Unknown Speaker 0:12
Now we can you ready to let go let me tell you friends believe me when I say no it always feels like we're punching in the back door get ready for real good yep you with me
Unknown Speaker 0:46
crazy hey this is Riley. I'm live at the Silicon Prairie Center take two if you didn't know. This time I hit the record button. And in the Silicon Prairie Center in Nebraska Kirk is joining us via zoom link and you are at
Unknown Speaker 1:21
I am in Sacramento, California in the background you can see one of the pillars of our bridge now. Sitting on the the the river here in Sacramento,
Unknown Speaker 1:31
sweet. And Kurt, we have a special guest with us, don't we?
Unknown Speaker 1:36
We do have a very special guest diva Tyler's with us here tonight. And we got to know each other through through a mutual friend had the opportunity to be on her podcast and get to know her a little bit outside of outside of that as well. So super excited to have her. Many of you will recognize her from some movies, particularly one that was recently box office number one. Halloween
Unknown Speaker 2:01
guilt. So I had just watched the movie, by the way, when Kirk said, Hey, we should do this. And I'm like, what? I just want to say I'm very like upset and disappointed that you couldn't hear me yelling at my TV to run I never got that. Oh my gosh, I I like watching scary movies. But at the same time, like I you either want to watch the movie with me or you don't because I'm gonna be the guy that's like crawling up the side of the chair. Like, don't go in that room. Don't do. He's in there, lady. Come on. So yeah, it was a very good movie. My wife is a huge Halloween fan. And so definitely one that we always go watch.
Unknown Speaker 2:56
Yeah, well, I wanted to kick it off just kind of talking about your career. How did you get diva to where you are today? Yeah, what was your path to getting into these films? And you started in theater? Did you? Did you have some epiphany at certain point life or like, you know what I want to be you know, I want to be an actor. I'm gonna pursue it. Love to hear a bit about your story. And that how that kind of you know, segues into into how you've gotten in the recent films that you have.
Unknown Speaker 3:25
Well, one of the things is, is I grew up in a home my grandfather was a Passover Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida. And so every Sunday we went to church, of course, we were right there. But during the holidays, like Easter, I would always have a speech. And at that time, I had this uncanny ability to memorize lines very quickly. And so I would do all the little plays and all those skits and what have you. And in high school, I became a thespian, and I was a part of the drama club at that time. And at 15, I left Florida and moved to New York. And at that time, I was just about to turn 16 and at 16 I joined the American Negro ensemble theatre and work with Ossie Davis and ruby Dee, not having any idea what icons I was working with at time, but I did get an opportunity to work with them and do some plays while I was in New York. I moved back some years later back to Florida, get back into speech and theater. I did a one woman show it when one woman screw in that time. And when I moved to Atlanta, in 2000. I came here I started working and then they had a play that I had been in in Jacksonville, Florida call for color Girls who Considered Suicide when the rainbow was enough. And I was I audition and I got the role in that movie in that play. and from that I began to do more plays around Atlanta. And that was right at the crux when Atlanta was beginning to become this. This, they were eyeing Atlanta for television and film. And I began to do so many plays. But it wasn't as lucrative for someone that got as mature as I. And so I started feeling a little bit like Danny Glover in in a lethal weapon. I'm getting too old for this ish. So film and television was the next thing. And I had some people in my corner that were encouraging me. And so I went, and I auditioned for an agent. And she liked what she saw. And she brought me in. And so from there, the rest was history. When I first started out book quite a bit, as a matter of fact, my first role that I got was with David Gordon Green was director. And I worked with Will Ferrell and Danny McBride. It Eastbound and Down. And that was pretty hilarious. I'm still getting comments on YouTube about about this from way back in like 2012, you know, and from bad, I began to book other various female movies, mostly with all of the lead characters all my life, and it was unheard of. And I didn't know because you don't know what you don't know, is that for you to start in television and film for the first time and to get your first role as a speaking role is is not something that is common, evidently. And I had no idea it was, I was just showing up and doing what I was asked to do. And so that was fun. So from that time on, every role that I had afterwards was always with the lead characters and always had speaking roles. And, and I moved right on into when I was, well, for the first time when I've worked with Danny Glover and not getting love, I'm sorry, with David Gordon Green. And he, he's the kind of person that I guess if he, he likes what, who you are, because he is a people person. And he likes your energy and you have talent, he pulled you into his other projects. And so from that, the next time I had the opportunity to work with David Gordon Green was then vice principals, which was also a very fun role to play. And that was really great. And from that Halloween 2018 And then late of late Halloween kills
Unknown Speaker 7:47
the thing that I took home from what you said right there. And just to plug the podcast make a move. You were going to auditions you were putting yourself out there you were making the moves. If anybody's seen Halloween kills, you're seeing you're you're like flying a drone around your house. And so I was joking with Kirk, I was like, you suppose that she was just flying that drone around her house and she got the knock on the door like, Hey, you want to be in a movie.
Unknown Speaker 8:24
And I'm joking. I'm joking, of course. But just to illustrate the point you are out there and you're making those moves, and networking and meeting those people to to create those opportunities in the long run. And that's what we're wanting to highlight and illustrate to people and try to motivate people to man get off the couch. Don't wait for the opportunities to come knocking.
Unknown Speaker 8:48
Well, you absolutely right. Because again, you don't know what you don't know. But I am a people person. And it was very easy to once my agent, you know, to me out for bookings to meet people because I found out early on that, you know, character onset goes a long way. Your personality on set goes a long way. And so I always made sure I watched I was one of them. I guess one of the best piece of advice that I was given before I did that first one was to watch what the big guys were doing to be myself and to have fun. And that's exactly what I did. And I was I was absolutely fortunate to have my first opportunity working with these guys because they allowed me so much freedom to add my lines I think when they first hired me I had maybe about three lines but I'm a quick study and they told me to keep my eye on it and and then make bread and Will Ferrell don't necessarily go by what's on the on the script. So you have to read through I learned to listen Then, very carefully, so they respond appropriately
Unknown Speaker 10:07
if necessary.
Unknown Speaker 10:08
Exactly, exactly. And, and that was the biggest thing that I did I listen. But I also did not have any type of fear for going out and doing auditions. And I made quite a bit of them. I'm doing taping, which was great. But I did a lot of live auditions. And just remembering to be myself with be myself. Because again, you don't know what you don't know. So it's easy to go in there, I knew nothing about, I knew nothing about the parties and, and nothing about the hiatus. And none of those terms, I just showed up, and did what was asking me to the best of my ability. But I also took classes, I've never taken classes prior to that. So I went to a few coaching classes, they taught auditioning, and you do have to show up, because what I found out that was most important is that you will have to show up for an audition, and you give it your best and you leave a certain impression. You may not get that role, but you may be audition for the next role that comes after that comes after. So every opportunity you get to get in front of a casting director, you're showing them who you are and what you're bringing to the table. And so that I had the opportunity to do that. And I and I'm the type of person if I say I'm going to be there, I didn't turn down anything. I don't turn down anything but my call. I showed up. And I just stayed, I stayed focused. And I watched what people that were successful were doing, again, on how they care they self hosted or what have you. But I also have some other practices I'll share.
Unknown Speaker 11:45
That's awesome. So you mean that you set up interviews and you actually went to them? That's it, you think that you know, that doesn't sound crazy, but like, just, you know, obviously, like with today's age, something that we're seeing? If you didn't know, I work as a chamber director here in Ravenna, as well. And I'll have businesses tell me, you know, we set up 30 interviews for jobs, and three people showed up. So it's like, what, oh, my God. And so I feel you I'm totally, that's one thing that I always tried my best in any of my personal things that I'm doing is if I say I'm going to do it, I'm going to do it. And I and if I can't, I am communicating what happened and what you know, can we reschedule this is what's happened. And, and being upfront about it. And I, there's something that's happened where this has not translated to the youth of today or to just today. But people don't do that anymore.
Unknown Speaker 12:53
One of the things that I found and it is important to understand that a lot of people should understand is that you may be interested in acting, I've met a lot of people that that are interested in acting, but there's a difference between being interested in something and being committed to something. When you're interested, too, you know, you you may find excuses all night today, I'm interested, but not today, I have this to do. But when you're committed you, you show up, and you show out. You know you go in and you do exactly what what they've asked for you to do. And you do it to the best of your ability. And you always allow that let them know that they can rely that I am a person that is reliable, fast, very important, because definitely the film industry, every minute counts, you know, every minute is money. And they don't like wasting money. And so I'm not going to be the one. I'm not going to be the one that causes them to waste any time or money. So I'm always there. And I'm always there on time. And if again, like you said, if I cannot make it or if something happens along the way things do happen. I'm on the phone with my agent. Listen, this is what's going on the trap. Whatever the reason is, I'm showing respect and honor for the opportunity to do this. And so you have to show people that you're committed. That's important. Yeah, I
Unknown Speaker 14:18
think I think for some people it even conveys in the auditions. I think back to the auditions for our two films. And there was a basically you just tell them that they wanted to act that they didn't really seem like they were committed. You know, I feel like that is so critical. I think I think that's such an such an important point is that, you know, convey not being not just being committed, but conveying that commitment.
Unknown Speaker 14:42
Yes, absolutely. I agree. I agree.
Unknown Speaker 14:47
I definitely also something else that you said that I I am kind of just now learning this myself. through everything that I've done. I've never put networking really at a forefront. I've kind of just always put my head down and did my job. But now I've been hanging out with Kirk, this crazy character. And I've been following him around the last, I don't know, six months to a year and, you know, he, he ends up, you know, inviting me to these things that I would never go to, you know, and that's another part of it too is if you're staying inside of your comfort zone, well, that's a problem. Because if you're never leaving your comfort zone, then you're never going to grow, and you're never going to expand those opportunities. And so, I've started, you know, over the last six months or so saying, Yeah, I'll go to this entrepreneurs workshop, I'll go to this, you know, meet and greet, or whatever. And I've come to realize that like, you know, if you make that personal connection with somebody first and you, you're not talking business with them, and you're just palling around, and they get to know you as a person, then when it comes to talk business, and you have to approach them, they're a little bit more comfortable with you. And they're more willing to listen to you because they're like, Oh, this is Riley. I like this guy. You know, I mean, he's cool. And I like him. Whereas if they don't know you at all, they're like, Who is this crazy person?
Unknown Speaker 16:20
Exactly. Exactly. Exactly. And I want to piggyback on what you said about comfort zone, I have learned that the magic begins outside of your comfort zone. That's where the magic is. And so you have to be willing to go a little further, do a little bit more, and be uncomfortable, be uncomfortable until it gets comfortable. And my daughter always tell me, she's the man you talk to everybody don't just have to do that. And I do. i It doesn't matter. I can be walking across the street and we pass it like shoot ships in the night and I go, nice dress. Thank you, you know, but that's just me. That's my personality. And and, and that's who I am. And I don't know how to be anything any different than that. Except for when I'm doing a character, a character.
Unknown Speaker 17:18
You want to talk about some of the characters and how you felt maybe a little bit uncomfortable that maybe that helped you grow was as an actor.
Unknown Speaker 17:27
Yes, let's start with the first one. Which was the story that I share sometimes was when my agent first called me about Eastbound and Down. I had not ever heard of Eastbound and Down had not ever watched it. And I was at an event. So it was the noise in the background that she called me up and 90 Now, this was my first. This is my first gig. And I'm like, she's like, diva. You you have an audition with Will Ferrell in Miami. And I'm going like, what would what did you say? You knew? Exactly, then I'm all excited. And so I go, when do I leave? And she said leave for where? And I said Miami you said I have an audition in Miami? She said Oh, no, no, no. I said you have audition for welfare as is a mammy. And so
Unknown Speaker 18:27
I say is Mandy. I said, Give me a minute to process that process processor because, number one, I don't like people telling me what to do.
Unknown Speaker 18:44
And so I'm I'm trying to think of how could I muster up some manliness, I don't even know how to do this. And I thought about way back. I had a McDaniels. And I'm like, That chick. And then I said, Well, you know, that's what acting is all about. And I'm talking to myself, you know, because what I realized is this, if I had some uncomfortableness about the type of role that I was offered, then what I felt like is this, first of all, that I was going to find a way to create this character, that was going to be what they were looking for. But also, if I had any misgivings about the type of role or what have you, I think that you can affect more change from the inside from the outside, just about, you know, being who you are, and showing your talent because that's what they're definitely interested in your talent and your personality, you know, goes a long way in that, and I was so happy that I did not let any type of discrepancies in my head or what have you to stop me from doing that because I didn't particularly want to be a mammy, but what it was about was about The craft, it was about the art. And so I said, how, how awesome would it be to be able to step into the role of somebody and some person or character that you never see yourself as you would never, you see yourself as this type of person because some some roles, I can say, oh, yeah, I can see that being me, I can do that. But this was a little bit out of my, out of my field. And so, but I made it my own. And working with these guys, I watched them. And I saw, we were there. I mean, we were in that moment I was who I needed to be. And as a result of it, I was only hired for one scene. But as a result of an app for one scene for for that particular part. But as a result of whatever it is that I get in, they liked and enjoyed, they pulled me back in before I left for a second, a second episode. And I didn't even have a speaking role at that point, I was just sweeping along the way and, and welfare was sitting there looking at their feet been blown up. But my point is, is that I realized that my personality, and my willingness to, to give myself give myself into my art and my craft was what they wanted and what they saw. And they like it. And they, they gave me all kinds of opportunities to do more. And from that I became a part of their family. Now I'm part of the family. You know, I speak today, but often, at times when the opportunity, but it's never about business. It's always how are you doing? But is that what you're saying? Getting to know that person and getting familiar with that, who that person is not what they do and what they could possibly do for you
Unknown Speaker 21:48
know, that's exactly me and Kirk's goal with all this and just kind of to like, shine a light on that to be like, This is what you need to do. If you're whatever you're wanting to do, whether it's start a business, be a musician, be an actor, or actress, maybe it's be an artist, I mean, who knows it was whatever. It's just get up and get out there and make motion like don't sit there and be stagnant.
Unknown Speaker 22:19
be uncomfortable with you know, be comfortable with being uncomfortable?
Unknown Speaker 22:23
Uncomfortable. Exactly, exactly. And what's really important is how you talk to yourself, self talk is huge. If you keep telling yourself, you can't do something, then the universe is going to believe you. If you say I can do this, I can do it, I'm going to find a way to do it. Because the word impossible denotes and possible, that's how I see it, I'm possible. And that means everything is possible. So listen, back, they say you don't know you're wrong, until someone tells you, you go forward, if that's what you really believe in and you show up. And you you, you know, you you you follow the protocol, and you give them the best that you have. And when people see you that you're that sincere a lot of times they'll tap you on the show, they'll put you to the side, and they'll give you advice and they'll give you information, or they'll support you in what you're doing. And that makes a huge difference when they see that you're committed.
Unknown Speaker 23:23
Yeah, one of my favorite quotes in a book was not don't ever say I can't because when you say I can't you've already put in a mental roadblock. It's not happening. But if you rephrase that question to how can I do this? How can I afford this? You're opening your mind to the possibilities of how not? I can't. And so that's something that's always you know, I always, when you talk about sales speak, that's something that comes to my mind that I'm always like, no, or even my son, I'm always like, don't you tell me you can't worry. We're going to discuss how can we do this? Yes, there are these problems that are in our way, but how can we navigate around them? How can we do this?
Unknown Speaker 24:14
Well, I learned that a lot and I have to give them credit to Mr. Kiyosaki. That would be exactly. I tell this I work with young people and I say the whole synopsis was when the young boy went to follow that wasn't rich father, he's as qualified Can I was to say, I want to buy something. He said, Well, we can't afford it. When you think we can't, that shuts down in an opportunity to even to even try to imagine, you know, you just think it's no option, then we can't do it. So there's nothing but when you say let's see how we can do that. Let's see how we can afford it. Then you open up all opportunity to create options that weren't there originally. You come up with a way to make it happen. So you're absolutely right.
Unknown Speaker 25:04
Yep, yep, the other one that I like. And that's Rich Dad, Poor Dad is definitely the book that I was referring to. The other book that I read was pro wrestler, Diamond Dallas Page, who I think is also from Atlanta, Georgia. If I'm not mistaken, he has a book and in his book, that's kind of like the story of his life. He says in it. Aim for the stars, or see shoot for the stars, it's better to shoot for the stars. And Miss, then aim for the curb and hit it. So I mean, you might if you reach high, you might not get there. But I bet you're going to get further than aiming for the for the gutter
Unknown Speaker 25:51
in the curb. Well, I have to give this slightly biblical you because I have the when I'm talking to certain people, and I want to motivate and inspire encourage them. One of the things I always tell them, It's called for that which is not as if it already was. So you have to speak, you have to speak your vision into existence by focusing on a concentrate on and believing in it believes is the main thing is that you have to learn. I don't care how many people believe in you, if you don't believe in yourself, it's not going to work. It's not going to work. So speak it.
Unknown Speaker 26:29
Very, very true. Very true, indeed. So on those words, do you want to share maybe how you got some of the roles, like, you know, Identity Thief and the Halloween movies in both of them and some of the other stuff that you've been in kind of like how it all kind of ties into some of your ideology and your your sense of commitment and dedication and drive?
Unknown Speaker 26:52
Yes, well, let me just say I'll name one, in particular, because I did have some misgivings about it. I was I received an offer to audition for being Mary Jane. And at this particular time, the casting director, her name was Alpha Tyler. Yeah, alpha Tyler. And of course, my name is V books out. And so the night before the role that I had the audition, and talking to, and I won't say who it was, but an influential person in that arena. She says, I don't think she likes you. And she really what why wouldn't she you've never met? She said, We Are you think because you both have the same? Last Name?
Unknown Speaker 27:52
seems ridiculous.
Unknown Speaker 27:54
Really? I said, she said are you think is because your name is diva? And I'm thinking, why would anybody say that? Why would any of it any of it, but this person was crucial in they were part of my management agency. So now I'm a little nervous. I'm thinking, Well, why should I if she doesn't like me, she's like, she taught me that she may be handed to encourage her, like, really just talk to her. Just give her a shot. So when I go there, I go there, I'd say well, you know, she doesn't like me, I'm probably not going to get it anyway. You know, so I go there. And I just detour myself to just be me. And I do the roll. And I left and I go after I'm leaving. I give my best performances on the way after the audition. Yes. Then I said, Well, you know, it doesn't matter because she doesn't particularly care for me, so I probably won't get it. So then I mean, about a week later, I get a phone call from my agent and she says What was the name of that role that you read for for being Mary Jane so she said Well, you shoot because you got the role. I got the role. So so what I learned from that was you don't go out trying to please the casting director because you'll never know what they really want. Sometimes they don't know what they want. Sometimes you have to show them how they can use you or what more capabilities you have beyond just getting up there and saying your part I got the role and I totally was not expected and I am audition for many go in don't get the roles so I it made me calm myself down and just go in being myself and putting as much as myself or myself into that character as I possibly could to actually get out of my head because I used to stay in my head Make sure to do it this way. And I did not know what I learned just by being who I am. And allowing myself to actually familiarize myself with that character. If I were in this person's shoes, how would diva handled this in? So I take that route. So I auditioned for identity theft. When Melissa McCarthy, I have no idea. I played a booking officer. I've never been a police officer in that field. But during that time, I'm pretty comedic by nature. By nature, it was my go to in all the rough years of coming up is that go to so the comedic timing. And if you catch me, right, I'll cut. That's awesome. You know, and so I think that that was a lot of it, because I was able to pull those roles off. And there was one that I did with Nathan Lane, it never hit the big screen. But it was so much fun. And I remember I wore a wig at this one because I wasn't sure do you dress up like the character? Or what do you do. And so I found along the way how you handled it, but I wore a wig. But the the casting director, who knew he had hired me before knew that my hair was short and blonde. And so as well as on my, on my headshot. And so when I do the row, and I have this speaking part on there, and all of a sudden she's saying that diva Tikki wig off an MC. So when I was the role, I started on an ethic that I did that, that that fell out, everybody be like, I love it. And they will please and I got the roll. Even like as even though it didn't go on the big screen, I get the row. And that was awesome. So um, as far as a lot of other ones, I did some small parts. And that's a small parts, I shouldn't say small parts. I did some independent film. And one of the ones was a horror movie. And I've never done horror. And I probably haven't watched a horror movie since the excesses
Unknown Speaker 32:18
scared the heebie jeebies out. But pretty much stayed away from it. And while I'm doing this, the guy he wants to audition me. And so I do this little live taping for him, send it to him. And then he says, well, we want you to be able to speak that Caribbean, or, you know, like a Jamaican accent or something like that. And I said, Okay, I can do that. You know, I'll just get around my friends for a little while and talk and then all of a sudden, I'm mimicking them anyway. But when I show up, he says, we're doing the robot, we do up doing auditions. And I mean, I'm sorry, the rehearsal. And so after, wow, three weeks before we were supposed to film he says, what I really want you to do is I want you to be to speak Haitian. I want you to speak it so well that a true Haitian couldn't tell the difference. Making.
Unknown Speaker 33:19
That's a bit of a tall order. So
Unknown Speaker 33:23
I'm making a huge learning. So what I did what I was, but I had a sense of that it was like a test to me. Like I said, he's trying me he wants to see because a lot of people say oh and divas. She's good, blah, blah. But it was like you want to say let me see how good and so I love that challenge. I say oh, he doesn't know me. I went around. To everyone that passed. He was near me. Speaking of accent, it sounded like it was Jamaican, but I was looking for a Haitian accent. And I went here to speak. So where you from? I'm from Jamaica, as Oh, okay. Where you from? Oh, I'm from the island, St. Dom was blah, blah, blah. And then one day, I'm at this, this little set, where I'm doing a small part. And this young lady walks past me and she says, so excuse me. And she says some better Where are you from? She's from Haiti. I said you want to talk to? Exactly. And so what I did is, I told her exactly I would do that she was happy to help me. And instead of me trying to reinvent the wheel, like to learn to scratch. All I needed to do was learn my lines in Haitian Creole. And so I had her tell me teach me each word how to pronounce it. And she taught me something. She taught me some things like the end is silent if you see the end, and so I was able to do it exactly the way she taught me. And when I show up. It blew him away. Because I was on it. And I was like this
Unknown Speaker 35:13
you know, you got the right one baby. He was blessed. That 21 days I was before the 21 days. And but if they'd asked me to say anything out of the like, no, okay. Awesome. Yeah. But that's putting that effort in. I mean, I couldn't give it up. I couldn't say this is ridiculous. There's no way. But I said, I can do this at home. Oh, he thinks I can't do this. Oh, okay. I'm a fan of way of there's no way. I'm gonna find that way. And that's what I did. That's also not giving up is huge.
Unknown Speaker 35:52
Yeah, and another thing that you said prior to that, that I feel like it's important to like, highlight is you were talking about, you know, what you thought the casting director thought of you? And sometimes I think that self talking or or head, you know, I always say thoughts, you know, they're there. Sometimes we've we've got bad thoughts in our head. It's our responsibility to choose to keep them or not. I always I always call our thoughts are seeds. And it's, we can't stop those seeds from popping in our heads. But we are completely in control of which seeds we plant. And so if you have a bad thought and evil thought you just that one you chuck, that's a bad seed. But the good ones is what you keep and hang on to and you plant those. And I think what happens to us is, we start planting these seeds of, she doesn't like me, she thinks this, she says this about me. And we build up this image and this character in our head, that doesn't even exist. Exactly. And then we and then we let that manipulate the situation. And it's total bull.
Unknown Speaker 37:11
And what was the old saying is that I come? I look for the monster, I look for the monster and then I found the monster with me, or something like that. It's like we create, we create these phantoms. Oh, and it's basically based on fear of previous experience, right? And learning to release in this release, it makes a difference is like, Okay, well, if that happened before, I see that impossibility can happen. But I'm going to take a different step, I'm going to take a different attitude. And so I have to toss away those things about I can't, because there's there is there's there's no such thing as I can't, you know, like they say I'll try even without try. They say if you try to pick up a pill, so you can never do it, you need to do it or you don't do it, you know, and so just going absolutely going on beyond the words in your head. And if you could add your own words, you can take them away, you can release those, and said, but I'm gonna give it my best. I'm gonna give it my best.
Unknown Speaker 38:12
Yup, you know, and sometimes it's, it's going against what feels good. You know, sometimes just because something feels right, or let's say it feels wrong, that doesn't necessarily mean it's not what you should do. And that's, you know, that's all goes into that same be, you know, stay out, you know, get out of your comfort zone. I can't I think people just are so protected and rooted in like, Oh, I'm not gonna say that I'm no, I can't do that. I can't do that. And this doesn't feel right. And I'm uncomfortable. And we just we stay outside of those zones, as much as we can. And I think that's if we could just open up more to those things. Like, just how much more opportunity will just pop. You
Unknown Speaker 39:04
get to embrace the discomfort?
Unknown Speaker 39:07
Absolutely, absolutely. And it is, is what you tell yourself. Because I do believe that thoughts become things I know that everything that has been created started with a thought in your head. Yep. And so you can you can you can create the boogeyman, you can create the angel is this decide, is this what you decide to focus on and make really your own hand. You know, if every if, if the Wright brothers gave up and never thought that that it was possible to fly this plane that would make this thing as bad as spending. We might not be having flight right now. Right until someone or well the light bulb or all of these things were first thought in someone's head and they follow through with it even though they were being told this is ridiculous. This is dumb. This is impossible. Life Experience shows that unpossible can be possible,
Unknown Speaker 40:03
right? Man, that's awesome. I can't I cannot agree more. I think I think some
Unknown Speaker 40:10
of us are actually drawn to like, if you tell me it can't be done, I'm gonna prove to you that
Unknown Speaker 40:15
exactly right. Exactly. Okay, speak Haitian Creole.
Unknown Speaker 40:21
That's awesome. I would have been like the guy that would have been like, Okay, we need to we got to talk about this contract here and like it's got to be paid.
Unknown Speaker 40:31
That's the funny part about it end up being a deferred payment that I never, no one ever. Yeah. But, but guess what? That was okay. Because that builds my confidence up. Because, you know, I mean, it just reminded me good, you still got it. Keep going for it just going for your dream. But during that time, right after that, the next before that movie with, I don't think it ever made it out even. But I was called in for The Last Exorcism tube, which was the actual first real horribly that actually say, sag film that I actually did. There was a horror movie. So I did The Last Exorcism to which everybody joked about is how can you have a last court? That wasn't my concern. But But yeah, and from that, the next thing that I had was just Halloween 2018. But I think I did one other I can't think of right now. Because rather than what comes to my mind right now, so what I wanted to say about hesitancy sometimes the things that our head subconscious mind remembers all everything. And what it seeks to do is protect you from previous pain of disappointment. And so if you if you got all the skates, and you fell down the first time, and then you go and drag this to you know, what happened the last time? You go, yeah, did I fail that skier myself? Awful? Maybe I shouldn't do that, you know, but Congress, man is, is where is where that magic begins to? You can you can the subconscious mind is trying to save you from previous, but that's in the past, you have to set a new path each and every time. When you get up in the morning. That's a new path. What am I going to do today to bring me closer to my goal? What can I do today to bring me closer to my goal?
Unknown Speaker 42:30
I think I think I think she should just be part of the making move podcast, because like, there you go. She's got
Unknown Speaker 42:38
it, I tell you a little secret. That was gonna add it, it is more without the make the move than it is about movies. I learned something a long while back. And it's called a it's called a goal mapping, goal mapping. And so when you were in school, you were taught to write your goals down. And that's from the left brain side with go map and you created where you use both the left brain hemisphere and the right brain hemisphere, the left brain is going to be that logical thinking one straight line linear, what have you. And then the right brain is artistic, creative that. So what I did is, I started my goal. It was it was it was a diagram that looked like boxes that said, What is your main goal? Put my main goal, and then it had two bucks, learn each side and say, What's your sub goal? What do you need to accomplish in order to make this main goal happen? And when you when you write that, and then you say you put on there, what's my timeline, you actually set it in motion, so that you can actually look at it and say it this particular time, I want to be able to do this. And I want to put on here, you know, why do I want to do it? Who do I know can help me with this. And that when that networking comes in, also. And I did that, when I had an opportunity to go to Peru, this was a few years back to go to Peru because I'd heard about some children that had been abused, and were in this orphanage and what have you and mine you now, I was not fluent. I did not speak fluent Spanish. And I do want to say I'm going to Peru. I want to work with these kids want to help these kids? I don't know. The same daughter said Mommy, you speak to everybody. Okay? She said, Mama, how you going to go and teach the kids and you don't speak Spanish? And I was like, Well, I said you know what I'll do? I'll start with the language of love because people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. And so I created this whole diagram of me going to Peru, I put the edit the edit the left brain set with the boxes, and then I came on notice that in there you had to throw out your vision. And I drew out my vision of me standing with the children. I draw stick people, the children standing around me and I drew a rainbow over head. And I'm telling you this because I visited it every day, it was like a fifth grade workshop where we just revisited, I would see, I would cut out pictures of myself going to prove out with a dancer that was like, I would look at the terrain. So I got to get the shoes, I'm going to need these types of shoes. I had no idea how I was gonna get to Peru still. It's not like I had the money or anything, but I knew I was going. And I kept on with it. And so what happened as a result of that, is that I did go to Peru, I decided to do so you know what I'm going to do? I've been raising funds to the council, Sally would have you made a lot of the same people have supported me if they want to support me in doing this. The first person I went to, and I told her what I was doing, she say, well, diva, I will write you a check for how much ever you need to make this happen. It blew my wig back. But I knew that I was going, I just knew that I was going and I and when I got there. The first day I got there to the orphanage which was called Musa Gruner. I'm sitting there talking to the director, and the volunteer coordinators looking, she says they will look up. It's a rainbow over your head. And I got up, it was a rainbow. I drew a rainbow over my picture with these little kitty stick people. And you cannot tell me that you can't put that down here. And it lands out into the real world. You can make things happen just by believing in everything you've been taught. Is that ask and believe. And you should receive focus on that.
Unknown Speaker 46:39
Yep. One of my one of my favorite verses is the power of life and death is in the tongue. I definitely there there's something to be said for, you know, thinking positively and like believing in and having faith that you can do something. Man, you'll turn your life around.
Unknown Speaker 47:05
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, and not not falling victim to, you know, to believing in certain obstacles. And one of those that I wanted to ask you about is, I'm sure there's a lot of people that said, you know, diva, why did she go to Hollywood? You know, particularly maybe, you know, earlier in your career. And cuz that's kind of the stereotypical path, although more and more people are going to Atlanta now. In fact, a lot of people are moving from, you know, Hollywood to Atlanta, but that wasn't always the case. Can you talk a little bit about kind of your Did you ever feel it at a disadvantage? What was kind of your thought process in terms of location and pursuing a career and acting? Hey,
Unknown Speaker 47:43
I believe that I was drawn to Atlanta for whatever reason, that took place. La never, it never occurred to me to want to move to California, especially since that already looked at the statistics of people that ended up with the stars in their eyes, and they ended up homeless, so they ended up having to return home. You know, it wasn't that that would not have done to me if I really believed in myself. But why why? Why go there? When it's like I say, if you can go to the mountains, like the mountain come to you, the mountain was coming here. Yeah. And and I had people that I had had been networking with and marketing Canada was one of them. And I even asked him at one time, do you think it's a good idea that I maybe go out to LA and see what kind of opportunities will present itself. And he he was saying he was telling me then that they are beginning to do Atlanta based loan filming here, that there was absolutely no reason unless I just want it to just go for me to go there in order to be successful. And I believed in interest. And he's been in the business for years. And I've thought about it asset. And I really don't want to go there. I mean, I'm born in Florida. We have hurricanes, they have earthquakes. I had to do the math.
Unknown Speaker 49:07
Yeah, I imagine most cases, though, you're you're either auditioning via zoom, or you're self taping or probably don't have a lot of in person auditions. Anyway, is that is that the case?
Unknown Speaker 49:18
That is true. A lot of stuff tape is and I tell you during the pandemic, when they first began to when they first began to do the Zoom auditions. I had not ever done a zoom audition. And so it was funny because when you're when I go to my videographer, and I'm being taped, she has the camera and she's standing behind the camera. And of course, as a reader, she's standing off and I'm looking at her and I'm reading with her. So now it's just like if you were that casting director, you say diva, okay, this is your role. I'm going to be your reader. I created the entire scenario behind my iPad. I never looked at this guy. I was talking to my make believe characters behind it because to me, the iPad was the camera. And it took me four days to realize I had done that I see no one connected with them. But I had my invisible people over there. But the funny thing about it, I run into a lot of people now. So I've always wanted to do acting. How do I get into it? I say, well, there's lots of information out there. None of that you can take a look at I said, But you know, they say that. Or they may tell me oh, they're never hired me because I mean, look her I look, I say listen, television and film and movies about real life real people. And that's what they're creating. So there is is an equal opportunity. When you're thinking about whether you are skinny, heavy, whether you are have struggled all over your faith, if you have a snack, whatever, they have characters that come you know, you can't say I I'm too old for it. I'm too young or too old. Exactly, exactly. Because I tell you what, when I first started, I was I was between 185 and 215 pounds. Row, roll me to the door. Okay, but I was flat now. I was still flat. But but the thing is, is that if I had told myself, I was too heavy. I never would have gotten a roll because they were rolling for they actually had on the script sometimes Roatan woman, heavyset woman, you know, overweight woman, or whatever. You know, you could be Miss miss that part of it. But it's what I was told early on that it's okay to be typecast. Sometimes people you know, they reject being typecast. But they say because if you're typecast, it means that the casting director has an idea of how they can use you. And so nine times out of 10 when they looking for someone to fit that they'll come to you because you fit.
Unknown Speaker 52:10
Yeah.
Unknown Speaker 52:13
Exactly. Now, once I once once I came down. Once I came down, I was in a whole different gene pool. And I was actually I won't say competing, but I was in the gene pool with a larger gene pool, because there wasn't a lot of me. And ironically enough, I don't know if you know who Adele Campbell is that she's this. She's this a comedian, and she has short blonde hair like this. And she wears her hair, nails long, like my I do. But she's a comedian. And when I say she's a comedian, she goes balls to the wall. Okay, she's. So when, when I was in San Diego wants to the airport. And the guys that you're that lady? I said, Yes. I didn't know what he was talking about. I didn't even matter. But yes. I take a picture with you. Yes.
Unknown Speaker 53:10
That's awesome.
Unknown Speaker 53:12
I think that I think that I was probably a virgin, a less expensive version of her this weekend, get her She's funny. She's got blonde, hair. But having those opportunities allowed people to see what I could do, and to see other ways that could use me. But if I had pulled myself back and say that I'm there some two days, I'm not enough of this and not doing that I never would have got an opportunity to walk back carpets on October 12 2009. Thank you, I had no idea. And Who knew Who knew when you when you first got the role that it was going to end up being the number one movie in America and who knew that I didn't even know it was such a large, horrific cult fans. I mean, I it was amazing. I eased on Facebook and went to Halloween fans page. And they were talking about the movie as if they knew everything they were trying to figure it out who was going to get killed? Who was going to get this and I was just trolled. Wow that's awesome. Yes. Quite a blessing. And I am so totally appreciative of it.
Unknown Speaker 54:33
So So where do you want to take your career from now?
Unknown Speaker 54:37
Wow. You know, I'd be careful what you ask for. Because what I did get to find out is, you know, everybody wants to probably get to a point where you do your lead role, which I would love to do a lead role, but you also have to consider the lead role but when they say something comes much responsibility with power comes much responsible Yeah, it'll take me to a different level. I do know that. And I have to ask myself, Is this what you're ready for? Is this what you want? Because honestly speaking, when I left out of the Chinese Theater that evening, and we were going over to this hotel with after party was going to be there were hoards of people, like out there. And my daughter was with me, and my daughter met me there. And she was, and I would say, This is my manager. This is my manager. And so she so on the tape, don't that you can hear us say, di VA diva, Tyler, that's an issue want to make sure that we're spending her mother's name, right. But anyway, we're going and she was she was so sweet. She wouldn't even care. Let me carry my own pocket. She said, Mama, this is your life. This is your night, you can count, carry it all. So we get ready to go to the hotel, all this crowd of people. And they have these posters in their way. I know what they wanted. I was like, hi, autographs. But I didn't know that. And then my daughter say, Well, come on, Mama. Come on. And um, then I heard somebody say, diva. And I went to look back and she said, Come on mama. And I said, No, I say somebody just call my name. I say she say, yes. That's your Thursday fans.
Unknown Speaker 56:24
Because you call my name? I'll give her to go. Yes. We're like, they want you to sign this. Could you sign that? I said, I said, Well, let me just tell you. Well, I'm not big on signing it. Because you can send my signature right now. Not that I know. My signature looks like you know, I'm huge. We're taking pictures, I love to take pictures. So, you know, yeah, it was a blast. It was nice. And so moving forward. I am just going to keep speaking into existence. To be able to have roles that first of all, move the story forward. That's huge for me, but also roles that help meaning to them, the roles that people can look at these bowls and, and be inspired and motivated through something that they've heard a scene. There's so many roles like that out there. And I'd like to be a part of something that important and important that people can go back and just not remember that I had a lightbulb shoved down my neck. You know
Unknown Speaker 57:37
I almost didn't get it and then and I was sitting there thinking I was like Okay, so next time a man in a mask comes at you with a fluorescent bulb. You run you don't
Unknown Speaker 57:49
know but you don't get it that was that was that was the joke on me that here I have to tell you this. So since the movie is out so when that drone in that wine bottle that I had you know you notice that snatch my drone up as if that was going to save my life or anything. I get the wine bottle because I got the wine bottle weapon. And I'm seeing him kill my husband. And I'm sad standing there because they may because like Bambi Connie likes or something. You know? Not everybody say everyone when I say no the people just take steal. But here's the deal. It took three times for me to say a steal. Because doing that during the taping during the taping, when I never seen anything like that. But he smashed through that window Yes. Like no diva? No. I was like, Huh. I did it three times. And David, for this concept. He came to me saying evil. You're doing wonderful. He says, but we've only have one more breakaway glass. We start out with four. He said the only thing would have sent me at this point is if we lose it if we don't get the clip that we need. Say, Okay, I'm scared for real. Okay, first of all, as I say, but I won't disappoint you. I will never be the weakest link. As I get you counted down in my head. He said no, you get it. Yeah, okay. Well, let me just tell you, when I first was him take a step. Let me see. And all I saw was that one hour looking at me it was time to go. So I want you to know in my heart I was running, but I had to stay there. And then the setup was to get to the back door and have all these chain locks on there. The job was really on me right
Unknown Speaker 59:52
right. Well, now that I know that you went from four pieces of glass down to the last one I'm That appeases me, and we're good with it. I do I love my wife but if that was her I'd be go
Unknown Speaker 1:00:19
he was such a crummy gets walked on it. Did you see him step on my drum?
Unknown Speaker 1:00:23
Yeah. I saw.
Unknown Speaker 1:00:26
I mean, cruel to the max. But I loved it. I had so much fun. So much fun.
Unknown Speaker 1:00:33
Is there? Is there anything that you're that you're currently working on? Or that you're promoting now? Are you still kind of promoting Halloween kills? Or are you onto a new project?
Unknown Speaker 1:00:45
Well, I'm still auditioning. I do still do auditions. It's amazing. What I've been getting is these scouts calling me when these girl of the convention face hierarchize dress. You know, I'm saying something about coming out signing autographs taking pictures. And I think in this part of the season, most of those are over, but I'm not sure. So that's new for me. And I'm, you know, I'm looking into that. But also, um, yeah, also, I've had several people want to interview me, Halloween Daily News did an interview with me and some other people, but I'm not sure who they are. So I'm some kind of sticking with the ones that that I know is quality, like, like this? Yeah. theme about moving, you know, keep moving on how to move on up.
Unknown Speaker 1:01:48
Yeah, we were hoping it'll be inspirational to you know, a lot of people and not just limited to actors, and, you know, musicians, but people in any industry that you know, are finding all kinds of reasons not to, you know, because of their location or whatever, not that we bought into their dreams, and you know, what to showcase and, you know, this era, you can, you can pretty much be anywhere, you know, you can find ways you can study at night, you can do whatever it takes to move out of that be like honing your craft. I mean, obviously, we're all trying to up our game I know used to work with, you know, with my friend, Crystal Carson, and he's still doing doing that kind of stuff, are you what are you doing to keep things moving for yourself and advancing?
Unknown Speaker 1:02:30
Well, one of the things that I I learned to do whatever problem I had was doing it, even before the, during the pandemic, I come to realize that there are so many videos on YouTube, the Actor's Studio, you know, there's so many opportunities where you're hearing the, the celebrity actress get up and talk about their experiences, what it took for them, what they found out was important, you know, how they pull their character out, those are very interesting to me, because you're hearing it, like they say, from the horse's mouth, people that have already succeeded in that area. And so if you're trying to succeed, and you want to study the people that are successful doing what it is that you want to do, so that's first and foremost. And then secondly, of all, I, I, when I get my audition out with print them out, I always go back, even if I didn't get the role, I always go back and see how many different ways I can perform that character in front of the mirror, what have you, I find that sometimes when I'm auditioning, and I'm so into getting that tape on time, and trying to give the best performance at that time. But what I realized is that, when I'm here, and I take my time, I can, I can actually feel what's going on with that character. And I can see the difference between what happens when I'm in front of the camera. And what happens when I'm just in front of the mirror, being diva, and actually really feeling that. And so I'm learning to take my time, what is actually happening, because sometimes just going to read the last, the directors of the cast directors can tell you just read in a line. And I'm huge on being a book, I always, always have look, I can get, I can get a five page script right now. And they say has to be done by 12 o'clock tomorrow, by 12 o'clock tomorrow my book. And what happens sometimes with that is that you learn the words, but then I learned the words, but then I have to fill it in with that character, and the personality and whatever is going on around me. So I create this world is just like having that imaginary friend. It's like sometimes the best teacher is in here and in here. You know, and so I do a lot of that and I study. You know, I read my books and what have you. And again, I listen to what other people are doing and I found it working. And then I also I have no hesitation with some of the Casio records to reach out and say, you know, um, you know, what is, you know, what do you think is a good approach to certain certain things, the ones that I feel that are comfortable with asking those questions, because I know that if I do a good job, it makes their job easy. You know, because they're doing the same thing I'm doing. They're, they're they're wanting to, they're wanting to get their next gig to, you know, so they have to do a good job. So I have to bring them when they want to make their job easier. So I do that, you know, I try to make their job as easy as possible. By by studying my lines, I will go over my lines, several times, I will reread them, I will, I will take my my lines, and I'll learn them in pieces. And I'll take it away. And I'll just stare at that whole scene before I move on to that next scene. And I'll create that character. And so sometimes it is a good choice not like this, you have to take certain risks. Sometimes it's a good choice. And sometimes it's the public choice, but it may not be the choice that they're looking for. But then you may have 600 Other people this auditioning for that role. So I learned first and foremost not to take it personal. You really have to be pretty thick skin in here because it will drive you absolutely batty. If you if you were sitting there counting how many rolls we didn't get see people see the roads that I have gotten, but they don't see all the auditions that I've done. I did not get exactly. So if I gave up. Because, you know, during the pandemic, when the whole film industry shut down. Everybody was wondering what's going to happen, you know, is my acting career over? or what have you? What did I let that stop me from continuing to study and to still stay focused? I want to be ready for I want to be ready for for ready. Whenever it happened, and so I continued on and I continue to do things that that I felt that helped me grow to hone my craft.
Unknown Speaker 1:07:06
Man, this is a so this is like it's episode this was gonna be episode two. But technically, it's episode four. Because episode zero is, is Kirk and me, and that they're split in half. So that's technically one and two. And then we've got a musician, that's number one. But something that I'm seeing that is like, is going to be a constant theme on this is the talk of you said, you know, you everybody's seen these movies that I've been in that were you know, they're, you know, Halloween kills the number one movie in America. But nobody sees the ones, the countless ones that you did, and it never went anywhere. And there we go again, is is understanding that failure is not a bad thing. And it's a it's a stepping stone and learning your craft and, and all of that. But then additionally, it's my belief in something that I'm always preaching is. We live in a day and age where you don't have an excuse. You have YouTube, you have masterclass. You have all these resources at your fingertips. We're currently sitting here having a conversation from California to Nebraska to Atlanta, Georgia. And, I mean, 1020 1015 years ago, this would just be completely impossible. And so, what is your excuse? Because anything you tell me is laughable. And then that's an that's, that is another thing that we're trying to drive home. It's Shut up, you're being lazy. Get up, make it happen, because you can because you have the tools.
Unknown Speaker 1:08:55
Let me tell you something, one of the greatest things I've noticed right now is when you find yourself talking yourself out of something, then what you should do is learn how to reduce it down to the ridiculousness. Break it down to a point where everything you said, this is ridiculous, you know, I'm not gonna miss my opportunity because of fear. You know, and fear is what is not even real, is what we created in our head. So we can see ourselves as successful or we can see ourselves as failure, you know, and what you say is true. If you're looking at all those failures is somebody throwing bricks at you then take them and line them up and make them a stepping stone? You know, you know, you can not allow one no, because even in sales when I learned sales, they say they tell me you had to make a lot of calls to get in touch with these students and what have you. And they will tell you they had they had this in where you will make 100 calls but you may only get 20 People But you had to make you had to go through at nose before you got the 20, you know, right. So you just don't give up, if that's what you want to do. If you have more than interested in you committed, then don't just talk about it be about it.
Unknown Speaker 1:10:16
I hope I'm hoping to you but one of these days, we can do a film together as one, there's one role I have in mind that as the film goes forward, that I think would be really cool to work with you on. So we'll chat as it may be a while before I get to it, but tell you, the more I think you may be exactly the person that that, you know, they could pull this off. So
Unknown Speaker 1:10:37
come on, come on, give her a chance.
Unknown Speaker 1:10:42
It's gonna be a challenging one, we'll talk about it offline, but it's gonna be this person has to betray, you know, an over the top energy every, every time they walk on the scene, unpredictable Ness, so that you never know if it's gonna be a good day or a bad day with them. So, you know, based on everything you're saying today, I think, yeah, this might be the kind of challenge you might be up to and want to do stuff.
Unknown Speaker 1:11:03
Absolutely. Absolutely. I think it would be so much me. totally enjoyed you guys. And I'm looking forward to anything you bring my way. I love I can say I love a challenge. Because it's it's this is this pure fun. Yeah. You know, when you're doing what you love, you know?
Unknown Speaker 1:11:25
Yeah. Absolutely. And I think it'd be fun for us to work together with crystal, because she would obviously be the person you know, being you know, being the casting coach, you know, I think it'd be, I think it'd be fine. I think you can make a lot of magical things happen. So
Unknown Speaker 1:11:42
sounds fun. I'm up for it. In 21 days,
Unknown Speaker 1:11:48
I won't go that far. But then this one, you know that this role is like a very all over the map. You know, you never know if it's gonna be a good day never know if it's gonna be a bad day. You don't know if the character you know is caring or selfish. And it's kind of one of those where you got to you got to really keep people guessing that's part of the essence of it. So
Unknown Speaker 1:12:08
Wow, it sounds so much like some parts of my personality already. I thank you so much. I didn't. I do set my day off. And I do want to say as far as I'm gonna move on. I believe in creating your day. You speak what you want to have happen. And you look for nothing else. Everything else I tell my say, you count your blessings. So you speak what it is that you want. Create your day. And you say, I know my miracles are the day I'm looking for my miracle. Well, if you get up off the bed and you fallen in, well, you know that wasn't it. So you keep looking. You don't let you don't let little little little things stop you along the way. Because you could be three feet from gold and you know the book. Three Feet From Gold. Three Feet From Gold, right?
Unknown Speaker 1:13:01
Quitting too early. Oh, man, that's awesome. Well, I mean, I mean, who's not ready for Monday now? I mean, let's go. I'm ready to go clock in. I don't know what you guys
Unknown Speaker 1:13:16
thanks for joining us for making time for this and really, really enjoyed the opportunity to speak with you get to know you more and appreciate your contribution to this podcast.
Unknown Speaker 1:13:28
Absolutely. Thank you for having me and asking me to be a part of it.
Unknown Speaker 1:13:33
Riley here. Thanks for listening to this episode of move podcast. For more content. Check us out on all major social media platforms and make a move podcast.com Until next time, get off your butt and make
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