Today we’d like to introduce you to Niketa Calame-Harris.
Hi Niketa, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My mother (may she rest in peace) used to tell the story of my first photoshoot when I was five. I had a gymnastics show coming up and needed pictures for the program. The story goes, I was giving the photographer nothing when she came to the house, and right when they were about to give up my mother handed me a microphone and I came to life, the rest is history.
I come from a family of artists my Godfather is Hal Williams aka Lester from 227 and my godsister was the youngest daughter in all the Leathel Weapon movies so when my mother found out I was serious about acting they lend her advice and I auditioned for my agent at the time Gold Marshak who signed me right away. I booked one of my biggest roles with them as the original voice of “Young Nala” in Disney 32nd Animated Film ‘The Lion King”. I was doing a film or tv show or commercial multiple times a year. When I got to high school, I fell in love with Theater and that became more important to me than going to auditions. I have been working and paying taxes since I was ten and luckily, I had a mother that saw that I wanted to slow down and have a somewhat normal life and she let me do just that.
I took a break for College and Grad School, where I received my Master’s of Fine Arts from The Actors Studio Drama School in NY and my BA degree from UC Santa Cruz and my junior year aboard at University of Exeter in the United Kingdom. After a few years in New York, I came back home to LA to take care of my sick mother. It was doing that time where I started coaching actors and parents of young actors in the business. In Motion was born where I strive to cultivate creative minds through the acting craft and business of acting tools so they shine on the stage and in lives. NiketaCH Photography grew out of my love for photography and working with so many actors starting out who didn’t have the right tools to navigate in the professional world. I have been dedicated to those two businesses alongside my own acting career which has placed me on HBO, NBC, CBS, Lifetime to name a few as well as many awards including Ovation Award for Color Purple and an NAACP Theater Award nomination for lead actress in a play.
My philanthropy work has been with the American Diabetes Association, a charity dear to my heart since being diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes (juvenile diabetes) in 1999) for the past ten years. This deadly disease has put me in ICU a few times and numerous other complications that I juggle, but my mother being my role model (RIP September 21, 2018) taught me that what your mind can conceive, you can achieve and never take no for an answer. I suppose living with a deadly disease, you just want to do any and everything you have always dreamed of and I can honestly say I have pursued most of my dreams and am blessed beyond measure despite my day to day health complications.
This year I added Professor and Mother to my titles.
Mantra: Uplift One Higher Than Yourself
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?
By biggest challenge was being diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the end of my freshman year in college. I have been living with diabetes for 8,340 days, given myself 43,800 shots, changed insulin pump sites 800 plus times since being diagnosed in 1999.
My initial thought was “will I be able to have kids one day & will I be able to continue being an actress” those were literally the first words out of my mouth when I was admitted to the hospital the summer of 1999. The doctor told me he wasn’t sure about kids but possibly and Halle Berry has type 1 and her career seems to be ok. Even though this was great news, I was still in the denial phase for many years in the beginning. I have two complications from Diabetes, Gastroperisis (nerve damage in my stomach) and Neuropathy (nerve damage in my legs and feet). It is 24/7 situation but you can either take control of it or let it take control of you. For many years I let it take control of me, and having sub-par health insurance during the days of pre-existing condition discrimination didn’t aid toward the positive. I found myself speaking at many events with young artists who had diabetes to show them that is possible to accomplish your dreams despite all odds. A multitude of those speaking gigs paid for the equipment for my photography business which was a win-win.
After getting married in 2015, wanting to have a child and finally winning the fight with my health insurance to receive management tools all played a part in getting my type 1 in the best shape ever. My whole pregnancy I had an A1C of 6.1 which was amazing. Even so I was on bed rest and progesterone for most of the pregnancy because they were afraid I would lose her, I was hospitalized most of the first trimester and had mild pre-eclampsia my third trimester. But just like my mom, my little daughter is a warrior and came out during an emergency c section healthy as any newborn could be with no NICU, which is what I was most afraid of.
I often share life struggles with my students to let them know that “bumpy roads lead to beautiful destinations”.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My In Motion business strives to cultivate the full potential of creative-minded people. Through career training and acting coaching, we help our clients shine on stage and in their lives! We focus on craft: Audition Technique, Commercial Audition Technique, Cold Reading, Character Building and more. On the business side, we work on artist branding, artist marketing packages, breaking down your “cast-able as” attributes and more. Being a working actress and in the Screen Actors Union since 1994, I have a unique perspective to share with respect to longevity, persistence and what to do in the meantime in between time which most actors deal with at all levels. For parents with young actors, I make sure that the business side is on the right track and they don’t fall into some of the scam tricks like agents charging or making you get all new photos when you have good ones already for example as well as making sure they have the right work permits and bank accounts set up before getting started.
Some of my acting credits: Original Voice of “Young Nala” in Disney’s 32nd Animated Feature Film “The Lion King”, Chris Rocks little sister “Albertina” in the cult classic CB4, co-star roles in Perry Mason on HBO, Timeless on Fox, The Millers on NBC and more.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
My first acting teacher was the legend Juanita Moore (Imitation of Life) and Lynn Hamilton who made me look in the mirror every session and say, “I Am Somebody”.
My First Dance Teacher Regina Williams who taught me all the dances I know and got me an audition for one of my first union gigs as a principal dancer on Rappin N Ryhmin for Hanna Barbera with Yogi Bear and Fred Flinstone lol
My college director Don Williams who said to always “Uplift One Higher Than Yourself”.
My grad school acting teachers (rip) Bob Lavelle & Elizabeth Kemp who taught me to look further within for the answers and “if it good or bad it happened 1000 years ago, just show up and leave it all on the stage that all, then on to the next.
My students throughout the years who have gone on to accomplish their dreams!
My mother who taught me not to use the word hard, she said you can’t get through a hard surface, say it’s a challenge you can get through that and words are important for your mind to conceive achievement.
My husband, my boas, who has supported me tremendously throughout the years, He is my number one encourager and everything doesn’t seem that bad with him by my side. Our little daughter who is teaching me the true meaning of not being selfish.
Lastly, my village of close friends and family who have lifted me up… I lost my mother September 21, 2018 at 3:31am and I will never be the same but they have helped me not to spiral downward.
Pricing:
- 2-3 look headshot session $350
- 1 on 1 Coaching $75/hr
- Vip Coaching Package $600
Contact Info:
- Website: linktr.ee/niketacalame
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/niketacalame
Image Credits:
Getty Images International City Theater
