Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Shala White. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Shala thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?
My Jamaican father has always been very protective of me and made sure my mother was as well to the extent of instilling fear into her that there would be consequences if something bad happened to me on her watch. He wasn’t always the most gentle and patient man but he did his job as a father of protecting his baby girl. For example, if a friend of mine had a father or brother present in their home, I wasn’t allowed to sleep over. He is unfortunately mentally ill right now and not who he used to be but he did the most important thing you could do for your kids and that’s protect them. Sometimes in life you can’t help what happens to you but you can try and prevent it and thanks to my father I wasn’t sexually abused like most women were at a young age from most likely another family member or being neglected in the hands of others. Those are defining moments growing up as a little girl and even though I probably have daddy issues in some ways considering he was a little coo coo, I’ll take them over being traumatized in the ways my daddy saved me from.
Shala, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’ve always wanted to be a performer whether it was a dancer or actor but coming from a small town 40 minutes outside of Philadelphia it didn’t seem realistic. I took dance classes as a teenager and acting classes as an elective at my community college but it never occurred to me it could be pursued as an actual career. When I moved to Miami to attend Barry University majoring in communications, I was asked to stop by an audition for the Homecoming show. I rarely got involved in activities in high school or on campus so I pushed myself to go. I auditioned for the role of Monica from “Love and Basketball” and the showrunner insisted I do it. I was so nervous before the show but when I went out there and felt that rush and reaction from the crowd, something sparked in me. I eventually left Miami and moved to Los Angeles with my half sister and brother and got a telemarketing job to pay the bills. My sister and brother left a few months in and I was left alone with minimal funds to get by. My mother told me to come home but I knew in my gut I needed to stay and I could make it on my own. I discovered Central Casting doing extra work for TV and film and absolutely loved being on set. Without a manager or agent I booked my first print gig for Ultimate Ears Speakers, starred in a feature film and did a series for Amazon. I stuck it out and eventually quit my hostess job and hustled as an actor full time and did side jobs such as bartending at events for extra cash. A few years later I got the hang of things and found a manager and agent and started to book co-stars and guest star roles. I knew I wanted to take my artistic talents even further and started screenwriting and eventually directed my first short film that I finished in 2022. I plan on doing more and improving as an artist!
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist and creative is definitely the freedom of expression. As a creative, the space we get to do or say whatever we want is fulfilling and gives us a safe space to be who we are and in return inspiring others to do the same. Some people’s minds aren’t programmed in a creative way so when we’re able to create something that others enjoy or even better relate to, it’s inspiring to not only the artist but their audience as well. To make people feel something is a beautiful thing and as an artist that’s always the goal.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
A time when I had to pivot in my life was when I quit my 9-5 as a hostess and started to pursue acting full time. I’ve always had a 9-5 from middle school working in my mothers salon as a receptionist to working at Sephora in Philly and transferring to the one in Miami. In LA I was on my own for the first time so I really needed to make sure I had consistent income to survive, but when my day job started to interfere with my passion, I had to reevaluate why I was there. Living in LA is very expensive so for me it didn’t make sense to just work in a restaurant and pay such ridiculous rent to do something I could do in Miami for cheaper and be amongst my family and friends. I was here for a reason and the job was interfering with my focus and even left me missing auditions at times. I did what I had to do and took a leap of faith. I quit my job and started to do whatever else I could to make ends meet. I did Facebook affiliate marketing to bartending events to even selling healthcare products. I did consistent extra work on TV and movie sets and loved it. I rather be on set making money in the environment I need to be in then at a restaurant making somebody else rich. If you want to make something happen, you have to take risks and believe in yourself that you will make it work no matter what!
Contact Info:
- Website: linktr.ee/shalawhite
- Instagram: shaybbay
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0nQZibvh6rGSNmSn1pPxlg