I Learned Something Big From My Small Appearances on All-American

Who knew a millisecond flash of my face in a TV scene would be seen?! And who knew people would give a rat’s tail?!

Not me.

This past fall I added another side hustle to my hat of tricks to stay afloat in Los Angeles, background acting gigs. (Don’t tell anybody, but if my grandmother didn’t have dementia, she’d tell you how I knew from the time I could talk that I was an actress, honey! I just knew it, and couldn’t be told differently, especially seeing very clearly that I was a more celebrated performer than all the other little kids in my classes. And if I weren’t so chicken, I’d tell you how that fire still burned in college, moving me to study theatre as an additional minor, and how it still flickers now, but somewhere in adulthood it’s been greatly dampened. So, I make myself believe this is a gig like any other gig, not a peek into my heart’s truest desire.) No different from any other gig I’ve done in Los Angeles, pouring drinks or greeting guests, I didn’t think much of it.

I damn sure didn’t think people I haven’t seen or talked to in a decade would be hitting me up about it!

I worked as a background extra on All-American: Homecoming (season 2).

This past fall filming season, I spent nice, long days on the Warner Bros. Studios lot in Burbank, California collecting my lil’ 132 over 8 (that’s entertainment industry work lingo).

I don’t remember exactly how many days I worked on set for All-American: Homecoming (season 2), but I was there for a few episodes, and just my luck, in episode 6, "Free Your Mind" directed by Keesha Sharp, they happened to leave a glimpse of your girl in the final cut, and as QUICK as it was, folks happened to notice me.

I found out I’d made it on TV when people started texting me.

Anyone that has ever visited any home I’ve had knows that I’ve never owned a television in my adult life. Anyone whose home I’ve ever visited knows that I don’t have an account on any streaming service. Anyone exposed to me at a decent proximity for any considerable length of time knows I don’t watch TV, unless I’m in a social setting. (Come on now, I’m not a total weirdo.. I’ll watch, and I’ll have plenty of commentary; it’s taking it upon myself to watch in my own leisure that I don’t do.) That being said, I hadn’t ever watched All-American: Homecoming (nor it’s parent show, All-American), and had no intention of watching it, even after working on set as a background actor for it. When the first few people hit me saying they’d seen me, that changed.

I streamed All-American: Homecoming for free on the CW network website after folks expressed their excitement.

Y’all texting me?! Shoot, now I gotta see!

It’s nice CW TV network allows free streaming of their shows without having to make an account, because baby if I would’ve had to, I was out! It was interesting watching how what I watched in front of me (in-person, on set) came together in the final production.

I’m thankful for people I know that are fans of the show.

What was more interesting than the contrast between what I saw on set and what I saw on screen, was what I saw from people.. People I know, people that know me.. People’s responses to the show (to me being “on” the show) is what moved me to actually think about it. We shot it in the fall, by the time it aired in the spring, it was long-gone from my mind. I’m thankful folks made me rewind.

I made a sappy post on Instagram about being seen on All-American: Homecoming.

As a Los Angeles lifestyle blogger, with a personal blog based in Los Angeles, I need to post more and this heartfelt caption from Instagram, about people’s responses to seeing me on All-American: Homecoming deserves to be cemented elsewhere on the World Wide Web.

Here’s what I posted on Instagram after an onslaught of DMs, texts and calls from something so small:

my lil' background extra work to collect a coin here and there is so small , y'all.. so so so so so so SO small.. but y'all.. Y'ALL are big.. your reactions , your encouragement , your pride ("aye, look my girl i went to school with...", etc.) , your love... YOUR LOVE IS BIG . it's so big it makes me want to do more , reach for more , be more.. be more for you.. do more for you..

i'm just a girl figuring it out.. finding her way #aroundLA ...yet you , people i took classes or rode the school bus with , fellow members from extracurricular clubs , folks from my hometown , family and family friends , co-workers from job after job , a range of acquaintances i've met along the way , & even random strangers in passing both online and off.. you.. you're big.. what you see in me is big

(**this post is not about my [almost non-existent] moves.. this post is about you**)

Plus, I was looking thru my aroundLAwithTK album of my phone’s camera roll for a picture to use for another blog post over in the cycling section, and I came across this set-day selfie (the one that’s the blog’s cover image), so why not?! This annoying iPhone keeps telling me I’m out of space. If I get all this darn blog content out of my camera roll and onto thee actual blog, I’d be able to clear up some space!

Okay, enough about that… I would write y’all an entire post about being on set of All-American: Homecoming, and it’s parent show All-American, as a background actor, but there’s not much say. Then again, who am I kidding?! I can write a blog post about the color of grass and yap for hours. Yeah, I’ll do that… not the color of grass post, y’all, the working on set of All-American.

Whew child.. trying to work towards goals. And they just might work..

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Note: I tried to embed the Instagram post here, but it wouldn’t work. Maybe there’s a squarespace glitch with embedding Instagram posts, or maybe I’m not doing something right.. my devices and accounts being set to French (when I’m not yet fluent in French) probably doesn’t help 🙃

First Day Working On Set As a Background Actor

Wardrobe. Hair. Makeup. Food.

A girl could get used to this set life.

Sitting in my queen-sized bed, reflecting on the time passed since getting out of this here bed before 4 o’clock this morning. Whew! Yes, I was up well before the chickens this morning, baby. And to say I worked an event (server) gig yesterday, which left me with much less than the recommended amount of sleep, I’m not having too much trouble keeping my eyes open to write this blog post at nearly 11 o’clock at night.

Lacking on rest, I thought I was going to be dog tired on set for a 5am call time, but something had me wired and I don’t think it was the coffee from craft services.

Maybe it was the newness, maybe it was the curiosity, maybe it was the excitement caused by newness and curiosity.

Related: Landing My First Background Acting Job

First of all, I didn’t go in with high expectations because working in the flexible food service industry of Los Angeles, majority of people I work with on any given shift are actors and I’d overheard them down-talking background work before. Every “actor” I’ve met in L.A. has, or has had, another job they do that actually pays the bills. When you’re an actor, chances are you’re a something-else that chooses to pour your resources into dreams of acting. It’s not paying you; you’re paying it. At least, at first (…or eternally). Anyway, this being the case, a great deal of actors in L.A. have “survival jobs”.

Related: 6 Side Hustles for Actors (YouTube video by Tyra the Creative)

If you’re an actor in L.A., why not do background acting as a survival job?

It makes sense, right? You get to be around the field you so-say love, you’re in the loop, you’re right there ‘round the folks you want to be ‘round. Why shouldn’t you do background acting as a survival job when you’re pursuing an acting career in L.A.?

Actors I’ve met would rather collect dirty glassware and change trash liners than go sit pretty on set as a background actor.

Some say it’s a faux pas to do background acting work if you have goals of being a principle actor. Once upon a time, they say, agents would even tell you not to accept background work. Though it’s still possible to get stuck there, which was one of the primary reasons to stay away from background acting, the tide seems to be shifting in more recent years. Agents don’t necessarily mind background work on a resume, as they’ve decided to look at the positive: you’ve been on set!

Even though doing background work isn’t frowned upon by the powers that be anymore (or as much?), some actors still don’t want to accept background work.

Related: Getting Into A Different Type of Gig

Okay, I’m getting off topic, maybe I am tired. The whole reason I brought all of that up is to say that I’ve heard actors on my event (serving) gigs say they wouldn't dare accept anymore background acting work because background actors are treated like cattle on set.

Background acting has a bad rap amongst some in the acting community, but what those folks experienced was not my experience today.

Whew child, these eyes are getting heavier now. Let me wrap this up, I suppose the quickest way I know how, chronologically.

Here’s how my first day as a background actress went.

I clicked the address provided in the email sent the day before shoot day and it brought me directly where I needed to go. Upon pulling into the parking lot right before 5am, there were men with flashlights smoothly directing parking. As soon as I parked and got out of the car, I could see shuttle buses and when I walked towards one, someone said, “background?”, to which I responded “yes,” and he pointed me towards my shuttle. A person outside of the shuttle door handed me a mask and I boarded.

Simple. Direct. Easy. No fuss.

This is already better than all the confusion trying to get to event gigs. Click the address you’re given, wrong location. Get to the right location, no parking. Arrive on site, no one knows why you’re here nor which direction you should go.

Moving along.

Shuttle brings us to set and we’re guided step-by-step. Check-in here. Okay, perf, Covid test (again) here. Let’s go down and pick up your wardrobe. This way for makeup. Okay, you’re done with makeup? Great, come this way for hair. You look absolutely amazing, wow, fantastic. You’re good to go. Walk with me this way. Let's pick you up some breakfast.

Me: Excuse me while I pick up eight french vanilla creamers, peel back the lid to each and pour them in my coffee cup.

Related: independent, locally-owned coffee shops #aroundLA

You're fine, take your time. Okay, we’ll have you here for holding and will come get you when you’re needed on set.

What?! That’s the type of organization I liiiiiiiiiiiike!

My entire day on set as a background actress for the first time was a well-oiled machine filled with polite people working it.

Okay, I need to go to sleep. I told myself I’m going for at least an hour-long bike ride in the morning and need to get this little skin indoors by 9am before the sun starts acting a fool. Ten hours in direct, blazing sunlight was enough to last me a while, honey! My goodness, I feel the upper portion of my arms tingle as I type this. I hope my Black behind isn’t sunburned.

The remainder of the day continued to flow as it began, pleasantly. Other than the paranoia of UV rays cooking up some aging, melanoma-ridden skin cells, I didn’t have any issues.

In between takes later in the afternoon, a group of us background folks were chatting and someone said, “this is nice, it’s a relaxing set.” Having to co-sign that, I said how it’s been such a pleasant experience that I’ll have to pick up more of these background gigs and less of my event (server) gigs. Everyone pretty much agreed, one girl saying how she’s down to only bartending once a week and the rest is acting work. Then here comes Debbie Downer, “well, you got really lucky for your first one. Trust me, they’re not all like this!”

Guess I’ll have to find out! 🙂

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Thank you for being here, riders.

Landing My First Background Acting Role

As insignificant as this is, I’m screaming.

AHHHHHHHH!

I’m on a major motion picture studio lot right now, and it’s not because I was hired to cater an event, as usually is the case when I’m at these famous Hollywood locations.

Back in April, I blogged about how one of my closest girlfriends out here in L.A., Shirley, slipped me into a slot for Central Casting on-boarding. She knows I don’t make any money blogging yet, and that I have a very flexible schedule with the type of work I do do to pay the rent, so she’d been swearing that if I get into background acting work, I could do well because ethnic is in. (She’s Asian with a pinch of Black and had had consistent work since signing up herself).

Since joining the roster of Hollywood’s biggest background casting company, I’d click “available” when possible work opportunities would appear in my inbox, but I’d never actively go out and search for roles. Shirley, being a full-time background actress, is in balls deep, always scouring the web for roles she could fill. Being the way-too-nice and thoughtful friend that she is, whenever she’d see somebody looking for a Black woman, she’d immediately send it to me. And when I say immediately, I mean immediately, before her eyes could even look across the entire description. A couple of times I had to say, “Shirley, do you really think I can pass for a woman in her 60s?” Majority of the time though, she wasn’t calling me an old lady and sent me jobs I could submit for.

“MODEL TYPES FOR MAJOR SHOW
** seeking women in their 20s **”

That’s what the Instagram post read across the top.

Shirley can be generous with compliments, even when they’re not necessarily true, and I know this, but I don’t mind listening to lies when I like them, so even though I don’t see myself as a “model type”, I let her convince me to go for it.

How did I book a role as a background actor for a major television network show in Los Angeles?

I submitted the headshot you see up above as this blog’s graphic and a picture of me in a swimsuit when I was in Jamaica, as well as body measurements I pulled out of my behind, and hoped for the best. That was August 13th.

A little over a week after submitting for the job, I received an email saying that I was under consideration. They asked me to send a current picture of myself. I figured they didn’t want anything special and were only trying to see what color my hair currently is or something, so I sent a selfie I’d taken on my phone in my bathroom a few days prior.

Another week went by and I’d let the idea leave my mind, like the many other roles Shirley sent me that I submitted for and never landed.

I was out-of-town for my very first content creator contract (yes, I recently had another somewhat insignificant, yet scream-worthy-to-me, first/accomplishment.. let me find out God is tryna tell me something)… I went to check my email, probably to confirm that night’s flight time, and saw an email from the casting team that was looking for model types!

I almost wouldn’t have been able to accept the job… BUT GOD!

Initially, I was planning to ride the train back to L.A. because it gives me time to endlessly stare out of a window while I tell myself I’m writing, but my digestive system was acting a plum fool. Not wanting to chance it on a 70-plus-hour journey, at the very last minute, I booked a same-day flight into LAX. I saw the email saying I was selected for the background role after deciding to go by plane instead of train. If my stomach wouldn’t have been upset and I would’ve kept my original travel plans, I wouldn’t have made it back to L.A. in time for the mandatory COVID testing and costume fitting yesterday and today.

What is it like on a major motion pictures studio lot in Los Angeles?

As I briefly mentioned, my work that pays the bills has brought me on every major motion picture studio lot in Los Angeles, including:

• Universal Studios Lot in Universal City

• Fox Studios Lot in Century City (this is where I cater-waiter the exclusive Night Before the Oscars official Academy pre-party for all of Hollywood’s hottest celebs)

• Sony Pictures Entertainment in Culver City (last time I was here was to serve Jon & Vinny’s pizza to Jennifer Anniston and crew for whatever she had going on)

• Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank

• Paramount Pictures Studios in the Larchmont area of Los Angeles (I’ve passed hors d’oeuvres here on plenty of occasions for film premieres, as I always accept these jobs since it’s so close to my house)

Yes, studio lots are a cool place, no matter you’re reason for being on one. They’re fantastical and imaginative. It makes your eyes bulge to be in one time period one second and another the next. You’re walking out of a normal 21st century parking garage, then you hit a corner and blink and you’re in the Wild Wild West. It’s also revealing, giving you those moments of “ohhhhhh,” when you see how a certain setting you’ve always seen on a screen is achieved. Though I’ve never been interested in paying for one, I can see why tourists from all around the world pay to go on studio lot tours.

Being behind-the-scenes of a film production is cool in and of itself; having an opportunity to be a part of the magic on a studio lot is the even cooler part that has me excited. | photo: Universal Studios Hollywood

Though all the coolness isn’t lost from me having worked private events on studio lots, the environment itself isn’t the reason why I was giddy today. My excitement is caused by the reason why I’m here today.

Today is my first time being on a major Hollywood studio lot as talent.

What?! I’m coming to a filming production location and I’m not here to serve food and drinks?!

It feels good, as I expected it would when I talked about Getting Into A Different Type of Gig.

Will I be on television after getting a background acting role?

I’m not sure.

Y’all, it’s only a very minor background role. If I make it on-screen, you’ll likely have to squint your eyes and look past the focus of the camera’s subject into the background to see me. And notice I said, if.

Today was only a wardrobe fitting. The scene I’m selected for could be cut before it’s even shot. (The one time I got booked a job thru Central Casting, that’s what happened to me; I didn’t even get to go in for a fitting). I could make it to shoot day and a camera never even turns my way. Or, I could make it to shoot day, get on camera, then be left on the editing room floor during post-production.

It’s really too soon to speak on.

I typically don’t like discussing opportunities until they’ve happened, which is what I did with my first content creator contract this past weekend, and my best-guy-friend got pissed that he didn’t know about it until I was in the mist of shooting the content.

Even though I don’t like talking about things until I’m sure, and me appearing on a major television network show isn’t a sure thing just yet, I am sure about one thing.

I’m sure this is a part of the process.

I am sharing this with you, my aroundLAwithTK riders (my blog readers), because

1. I am excited about a step, as small as it may be, in the right direction.

2. I need to post on my personal blog daily if I ever want it to pay me.

3. It’s an insightful, honest, often untold part of the process that may help the next girl that’s wondering.

We don’t see the almost’s, the whoopsy daisy’s, the darn’s, the trial and error’s. We see the made it’s, the there’s, the arrived’s.

I’m willing to share my climb, not from a pinnacle of success speaking from a selective memory of how I got to it. I’m willing to share my climb as I climb. It’s vulnerable and it opens myself up to criticism, but that’s what I need. I need to be more vulnerable. I need to allow the process to construct me into something better.

Tear me apart. I can handle that. What I can’t handle is looking up years later and not having gone for it, not throwing myself in, not giving myself to something to see what happens.

Writing helps me sort my thoughts. I believe it was a TED Radio Hour episode I was listening to recently where I heard a writer say, “I don’t know what I [feel] until I write it,” and I felt that! So, I’m here.. writing, sorting, and feeling.

And you’re here… reading.. maybe striking up thoughts within your own mind.. maybe even feeling. Whatever you’re doing, I’m glad you’re here. Thank you.

Please, don’t hesitate to share. If this spoke to you in any way, it may speak to someone else.