Conversations with Elizabeth Regal

Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Regal.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I had a humble upbringing in the deep South where simple pleasures and the value of a dollar was everything. I used to help my mom and grandmother with occasional weekend garage sales out of our grandma’s home. I would sell cups of lemonade for 25 cents a cup and I kept all the money. I was in 7th heaven. I was raised between Knoxville and Louisville, Tennessee and originally aspired to be a model and singer. I was a solo vocalist in high school and college, so singing and having that Big Voice one day was also a hidden aspiration. At 11 years old, I was scouted in middle school to become a model with Barbizon, but my parents encouraged her to focus on her studies. I didn’t do much again until I went to college and could start to make my own decisions. I entered a casting call with for hair models for Matrix Essentials. It was a chance to be on stage and walk the runway at the big convention center in downtown Knoxville. I got cast immediately at the casting call and had to lead the role and beginning segment in the show. I came back year after year and got cast.

In 1997, I signed with the top talent and model agency in Knoxville, Talent Trek. I was elated as I booked a background role in the legendary movie October Sky. Later that year, I booked the front cover of a local department store advertisement for “Watson’s.” I shot the cover for Buffalo Exchange clothing and appeared in numerous local commercials and theater productions. In those days, ethnic models were obsolete and unheard of, as my talent agent told me I had slim chances of booking anything or even making it in Hollywood. Ethnicity and exoticness were very much downplayed, even though I beat the odds time and time again.

I rolled the dice and went to Hollywood with $500 in my pocket, no car, no contacts, a part-time job at Kinko’s that paid $9.50 an hour and lived in a humble poor abode, the famed El Nido hotel in Hollywood. Even though I was the next best thing in Knoxville, that did not even remotely impress anyone in Hollywood. I failed over and over running out of money, time, and self-esteem as I left 9 times and went home to Knoxville once, Las Vegas a couple of times, NYC, and places where I had family and friends because. I went on 50 auditions within three years of living in Los Angeles hustling and being signed to several talent agencies that rarely sent me out. I got rejected over and over for being too ethnic, too short, too tall, too fat, too curvy, not curvy enough, etc. I scratched and clawed for survival and worked with no luck for many years. It seemed a hopeless competition, always fighting for attention and to be seen. But I pushed on.

The first ten years in Los Angeles, I rarely worked. It took years to learn how the system worked, and the world for that matter which I was lightly touched on later in the interview. I finally started booking better roles as I became more networked. In 2016, I guest starred in the Season Finale of Patti Stanger’s “Million Dollar Matchmaker” on WE Network opposite Rockstar Ralph Rieckermann (The Scorpions) on the Season Finale. I made a guest appearance on the hit CBS Television show “The Doctors” on being interviewed by Dr. Wendy about dating in Los Angeles. I also starred in a sci-fi horror short, “The Hybrid” shot by 20th Century Fox and created by Percy Léon of Fantacular TV and guest starred on Justice for All with Cristina Perez on K-Cal and co-starred in a film Sweating Sand.

I fell into filmmaking, producing, directing, and writing by learning from a dear friend for years David Heavener and attending film school at Los Angeles City College. I then launched my own production company Envision Motion Pictures. I self-funded my films out of my pocket, “The Offer” and “Seductive Shadows” that were later picked up for international distribution by Paraflixx, a VOD distributor for the Paranormal/Horror genre. My childhood dream was to be on the big screen one day at the famed TCL Theaters on Hollywood Blvd. 25 years later, it happened. I submitted my film to the Indie Night Film Festival, and it was chosen to air on the big screen for Indie Night Fest! A red-carpet premiere was rolled out for “Seductive Shadows” and a plethora of other films for Indie Night Festival in December 2017 at the famed TCL Theaters that has had many positive reviews and press. For Seductive Shadows, I also won Best Director, alongside my amazing Cinematographer Glenn Dicus for the Dream Machine International Film Festival.

It was a dream come true 20+ years later as I landed one project and press interview after another interviews include Voyager LA Magazine, What’s The Story?, LA Talk Radio – Cameron Datzker’s segment, The Hollywood Weekly, The Hollywood Times, No Strings Attached E-News Magazine, The Collegian Melting Pot podcast for Los Angeles City College, CVH 1st Class Magazine (UK), KPFK.FM Radio, ShoutOut LA Magazine, the Joseph Bonner Radio Show, Legend Magazine, and Meeting Venus Magazine. I’ve probably went on over 1000+ auditions over the years and booked at least 50+ projects in the industry.

At this point of my career, as I continue to push forward, it’s about being of service to the newcomers up and coming to Hollywood. It can be a treacherous town or the land of your dreams. I would love to continue to make films that are supernatural in nature, as well as informative inspirational. Donating time and money to charity is a dream of mine, as there are countless ways to make the world a better place.

I am a strong supporter and activist for Inclusion and Diversity in Hollywood and Abuse against women and children for being a voice for those that do not have a voice is dear to my heart. Me Too has been a revelation for many women in Hollywood and around the globe. I intend to continue my passionate journey into the Entertainment world with a voice of truth of what is truly happening on our planet with an exciting new venture, a television talk show.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I don’t think I could list all the challenges and unforeseen obstacles over 21 years in Los Angeles. When I first arrived in Hollywood and knew nobody, I got overlooked and past aside over and over for being too ethnic, too short, too tall, too fat, too curvy, not curvy enough, etc. I scratched and clawed for survival and worked with no luck for many years. It seemed a hopeless competition always fighting for attention and to be seen. But I pushed on.

Just like many hopefuls, I experienced numerous scams, objectification, poverty, audition after audition over and over, bouts of unkindness, overlooked, not taken seriously, fighting numerous loopholes in contracts, little family or support when I first arrived, and the list goes on. There are many unforeseen traps in LA, you name! It can seem a predatorial system if one is not aware of who’s who. On the contrary, there are an endless amount of souls that have given me exceptional guidance and true wisdom. The overall intention of programming in the media and news is to shape, influence, and direct the masses down a specific way of thinking that supports the mainstream narrative. It is evident that whether or not it is beneficial to us as a species is irrelevant to them. Just stop and look at the state of the world objectively and question as to how we got here. It may seem glamorous on social media and television but hit the grind every day and push through many battles. This is a commonality.

Through every hardship is a lesson. Every hardship is a blessing as God has used my presence to push though many injustices in the world while giving me inseparable wisdom and strength. After numerous hard knocks, one learns to size people and situations up quickly to not fall into another unforeseen trap. Hollywood can be a place of Heaven and Hell all simultaneously existing at the same time. There is the depths of struggle and hell as they say, but on the other side hand been gifts of heaven. It’s all a matter how we move through the game and persist.

It’s important as a young actress and model to not fall into the dark side of Hollywood and be completely controlled and objectified by the system. It’s easy to do to get lost in the glitz and glamour of the system of the lavish lifestyle, celebrity parties, degradation, and greed. There is a fine line between success and as many will say, “selling your soul.” It’s seemingly impossible to stay grounded and centered in Tinseltown of far-fetched dreams but can be done with the power of our voices and boundaries. We must learn to use our voices and utilize the power of negotiation without desecrating ourselves into a morally and spiritually bankrupt path all for ambition.

So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
Show business is a spiritual journey, as many lessons and influences are happening along the way outside the naked eye. We are living in controversial times where everything is being revealed and where nobody really has privacy anymore. There are many breaking out of the norm and corruption as the movement of Me Too and Black Lives Matter happened before the controversial pandemic. Russell Brand and his Messiah Complex tour, Rose McGowan, Britney Spears, and many others possess no fear in speaking the truth.

At heart, I am an activist and truth-teller, and the Entertainment industry is the medium I chose to reach the masses. I am a seeker and educator of injustices on the planet, and they are vast and countless. Our planet is reaching a dire tipping point as we are reaching a far irreversible existential crisis in many areas caused by greed, power, and selfishness. Legendary physicist Stephen Hawking once said before he passed that he would be surprised if humanity lasted no more than 100 years before annihilation of our species due to narcissism. I became an activist for this reason to contribute something profound to make the planet a better place to reside for all. If every person would pick one area and be of service even in their local community this planet would be a completely different place today.

But I often questioned why is this so? What is driving the planet in the direction it is going? There is a deep controversial argument in that there are a plethora of invisible influences causing such a downward spiral. My television talk show will cover many revealing concepts and shocking truths. I truly feel as many injustices are being revealed, there is hope and we are more powerful than we realize. We have the power of choice and free will. The power of “no” is greatest power humanity must comply or not comply with means that would lead us further into the rabbit hole.

I am an activist in human rights. I am a member with the Citizens Commission on Human Rights International and work with the Children’s Health Defense. There is an extensive divided argument on the mandatory vaccines. A group of SAG/Aftra actors and performers have gathered along with me to take a stand against mandatory vaccines to work on set. It has been a known mandatory requirement alongside some production companies requiring to even be recently boosted, regardless of the life-threatening and questionable risks associated with them stated by many mainstream media outlets. A successful protest at the SAG / Aftra awards in Los Angeles and NYC was conducted to raise awareness.

The National Head director of the union Fran Drescher addressed our presence, and many others concerns and now the mandates are in negotiation to end. Woody Harrelson also is one of many supporters, as he subtly mentioned a quite controversial perspective on SNL. The entertainment industry is facing vast and rapid changes alongside the entire globe that are quite of a concern to our safety and well-being. I continue to educate and speak out on human rights issues. It’s important we do not thrust our species into medical and worldwide tyranny, as Fran Drescher commented on in a recent article.

I will note, being truly inquisitive by nature, I always questioned the narratives and why things are the way they are from early childhood. I never followed the flock and was often criticized for it. Things will not change if we do not learn to pull together for the fight of our free will and to revert to living in a natural state in line with the ancient physical and spiritual laws of the Universe. I truly feel we are in over our heads with AI, technology, runaway inflation, war after war, racism, greed, the obsession with consumption on things we do not truly need, and isolation in our own little Metaverse on our phones. I cannot tell you how frustrating it is to see almost most people in Los Angeles on their phones, texting and walking, texting and driving, texting and riding a bike even. It’s gotten way out of hand in how we have forgotten own how to reside in our normal state of connection and love with one another.

My developing television talk show in negotiation will cover several social injustices and controversial topics as the subliminal messaging and programming in television, film, news, and media. The application of neuroscience is directly integrated in everything we are reading, viewing, and listening to for a specific outcome. The overall narrative is direct humanity in a certain direction and change the way we think. This is a deep topic I will thrust into with many credible guests on my show. It’s an exciting journey to be of service to planet in such delicate and volatile times.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2513386/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethregal1/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethRegal1/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethregal
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/ElizabethRegal1/  

Image Credits
Black and white photos and makeup by – Lisa Lex Red Carpet photo at TCL Theaters in Black sweater an skirt – Steve Escarcega Heart of Hollywood photo – Heart of Hollywood Magazine