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

Hi Erica, thanks for joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

In high school, it seemed that every student had to “pick a lane”, so you could be a genius set to cure cancer, a thespian setting sights on fame, or a jock vying for an athletic scholarship. Having devoted majority of my adolescent and teen years to sports, my only option seemed to be the jock route, despite having aspirations of being involved in the theater scene…there was just simply not enough time to do both and be “the best”. This is where the resistance began.

Periodically throughout high school and college years, a fanciful thought would float into my brain about performing and the rush achieved when you elicit a reaction out of an audience. This itch was scratched a few times through sorority skits or a music video here and there, but never fully realized until a few years later.

Fast forward to 2013 and a new chapter had begun in New York City alongside one of my very best friends. Both single and aspiring career women, we set off to challenge ourselves and break out of “Nashville bubble”. This decision changed everything. It was in NYC that my desire for creativity and performance became too strong to resist.

I began taking classes with a studio two blocks from Times Square – thinking back on it now, I can still remember the vibrations my body felt every night walking the 40+ blocks from my Upper East Side apartment to the studio on 44th St between 8th and 9th Avenues. My first class was the most intimidating experience of my life, and I didn’t even have to perform, just observe. I was scared…really scared…and I knew I had to do it.

After a month of taking classes, I flew home for Easter and sat with my mom. I told her “I think I’m going to pursue this thing full time…” (I had two potential part-time gigs with flexible schedules that would allow my expenses to still be covered without the constraints of a full-time corporate real estate job), and much to my surprise her response was “well, we’ve been waiting for this day since you were little!”.

And I have never looked back….sure there have been seasons of taking on non-acting jobs to save up some money from time-to-time, but pretty much since receiving the go-ahead from my parents, I’ve been grinding ever since. And what a grind it has been!

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

At the heart of everything that I do is the desire to tell a story and make an impact. Whether that is achieved through portraying a character or directing fellow actors or contributing with a behind-the-camera task such as continuity or production design, it just depends on the project. I truly believe that film and television changes lives, and I have found nothing more enjoyable than being involved in bringing authentic and meaningful stories to audiences.

I approach each endeavor with a desire to collaborate and create the most beautiful representation of the story. It can be a challenging career to pursue…lots of rejection and closed doors, but the bitter noes make the yeses that much sweeter.

2023 will be a busy year as 4 films are set to be released in which I was blessed to portray compelling characters. Keep a look out for the following films: The Third, A Girl Named Alice, Wild Roads, and Bad B*itch. Additionally, I worked as a script supervisor and continuity coordinator for the feature film, The Legend of Lake Hollow also set for a 2023 release.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is that with each project and each character, I learn a little bit more about myself. My approach to finding my characters figuring out some shared characteristic that I may have with this person…start there and I’ll slowly but surely find other similarities. Or, more often than not, this exploration could unearth something I haven’t fully healed or addressed in awhile. These discoveries are golden; they allow the best possible outcome of acting (in my opinion) – catharsis.

We seek out characters that have the strength to do things we may not have the confidence or access to do. It can be exhilarating and frightening all at once, and yet after every performance, there’s that rush of pride that bubbles to the surface. You pushed yourself beyond what you thought was possible. That’s what it is all about…for me, at least.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

No one is out there looking for you. You have to hustle and make them see you.

I always romanticized the lore of the discoveries of the actors during the Golden Age of Hollywood…and quickly came to realize that those days are long behind us. In today’s industry, you have to make a way for yourself and find a way to stand out on your own.

Build a community of fellow creators and get to work. That’s what I’m going to be doing in 2023. Care to join?

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ericaboozer.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/ericakayboozer
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/boozerica
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/ericakboozer
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ericakayboozer
• Other: IMDB PAGE: imdb.me/ericaboozer

Image Credits
Lennyn Garcia (yellow tank top photograph)