Today we’d like to introduce you to Alita LaShae.
Hi Alita, 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 moved to LA in March of 2014. I didn’t know anyone aside from maybe two people. When I initially moved here, I did so with the intention of pursuing screenwriting, but when I got here, I quickly fell into acting. I don’t mean that to sound like I got into it accidentally or something of the like, but it wasn’t something that was on my radar. I’m very grateful to have found my place in acting. Oh, also modelling. I’ve done that a lot and continue to do it. The rule I tend to live by with my career is “So long as I’m enjoying myself, I’ll continue to follow it, but once it no longer brings joy, then it’s time to consider setting it aside.” However, I’m still here, still getting at it.
A lot of my successes came by surprise, kind of. I got my first big modeling campaign after catching a Lyft to my running trail because I woke up late. My driver told me about a friend or acquaintance of theirs that was running a casting the next day. They gave me the contact info, I reached out, was asked to come in, made my way over to Marina Del Rey from Hollywood, got there, and did what I guess was my very first “audition.” I didn’t even really know what it was for, but I was contacted about twice and told first that I was on a short list, then again that I’m on a really short list and the final time that I’d booked it.
These days, I’m still pursuing acting, but I’ve refocused back on screenwriting and storytelling. I’m working on two features that I’m not only excited about but incredibly proud of. Also, I hope to finish writing and then film this year. So yeah, that’s a brief rundown of “my story.”
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?
I wouldn’t say that it’s been smooth. Not at all, but it hasn’t been bad. Life is all about the ups and downs, right? I’ve been through some crazy things, but I came out virtually unscathed. I like to joke and say that “I’ve survived a cult,” and without going into crazy detail, I guess I kinda did…three times over, now, if I’m not mistaken. My biggest struggle to date was probably when I first got here, and I was couch surfing, basically, for about a year and a half, maybe two years. I’m fortunate that I’d met and gotten to know so many people who were willing to let me do that, but also people who felt safe to me that allowed me to do that. After that, I was splitting a one-bedroom apartment with a guy friend of mine. That was, for sure, an experience.
I think my industry can be a bumpy ride for some, and I’m not excluded from that, but it’s for sure not the easiest thing to be immersed in. I love it, don’t get me wrong, but it came with its own hiccups as well.
I used to have to do a lot of crazy survival jobs. I found myself walking dogs for someone once, at 4 am in Hollywood, because I had to be to my coffee shop job at 5 am, and I didn’t have a car, so I had to walk to the house of the people I was walking dogs for, then to work, and then back home around 1 pm. Despite all of that, I still had other obligations, and at the time, I was still couch surfing. I was just insistent on making it work, I guess.
Sometimes I worked my coffee shop until late, I think we closed at 8 or 9 pm, maybe, and every night I walked home, I’d pass this specific bar. I passed it so much that the bouncer outside started recognizing me, and he checked in on me to make sure I was alright with my walk when he saw me. It didn’t dawn on me at the time, but he was likely keeping me safe in his own way from things or people that could’ve been a bad time for me.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m technically a multi-hyphenate, but more often than not, I tell people first that I’m an actor, and I am! I love acting. It was something I wanted to do when I was a little kid, but something or someone talked me out of it. I think they told me just how vulnerable you have to be, or how exposed you have to be when acting, and it scared me…or they told me I wasn’t good enough to be an actor, and I believed them. Jokes on them, though, because here I am.
I don’t think I’m known for anything… not yet, at least. The most I get “recognized” from is my print ads or the occasional TV commercial. I wish I could say, “Hey, yeah, I was on this show or that show,” but as of now, that’s not the case. One day, though. I’m sure of it.
I’m most proud my writing. I’ve grown and learned so much over the last year when it comes to screenwriting. The biggest thing was learning to find my voice in writing. I don’t know that I have that completely nailed down, but it’s getting clearer and clearer as time moves on. Recently, I participated in a contest where we had the opportunity to pitch our screenplay ideas to four industry pros. I think roughly forty of us submitted to pitch, and only eight would be chosen, but we wouldn’t know who was selected until the day of the event. I submitted and, on the day, I was selected to pitch. Being selected was the prize, there was no “winner,” so to speak. So, I’m incredibly proud of that because I worked hard on it, but I also started out believing it wasn’t something that had any weight or merit to it, but clearly it did.
As for what sets me apart from others, I know this is where I’m supposed to like, tell you all about me and something of the like, but I really couldn’t tell you. I think everyone receives me differently, and honestly, I love that. What one person likely loves about me, another person will dislike, and vice versa. I think I tend to walk into everything being exactly who I am and letting whomever I meet form an opinion about me. I don’t want to control the narrative in that way. Who I am is who I am, and who someone thinks I am is who they think I am. Until it’s necessary that those two “concepts” meet, that’s all there is.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
Oooh, I think so, yeah!
I LOVE books. So, so much. I’m always on the lookout for new books, from self-help to fiction to whatever else sparks my interest. The books I’m currently reading right now are “The 12 Week Year” by Brian P. Moran and I’m starting “Zen-Existentialism” by Lit-Seng Chang.
As for other resources, If you’re interested in screenwriting and looking for a class, check out Bad Pitch Writer’s Lab. It’s a great community and resource to kick you into gear if you feel like you need that. If you’re looking for an acting class, I recommend the BGB Studio community. They’re a great bunch of people and have been helpful for me on my journey in acting. Same with Crash Acting Studio, which I joined sometime last year, and the Annie Grindlay Acting Studio
I say all this to say I’m not one to push or peddle classes. I think anyone looking for a class should do extensive research on studios because they’re not one-size-fits-all. What works for me may not work for another, but I found these to be helpful. Others may find that these places don’t work for them, but I believe them all to be great communities and oftentimes willing to help you find what you need, even if it isn’t with them. Just my thought.
Contact Info:
- Website: alitalashae.com
- Instagram: @AlitaLaShae
Image Credits
El Von
Sela Shiloni
Josh Fingerhut
J. Perez
Carlos Ramos
