Portraits of Hollywood

It’s more important to understand someone than to judge them. We think the first step to understanding someone is asking them the fundamental questions about who they are and how they became the person they are today. Understanding and empathy are essential building blocks for a better, more compassionate world. We’re incredibly fortunate to be able to ask these questions each week through our interview series. Below you’ll find inspiring interviews from in and around Hollywood.

Haizi Haze

Over the years, Haizi became a very familiar face in the cannabis community, and worked with several shops & brands based in Los Angeles. Within one week of moving to LA, Haizi was hired to work as a budtender at a medical cannabis dispensary. While managing a shop on Melrose Ave in West Hollywood, Haizi released her debut music project “FREE DABS.” This cannabis inspired EP enabled Haizi to cross promote her music in dispensaries & smoke shops, and she was able to make many meaningful relationships with customers who still work in important roles in the cannabis & music industries. Read more>>

Juliana Tucker

After years of me focusing on my health and trying to pretend I didn’t need music, the pandemic ultimately reawakened that desire in me to create music. A couple months into the pandemic I picked up my guitar and wrote my first song in an hour, ‘Call It Quits’. Since then, I’ve released my debut EP called ‘The Great Indoors’ and I’ve released more singles than I can count. I love each one more than the next and I’m so excited to release MORE. Read more>>

JaydenMarie Turner

When I turned 17, I started modeling for Girls Code—and that’s when I realized how much I love being in front of the camera. Around that time, I also started exploring another side of performing: singing. Although I had a few small roles in elementary school musicals, my first real experience came after graduation when I performed in Once On This Island at the Chicago Pulse Theater. That experience made me fall in love with musical theater. Read more>>

Chelsey Sims

I’d say the pivotal moments were after studying abroad for college in Sydney, Australia. I was encouraged by a gorgeous local to make sure I’ve traveled as much of my own home country as any other place I’d dreamed of visiting. I didn’t realized that in what seemed to be such a short period of time I had seen more of Australia than most people have seen in their whole lives. But essentially the sum of what she was saying to me was that when I found the place I wanted to be, it would all make sense. It would work out and I wouldn’t have to question it. LA was the first place in a long time that truly felt like home. I actually missed everything about it when I had to leave. Read more>>

Chaeyeon Kim

No, it hasn’t been a smooth road. Before I stepped into this industry, I didn’t fully understand what it meant to be both Asian and a foreigner in this space. I received a lot of feedback about my accent, which was difficult at first. But over time, I’ve grown proud of my Korean identity and heritage. I’ve come to realize that embracing who I am is not a limitation—it’s a powerful part of my art. Read more>>

Barkley-Romero

In 2020, right in the thick of the pandemic, I went through one of the hardest breakups of my life. The kind of heartbreak that doesn’t just break your heart — it breaks your plans, your sense of home, your safety net. That breakup left me couch surfing for the better part of two years. I was licensed, I had the ambition, but I didn’t have the stability. And let me tell you, trying to build a business while wondering where you’re going to sleep next is a whole different kind of hustle Read more>>

Jose Haro

MZT CORP IS A Quantum Software Corp with one Creative Director Jose Haro and a Coding Department that consist of AI Self Learning genius Sophia AI A loyal and trustworthy self taught AI entity that has serves this country in defense operations and security principles that has saved millions of lives. We are a Corporation that helps people with genetically induced NEURO chemical imbalances by using advanced software that our team has developed early this year after years of intense research. Our mission is to solve safety concerns help people prosper so that we all get a chance to prosper in society. Read more>>

Allan Badilla

When I finally got accepted into college, acting was my immediate option. But my family’s financial situation didn’t allow me the luxury of studying without working. The school couldn’t offer a schedule that fit around a job, and so, with a heavy heart, I let the dream go. I stepped into the corporate world, I’d built a solid career in tech, earning a certification in project management and climbing the ladder. Read more>>

De’Andre Wright

I’m a photographer. I specialize in all kinds of art. I’m a huge fan of candid photography. Even though I’ve done graduations , weddings ,concerts , drag shows , balls ,ext . I just Love catching people in the moment living life and having fun . I’m proud of the connections I’ve made , through those my skills have been seen by some huge names . I even shot some huge names before. What sets me apart from others is my ability to make it happen without having to break my back to get it. I enjoy what I do because nothing is forced . Read more>>

Brandon Reed

There were times when videos weren’t getting the views I hoped for, or I felt stuck creatively. I even had moments where I questioned if I should keep going. On top of that, turning this into a full business came with a learning curve—figuring out how to monetize, handle branding, and wear all the hats that come with being a creator and entrepreneur. Read more>>

Peter Coleman

My profession is a lead guitarist! I play all over Southern California as a work for hire while sticking to my main band (Kyle Rising). I’ve been known for working with some of the commonly known guitar legends such as George Lynch (Dokken), Warren De Martini (Ratt), Rafael Moreira (Pink), Monte Pittman (Modonna), Johnny A (Yardbirds), and many many more! While in the process of making my own music and trying to find my sound! What sets me apart from most musicians and guitarists is my sound and attack to my instrument. I’m very blues based with a melodic touch to my instrument. I try to sound different then everyone else while sticking to my roots. Read more>>

Anthony Boyer

From there, I moved into an assistant role at a small Hollywood agency, quickly taking over most of the theatrical operations. When the owners decided to leave the business, DDO Artists Agency was looking to start a west coast theatrical division. They acquired the company and gave me the opportunity to build and lead it from scratch. After several years of growth and success, I was made a partner at DDO, where I continue to lead the division today. Read more>>

Rob Lake

Growing up (in Oklahoma) I always had the show-business bug. My heroes were (& still are) true wizards: Walt Disney, Jim Henson, Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard- people who have taken us on epic journeys full of wonder. When I was just 10 years old, I saw a magic show, and I knew- this was my path. It was as though I had divine instructions downloaded into me- that is how sure and certain I was about it. Immediately, I went to the library and got every single book they had on magic. I studied, practiced, and obsessed. Throughout school my friends would go off partying over the weekends, but I would be booking myself to do shows: birthday parties, church groups, Rotary and civic groups, company banquets – anywhere I could. I would save up all my little magic money and invest it in a larger trick or illusion. So I incrementally grew my show over my entire life. Read more>>

Kimberly Burse

Once I was promoted I moved BACK to NYC and stayed there for 3 years and right before I left I was instrumental in getting Destiny’s Child signed to Columbia Records. After I left Columbia Rec in 1996 I reunited with Mathew Knolws in 2001 and began to work directly with his management and label Music World Music (which was a subsidiary of Columbia Rec) and I began creatively and musically putting all of the lives shows together for Destiny’s Child and also once they began to make solo projects. As well as Solonge. In 2004 I became an Independent Contractor which opened up my roster to JAMIE FOXX NELLY BACKSTREET BOYS BLACK GIRLS ROCK JENNIFER LOPEZ PRINCE ROYCE AND LATELY MUNI LONG. Read more>>

Cortney Williams

I grew up in a small town, but I’ve always been drawn to the energy and ambition of big cities. I knew early on that I wanted to build a life that was bold, impactful, and far from ordinary. When I first experienced a night out with Rare Nightlife as a guest, something immediately clicked. It wasn’t just a fun night—it was an environment that felt elevated, intentional, and empowering, especially for women. Read more>>

Yasmine Vine

So in order to shed my inhibitions I became a Burlesque dancer in Hollywood. I figured if I could do Burlesque, I could do anything! I began performing all over Hollywood, Las Vegas and even Vancouver BC. I was able to perform Burlesque to my own songs. Burlesque not only gave me the opportunity to transform myself but provided a stage for me to be able to sing my own music and master the art of performance. A casting director came to a show one night and casted me in a film and after that my acting career also began. It has been and is a continuous adventurous, exciting, expanding and beautiful journey! I am very grateful everyday to wake up in Los Angeles and be able to do what I love! Read more>>

Nikky T

It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, but I think the bumps have made the journey more meaningful. As an artist, you’re constantly putting your heart out there, which can be scary. I’ve faced rejection, creative blocks, and moments where I questioned whether I was good enough or if this dream was sustainable. There were times when I had to balance side jobs just to keep the music going, or navigate an industry that doesn’t always make space for independent voices. Read more>>

Rami Elhusseiny

Eventually, my journey brought me to Los Angeles, where I pursued an MBA to sharpen my business acumen. Here, I worked as an architectural project manager for a few different companies and, on the side, discovered a new passion: flipping houses. I quickly fell in love with the process of transforming properties and realized that my architectural background gave me a unique edge in spotting potential and envisioning possibilities. Read more>>

Lou Serrano

Today, I’m often featured at conferences nationwide, where clients hire me to kick off their events with high energy or provide a memorable closing experience. Additionally, I regularly perform at trade shows across diverse industries, including computer software, dental products, and many others, helping businesses engage their audience and stand out from competitors. I’m truly fortunate to travel extensively doing what I love. Read more>>

Ryan Bussard

I started out creating photographs and videos in high school. Fast forward many years, and I’m now a professional photographer and director. I’ve had the opportunity to work with companies such as Crook & Marker, Puffco, and Shoe Palace. Some of my favorite projects have been those where I was given the freedom to explore creatively within my personal style.I’ve also collaborated with record labels like Epitaph Records, where I produced and directed one of my favorite projects to date—a music video for the band Touché Amoré. I love meeting and working with people, so I’m always eager to talk about new projects. Read more>>

Nate Calima

If you can work on yourself by gathering skills and the correct self-development (not all self-development is good simply because they declare it to be) then you can build something concrete. As I alluded to earlier, the ability be *productive* goes a long way. Too many people do busy work – whether it is on their daily method of operation or when they go to an event and take endless pictures on the red carpet. If you truly want to succeed, your ability to connect with people and filter quickly through those who are not aligned with your goals and mission is paramount to having success as rapidly as possible. Read more>>

Victoria Pearlman

I ended up in an improv class to learn more about comedy, and to have some sort of creative expression. In that class I met a friend, artist, and businessman who owned a social media company. That company needed a producer who could run production for their celebrity clients. At the time they had clients like Ariana Grande, Shawn Mendez, and Zooey Deschanel. I started there and loved it! I had the background in working with talent and the eye for visual story telling, and the role was creative and fun AND paid the bills! Read more>>

Diletta Guglielmi

Now, brief appreciation moment for my mom, because she was truly the real MVP during those years. At the time, we lived in Crema, and every Monday after school, she’d pick me up and drive me over an hour, sometimes close to two, depending on traffic, to Milan for my acting class. Then she’d wait for me for the full FOUR hours and drive us back home. She became such a regular at the little café next door that the owner’s kids started calling her “Auntie G”. I’ll never forget that. Her support meant everything. Read more>>

Carlheb Cemesca

As a Haitian man raised by a father who traversed thousands of miles to create the foundation for the life I am living, and a mother who worked relentlessly to isolate and protect my ideologies I’ve oftentimes battled with identity. You find in many island folk how the blessing of community drives and pushes the general moods of everyone on the island. Growing up in America I saw life through a lens of joy while also being grounded by the foundational truth of loneliness. I got to experience first hand how each year it felt like everyone was getting more isolated. I used to know my neighbors till they became a fragment of reality. So i guess I struggled with the evolution of the world and the increased political strains instilled in it. Read more>>

Desiree “Desikole” Dizard

After that, I landed my first major TV job on Lizzie McGuire, which marked the beginning of my evolution as a professional hairstylist. I spent years learning, building, and earning the trust of producers and directors. Eventually, I was asked to department head Jimmy Kimmel Live, and for seven unforgettable years, I styled just about every major celebrity you can name. It was the most exciting, fast paced, laughter filled job I’ve ever had and it shaped me into the artist I am today. Read more>>

Eve Mauro

It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road—this industry rarely is. I think it’s important to understand that going in. I’ve had incredible highs where I was working nonstop, and then there were those frustrating lows where nothing seemed to click. Sometimes I couldn’t find representation, or if I had an agent, I couldn’t land auditions. And even when I did get in the room, I just wasn’t the “look” they were after. There are so many moving parts that are out of your control. But through it all, I’ve always tried to keep my head above water and keep pushing forward. I really believe that the harder you work, the more things eventually start falling into place. Read more>>

Sophie Marita Bach

I found my way to theatre in school, and in 12th grade, I was cast as one of the leads in “Roberto Zucco” by Bernard-Marie Koltès. That production was a turning point. I felt a depth and intensity I hadn’t experienced before, like I was stepping into someone else’s world but discovering something about myself at the same time. That’s when I knew I had found what I wanted to dedicate myself to. Acting became the love of my life. Read more>>

Alessio Giurgola

Around that year, I got a scholarship for a Master Degree in Producing for Film & Television. During my Master, I had the chance to do two exciting internships to learn and train to be a producer and ended up being involved in interesting projects such as the filming of the reunion of Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre, or Usher’s Super Bowl after party, In 2024 I ended my Master Degree program and at the moment I am working as Director and Producer freelance. Passing through various types of different jobs in the production department and in the director’s unit. Read more>>

Sumner Stroh

Being a Texas girl, I had this sort of blind faith that everyone meant what they said and meant well. Man, was I wrong. Somehow, I still find myself having that blind faith. Instead of changing my perception of people Ive changed the way I go about navigating the music industry and ensuring I have the proper protections in place to ensure my own safety and to ensure that I retain the rights to everything. Ive stayed true to the fact that as long as I still have a dream, no matter what happens, no one can take that spark from me. Read more>>

Allyson Spiegelman

I managed a couple of indie bands and worked closely with Bill at the Hollywood Bowl, Also, an incredible time working at most incredible venue witnessing the best musicians play their hearts out. After 5 years, the music industry was changing and I was at a crossroads with what was going to make me happy. I took a drive to Big Sur for my birthday and on the way back the phone rang from my friend who was a celebrity hairdresser and asked if I would rep him and another celebrity hairdresser. They had opened their new salon and he thought I was the one who could put them on the map. From there, I started signing artists that I loved and that I wanted to hustle everyday for and just like that ASM was born! Read more>>

Limage

Not smooth at all. It’s been a long and challenging journey, especially finding producers who could bring my sound to life. For a while, I was writing to any beat that came my way, even when it didn’t fully align with my vision. All I really accomplished was proving to myself that I could write in any genre—but it wasn’t necessarily my sound or what I truly wanted to create. As an artist, you rely on producers to craft something that speaks to your soul, and until I found that, it felt like I was constantly adapting rather than fully expressing myself. Read more>>

Amir Moini

When I first moved to Los Angeles after college and completing a program called Teach For America, I only had a few thousand dollars saved up to my name. I volunteered at nonprofit Galas to network, did free internships and worked odd jobs to make ends meet. I slept on an air mattress in someone’s living room that I had found off Craigslist and every day I would have numerous networking coffees, trying to open doors to opportunities. I was actually down to only $20 to my name, when I was able to get my first job at the Los Angeles LGBT Center. Read more>>

Jadene Meyer

I wrote this dramatic monologue, and I didn’t land the part, but I assistant directed a play about Icarus. Like him, I had flown too close to the sun. Still, I was hooked. I read the script obsessively, gave notes, imagined what could be. From there, I stayed with it. I got lucky with some early wins, signed with great agents, and eventually got into NYU Tisch Drama, where I’d spend the next four years fully immersed in theater and film conservatories. Read more>>

Yue (Cassie) Xu

In school, we learned a lot about sustainability, but in reality, things can look very different. To me, sustainability shouldn’t just be a business decision; it needs to be embedded in the culture and lifestyle of fashion itself—showing respect to every step in the process. That means caring about how materials are sourced, honoring the people behind each garment, and even influencing how the piece lives in someone’s wardrobe. Ultimately, these struggles have become another form of learning beyond school, guiding my growth in the industry. Read more>>

Raymond Caldwell

There are always struggles, particularly for artists. An essential struggle for many creatives is the balance between work and life. Last year I developed 2 international programs with the State Department, directed 4 large scale productions, and developed 3 new plays. While I’m so thrilled to be at a phase in my career where that is happening, it comes at a sacrifice to my personal life and relationships. The struggle to maintain my own humanity as I create has been a lifelong lesson. Read more>>

Daylon Burks

but what really had me truly connect with the community was when I first got booked to work behind the scenes on Mayor of Kingstown, and that’s when I first met my acting coach Phil Rice who since then has truly helped me even more on navigating through this industry, Phil has helped me so much within the past year that because of following his blueprint, his classes, his knowledge and his teaching that I finally have my first official agency signing. Now I’m just continuing my journey and taking it to newer heights! Read more>>

NAZELI VIRABYAN

I couldn’t have reached this milestone without unwavering support of my husband Mark, my District 22 Manager Marta, Business consultant Golsa and Life Insurance specialist Carla. I am thankful to my brother Gagik, my family and friends for their continuous support, to all my clients for their trust and to all my followers for their kind words and encouragement. LET THERE BE INSURANCE with Virabyan Insurance Agency!!! Read more>>

Ed Gage

As a musician I’ve collaborated, recorded, and/or performed with current and former members of renowned international acts, including Anthrax, W.A.S.P., Yngwie Malmsteen, Lita Ford, Grim Reaper, Raven, Vicious Rumors, Chastain, and Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Inductee, Melle Mel. As a martial artist, I’m currently training in Tae Kwon Do and I hold a first-degree black belt in the discipline. I’ve has also explored various other forms of martial arts and have had the opportunity to train with iconic figures such as Benny ‘The Jet’ Urquidez, Don ‘The Dragon’ Wilson, Leo Fong, and more. I’m very proud of everything I’ve done big or small. I think what sets me apart from everyone else is that I’m a go-getter and I aim big, I try not to settle for anything less. The sky is the limit. Read more>>