Photo by Evan Mulling.Tell us a little about yourself and your career.
I’m an actor, writer, and filmmaker based in L.A. and born and raised in the south suburbs of Chicago, Ill. I am inherently a PLOT TWIST because by the time my parents had me, my four older sisters were already grown and out of the house. The sister closest to me in age is 20 years older (surprise!). Naturally, with no one else to play with, I had a lot of time to myself, which quickly developed into being my own entertainment writing and acting out my own stories.
I remember being especially drawn to shows like That’s So Raven and The Proud Family on the Disney Channel and True Jackson, VP on Nickelodeon—and having a strong conviction about me having my own show one day. I knew what I wanted to do at an early age with performing being my first love, and thankfully I had parents who believed in me and were incredibly supportive.
While career-wise I’ve been acting professionally the longest, I’ve also been writing for as long as I can remember. When I was a kid I would regularly fold pages of printer paper and staple it together into little booklets so that I could be ready to write and draw any time inspiration struck. I’ve always been passionate about creating and have never been one to “wait to create.” I went to NYU Tisch School of the Arts where I got my BFA in Drama. I also studied screenwriting and independent producing via my minor. I graduated a semester early, and in what would have been my last semester, I created an original comedic web series entitled NAPS.
Since graduating from NYU and moving to Los Angeles, I’ve written/created more projects of my own such as my debut sci-fi short film Adullam. I also have had the pleasure of producing for others through my boutique production company RLH Productions. As an actor I’ve guest starred in shows like The Chi, All Rise, and 9-1-1: Lone Star. One of the major blessings of this year has of course included being welcomed aboard as a writer for the new animated Disney series Hey A.J!, making this my first writers’ room.
What challenges have you faced transitioning into a career in animation?
Because my path to animation definitely looks a lot different than most folks, I look at the work I do in animation as an extension of my career overall. With that being said, I thoroughly enjoy all of the work that I do and so the biggest challenge has sometimes been how easy it can be to overlook how much REST is needed in between all of the things. I have adapted the mindset that rest is also productive and does not necessarily mean sleeping or “doing nothing” but can also simply mean taking intentional time for yourself. I am at rest when I am spending time with my family. I am at rest when I am playing “Chef BoyarGina” cooking up something in my kitchen. For me, rest looks like doing the things that energize and recharge me outside of the work I do as a writer, actor, and producer, and ensuring that I am making a conscious effort to make room for this, as well.
Who are your inspirations in the field of animation?
I would truly be remiss if I did not mention the fact that some of my biggest inspirations in animation are the very people I have the honor of working with and learning from in my current writers’ room. Our iconic story editor Sib Ventress; staff writers Charlotte Wilson Langley, Ta’Riq Fisher, and Camille Corbett; writer/story consultant Craig Carlisle; and our design guru Bernie Petterson. It is also so exciting to be able to watch and be inspired by our fearless showrunner Swampy Marsh who is a straight up LEGEND, as well as our show’s creator and executive producer Martellus ‘Marty’ Bennett whose level of vision and creativity is truly off the charts. Working with these immensely talented humans has unlocked a new level of creativity for me, and it’s rare I have a day where I don’t feel like I am growing as a writer and/or imaginate-or. Other animation inspirations include Aaron McGruder and Bruce W. Smith, as well as Regina King, Cree Summer, and Kyla Pratt who have lent their voices to some of our most beloved and iconic Black cartoon characters.
What do you hope to accomplish as an artist in the animation industry?
Above all I hope to inspire, entertain, and make people feel seen with everything I create. I also hope to continue sharing what I’ve learned in the different rooms and spaces I’ve been blessed enough to have access to with people who live in places like my hometown who may not have otherwise realized these opportunities even existed. As far as animated work I’ll create, a lot of what I’m currently drawn to in animation is based on or loosely inspired by my own experiences as a Black woman/young Black girl growing up, especially work that focuses on family and generational ties. There is an animated short I have in my back pocket that I’d like to see completed in the next few years that touches on this. I also have an animated children’s show that follows a young Black girl as she learns everything there is to know about gardening that I’d love to see come to life.
What does being in the Union mean to you?
I’ve been SAG since I was a kid from some of the acting work I did when I was younger. While being a Union member is something I was exposed to early on, I didn’t fully understand the importance of unions and what it meant to be a part of one until I began working more as a young adult. As a newer TAG member, I maintain that same level of understanding gained from my experience as a SAG member. While I don’t believe that union status qualifies a person’s talents (there are many very talented people with big ideas who currently are not union), I do believe that being in the Union signifies a certain level of credibility and is one of those markers of reaching a new level in your career. It also means being part of a larger community of people who love and are good at their craft and genuinely just want the best for themselves and each other, not just creatively but also in terms of performing this work for a living sustainably.
Learn more about Regina at her website.
Follower her on Instagram.
.png)