could
come back on and whatever feedback, whatever you want to
give him, it's all, it's up to you.
Speaker 3 (38:31):
I just really enjoyed watching guys. I thought you had
it's hard, you know, over zoom and stuff. I thought
you had great chemistry. And what I really enjoyed was
that you didn't feel like you knew what.
Speaker 2 (38:42):
Was coming next. It wasn't anticipated. It was like very
in the moment.
Speaker 3 (38:47):
And I love that you were acting in the in between,
in between your lines, you know what I mean, Like
you both took your time and the pacing was great.
I really enjoyed it had a lot of fun and epic.
You have like a great energetically energy about you, and
thank you and Maxie you are very like grounded and
(39:09):
you have this nice, like calm thing.
Speaker 2 (39:11):
That I thought both of you together was like great.
Speaker 7 (39:14):
Thank you now wow, well thank you you guys. Put
your hands together an audience please for the amazing, outstanding stellar.
I could go on with the adjectives. Larissa Romay, thank you.
Speaker 3 (39:30):
And Ethic and Maxie and Tracy, thank you.
Speaker 1 (39:36):
All of us and Spruce and and thank you so much.
And we're going to be back with the Spirit Actor
Podcast with me Tracy Moore, and I'm going to give
you some love, some love, and now it's time to
give love. I am a walking, living, breathing testimony. I
(39:58):
have had try a radiance's graduation from Howard University, and
I have had traumatic moments in my life. However, through
it all, what my takeaway is is that regardless of
(40:20):
the plans that I have during those times, God's plan
was so much better and totally exceeded my plan. So
what I've learned, whatever your religious belief is, your plan
is cute, but God's plan is cuter. Trust the divine
(40:40):
plan and trust the divine time. Don't forget to look
out for us on our new show Inside the black Box.
My co host will be Joe the Legend Morton. It's
going to be the Spirited Actor Podcast on Steroids. We'll
be streaming on the Crackle network. I'll keep you posted.
Thank you. Thank for joining us on the Spirited Actor
(41:02):
Podcast with me Tracy Moore. I look forward to our
next Spirited Podcast. Thank you.
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