From the stage to the screen: Being Black in entertainment

I’ve worn many different hats in my lifetime, one of which was being a professional dancer. Although I now prioritize my life as a writer, community organizer, and DEI professional, I still try and stay connected to the entertainment world. Through my and my husband's careers in the industry, I’ve met so many phenomenal entertainers that have gone on to do amazing things on the stage and on our TV screens. For our February issue, I interviewed three powerhouse entertainers, and here is what they had to say about the nuances of Blackness and the entertainment industry.

Giovonnie Samuels

Giovonnie Samuels interview

You have been an actress since you were a child. We’ve seen you on Nickelodeon's “All That”, Bring it on: All or Nothing, Freedom Writers, and “That’s so Raven”. Black women all over the world, especially us millennials, love and adore the characters that you’ve brought to the screen. What was it like being a Black woman in the industry at such a young age? As you grew older and continued to act, in what ways did your experience change?

I didn’t realize then or now! Part of it is because we were coming out of the ‘90s when there were a lot of prevalent Black shows on television and I felt like that was normal, until the 2000s when the shift happened and there were a lot more token faces. And even now we have social media, we have the internet; that wasn’t necessarily part of the industry when I was growing up. I’m now seeing and receiving my flowers.

You have been such an important staple to Black girls and Black women when it comes to representation. I personally enjoyed cheer and debate clubs in high school and was always comforted watching you play characters that I identified with on TV. Were you aware of your impact while filming so many iconic roles? If so, does a certain amount of pressure come with that awareness?

You never know you’re doing something iconic when you’re actually doing it. I get this question often, and I never really know how to answer it, because for me, it was all about the work. And that’s what I focused on doing. Doing a good job and making people laugh and creating a character that was fun.

What have been some of your biggest struggles being a Black woman in the entertainment industry? How do you deal with those barriers and roadblocks?

Ha, I’m still figuring that out. Some of the issues I had then are not the issues I have now, and that’s because I’ve had to grow up. That’s not without saying that we’ve still had to make strides with hair and makeup. We still have issues with the pay inequality. How I deal with it is by creating my own work. I’ve started producing more, and I’m really enjoying that space, being able to create.

Not only are you an amazing actor, but you also hold the titles of wife and mother. What advice do you have for career women who are also juggling families and their artistic endeavors? In what ways do you prioritize self care and keep everything organized and in flow?

It’s not easy, and I use my iCalendar a lot! I set timers for everything and I have a great partner that pushes and encourages me to keep going, even when it doesn’t make sense.

What advice do you have for those that are interested in getting into the industry? What can they do to prepare for a life of auditioning and living as an entertainer?

Please respect this craft and get some training. Do not think you can just jump up here and do it without taking the proper steps of research and training and discipline that comes with this job as actors!
This is a dream that you have to continually fight for. With the strike, I really did almost lose my confidence and passion for this business, but I don’t want to do anything else. I don’t know how to do anything else because this is my love and my passion.
Everything has a high and a low, and in those low moments, work on yourself, live your life. It will be there. It will come. It will happen, but you have to live life and experience life so that you can perform it.

This Black History Month, many artists around me have shared various emotions about the state of our collective community, ranging from fatigue, to activation, to empowerment. What is it like being an artist in such a historic age concerning our generation and liberation? What role does your art play with your own values and core beliefs?

I do have a hard rule of: “I’m not going to perform Black trauma stories unnecessarily.” Everything that I do has to have a deeper meaning, and be artistically tasteful. That has always been my standard.

If you had the world stage to relay a message to our collective Black community, what would that message be?

Do better and get some therapy! We are way too smart and talented and monolithic for our culture to be packaged and sold for nothing. Pick up a book and learn our history, because they are trying to erase it.

What can we expect next from Giovonnie Samuels?

Like I said before, I am producing, and I have a couple of things in the works that I’m very proud of. I also have a podcast talking about my experience of being in this industry called The Tokens, and I will be interviewing other actors [and] writers, and sharing their stories, as well.

Giovonnie Samuels is an actress and director, known for Freedom Writers (2007), Bring It on: All or Nothing (2006), Harbinger Down (2015), and Nickelodeon's infamous “All That”. She is beloved in the Black community, highlighting many of our childhoods and youth with the characters that she portrays.

Giorgio ‘Gio’ Johnson interview

We’ve had the honor of watching you as characters on some of our favorite TV shows like “Chicago Fire”, “Blackboard Jungle”, and “61st Street”. Most recently we’ve seen you on “Power Book IV: Force”. What is like it be a Black man in such a vast industry? What is something that you want aspiring Black actors to know?

Being Black in this industry comes with its pros and cons.

On the pro side, I get to be a representation for every little Black boy out there that is watching me. I'm giving them the opportunity to see someone that looks like them, and help them believe they can do it, too. The cons are that the depictions of Black people in media are not always the best. It’s getting better, but we still have a long way to go.

I want aspiring Black actors to know that there is room for everyone. We look at the industry as competition when in actuality, it’s not. We all are capable of doing great things. I would also like them to know that it is never too late to break into the industry. There will always be a role for a child, just as there will always be a role for a parent, or even grandparent. So go for it!

We know that you also wear other hats of directing and writing, including your first musical production, “Rekindled”. What was it like building such a production? What artistic sights do you have your eye on next?

“Rekindled” was such a special project. The Idea was brought to me by Terrell Bounds, and he allowed me to just let my creativity flow, and we brought to life a beautiful production about the ups and downs of marriage. Writing, directing, producing, and having to act in the show last minute was quite the challenge, but I had an amazing cast and crew that made it so easy and enjoyable. I'm currently working on bringing it back, and making it even bigger. I'm also working on a reality show, and a documentary that I'm very excited for the world to see!

The industry is filled with ups and downs, and can sometimes be a very challenging place to thrive, especially for people of color. What are some of the challenges that you have faced in the entertainment industry as a Black man? How do you deal with those barriers?

One of the biggest challenges I have faced is feeling like I was boxed into a certain type of role. Every character I have played on TV has been shot. Even when I finally thought I broke the barrier of playing ‘the thug’ and thought I was safe playing Detective Marcus on “Force”, I got a call saying I was getting killed off in the finale.

I deal with these challenges by sometimes turning down roles, and also creating the roles I want to see. I have been writing a lot. It’s essential for us to tell our stories, from our perspectives. And to also create our own worlds. We are superheroes, and doctors, and pilots, and magical. The world deserves to see us as such!

What advice do you have for those that are interested in getting into the industry? What can they do to prepare for a life of auditioning and living as an entertainer?

My advice is to take classes. This is a craft, and just like any other profession, it should be studied and taken seriously. If you want to be famous, go do reality TV, or create content. If you want to be an actor, learn the craft! Don’t do it for the fame or approval; do it because you love it!

You prepare for it by making sure you are whole. I think every actor needs a therapist. This industry is full of rejection, comparison, and people making decisions for you. An insecure person can easily lose themselves in this industry. My goal is to always book the room, not the role. I want to always leave a lasting impression on the Casting Director so that even if I don’t book this role, they call me back for the next one.

Being a Black man in this country comes with a lot of pressures, anxieties, and burdens. To portray them in film — often playing characters that are far distances from your own personality — seems like a hard thing to do. What is the experience like of telling Black stories of manhood? Does it take any emotional toll on you?

Telling Black stories of manhood [is] so important. My grandfather was my hero growing up. He wasn’t a thug or gangster by any means, but he also wasn’t soft at all. He was a true renaissance man who did it all — who loved his family, and provided. He was one of the few men I had to look up to, and I always want to make sure I tell stories that would make him proud. Sometimes, it does take an emotional toll on me seeing the most negative parts of us be the ones that are highlighted and win the awards, when I know there are so many other versions of what Black manhood looks like.

Mental health is a big topic right now in the Black community. How do you juggle so many projects? What do you do to practice self care in this industry?

I try to limit my workload based on what I feel like is important in that season. I never want what I love to do to feel like it's overwhelming, or that I’m in survival mode trying to make it in the industry. I have an amazing therapist and an amazing community of people in and out of the industry that help to keep me grounded. Most importantly, my mom, who is my biggest supporter, helps to motivate me everyday, and know that I don’t have to rush God’s plan.

This is a beautiful time for Black art. I feel like we are in such a freeing time, when we are creating without limits or trying to appease everyone. We are just making what makes us feel good. My art will always be made from my heart, and how I feel. I create to express myself in what I feel like is the most safe way. I get to say what I can’t quite get out with just words, or what I feel like needs to be said on a bigger scale. My art is made for every person who looks like me, thinks like me, and doesn’t see themselves, and the people around them.

If you had the world stage to relay a message to our collective Black community, what would that message be?

My message is: We are still the trendsetters, we are still the cool kids, and we are still the ones that everyone wants to be. So don’t fight for a seat at the table; keep creating your own!

Giorgio ‘Gio’ Johnson was born and raised on Chicago's south side. Gio is a man of many talents he has been in several plays and film projects, most notably, his guest star appearance on "Chicago Fire", and most recently, his guest star appearance on “Power Book IV: Force” as detective Marcus Rankin. His talent doesn't stop with acting; he is also a host of the Web Series "The Kick Back".

Ari Goover interview

So you’ve been on Broadway for 10 years now, and we’ve seen you in some amazing shows like the revival of Little Shop of Horrors which earned you the 2020 Lucielle Lortel Nomination for Best Featured Actress. Congratulations! We’ve also seen you in Head Over Heels and Holler if You Hear Me. Now we have the honor of watching you on tour In the Tina Turner Musical as Tina. What does it mean to you to be able to be a Black woman in this industry blazing your own path in this way?

I think that it shows the ingenuity of people of color, especially Black women, in this industry. Broadway has been coined ‘The Great White Way’ for a reason. Broadway was not always the easiest genre for people of color. We’re often only seen as the background, but never as someone who could lead a story. I have never had the easiest route in this industry, so the importance of finding my own lane means that I never have to subscribe to stereotypes that are given by white casting directors if I am the creator of my own manifestations. As the years have passed, Broadway has become this global phenomenon, and the audiences want to see representation on stage. They want to see a reflection of themselves.

I wear many different hats, especially one in a past life as a professional dancer. One of my favorite memories with you was coming up together and training in Atlanta, chasing big beautiful dance dreams. You, too, wear a lot of hats — not only are you a dancer, you are a DJ as Ari Grooves, a producer, and an actress, and you’ve formed your own collective called SNOB (Sunday Night On Broadway). What would you say to the youth who feel that they are pressured to pick one lane, or struggle to find their way in a world with so many options?

I say use every skill that you have; you never know which one will open the doors for you. I believe that you learn so much and can navigate through so many different avenues with a multitude of skill sets. We live in a society where people can create their own lanes, thanks to the popularity of social media. You will start to see that the skills that you have will go hand-in-hand to support the path you choose to go.

Unfortunately, as a Black woman in this industry, I will always be met with doubts. The fact [is] that we are still trying to break through the stereotypes that have been placed upon us. I can play the hardest role on Broadway — Tina Turner — and still not be seen as a person who can bring in a crowd, because of not having a big name. And producers still believe that Black women or stories are not able to bring in sales in a white-dominated field. Just like the beautiful Taraji P. Henson said, we are struggling to get paid what we are worth or get the jobs we deserve after putting in the work. I am still fighting to be seen in the rooms. This is why I will always create. I have to create the things that people cannot see me as, and find the people who believe in me as much as I do.

Mental health is at the forefront of our society right now. In what ways do you prioritize self care with such a strenuous schedule?

I love spa days! I get massages or try to do mini getaways as much as I can. It’s really the simple things like going to a cafe, game night with friends, movies with the family, or talks with my best friends. I call them every other day! (lol) I cherish these small moments as they keep me grounded.

What advice do you have for those that are interested in getting into the industry? What can they do to prepare for a life of auditioning and living as an entertainer?

I am sure you hear the obvious, which is training. Training is very important, but with this industry, make sure to give yourself grace of loving your authentic self. This industry is filled with a lot of nos, and you have to mentally prepare your spirit for rejection. Find your core group to help you stay stabilized in an industry that is ever-changing. Also, something that took me time to learn is: Don’t take it personal. It’s never your fault on why you may not be chosen for certain things. Sometimes, the gigs you want might not be the gigs you need at that time!

I see that you also put out an album in 2021 called Message from a Wanderer. It’s so futuristic, I love the influences of house and the progressive and uplifting Black sentiments in the content. How important is culture to you in all of your artistic endeavors?

Culture is everything! It’s how we leave an imprint on this Earth. It’s a part of the way we learn. Black people have always been cultural trendsetters and innovators. It’s our superpower that has been passed down to us from generations, so it’s imperative to keep it alive in everything I do!

This Black History month many artists around me have shared various emotions about the state of our collective community. Ranging from fatigue, to activation, to empowerment. What is it like being an artist in such a historic age concerning our generation and liberation? What role does your art play with your own values and core beliefs?

In the words of Nina Simone, “It is an artist's duty to reflect the times.” Art is an imitation of life. I am an advocate of using my art as a protest, to show and reflect the state of where we are as a society and how we need to be better to one another. It’s my responsibility to use this gift to spark change and to potentially help heal, so that people are granted the gift of freedom in art!

Ari Groover is an artist, DJ, and an interstellar force to be reckoned with. Born with the name Ariana Groover, this “ATLiean” is a known Broadway performer and choreographer that has been shifting the NYC scene as we know it.

Poet, writer, social justice advocate, and choreographer Daishaundra Loving-Hearne is no stranger to the arts or the power they hold. She is the CEO of Urban Poets Society and Loving Hearne, LLC, both organizations in our community centering the youth, art, empowerment, and mental and emotional wellness through a social justice & DEI lens.