IS THIS REAL LIFE? X 1

(FLIGHT TO NEW MEXICO)

It was may 1st, 2015, the day of my WONDERFUL sister's WEDDING. At cocktail hour  we were alL STANDING AROUND, sharing our stories of the lovely the couple  when i got the call...I booked the lead role of "layla" IN the miller prediction! 

now Up until the day of my sister wedding, i had been using "the secret" and meditating/visioning/optimistically hoping that my training and determination in the acting field  would allow me the opportunity to be flown somewhere to put my acting skills to use professionally. The universe RESPONDED and weeks after the wedding i was aboard an all expenses paid flight to ALBUQUERQUE, nm, usa!

The DESTINATION wasn't on the top of my list, regardless, i was TRULY beyond  excited and grateful.

after my SUPER CHILL southwest flight, i got picked up and taken to my hotel to settle in/ meet the cast and most of the crew. The next morning was my costume  fittings with costume designer, Tabitha orr, and Following the fittings, I attended my first ever table read! I am not going to lie, I was nervous. I took a couple deep breaths and as we started in on the script i asked myself, "is this real life?" Just a couple months prior I had been warned that "breaking into the business after 25 is pretty much impossible".

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(TABLE READ)

It was a very surreal moment.
As i looked around the table of talented actors and crew members, I felt a sudden rush of pride. I REMEMBER thinking; This is real life, and i worked my butt off to get here. 

The table read lasted a few hours and after it was finished the director, javier Ronceros, met with me to give me some of his notes on my character "LAYLA". ​THEN WE WERE OFF!

The next several weeks were spent shooting on location at the Zia indian reservation a few miles outside of ALBUQUERQUE. The director, producers, a few other actors and I were even given the honor of meeting the cheif of the tribe, and getting his blessings for the film!

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(TRAILER SELFIE)

SHOOT DAYS LASTED AROUND TWELVE HOURS.
​SOMETIMES WE WOULD BE INTERRUPTED MID -SHOOT BY SUDDEN BOUTS OF RAIN BUT FOR THE MOST PART, FILMING WENT SMOOTHLY AND ACCORDING TO SCHEDULE FOR ME. IT WAS ALSO A VERY COMFORTABLE SET. I HAD AN AIR CONDITIONED TRAILER WHERE I COULD RUN LINES OR SIMPLY RUN AWAY FROM THE HEAT. CAST AND CREW JOKED around ON OFF TIME, AND EVEN THREW AROUND A FOOTBALL EVERY NOW AND THEN. CRAFT SERVICES WERE NATIVE AMERICAN CUISINE by Maria De Leon, AND I LOVE EXPANDING MY PALET! It was a lot of variations of meats, beans, and salads. Anyone who knows me, knows i love my salads!!

​there were also CHALLENGES on set that taught me a lot. There was a cyber stalker situation which, with the help of the director, was promptly deescalated. from that day forward, i never accepted another inquiry from a stranger to discuss potential acting jobs and forwarded all future inquiries FOR my manager to filter. Friendly reminder to my readerS  who haVE dreams of breaking into the business, be very careful in THE pursuit of your dreams. UNFORTUNATELY, people are not always trying to help you.

​ANOTHER REVELATION I HAD WAS THAT I HAD TO BE MORE COMMITTED TO MY CHARACTER CHOICES. A "CHARACTER CHOICE" IS WHEN AN ACTOR TAKES THE NOTES FROM THE SCRIPT ON HIS/HER CHARACTER AND MAKES PERSONAL DECISIONS ON HOW TO EXPAND ON THOSE DIRECTIONS. THERE WAS A CHOICE I MADE THAT I DID NOT STICK TO THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF FILMING AND ALTHOUGH TO MOST THIS CHOICE WENT UNNOTICED, MY "MISTAKE" STILL IRRITATEs ME TO THIS DAY.

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(JESSE WOODROW AND I BEING DIRECTED BY JAVIER RONCEROS)

TRYING TO TEACH MYSELF TO APPRECIATE THE BAD ALONG WITH THE GOOD, I LOOK BACK NOT WITH REGRETS BUT WITH LESSONS LEARNED AND CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM FOR MYSELF.  I WAS HUMBLED BY MY EXPERIENCE  AND BY THE FACT THAT I STILL HAVE SO MUCH TO LEARN. IN ALL HONESTY, I'LL KEEP SEEKING KNOWLEDGE AND WORKING ON MY PASSIONS UNTIL THE DAY I DIE BECAUSE I HAVE EXPERIENCED FIRST HAND THAT NOTHING'S IMPOSSIBLE.

ON MY FLIGHT BACK TO LOS ANGELES I REALIZED THAT AS CORNY AS USING "THE SECRET" SOUNDS AND CAN FEEL AT TIMES, THE THOUGHTS AND ACTIONS A PERSON PUTS OUT INTO THE UNIVERSE TRULY MATTER..

A MILE HIGH, I  STARTED TO VISION MY NEXT GOAL; TO BE FLOWn (SPECIFICALLY) TO EUROPE TO ACT PROFESSIONALLY.

DID IT HAPPEN? STAY TUNED FOR "IS THIS REAL LIFE?" x 2