Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Roumain.
Hi Lisa, 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 moved to LA from Miami Beach at 26 years old, which most would tell me was “way too old to start.” I had studied acting for only a couple of years, had done 1 play, and was completely clueless on how to even begin pursuing an Acting career. I was so clueless, that I had no idea just how clueless I was.
After graduating from University of FL with an Interior Design degree, I tried that world and knew pretty quickly that I would emotionally drown if I kept at it. It just felt wrong. I started taking some acting classes, and a huge shift happened inside of me. It made sense to me, even if it didn’t to anyone else. So, to the dismay of family and friends, I moved to LA with my husband Greg and 2 cats, got a job at the Mondrian Hotel as a waitress (as one does) and jumped into more acting classes. I started with short films and commercials, which thankfully kept me afloat for years. It was a much longer journey to break into theatrical work, but that helped me prepare and train and live life so that I was able to show up in the way I wanted to when the auditions started coming.
At this stage in my life and career, I feel so grateful to be raising two amazing girls (plus 2 dogs and 2 cats.) I’ve watched my husband build his own incredible career, and we’re building an AirB&B side hustle together. I’m getting to work with talented artists that I admire, as well as writing screenplays and collaborating with friends and classmates on theirs. I’ve also jumped into audiobook narration, which I’m really excited about. I don’t know where I thought the destination would be when I started, I still have so much building to do and huge goals, I’m not remotely “there” yet. But I’m grateful for the work I’ve done and the people I’ve done it with. I would be proud to share the present me with 26 year old me.
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?
I can’t imagine that anyone has a smooth road in the pursuit of anything worthwhile. The road has been slow and long. It took me years to start booking jobs or to get an agent. I actually felt like I was on a secret “do not hire” list, as I could not get through any doors. I’m not sure if I was tenacious or insane, but I just kept going. I loved every second of searching through casting breakdowns, reading scripts and plays and sides, driving across town to auditions, changing costumes in my car. At the beginning, my friend Greta and I created a fake management company, and every morning we would stuff our headshots into envelopes and courier them or drop them off at casting offices. It’s highly doubtful that any of them were ever even opened. It was a brutal time but the most hopeful time. There’s a sort of magic to that struggle, that blind optimism. That inability to break through for so many years, my intense hunger, just made me work even harder.
Because I knew when one of those doors opened just a crack, I had to be ready to jump. In many ways, I’m grateful that the road was difficult because I have such deep appreciation for the career and life that I have now. When I get an audition, I know how many Actresses didn’t get that opportunity. When I’m on set working, I know how much it took to get there, how much it took everyone on the cast and crew to get to that moment. I’m still in that same hustle and will always be I’m sure. The most exciting thing is not knowing what is around the corner. Two months ago I was in the longest work rut that I’d experienced in years, and today I’m missing the amazing crew that I just wrapped a feature film with. I’m shedding the layers of the character I just had the gift of playing. I’m opening my arms wide to the next one, wondering who she is and what she will need from me.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m just super interested in people. Our behavior, motivations, passions, and flaws. When I have a script or a book in front of me, I thrive on asking as many questions as possible. I write pages and pages on the character’s backgrounds and relationships and what they dream about. I build really specific memories for the character so that I have those in my pocket when I need them. I tend to lean toward dramatic roles, but absolutely love doing comedy as well. If I get a script that gives me a gut punch and I say to myself, “Oh HELL no,” by the end of the day, I will become obsessed with how to do it and how to dig really deep into the things that terrify me. I don’t want to play it safe, I like to grind things out and feel like I learned something or felt something new. Because of this, I think that I’ve been able to play many different roles and stay out of a “type” trap. I’ll try anything, I’ll never turn down an audition because I don’t feel “right” for it. I’ll always give it my best go, sometimes the results are exciting, sometimes ridiculous, but why the hell not? I’ve been surprised many times by what I’ve been invited to be a part of, especially on roles I never thought I’d get.
It’s always been such a massive growing experience. You have to be willing to go all in, to look insane, unattractive, dumb, obnoxious, toxic, terrifying, unlikable and equally you have to be willing to go the distance to be bold, beautiful, confident, and an absolute bad ass… I’ve given myself the permission to do these things, putting the character and the story before myself and my own judgments and limits, and I feel like it’s really starting to pay off. My most recent projects (feature film MAX DAGAN, & an animated series GOSSAMER) were very challenging in different ways. The first really pushed me emotionally, I had to go down a dark rabbit hole. The second was a motion capture project, so I had to jump head first into a long list of different characters, teen fairies, evil creatures, & quirky humans, I had to use every drop of myself, emotionally & physically. I felt incredibly free and ignited like I could dig in like I’ve never been able to before, and I could be a strong partner for my fellow actors and collaborators. It feels really good.
What matters most to you? Why?
Giving the very best of myself to my family, friends, and work. Approaching life with gratitude and humility and being a positive force of love and support for others. Witnessing my loved ones’ journeys & supporting their passions. Being present as much as I can.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1321097/?ref_=fn_al_nm_0
- Instagram: @lisaroumain
- Twitter: @lisaroumain
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHAnTEQdORQEujS93zHVW-Q
Image Credits
Headshots by Matt Kallish
