Check Out Gina Parris’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gina Parris.

Hi Gina, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Gina Parris: Actress, Producer, Screenwriter, and Founder of Gina Parris Entertainment Ltd.

With more than a decade of professional experience in the entertainment industry, I have built a career as an actress, producer, screenwriter, and filmmaker while also leading my own production company, Gina Parris Entertainment Ltd., which I founded in 2010 in Trinidad and Tobago. Through my company, I strive to bring Caribbean talent together with talent from around the world and create productions that tell meaningful stories. I also draw upon my academic background in psychology and counseling to bring greater depth to my creative work and, through storytelling, hopefully inspire and help others.

Since 2007, I have pursued entertainment professionally, with my work spanning acting, producing, screenwriting, filmmaking, television, stage productions, and documentary projects.

My professional experience, body of work, and education have contributed to my being granted the U.S. O-1B visa for individuals with extraordinary ability in the arts on two occasions. The visa enabled me to pursue professional opportunities in producing, acting, and filmmaking in the United States.

My entertainment career has also allowed me to become a member of several prestigious organizations, including the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, also known as the Television Academy, the organization behind the Emmy Awards. I am a member of its Performers Peer Group. I am also a member of Women in Film Los Angeles and Powerful Ladies of Trinidad and Tobago (PLOTT).

I am also a member of One Degree of Separation (ODOS), a digital networking ecosystem created by Question Mark Entertainment. Designed to leverage technology to bridge the Caribbean creative community with the global entertainment industry, ODOS connects Caribbean artists, filmmakers, musicians, and animators directly with international markets, investors, and key industry decision-makers.

In 2016, I was accepted into the Women in Film Mentorship Circle, where I was mentored by Sara Scott, Executive Vice President of Universal Pictures, and Randi Richmond, Senior Vice President of NBCUniversal.

I am SAG-AFTRA eligible and I am currently represented by St8rm Talent Management, Bicoastal Talent Agency for commercial representation, and Avail Talent Agency for theatrical and voice-over representation.

My Education and Acting Training

After moving to the United States, I continued developing my craft and earned a Master of Fine Arts in Acting for Film from the New York Film Academy, graduating with honors. I am also listed among the notable alumni on the New York Film Academy’s website. I had the honor of participating in the school’s first Black History Month alumni panel.

I also trained at the Margie Haber Studio, founded by renowned Hollywood acting coach Margie Haber. Her techniques have been used by numerous accomplished actors, including Brad Pitt, Halle Berry, and Tiffany Haddish.

Before pursuing my education in the United States, I received extensive training in Trinidad and Tobago from respected actors and teachers including Raymond Choo Kong, Freddie Kissoon, Penelope Spencer of Necessary Arts, and through Talent Factory Film, created by Question Mark Entertainment and founded by Simon Baptiste and Carolyn Pasea-Pogson.

Through Talent Factory Film, I received film-acting training from accomplished American actors and teachers including Rafael Noble, Angela E. Gibbs, who served as acting coach to Jaafar Jackson for the film Michael, and Kirk Baltz.

I have also received training in comedic character portrayal and comedic writing from Hugh Fink, an Emmy Award-winning writer associated with Saturday Night Live. My current acting coach is Constance Tillotson.

My Work With the Television Academy and Film Festivals

Being a member of the Television Academy’s Performers Peer Group has been particularly meaningful to me. I have also had the privilege of serving as a judge for several prestigious entertainment competitions.

In 2024, I judged the 51st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards competition as well as the International Documentary Association (IDA) Awards. The IDA Awards receive submissions from highly accomplished filmmakers and entertainment professionals, with projects involving prominent names such as Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, and Morgan Freeman among the submissions.

In 2025, I served as a judge for the 4th Annual Children’s & Family Emmy Awards competition.

In 2026, I judged the Regional Content in a Daytime Genre/53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards competition. I was also selected to serve as a judge for the HollyShorts Film Festival, an Oscar- and BAFTA-qualifying festival.

In addition, in 2026, I was selected to participate in the Television Academy Peer Circle. I was mentored through the program by actress and producer Nina Rausch and actor and comedian Ernie Gonzalez Jr.

These opportunities have allowed me to contribute not only as a performer and filmmaker but also as someone evaluating and supporting the work of other creatives.

The Honest Honestest Truth

One of the projects closest to my heart is my first television production, The Honest Honestest Truth. I created the concept, wrote the screenplay, produced the project, served as an executive producer, and acted in it.

The screenplay received an award, with the prize taking the form of production funding from the Trinidad and Tobago Film Company. The production subsequently aired twice as a television movie on TV6, one of Trinidad and Tobago’s popular television stations.

The project was supported by several sponsors, including Red Bull and Coca-Cola. I was particularly honored when Janelle “Penny” Commissiong, the first Black Miss Universe, who won the title in 1977, showed her support for the production.

The Trinidad and Tobago Guardian, one of the country’s longest-running newspapers, described The Honest Honestest Truth as “T&T’s first detective drama.”

The production featured a talented cast of Trinidad and Tobago performers, including Jason Williams, a Power Soca Monarch winner; comedian Allan Emmanuel; actor and comedian Errol Fabien; Rebecca Foster; Allister Edwards; Verena Boodoosingh; Samara Lallo; Charles Parris; Lendel Alexander; Dillon Jimenez; Eirnil Harry; Alan Ferreira; and myself.

I plan to continue developing The Honest Honestest Truth as a television series.

A Twist of Life

My first award-winning short film, A Twist of Life, is another project that has played an important role in my career. The film was my thesis project at the New York Film Academy, and I wrote the screenplay, produced the film, and starred in the lead role.

A Twist of Life was first screened at one of the theaters at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California. It was subsequently selected for and screened at several festivals and showcases, including the Indie Night Film Festival, which is supported by Emmy Award-winning casting director Robi Reed; the TCL Chinese Theatre; the Metro Film and TV Awards; the Caribe Film Festival; the ABA Film Society Showcase at the New York Film Academy; and the Equality International Film Festival.

The film featured Los Angeles-based actor Gerry Bednob, known for The 40-Year-Old Virgin and other productions, as well as Natalie Whittle and Chloe Paige Flowers.

A Twist of Life was also made available through the online television platform irietimestv.com for reruns and on-demand viewing. The film is scheduled for additional exposure through the Caribbean streaming platform The GT Network TV, which reaches audiences in the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean, as well as through Gayelle The Caribbean, a national television station in Trinidad and Tobago.

I am particularly proud that A Twist of Life is now being developed into a feature-length film. Expanding the award-winning short into a feature represents an important milestone in my career and gives me the opportunity to further develop the story and reach a larger audience. As the original writer, producer, and lead actress, I am excited to continue building upon the foundation of the short film and bring A Twist of Life to the feature-film stage.

Like a Dog with a Bone

I am currently working on my first docuseries, Like a Dog with a Bone: A Visual Guide to Surviving in the Entertainment Industry, which is in post-production.

The project was inspired in part by my own experience of homelessness while pursuing my entertainment career. I wanted to create something that could provide aspiring entertainers with practical knowledge, encouragement, and insight into the realities of working in the entertainment industry.

I created and wrote the series and serve as one of its voice-over actors and producers. The docuseries features established entertainment professionals from Trinidad and Tobago and the United States, as well as emerging talent.

The project includes Nikki Crosby, recognized as the first female stand-up comedian in the Caribbean; legendary American actress Marla Gibbs, whose accomplishments include receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame; actress, director, producer, writer, and acting coach Angela E. Gibbs; renowned Trinidadian actress Penelope Spencer, a multiple Cacique Award recipient; television host, director, and producer Lisa Wickham; actor Rafael Noble, who appeared in the Academy Award-winning film Beginners and was previously one of my acting coaches; American producer Franco Sama; dialect coach Joy Ellison, who works with me and numerous accomplished actors on accents; actor and comedian Gerry Bednob; actor, comedian, and Gayelle The Caribbean owner Errol Fabien; and producer and music artist manager Simon Baptiste.

The main cast also includes emerging performers from Trinidad and Tobago and the United States, including Demyra Ravyne Payne, Taromi Lourdes, Freddie Basnight, Byron Knight, and myself.

The project has already received recognition and exposure. I pitched Like a Dog with a Bone to compete for a place in the inaugural Cross Continental International Co-Production Forum, where CCH Pounder and a producer associated with the Oscar-nominated film Selma were in attendance. The names of the selected attendees, including mine, were subsequently featured in a Deadline article.

I was selected as one of two individuals chosen to represent Trinidad and Tobago at the forum in Barbados. That experience was particularly meaningful because it gave me the opportunity to represent my country while presenting a project rooted in my own experiences within the entertainment industry.

Acting Across Film, Television, and Stage

Throughout my career, I have also appeared in television productions and films shown in cinemas in Trinidad and Tobago and internationally. My credits include The Apartment and the award-winning film A Story About Wendy 2, which was screened in Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, and Zanzibar and has also been made available through online streaming platforms.

I have performed on national television in Trinidad and Tobago, including CCN TV6 and Gayelle The Caribbean. My work has also been available to audiences through platforms and networks including Investigation Discovery, Amazon Prime, Sling, Discovery+, and YouTube.

I have stage experience as well, including comedic performances at the World Laugh Festival for two consecutive years and in productions such as Yangatang.

Over the years, my career has been featured in numerous articles and interviews, including television and radio appearances in both Trinidad and Tobago and the United States.

Recognition and Accomplishments

On October 28, 2022, I was officially inducted into the Marquis Who’s Who biographical registry in recognition of my professional achievements and contributions to the entertainment industry.

My professional journey has been shaped by both my creative ambitions and my academic background. Before fully establishing my entertainment career in the United States, I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Behavioral Science with an emphasis in Psychology and Sociology from Andrews University in 2009. I subsequently earned a Master of Arts in Counseling from Caribbean Nazarene College in 2013.

My background in psychology and counseling continues to influence the way I approach storytelling. I believe that understanding people—their experiences, motivations, fears, struggles, and resilience—can help me create more authentic characters and meaningful stories.

Looking Ahead

As I continue building my career, my goal is to expand Gina Parris Entertainment Ltd. into a successful international production company that creates opportunities for Caribbean talent while collaborating with artists and professionals from around the world.

I am continuing to develop Like a Dog with a Bone and The Honest Honestest Truth, while also moving A Twist of Life forward as a feature-length film. At the same time, I continue pursuing opportunities as an actress, producer, screenwriter, and filmmaker.

My journey has not always been easy. I have experienced challenges that have tested me personally and professionally, but those experiences have also strengthened my determination. I hope my career demonstrates that it is possible to continue pursuing your dreams even when the path is unconventional or difficult.

I am deeply grateful to everyone who has supported me throughout my journey and continues to support my career. Most importantly, I am especially grateful to my mother, Ruth Walters, for being my number-one supporter, believing in me, and always cheering me on. Her encouragement has meant more to me than words can express.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
In 2018, I experienced homelessness and lived out of my old car. It was one of the lowest and most challenging periods of my life. Pursuing an entertainment career full-time has also presented significant financial challenges, particularly because of the industry’s often inconsistent nature of employment and income.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a recurring actress in Dhar Mann films, Dhar Mann was featured in Forbes top creators in 2026.

My Education and Acting Training

After moving to the United States, I continued developing my craft and earned a Master of Fine Arts in Acting for Film from the New York Film Academy, graduating with honors. I am also listed among the notable alumni on the New York Film Academy’s website. I had the honor of participating in the school’s first Black History Month alumni panel.
I also trained at the Margie Haber Studio, founded by renowned Hollywood acting coach Margie Haber. Her techniques have been used by numerous accomplished actors, including Brad Pitt, Halle Berry, and Tiffany Haddish.
Before pursuing my education in the United States, I received extensive training in Trinidad and Tobago from respected actors and teachers including Raymond Choo Kong, Freddie Kissoon, Penelope Spencer of Necessary Arts, and through Talent Factory Film, created by Question Mark Entertainment and founded by Simon Baptiste and Carolyn Pasea-Pogson.
Through Talent Factory Film, I received film-acting training from accomplished American actors and teachers including Rafael Noble, Angela E. Gibbs, who served as acting coach to Jaafar Jackson for the film Michael, and Kirk Baltz.
I have also received training in comedic character portrayal and comedic writing from Hugh Fink, an Emmy Award-winning writer associated with Saturday Night Live. My current acting coach is Constance Tillotson.

My Work With the Television Academy and Film Festivals

Being a member of the Television Academy’s Performers Peer Group has been particularly meaningful to me. I have also had the privilege of serving as a judge for several prestigious entertainment competitions.
In 2024, I judged the 51st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards competition as well as the International Documentary Association (IDA) Awards. The IDA Awards receive submissions from highly accomplished filmmakers and entertainment professionals, with projects involving prominent names such as Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, and Morgan Freeman among the submissions.
In 2025, I served as a judge for the 4th Annual Children’s & Family Emmy Awards competition.

In 2026, I judged the Regional Content in a Daytime Genre/53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards competition. I was also selected to serve as a judge for the HollyShorts Film Festival, an Oscar- and BAFTA-qualifying festival.
In addition, in 2026, I was selected to participate in the Television Academy Peer Circle. I was mentored through the program by actress and producer Nina Rausch and actor and comedian Ernie Gonzalez Jr.

These opportunities have allowed me to contribute not only as a performer and filmmaker but also as someone evaluating and supporting the work of other creatives.
The Honest Honestest Truth
One of the projects closest to my heart is my first television production, The Honest Honestest Truth. I created the concept, wrote the screenplay, produced the project, served as an executive producer, and acted in it.
The screenplay received an award, with the prize taking the form of production funding from the Trinidad and Tobago Film Company. The production subsequently aired twice as a television movie on TV6, one of Trinidad and Tobago’s popular television stations.
The project was supported by several sponsors, including Red Bull and Coca-Cola. I was particularly honored when Janelle “Penny” Commissiong, the first Black Miss Universe, who won the title in 1977, showed her support for the production.
The Trinidad and Tobago Guardian, one of the country’s longest-running newspapers, described The Honest Honestest Truth as “T&T’s first detective drama.”
The production featured a talented cast of Trinidad and Tobago performers, including Jason Williams, a Power Soca Monarch winner; comedian Allan Emmanuel; actor and comedian Errol Fabien; Rebecca Foster; Allister Edwards; Verena Boodoosingh; Samara Lallo; Charles Parris; Lendel Alexander; Dillon Jimenez; Eirnil Harry; Alan Ferreira; and myself.
I plan to continue developing The Honest Honestest Truth as a television series.

A Twist of Life

My first award-winning short film, A Twist of Life, is another project that has played an important role in my career. The film was my thesis project at the New York Film Academy, and I wrote the screenplay, produced the film, and starred in the lead role.
A Twist of Life was first screened at one of the theaters at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California. It was subsequently selected for and screened at several festivals and showcases, including the Indie Night Film Festival, which is supported by Emmy Award-winning casting director Robi Reed; the TCL Chinese Theatre; the Metro Film and TV Awards; the Caribe Film Festival; the ABA Film Society Showcase at the New York Film Academy; and the Equality International Film Festival.
The film featured Los Angeles-based actor Gerry Bednob, known for The 40-Year-Old Virgin and other productions, as well as Natalie Whittle and Chloe Paige Flowers.
A Twist of Life was also made available through the online television platform irietimestv.com for reruns and on-demand viewing. The film is scheduled for additional exposure through the Caribbean streaming platform The GT Network TV, which reaches audiences in the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean, as well as through Gayelle The Caribbean, a national television station in Trinidad and Tobago.
I am particularly proud that A Twist of Life is now being developed into a feature-length film. Expanding the award-winning short into a feature represents an important milestone in my career and gives me the opportunity to further develop the story and reach a larger audience. As the original writer, producer, and lead actress, I am excited to continue building upon the foundation of the short film and bring A Twist of Life to the feature-film stage.

Like a Dog with a Bone

I am currently working on my first docuseries, Like a Dog with a Bone: A Visual Guide to Surviving in the Entertainment Industry, which is in post-production.
The project was inspired in part by my own experience of homelessness while pursuing my entertainment career. I wanted to create something that could provide aspiring entertainers with practical knowledge, encouragement, and insight into the realities of working in the entertainment industry.
I created and wrote the series and serve as one of its voice-over actors and producers. The docuseries features established entertainment professionals from Trinidad and Tobago and the United States, as well as emerging talent.
The project includes Nikki Crosby, recognized as the first female stand-up comedian in the Caribbean; legendary American actress Marla Gibbs, whose accomplishments include receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame; actress, director, producer, writer, and acting coach Angela E. Gibbs; renowned Trinidadian actress Penelope Spencer, a multiple Cacique Award recipient; television host, director, and producer Lisa Wickham; actor Rafael Noble, who appeared in the Academy Award-winning film Beginners and was previously one of my acting coaches; American producer Franco Sama; dialect coach Joy Ellison, who works with me and numerous accomplished actors on accents; actor and comedian Gerry Bednob; actor, comedian, and Gayelle The Caribbean owner Errol Fabien; and producer and music artist manager Simon Baptiste.
The main cast also includes emerging performers from Trinidad and Tobago and the United States, including Demyra Ravyne Payne, Taromi Lourdes, Freddie Basnight, Byron Knight, and myself.
The project has already received recognition and exposure. I pitched Like a Dog with a Bone to compete for a place in the inaugural Cross Continental International Co-Production Forum, where CCH Pounder and a producer associated with the Oscar-nominated film Selma were in attendance. The names of the selected attendees, including mine, were subsequently featured in a Deadline article.
I was selected as one of two individuals chosen to represent Trinidad and Tobago at the forum in Barbados. That experience was particularly meaningful because it gave me the opportunity to represent my country while presenting a project rooted in my own experiences within the entertainment industry.
Acting Across Film, Television, and Stage
Throughout my career, I have also appeared in television productions and films shown in cinemas in Trinidad and Tobago and internationally. My credits include The Apartment and the award-winning film A Story About Wendy 2, which was screened in Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, and Zanzibar and has also been made available through online streaming platforms.
I have performed on national television in Trinidad and Tobago, including CCN TV6 and Gayelle The Caribbean. My work has also been available to audiences through platforms and networks including Investigation Discovery, Amazon Prime, Sling, Discovery+, and YouTube.
I have stage experience as well, including comedic performances at the World Laugh Festival for two consecutive years and in productions such as Yangatang.
Over the years, my career has been featured in numerous articles and interviews, including television and radio appearances in both Trinidad and Tobago and the United States.
Recognition and Accomplishments
On October 28, 2022, I was officially inducted into the Marquis Who’s Who biographical registry in recognition of my professional achievements and contributions to the entertainment industry.
My professional journey has been shaped by both my creative ambitions and my academic background. Before fully establishing my entertainment career in the United States, I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Behavioral Science with an emphasis in Psychology and Sociology from Andrews University in 2009. I subsequently earned a Master of Arts in Counseling from Caribbean Nazarene College in 2013.
My background in psychology and counseling continues to influence the way I approach storytelling. I believe that understanding people—their experiences, motivations, fears, struggles, and resilience—can help me create more authentic characters and meaningful stories.

I was inducted into the Marquis Who’s Who in America biographical registry.

What makes me different from others?
What sets me apart is the combination of my Caribbean roots, my multidisciplinary experience in entertainment, my academic background in psychology and counseling, and the resilience I have developed throughout my journey.
I am not only an actress; I am also a producer, screenwriter, filmmaker, and entrepreneur who creates opportunities for myself and for other talent. I founded my production company, Gina Parris Entertainment Ltd., in Trinidad and Tobago and have continued developing projects that bring Caribbean talent together with artists and professionals from other parts of the world.
My background in psychology and counseling also influences the way I approach storytelling. I am fascinated by human behavior, motivations, emotions, and the experiences that shape people, and I try to bring that understanding into the characters I portray and the stories I create.
Perhaps most importantly, my journey has taught me perseverance. In 2018, I experienced homelessness and lived out of my old car while continuing to pursue my entertainment career. I have also faced the financial uncertainty that comes with pursuing entertainment full-time. Those experiences were extremely difficult, but they did not cause me to abandon my goals. Instead, they strengthened my determination.
I believe what makes me different is that I continue to create even when circumstances are challenging. I have learned to be both an artist and a businesswoman—to write the stories I want to tell, produce them, act in them, and build the opportunities necessary to bring them to life.
My goal is not simply to have a career in Hollywood. I want to build a lasting body of work, create opportunities for Caribbean and underrepresented talent, and tell stories that connect with people on a human level. My journey from Trinidad and Tobago to Los Angeles, the obstacles I have overcome, and my determination to continue creating have all shaped the artist and entrepreneur I am today.

We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success is having the freedom to live your dream and pursue what you love, while having the ability to do it on your own terms.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ginaparrisentertainment.com
• Instagram: @gina_parris
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@triniactionactress?si=G0OqWs06cD5Y_Zzi
• Other: https://linktr.ee/ginaparrisactor

Image Credits
Poster credit: Like A Dog With A Bone Poster and The Honest Honestest Truth Poster
Done by Rebecca Foster.

A Twist of Life Poster done by Keston Agard

(Please add in the article that I am a Member of the prestigious entertainment industry group named ODOS (One Degree of Separation)