Today we’d like to introduce you to Angel Blaise.
Hi Angel, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I grew up in a melting pot community in Hyde Park, Mass and went to school in Wellesley through a bussing program called METCO. By the time I was in middle school, I knew entertainment and performance were my callings. New York was my next stop, where I went to school in the Upper Westside of Manhattan, learning how to speak, sing, and fight on stage.
From there, I moved back home with the hopes of moving to Hollywood and working on movies and sound stages. While planning my move across the country, I worked on independent projects with peers, student filmmakers, and auditioned for films shooting in the area. After several background, extra, and stand-in opportunities–most notably Ghostbusters— I landed my first speaking role in Kathryn Bigelow’s, Detroit (2017). About a year later I was finally in LA, working insane overnight hours at a 24-hour restaurant and morning shifts at a gym (sometimes back-to-back-to-back) — any other time was reserved for auditioning. It’s now been three years and I’ve had the pleasure of working on children’s radio, music videos, and short films with friends and colleagues from Boston to Toronto to New York and now LA. Lately I’ve been collaborating with the same people, most of whom I’ve met on set throughout the years; we continue telling the stories that hit home the most for us.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has definitely been a grind, from losing my childhood home during the financial crisis and having to smile through school regardless, to shouldering the financial burden of college schooling, to working full-time and a half and sacrificing sleep all to get the Toluca Lake living room rent paid — I have seen my fair share of adversity.Nevertheless, I look back on all these experiences as lessons learned, regardless of how hard they may have been in the moment.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am an actor and producer; when I’m not staring into a camera or speaking on stage, I’m usually working with other creatives to make the vision come through. You can hear me on WBUR’s Circle Round, watch me protest with the people in Detroit, or see me transform into a Dirty Computer in Janelle Monae’s “emotion picture”.
Detroit has to be the most notable experience to date because of how beautiful the energy was on set every day. I had the pleasure of working background for many weeks and over time, a synergy developed between all of us that made filming the riot scenes all that much more profound. Note: it’s not lost on me that this film made four years ago, depicting racial tensions 50 years ago, still mirrors our current political climate.
I’m figuring out how others collaborate but whenever I get the chance, I love figuring out how to get my favorite people into the same rooms because more often than not, it’s their differences that create a connection. Most recently, I worked with a team of six or so people on a 48-hour film, a new experience since we had to make sure we were following Covid guidelines. What sets me apart from others is my excitement for what others’ energy is capable of. The magic of it all manifests in the feeling I always get at curtain call — that’s what informs my next move..
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
My relationship with the community that nurtured me along the way is definitely key to my identity. The connection I have to my haitian roots have helped me learn and understand my identity. If it weren’t for my Irish, island, and latinx brothers in Hyde Park I wouldn’t be the friend I am today. Without METCO, my understanding of character, community, and leadership would certainly be less informed. Staying true to these cornerstones is the energy behind everything I aim to do.
Contact Info:
- Website: MaskedOut.media
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angelxblaise/
Image Credits
Aeson Rose
