Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Chelsea Kwoka. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Chelsea thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

I’m currently in post production on my second short film, first time directing, and it has been full of every emotion from go. The film follows a single mom who is struggling with who she is outside of being Mom with a capital M. She has to learn to give her daughter the chance to take on more responsibility not only for her own sanity, but for her daughters development as a person. It’s been a whirlwind, as I found out I was pregnant with my second child about two months into pre-production. We shot the film over a weekend, while I was 6 months pregnant, which was brutal, but so exhilirating – and honestly felt fitting given the story we were telling! We’ve come up against crazy flukes along the way – a car theft (thanks to TikTok), damaged footage, a lost harddrive, it’s at times felt like Murphy’s Law. I think this project is a critical moment for me in my career, as I am confronted with so many opportunities to just give up and quit. I am so determined to see this to fruition, all of the cast and crew and everyone who has supported me deserves it and it’s what keeps me going and forces me to get extra creative, even when it feels like there is no answer. It’s funny how serendipitous this all has been, as I’ve been troubleshooting and managing these growing pains as a filmmaker, I’ve been raising my (at print) 8 month old baby girl. Our family has been fielding this new addition to the family on minimal sleep and plenty of unexpected developments, with both her and our older (2 year old) son. Both have been incredible journeys that have pushed me to my limits, and yet have shown me how much is in me. While I have had the honor of working on so many amazing projects, this so far has been the one that has had the most indelible impact on me as both a filmmaker and a mother – and while I dream of the day when it’s playing on the big screen, cheersing my colleagues and collaborators, I am staying present, giving myself grace and the project space to develop in its time. And for that, I will always be grateful for the growth and experiences this film, Abby’s Turn, has given me!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Chelsea Kwoka, I am a professional voice and on camera actor, who also produces my own works – specifically focused on stories told through a female lens with primarily female filmmaking teams. I am also on the board of a non-profit The Nest LA, which seeks to bring more physically and financially accessible theatre to Los Angeles.

I have lent my voice to many incredible projects, ranging from audiobooks to videogames, commercials to corporate videos – I’ve even done work for the US Olympic teams! You may have heard me as the voice of Kory Klein in WWE from 2KSports, or on a Google Lens commercial, along with many other projects. My favorite roles to play are ones that feature strong women, in that they have fully developed stories and are multidimensional. I am keen on collaboration and absolutely love being a part of a bigger picture, using my skills to highlight the skills of others, be it writers, animators, other actors, and of course the vision of the directors and producers.

I’ve carried that over into my own work as a producer, where I encourage my teams to put their stamp on the work and employ their creativity along with their skill. My goal is to tell more stories from female identifying perspectives. I believe we all contain multitudes and as a mother to two young children, want to be an example to other women that there is space for us at the table. It’s been an honor to work with so many incredbile female talents and I’m driven to continue producing work that holds these creatives up to the light.

I’ve been a part of the theatre group, Noisy Nest for about seven years now, and have recently joined the Board of Directors for the non-profit branch, The Nest LA. I am proud to serve alongside Amanda Bird and the women who are dedicated to bringing more accessibility to the Los Angeles theatre scene. We work with organizations such as the MPTF and others to bring performances, workshops and creative outlets to broader audiences.

My husband and I are raising our two young children while pursuing our passions and careers and that may be what I am most proud of, to be showing them how much life there is to live. I’m overwhelmed with gratitude that my daily life contains so much creativity and storytelling in so many ways and I am always keeping my ear to ground (or mic) for more opportunities to tell great stories with new contributors.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being a creative is pulled right from the definition: getting to use my imagination and original ideas as a career. I’m so grateful that every day I have the opportunity to daydream and take risks, in fact I am expected to! I have always been so intrigued with what people react to and resonate with, and in the end we are all seeking connection, to feel seen and understood. I find it a humbling experience to work in a field where I am meant to give that feeling to others. And when I am able to meet people who have been affected by the stories I am a part of, THAT is the good stuff. To know that it meant something to someone, that it brought something into their life in a meaningful way is addicting, and I’ll take all of the rejection and heartbreak in between for the chance at another one of those roles, projects or experiences that touches another person.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

I am personally finding that, while I love the globalization that social media has spurred on, I think communities should support local and think small. It’s amazing that I’ve worked on projects with teammates in different parts of the country – or world even – and yet, I think there is such magic in our own backyard that can be easy to overlook. Going to local open mics, community and local theatres, live music on main street, those are often how creatives get their start and when we really crave the support the most.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.chelseakwoka.com
• Instagram: @kwokibear
• Linkedin: Chelsea Kwoka
• Twitter: Chelsea Kwoka
• Youtube: Chelsea Kwoka
• Other: thenestla.org for ways to get involved with our nonprofit Audible for my current selection of narrated audiobooks: Chelsea Kwoka

Image Credits
Harley Bronwyn, Dakota Lee Stroud, Noisy Nest, Take Two Productions