Today we’d like to introduce you to Giovannie Espiritu.
Hi Giovannie, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started in the industry as a voice-over actor in the Bay Area, then booked my first SAG role as a recurring character on ER in 2003, working both in the LA and SF markets.
I didn’t move to Los Angeles until 2016, and it took a while to figure out how the business worked. I ended up being cast in a horror film called D-Railed in 2018 and started working with Suzanne DeLaurentiis Productions as an assistant. Through her mentorship, I started learning about the business side of the industry and got more experience producing as well. I started writing my own shorts and ended up winning a few awards, including a 2023 Silver Telly, as well as the Hyundai Evolve Innovation Award.
I just finished writing and directing my first feature film called, “Love and Karma,” starting Filipino talent Jojo Riguerra and Belinda Panelo, as well as notable international talent like Bai Ling, Eric Roberts, and Joanna Pacula.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Nah. It’s all been challenging, but I’m just allowing things to unfold as it needs to.
I generally wear my heart on my sleeve (I feel like that’s what makes me a good actor and writer), so dealing with people who are duplicitous is both fascinating from a psychological perspective but devastating from a friendship perspective. I’m learning how to feel people out in real life.
If there is a script, I can generally figure out the subtext and motivations… but real life in real time takes more effort and head-scratching.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As an acting coach, I’m known for coaching kids/teens as well as comedy because I’m such a goofball and love being silly.
As a filmmaker and artist, my goal is to “Break hearts wide open and create
more moments of joy.”
As an actor, I tend to play characters that know the heart of the thing but are generally dismissed or ignored or have a throughline of loyalty, while having a twinge of batshit crazy…
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
I’m an introvert, so networking is SOOOO HARD. I hate it.
So I can’t do parties… but I can do educational events because there is a set format and activities to follow.
Volunteering at organizations that I care about has been a great way to meet new people and collaborators.
Contact Info:
- Website: HerHunger.com
- Instagram: @giospirit2
- Other: HollywoodActorsWorkshop.com
