Meet Jessica Ghitis

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Ghitis.

Jessica, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was born in Cali, Colombia, but I was raised all over the world. I’ve never actually lived in one place for more than five years. Looking back, I think that’s what generated my love for storytelling. No matter what country I was in, I had movies, books, and music. It was lonely, and fiction was an escape from that.

When I graduated high school, I started studying psychology, quickly followed by industrial design in Bogotá, Colombia, because I wanted to “have a stable future.” That wasn’t making me happy, though. So, when I was nineteen, I left that university and began studying music and theater. At first, I wanted to perform and didn’t visualize a future that wasn’t solely that.

However, things changed when I started film school (which took me to New York and then here to L.A.), and realized I wanted to do everything. I’ve been lucky enough to be in an environment that pushes me to do other things, like writing and producing.

In fact, the projects I have enjoyed the most are the ones I’ve been involved with from start to finish. I am also fortunate enough to be surrounded by a talented and driven group of friends, who I never want to stop working with.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It wouldn’t be interesting if things went smoothly all the time. So, needless to say, it’s always interesting. I could talk about projects that I’ve worked on and projects that I’m currently working on, but in this town, everyone knows how challenging it could be to make movies.

What has been most difficult for me, personally, has been separating my entire life, and my career. We move out here for our careers and forget that our careers are only one aspect of our lives. For me, my friends are the people I work with, so the two are constantly tied. Family, dating, time off, and self-care get pushed aside easily, and I struggle to find balance.

I also feel that as actors, so much of our energy goes into our acting (so to us, that we become annoyed at ourselves). I love acting and want to keep doing it for the rest of my life, but I find myself uninteresting if that’s all I’m about. Giving back and focusing on other people helps me stay put together.

We’d love to hear more about what you do.
Acting, writing, singing, and I’ve recently gotten into production design. Basically, just put me on a set. I have a strong work ethic. When someone says I am dependable and good to work with, that’s when I’m proudest of my work. “The play is the thing,” and we’re all there to serve it, right?

If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Nothing. Sometimes I get anxious because as a woman in this industry, you have an expiration date.

It’s horrible, and things are changing (about freaking time), but as an actress in her mid-twenties, I worry that I’m not what people are looking for. Sometimes I wish I had started sooner or moved out here sooner, but I wouldn’t want to lose anything that I’ve lived.

I’ve had the opportunity to connect with beautiful human beings, and I wouldn’t trade that for the world. At the end of the day, I also don’t care about making it or not, or fame, or money, or anything of the sort. If I can make one person feel something with my work, then that means it’s been worth it.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://jessicaghitis.com/
• Instagram: je.ghi

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