A Rose In Full Bloom

A Rose In Full Bloom Part 3

In this last, of my three-part interview, we start with advice to our young women from Keisha Rose.  Parts one and two can be found at wadlingtonwords.weebly.com. and wadlingtonwords.blogspot.com.

CSW:  Are you ready to do this?

KR:  Yes, let’s roll.

CSW:  What advice would you give to a teenage young woman who wants to do what you’re doing?

KR:  What advice would I give her?  I would tell her to study the craft and to ask is it really something she seriously wants to do.  People see the fame and the success part of it but they don’t see the process. We live in a microwave society today, so everybody wants to make it overnight.  It’s a lot of hard work so I would tell her to research and prepare.  Make sure she’s in love with it and know what she’s walking in to.

CSW:  Great advice and we have some wonderfully, talented young people who are pursuing their dreams.  For an actor, living in Chicago, are your chances great for getting work in the industry?  Or is it best to relocate to cities like Los Angeles or Atlanta?

KR:  I think Chicago is growing and I believe that Chicago will be there in a few years.  Do you need to move to LA or Atlanta? I would say, you should probably relocate to one of those cities and I don’t like saying that and here’s the reason why.  I was going to a lot of seminars and would express that I wanted to act and they’d tell me, “You have to move.”  My reaction was why?  I felt that Chicago was just as big as Los Angeles or Atlanta, but you have to go where the resources are.  Reasons like weather, location and tax benefits are the advantages of those cities.  Chicago’s not there yet.  In Atlanta, you can make it look like anything.  It can be the city, the ghetto, the country and everything else.  And you have great film making in Atlanta.  LA? Yes, it’s a great place to be.  If I had my choice, I’d pick Atlanta to relocate to.  I don’t have to be a size two to act in Atlanta.

CSW:  You’re writing now, so how did you get started?  And was it always in you?

KR:  It’s always been there.  I used to always write short stories but I wasn’t comfortable or confident about my writing.  But last year I decided it’s now or never and started putting myself out there.  To have people recognize and say it’s good enough, is good enough for me.  Writing on Meet Karma has really stepped it up for me.  And I never knew what people meant when they would say their characters would wake them up in the middle of the night.

CSW: They sure do.

KR:  You can be knocked out sleep and they start talking to you and you’re forced to get up.

CSW and KR:  Laughs.

CSW:  And they’ll talk to you in your car and you’ll wonder how you made it to the destination because your mind wasn’t on the road.

KR:  Yes, and now you people watch because you’re learning characteristics and taking it all in.  Everything is now a writing subject.  And writing literally takes you to another place.  It’s very therapeutic.

CSW:  I totally agree.  Professionally and personally.

KR:  If we wrote our problems down, we’d probably see them for what they really are. I wrote about childhood stuff and about my dad when he passed. It helped me.

CSW: That leads me to the next question.  Do you write in a journal?

KR: Oh yes, I try to everyday.  I was writing in my journal this morning because I knew today would be a good day.  I like writing down my feelings and about what’s going on.

CSW:  What’s a fun fact about Keisha Rose that we don’t know?

KR:  Let me see.  This was brought up the other day with someone.  I’m very corny.  Another thing is, I love Country music.  I love Rock music.  I love outside stuff.  I’m going swimming and horseback riding.  People put you in a box based on what they see.  All those things you think that I’m not supposed to do, I’m that girl who will try it and I’m sure I’ll love it.

CSW:  It’s good to think outside the box and be open to things.  Earlier you mentioned the projects you’re working on.  Can you share details with us?

KR:  Absolutely.  Soon, I’ll be starring in a web series called Sisterhood, written by Karlton Clay Productions to be set in Atlanta.  Production will start late April into May.  I play the role of an abused woman out of five professional women who are friends.  The friends have come back together and one friend is suffering in silence.  I’m glad to bring awareness out about domestic violence and I believe we’re going to do a PSA about it after each episode.  I was hesitant about the role initially but I was able to think about it and realized I could help somebody.  Hopefully, it’ll allow people to see themselves in the character and they can get help.

CSW:  That’s wonderful, because so many people who are abused are suffering in silence.  What a great way to bring awareness through storytelling.

KR:  Yes it is.  And I’m also co-writing a show called Triggers with Jane Pauline, the creator.  It’s about five women who meet in a group and they’re in therapy for domestic violence.  The conversation really needs to be started because nobody talks about getting back into society and dealing with the triggers that come from any form of abuse.  We’re writing it so you see the triggers. Like one woman has a trigger from barbecue sauce.

CSW: Both of those shows sound interesting and I’m sure they’ll both help a lot of people.

KR:  For Triggers, we’re hoping to have it ready by October in time for Domestic Violence Month.

CSW:  So awesome.

KR:  This summer we have the Netflix series, Whispers, coming and it’s been a long time in the making.  I learned three years ago that I got the role.  During the time frame Netflix now has Ava DuVernay and Shonda and for our show to get the green light, I’m very happy.  I play Summer, the best friend of the main character.  Summer is a ride or die friend and we see true love between best friends without jealousy and envy that can sometimes come with female friendships.  My character is there to protect her best friend from certain family members.  It’s the best script.

CSW:  That’s really, exciting.  Tell us about the screenplay you’re involved with.

KR:  There’s a wonderful book titled, Love Miscarriage available on Amazon and written by this great author Marci Batiste.  I’m writing the screenplay for a major studio who’s interested in the author’s story, along with Glenn Murray and Marci Batiste.  You talk about pressure.  It makes me a little nervous because it’s her story and you want to make sure you get the person’s thoughts and emotions right.  I know I put pressure on myself but when you’re creating characters, you’re giving them life.  But when you’re portraying real life, that’s when the pressure comes in for me.  I know I have to operate through the fear.

CSW:  I already know, you’ll rock it.

KR:  Thanks, and another project I’m working on is Kitchen Talk and I play Paige, the girlfriend of the main character.  I get dogged the whole movie because she can’t cook. That’s hard for me because I can cook but I’m really, excited about it.  And, on April 7^th I’m one of the honorees at the 3^rd NATL Actors Awards.  I know this is a lot but there’s two more things I’m happy about.

Actress Keisha Rose & Producer and Director Ton'e Brown

CSW:  God doesn’t give you more than you can handle so you’re good.

KR:  Amen to that.  I have two lip tick lines coming out. I’m introducing a Karma lipstick line which will be bright and bold colors. The second line is the KR Lips line which will feature neutral colors.  And last is the production company.  I’m now the Co-Founder of G-Rose Productions and it’s starting to manifest and hopefully by this year, we’ll have content and be fully up and running.

CSW:  You have such an amazing journey.  Tell me, five years from now, what have you accomplished in film or television?

KR: The production company is full of content and we’re going full speed.

CSW: Give me four words that describes your journey in the entertainment business.

KR:  Faith, Hope, Grind and Persistence.

CSW:  Keisha, you’re a beautifully bloomed rose and thank you for sharing your amazing journey with everyone.  I wish you the best.

KR:  Thank you CS.  I enjoyed every minute.

CSW:  You can find Keisha Rose on all social media at iamkeisharose.  Bookings for Keisha Rose is available at Info@220communications.com.