Life & Work with Kelsey Caesar

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelsey Caesar.

Hi Kelsey, 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 remember as young as being three years old watching Michael Jackson entertain the world. I use to think he was like magic. It was something about him and the way compelled people is what I was the most attracted to. I use to dance and imitate him to my family, my grandmother especially loved to see me dance and entertain the family, she said I reminded her of my Grandfather who died a year before I was born. At early age knew I wanted to be in entertainment. I use to watch a lot of tv growing up with my parents and my brother. One of my favorite channels as a kid was Nickelodeon, I watched everything on that channel from cartoons to the scripted segments. My favorite shows were “My Brother and Me” “All That” and “Kenan and Kel”. I remember as a kid I wanted to be “All that” soo bad! Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell definitely were important role models to me as well growing up. They were my representation on Tv as a kid in the 90s especially on a kid-friendly network. They are actually the reasons why I wanted to become actor. Growing up, every time we would have family events my grandmother would want me to dance to Billie Jean. As I got older, it got better and better because I used to watch and study MJ dance moves by renting videos and the Video store. So I perfected it. When I was about 13, I got into theater arts and I got to really explore my acting side that I always wanted to do. There was a talent show that we had towards the end of the year and I convinced my Teacher Mrs. Vassigh to let me perform Billie Jean. I told her I was good. She said, ok well let me see what you got first and then I’ll consider it…Well, the next day I brought a cd a make shift outfit did the whole dance in front of the classes…Blew her away and I performed it in front of the whole school’s weeks later. That performance was soo epic for me everybody were applauding; I got and standing ovation…That’s when I knew for sure that I wanted to be in Entertainment.

Fast forward a few years, I was 15 and I got scouted by a local talent and modeling agency in Houston called Page Parks. I talked my parents into letting me take their school. Which I learned EVERYTHING believe or not about the TV/Film industry including modeling and skincare which I still use those very same tips today. Needless to say, I did the nine weeks program and didn’t get represented with Page Parkes but the value I took from it was information and headshots I used to land me my first agency in Houston, TX Actors, etc. from there, I got an amazing coach in Houston, Kim Terry who has taught a lot of us from Hillary Duff, Sterling Knight, and Kendrick Sampson. I honed my skills with Kim did pretty cool showcase where I got to show off once again my dancing skills and acting skills with casting directors and agents from California. I landed some callbacks but at the tender age of 16, I wasn’t ready to uproot to LA. I had a life behind of Sports… Yep, I was talented athlete at my school in Track and Field. My dilemma was how was I going to use my sports talent to get me to LA…I thought about a year later…and I came up with a plan…I need to get a scholarship to a school in LA. Graduating High School, I was one of the lucky athletes that were was being recruited all over the country, my struggle was always balancing TV/Film school and sports. I was able to book my first film “American Dream, Mike Jones story” it was a movie of the week that aired on BET my freshman year of college. I booked it my senior year of high school. I also did Friday Nights Light on NBC and got a small part that didn’t make the cut in the final shot. So I did it…I found a way to get to LA. I got a scholarship to Long Beach State, originally getting recruited by USC however considering the scholarships are limited because USC is a private school. They wanted me to sit out a semester and they would bring me in the spring.

As a young kid excited to see the world, I wanted to start school like all my friends in the fall so I chose Long Beach State in the intentions transfer. My parents told me while in school in California, I couldn’t do Entertainment I had to focus on school and sports, However being in a place where it is the capital of entertainment it found its way to me, I end up meeting my first ever Manager who started her own management group under Tina Davis Management who was Chris Brown manager at the time. I was super excited because Chris Brown at the time was larger in life and she saw me dance and loved it. And told she can definitely make my dreams happened…..ONLY one problem I had was to give up sports…Chris Brown was such big star and I could dancem she easily could of thrown in as one of his background dancers for videos to make money while she pitch for casting. My parents love the idea but they wanted me be in School and focused on Sports. So I had to tell her that and see if she’d work with me. She didn’t, she dropped me. And I completely shut down my acting career and focused on my sport and school. Which led me to transfer to Arizona State University to finish my education and college track career. After I graduated, I moved back to LA to be a professional track and field and started my acting career again. It was easy for me to find rep because I had the know-how from what I learned at Page Parks Plus, I had somewhat of a reel from the Movie I did. I remember visiting LA some point while I was in college and I talk to my colleague Kendrick Sampson who at the time was grinding. Told me one thing that stuck with me. He said the industry has changed, when you come back into it the best thing you can do is get a manager. And when I moved back on Day 1, I got a manager! So at this point, I’m working hard everyday auditioning, trying to navigate through this new world of entertainment and be a Professional Athlete. Did the grind of doing student films, did some horrible projects as well as some good ones.

One of my films actually got into the Cannes Short film fest. So I started to build a real and I just remember being so busy because I also was doing dance class as well. I had days where I get off the track go home eat then went to the dance studio dance…It was pretty tough to the point I had to decide do I want to be a dancer as well…I decided not too… just focus on acting and running. I had agents I went through that cycle as well of good and bad ones… I finally land a real good agency because of my reel and my manager relationships. I got with a real good agency that I had that really brought me in the world of acting and actively auditioning for real projects and shows…During my spand with them, I had some pretty close calls to some life-changing experiences with almost booking shows like “Snowfall”. I did manage to book my first major film with them, “Slamma Jamma” the movie was a faith-based film about a basketball player who gets in trouble and goes to jail but finds redemption through a Dunk Competition. The lead is played by Chris Staples who is a phenomenal athletic dunker. And my part was a Supporting character playing his hard-headed brother. The movie released in theaters what I believe in a couple of thousand theaters nationwide. However, I never got to take advantage of doing PR to promote this movie because my publicist and my producer didn’t see eye to eye. This movie didn’t have the commercial success I anticipated so it didn’t do much for my career. As I retired Track and Field while filming this move. I was training for the 2016 Olympic Trials this movie shot for two months. About time I finished shooting wasn’t in shape to be competitive for the Olympic Trials. Between release of the movie Slamma Jamma, I kind of went through a very slow period in my career. I had some highs getting great auditions from the movie but I wasn’t booking and had some close calls but nothing. I ended up getting dropped from my agency.

Me and my manager who I’m still currently went today went on the road of finding reps. I got with some but they didn’t work out went through a dry couple of years with here and their auditions and commercial bookings I got with an Amazing commercial agent in 2018 Genesis Artist Agency, Donna Kim is still my current agency change my whole commercial career. I went from auditioning maybe four times a year commercially to going out like 3-4 times a month… in the 2019, I got with agent that I heard about that is good at getting her talent in rooms. I signed with Sueanne Edan of Tangerine Talent. She really has done well with getting me back on the circuit of auditioning. Before signing with her, I felt like I missed out on the first wave of hiring black talent in movies and TV because I wasn’t going out I missed the wave where some of colleagues and other black male actors that would audition caught the wave and became who they are today…However, Sueanne definitely helped me get back into the market of auditioning along with my awesome manager Daryn Simons, right when I started to audition again the pandemic hit. However for me that really didn’t affect me; I was still auditioning all through the pandemic… I went back home to Texas to work on myself and really find me while was auditioning, I got to chance to be with family and just be home which is something I haven’t done in over a decade since I left for school. I got a chance to spend a lot of time with grandmother who I didn’t realize aged so much; she now is nearing the final years of her life. Spending so much time with her at home, I learned so much about myself and how precious life can be. My grandmother would tell me at home that she hopes she still alive to see me on TV and theaters again. That really struck me because I was been soo close to my grandmother entertaining her putting a smile on her face.

Being that she is 90 years old all I can do think that I need to reevaluate my purpose as she always been my inspiration to entertain but now going against time. She’s getting old and now is bedridden I’ve never seen my grandmother like this. She always been an independent, strong loving grandmother who radiates positivity all the time. I told don’t worry grandmother, I will be back on Tv and theaters and you will see me again! Holidays approaches being that my grandmother is really elderly we take holiday seriously as we don’t know if it will be her last. My grandmother stayed with my parents for Thanksgiving and Christmas so to make my grandmother happy, I made a video of thanksgiving of why I am thankful for her so I made a short dance video of me dancing to Michael Jackson as she used to love to see me dance as a kid. She was thrilled and happy for Christmas. I told her we all was going to cook Christmas dinner which we did. She taught me how to make some of my favorite pastries and cakes. It was one of my favorite Christmas. My grandmother is old school; she comes from the make from scratch era so I really learned a thing or two….after the Holidays, I got back in town in LA in Feb. and started to Audition again, I reevaluated myself and had heartfelt conversation with one of best buds Skyler Bible whose a fellow actor as well. I told him as we were driving to Malibu that 2021 is it for me…If I don’t start booking and get some momentum going in my career by the end of the year, this acting is over for me. Skyler was taking by surprise and told me I was too talented and have a great team to just quit, I told I know but I need to make real money and Id go into managing talent, giving my experience. But by me saying this, I’m not giving up now I’m going full steam ahead to end of 2021…

Two weeks later, I booked a super cool film… called “Bitch Ass” it slate to release next year. It’s the first slasher featuring an all-black cast to ever be made. As soon as I got offset, I booked at a TV Show on Disney Plus called “Just Beyond” RL Stines’s “Goosebumps” other book series that is turned into a live action Tv show directed produced by David Katzenburg and Seth Grahame Smith. Followed by that booked a national commercial for American Express. That is currently playing everywhere because I have been having some great momentum with bookings. I decided to move to Atlanta for the summer to build a team in the southeast and try out this market. When I shot Just Beyond this past April, I fell in love with city and saw how big the Tv/Film a market is and I love it. Just recently booked another Horror indie called “Devilreaux” in Los Angeles that I start shooting in August. It has been an awesome year for me so far! Just when I was getting ready to throw in the towel. God blessed me with so many opportunities and I give all praises to him. My grandmother is still a live and kicking as she has gotten to see my American Express commercial as well which brings me soo much joy to heart because she got to see her grandson on TV again!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Yes, it has definitely been a struggle for me. I dealt with so many adversities with my track career in college and professionally retiring my career to focus completely on acting was hard because many friends were doing and actually are doing it. I was blessed to be roommates and close friends with two amazing Olympic medalists, Dalilah Muhammad and Nia Ali. Also, being dropped by my first manager early in my career was pretty tough. Completely shutting down my dreams and aspirations in Tv/film to only focus on School and track was hard, I felt like shut down a part of me for years.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am an Actor! I was once known to be an amazing track and field athlete competing in the Junior Olympics and Pac12 and NCAA Champions and trying out for USA Teams. What sets me apart is always been self-motivated and inspired. I’ve taking a lot of what I learned to be the best at my sport and I put it to my acting career. I’m very disciplined. I’m proud of what I have accomplished in my sport. I’m proud of how I used it as a vehicle to get here where I’m at today.

The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
I learned so much about myself and who I am, where I came from and how much more important family is to me. I got really into my ancestry. I found a lot of history about my family! 4x great father was a native American runner in the War of 1812. I also found out my 3x grandfather was a native American union soldier in the Civil war…I found out during Covid don’t take family for granted as my aunt died unexpectedly in late Oct.

Contact Info:

• Email: kcaesaractor@gmail.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/Kelcaesar
• Twitter: twitter.com/kelcaesar