Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabrielle Heslop.
Hi Gabrielle, 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.
I grew up In New York City, Queens, to be exact! I come from a Jamaican family with rich traditions and great food! I was always drawn to acting and the arts as a whole. When I was young, I was very introverted but a big personality around those who knew me. I loved reading plays, and I did theatre throughout Elementary, High School, and College. As I started growing and changing, I knew I also had a calling toward children, and I would make puppets by hand and do puppet shows for children to help pay for school. This was more than just a talent, so to speak, but I feel like it is a part of my calling. But there was something also calling me at the time, and it was loud. Los Angeles, California!
Film and Television was calling me, so I moved from my hometown with maybe $2000 as a whole with no job and not knowing what was on the other side. I met up with a long-time sister of mine who shared a dream of fashion and we both lived together our first 2 years in DTLA. I went through so many sessions of talking myself out of moving to LA because, surely, I was crazy, but God kept confirming that I was supposed to be there in so many different ways.
Later, I would find out that my move here to Los Angeles was more than just seeking out the obvious and the weather, of course! I was on a journey of healing, and it was messy and unattractive, but now I can see myself as a brand-new person. Me and that same friend/sister started something called the Unicorn Tribe that lasted for 4 1/2 years. We cultivated a community of women through monthly meetings created to uplift and push each other into our dreams. We would pray for each other and see people receive these amazing life-changing circumstances; it was incredible. I found an amazing community, and God healed so many wounds that I didn’t know existed. Truly grateful.
Today I live in Redondo Beach closer to the water so I can focus more on writing. I am doing commercials and voiceover work, and I have had some truly amazing opportunities. I am in the midst of pitching an animation series which is thematically focused on self-esteem, and I feel like great things are on the horizon.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The entire road is a struggle, and I don’t know that struggle is something that comes to an end. I think we are always faced with challenges, and we can see this in the actors and actresses who have voiced how hard the road can be. I am still currently on my journey, and yes, there have been so many bumps. It’s interesting how truly beautiful things can coexist with heart-wrenching trials. One of the struggles I have faced has been not knowing where work would come from as we go from job to job. You have to have thick skin for the in-between because, like so many actors have stated in this business, you receive so many nos before you hear that long-awaited yes.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am an actor, writer, and director. I do voiceover work, commercials, and I am auditioning to be in films currently. I am currently working on an animation series I truly believe in, and I can’t wait to see it on Television. I am most proud of this script, even though it has not aired yet but I am most proud of this! I think what sets me apart from others is that, yes, I want to do movies and television, but I also want to work in the children’s space as well. I never hear my peers say this. I also dance 🙂
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
A favorite childhood memory was when I was in elementary school. I did my first play, and it felt like everyone was so proud of me. I remember my teacher complimenting me, and it filling me with so much warmth inside. That and my junior high school musical. It was such a fun play, and I remember crying so much when it was over. I played the lead character. Those have been forever etched in my mind and close to my heart. 🙂
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @natasha.g.duval
