We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Bridggett Bess a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Bridggett, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

The greatest risk I have ever taken was my attempt to move to London England after I obtained my BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) from North Carolina A&T State University.
Coming off of a big win, receiving the Irene Ryan award for Best Actress in the Southeast region. The Irene Ryan Acting Scholarships provide recognition, honor, and financial assistance to outstanding student performers wishing to pursue further education. The Irene Ryan Foundation awards sixteen regional and two national scholarships annually. I also performed as the Lead Actress at the Kennedy Center in the winning production David Richmond. Our play was number one in the country. My performance garnered the attention of the Dean at Savannah College of Art and Design. I was offered a full ride to grad school!
I turned down the offer because I really wanted to discover my own creative voice as an artist. I didn’t want to rush straight to school after four years of learning so much information in undergrad. I had this deep intuition to go abroad. I knew it was a risk, but I was fearless. I saved up a little money and bought a one-way ticket to London. I had this idea I would grow as an artist and even take some additional acting classes along the way.
Unfortunately, I got denied entry into the country. I was interrogated by immigration for hours. It was quite intimidating being locked in a room for hours with people from all over the world awaited their fate of whether they had to leave or be granted entry. Because of my determination to not go backwards, I took my mother’s advice and called the German Embassy. The hope was to stay with my older sister who was stationed in Germany. Immigration made it clear that I had 24 hours to leave the country. A kind man from the ticketing section met me at the train station and brought me a ticket to Germany, in good faith I had the money. At this point I knew I had derailed my acting career…
While living in Germany I became a gigging singer in the night clubs. This was not the original plan, but a blessing in disguise. I was always shy to sing in front of others. I had no choice except to sing in front of audiences, if I wanted to perform at all, because I didn’t speak German at the time. There were limited opportunities for English speaking acting roles. After a couple of years, I knew it was time to return to the states and get back on track. I couldn’t let this degree I worked so hard for go to waste. It was time to grow again. On the way out of Germany I attempted to go to London again. The door was slammed… again. Next stop, New York City. Finally, I arrived back to the states, insider tip, no more one-way tickets! Huge risk!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am Bridggett Bess. My monikers are Badia and Pandora. These names all symbolize what I do. I am an Actress, Bellydancer and Singer. Very few true triple threats exist anymore. I embody all three talents under the umbrella of the entertainment industry with authenticity. In addition to winning acting awards and performing on a stages as major as the world famous Kennedy Center, I am also a multi award winning Bellydancer. I have won the title of Creative. at Bellydancer of the Universe, a global competition where the best of the best compete from all over the world.
As a singer I have music (Pandora Gunn) streaming on all major platforms.
I am also a filmmaker. I currently have a Documentary Becoming Farasha, Tale of a Modern Bellydancer that is a Quarter Finalist in the Art Giraffe International Film Festival and Honorable Mention in Beyond Hollywood International Film Festival.
One thing to note about myself is that as an artist and performer, I am ever evolving. I am a chameleon that will surely bring depth and a fresh approach to any and all collaborations.
Because I grew up as an army brat (Born in Frankfurt Germany), I have had the advantage of being influenced by many cultures and landscapes. I have performed live in Germany, New York, and California.
With having the foundation as a Theatrically trained Actor, I bring the highest quality and approach to both singing and bellydance. My intuitive nature as a whole, adds depth and nuance both on screen and in a theatre.
When I hit the stage as a Bellydancer, I have the ability to transform to fit each clients need via venue, theme and vibe. No detail goes unnoticed . I am incredibly mindful and intentional in my execution. The same goes for my approach to music. Every piece of music and song is a short story. It has a beginning, middle, end and has a clearly defined theme and character. This sets me apart from the “aspiring performer”. I am the ultimate storyteller and visionary. I can thank my inspiration, the late Legendary artist Prince for demonstrating what being a true creative and artist looks like. He broke all types of barriers and I feel I am capable of the same.
I see myself as a jack of all trades, mastering 3.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

In my view I believe that society should universally equate our value as artists to that as craftsmen, scientists doctors and other professions before the “big break” happens.
Often times society views artistry as vanity and assumes we all seek fame. Therefore often times, creatives are not paid fairly for our contributions to society. We are the ones who create trends and our likeness is used to sell product and influence society.

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

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist and creative is that I have the opportunity live out my wildest dreams in both an imaginary world, and a world in which I create. To be a vessel for others to escape and imagine is truly a gift. To know that you can inspire others in positive ways is meaningful

Contact Info:

• Website: https://bridggettbess.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pandoragunn/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bridggettbess
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bridggett/
• Twitter: @BessBridggett
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@bridggettbess7771
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/pandora_gunn
• Other: Spotify Pandora Gunn

Image Credits

Photo by Marc Kallweit
Photo by Erik Davis