We recently connected with Courtney Lyneé and have shared our conversation below.
Courtney, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.
The only risks I took growing up were getting on rollercoasters! I was a dare devil back then. However, after college and having my daughter, that started to shift. The rejections in high school and college were beginning to take a toll. I had a hard time taking a chance on me. That started to unexpectedly shift during one of the worst times in my life: the Pandemic. In March, 2020, I was getting ready to direct my first musical when the world shut down. Within one month, I found myself battling depression; struggling with not being able to express myself creatively. I didn’t realize how much I truly depended on it. It forced me to deal with personal traumas, but it also made me realize that having the ability to create was something I did NOT want to live without.
Slowly but surely, I started taking small risks. Thanks to an extra push from a special man in my life, I decided to audition for an audio musical on an app called Clubhouse (a social media based app where you can go from room to room and have conversations based on different topics, and performances. It was very popular during the pandemic and was an outlet for many). About 5,000 people were in the room listening (including celebrities like singers Amber Riley and Shirley Murdock). He encouraged me to audition for a lead role and I was extremely nervous. I was in a vulnerable place. And…I got the callback! I didn’t get the role ultimately…but in that moment, God said to me…so what? You took a risk…and right then was when it clicked! What is for me is for me. I will never know what is mine unless I speak it, claim it, and go for it. That was the true beginning of my risk taking.
I started putting myself out there and showing others the gifts I possess proudly…got signed to an agency 6 months later, my voiceover career took off in 2021 with my first big commercial spot being with Barack Obama, left my job and went full time as an artist in June, 2022 and have been working non stop directing, acting, shooting commercials, and the list goes on. God showed me how my tragedies can still lead to triumphs.
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.
For those who aren’t familiar with me, my name is Courtney Lyneé. I am a PROUD Philly Native. I am one of three children and the daughter of a well known Pastor in Philadelphia. My faith plays a huge part in who I am and has truly helped shape my character. I don’t know where I would be without Jesus Christ.
I got bit by the acting bug fairly quickly at a very young age, even if I didn’t realize it. I would binge shows such as the Cosby Show and Different World and watch the reruns DAILY (we taped them ALL LOL).I would pose like a mannequin in store windows (I would end up scaring people because they had no clue I was real!). I would learn commercials from the radio and tv and mimic them almost to perfection, along with doing impressions of close family and friends. Lastly, I sang ALL THE TIME. Every day, I’m sure my brother, Keith, yelled,”Courtney…SHUT UP!” at some point during the day. I was animated and outgoing.
I started singing in the church choir and acting around 8 years old in small school plays and kept going throughout high school.
I studied theater for many years. I then studied Acting and Vocal Performance and received my BFA in Acting from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia in 2007. Since 2010, I have been growing as a Professional Actor, Vocalist, Director, and Voiceover Artist. I was the Director of Talent Relations and Marketing for six and four years respectively of a Black Owned Theater Company in Philadelphia and stepped away in 2022 to focus on other endeavors.
Things I am proud of? I can say that I have built so much momentum over the past few years. I am now a full time artist. I launched my Voiceover company, “Voiceovers by C. Lyneé” in February 2023. My focus is to provide quality Voiceover work specifically for small businesses who may not otherwise have access to a professional. I want to bring a warm, intriguing, captivating voice to brands.
I have been directing theater and film professionally since 2019. In 2022, I traveled to LA and directed my first full length feature film that is currently streaming (I was also a lead) called “Lowest Places: Lost Time.” I also recently directed two theater productions for the Jasai Enterprise Theater Festival in August, 2023 at the Plays and Players Theater in Philadelphia. I am currently in post production for another feature film I directed called, “Some Real Sugar Honey Ice Tea” (written by Eboni Ferguson of FWI Productions) and in pre-production for the sequel of Lowest Places: Lost Time (produced by Pure Bliss Studios).
I have multiple films that I am in currently streaming (“Dear Miss” and Work Bae 2). I also dabble in casting and have been working with Guillotine Games LLC, casting talent for their commercial and social media content, as well as casting for local films and theater productions.
Even with all of that, I still am singing with local artists and doing reference work for Producers when needed.
The biggest thing I am proud of is my growth! I had a huge life change in 2017 and since then, I have been focused on healing, growth, and confidence. I give my all on every project I am a part of. Telling stories, revealing truths, and giving others, specifically black women a voice is something I am truly passionate about. Black Women have been silenced for so long as if our voices, our experiences, and our truths didn’t matter. I am grateful that I can use what God has given me to be a platform for silenced voices through film and theater work as well as through music and voiceover work. My sound is different. My perspective is deep. Who I am is unique. I am finally embracing it all and allowing MY voice to be heard after feeling silenced for decades.
It is time to step it up a notch so I have some personal projects I am working on. I hope you will follow me on my journey, and learn more about me through my work and what’s to come!
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
“I am not enough.” “I am too much.” “I always have something to say.” “Your feelings don’t matter.” “You aren’t good enough.”
Those are the negative affirmations that rang in my head ever since I was a little girl. I often felt misunderstood, like a burden, or just in the way. I can’t pinpoint when the outgoing, vibrant, passionate girl started dimming, but I know it just grew bit by bit through experiences I had as a child; as a middle child; as a Pastor’s kid; as just an outgoing, loud, passionate kid. Looking back, other people’s insecurities were often projected onto me. I think…my light was too bright. And that was uncomfortable for some people. I also think my mind was going a mile a minute, and I always wanted to talk things out and understand so much at such a young age. Sometimes, it just felt like I was asking for too much.
Throughout high school and college, rejections at acting auditions slowly but surely chipped away at my confidence. All of those experiences told me to dim my light. “Shine here and there, but not too much. Don’t give your all. You’re not gonna get it anyway. Aim low so you won’t be disappointed. Be the supportive friend. Be the biggest cheerleader for others. That’s the main way you can let your light shine. That’s the way people will learn to appreciate you. You will be affirmed that way.” The negative affirmations led me to come to “solutions” that ended up just being defense mechanisms and trauma responses. My healing journey started in 2015 when I went to a grief recovery class at my church. I had no idea that taking that one step would catapult me to uncovering so many harmful lessons that had kept me bound for so many years.
Those lessons try to creep up from time to time. I am grateful that I now have the tools to face them, reject them, and keep moving forward.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is the journey to the performance or the final product. Seeing my ideas shape and grow is so mind-blowing. The “aha moments” in rehearsals, the unexpected bloopers, the laughter, the team building on sets and stages, and the relationships with other artists along the journey makes it all worth it. During the journey, it reminds me that I am not alone. My ideas and views are respected. As a director, seeing something in another actor and helping them grow in a character gives me a joy I can’t explain.
As an actor, being able to give a voice to a character who needs to be heard is special. In many ways, giving a character a voice whether it’s on stage, film, or a Voiceover, helps heal little Courtney. It helps me to continue to heal.
Ultimately, being able to be free to create, to be on stage and pour into an audience; the ability to “live truthfully under imaginary circumstances” (Sanford Meisner) and to see it come to life…that’s it right there!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.CourtneyLynee.com
| www.voiceoversbyclynee.com - Instagram: @IamCourtney.Lynee
- Facebook: https://www.
facebook.com/IamCourtneyLynee - Linkedin: https://www.
linkedin.com/in/courtney- lynee/ - Youtube: https://youtube.com/@
iamcourtneylynee?si= MmJyL7E1Rj25dlt7 - Other: Learn more about “Lowest Places: Lost Time” and how to stream on Instagram at @lowestplacesfilm | Stay updated about “Some Real Sugar Honey Ice Tea” on Instagram at @realsugarhoneyiceteathemovie | Agency: Signed to Mercury Talent Management (PA/NJ ) www.mercurymanagement.co
Image Credits
Keith Marshall Photography & William Harper Photography