Today we’d like to introduce you to Bonita Elery.
Bonita, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Although I was in the drama club in school, fine arts was my specialty. I knew that someday I was gonna be the next Andy Warhol, however that’s not the career path I took. After graduating from the Art Institute of Atlanta, I started working as a graphic designer for FOX Television. After being there for eight years, I knew something was missing in my life. I sold my home and stepped out on faith, moved to NYC and took an acting class that I found on Craig’s list. I was hooked and knew that entertaining people was my true calling. That lead me to getting an agent, joining the union and getting a manager. I joined an improv company and starting writing sketch and performing with several house teams in NYC and Atlanta. Now I am writing and shooting sketches, I have a podcast and a pilot that I co-wrote that made it to the second round of the Sundance Labs in LA.
Great, 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?
Of course, there were struggles. I think back and I laugh now at all the mistakes that I made in this business as a newbie actor. The endless amount of money that I spent on Pay-To-Play-Workshops with casting directors, agents and managers that never contacted me, the classes I took where the acting teachers berated students to tears. And then there was my own self-doubt when I didn’t book. Then there is always the job aspect. Like most people in the biz I couldn’t have regular 9-5 and be a working actor. So I wore many different hats. I was a caterer, nanny, personal assistant, designer, pet sitter, personal cook, brand ambassador, production assistant, casting assisting, intern, office admin. and the list goes on and on. Some days I would wake up and question my life choices and be like “WHY BABY JESUS?” As actors we get frustrated at times because we never know that the outcome result will be.
Then there are friends and family that question anything you do that doesn’t involve a regular 9-5. Anytime you tell them you are an actor they look at you puzzled and then you have to pull out your “ACTOR CARD” with a laundry list of all your credits, praying that they will recognize at least one thing that you have been in. I have never met a doctor for example and then asked the doctor how many lives they have saved. Most people only support the product and not the process. But that’s ok because this my dream to pursue and not theirs. You just have to keep working on your craft and stay the course. Just keep going. If you get knocked down get right back up and keep going. My parents always told me that God would have never put this dream in my heart if he didn’t want me to pursue it. The success certainly outweighs the bad and this was I was meant to do.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I Am Not A Robot is a comedic podcast that I created with my writing partner, standup comedienne and fellow improviser Cassie Brunke. What could be better than a show about two over-thirty bitter, angry, miserable women that drink too much wine, eat deep dish pizza for dessert and are always on the verge of a nervous breakdown? We talk about love, terrible decisions and share real-life experiences that somehow always seem to turn out humorous in the end. I have been hearing for so long that there are no funny women in the acting world. If there were no funny women, men wouldn’t exist because it takes a strong woman with a sense of humor to have deal with a man period. I am known for character acting and little factoid about me. I collect Barbies from the 70’s and yes, I still play with them. I just got Donny and Marie Osmond brand new in the box. Ok so maybe I am sharing too much haha! I’m proud of everything that I do because I always give 110% to everything that I do. If I can affect one person and make them smile then I have done my job. I’m different in that the stories and things that I share are from my experiences and there is no one like me and that is what I bring to the table.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite memory as a child was on a Friday my mother came out got me out of school early and took me to my favorite restaurant which at the time was Sizzler. Don’t judge me lol. I can still see the look of shock on the other kid’s faces as the nuns helped me gather up my things. Then we went and got caramel popcorn from the mall and then she took me to K-Mart and I got a ton of barbie dolls and clothes. I was the only child so any time I got to spend with my parents was always a special time for me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/i-am-not-a-robot/id1500070910
- Phone: 347-603-0722
- Podcast Email: [email protected]
Actor Email: [email protected] - Instagram: @iamnotaroboti
Actor Instagram: @heresbonita - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/I-am-not-a-Robot-113900050299490/?modal=admin_todo_tour
- Other: https://demoreel.com/bonitaelery
Image Credit:
Improv Teacher
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