Today we’d like to introduce you to Treisa Gary.
Treisa, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’m a native of South Central Los Angeles. I’m the oldest and raised with two brothers. I attended Culver City Jr & High School. I married a marine at age 19 and paid my way through Cal State Dominguez Hills. I was the first to finish college in my family. I graduated with a degree in Accounting and my divorce finalized at the same time. I entered the workforce at age 15 as a hostess at Denny’s Restaurant. I’ve worked at Popeye’s, in a bikini shop, a counselor at camps and a host of administrative jobs. After I got my degree, I started working for Blue Cross, auditing hospitals. One day, my boss pulled me aside to inform me that I had been receiving requests for audits. He said, “No one enjoys audits, but for some reason, people are requesting you!” I thought it was strange too! So it made me take an honest look at myself and I considered whether I was in the right profession. If not, what should I be doing at age 30? My analysis revealed that I was an entertainer, but I didn’t know anything about that industry.
Still pondering the next day, I received a phone call from my best friend, who informed me that Warner Brothers needed an accountant. I thought, “Great, I can work there as an accountant!” I took the job, with a pay cut. While working there, a tall man approached my cubicle. He was inquiring about the increased noise level and crowd of employees around my cube. He told me that I was an entertainer and I blew him off by saying, “Have your people call my people.” I thought it was a joke, but he didn’t laugh. He left. Later, someone from the promotions department asked me to read some lines on camera just for fun. And a couple of weeks later, I started getting calls from the East Coast congratulating me for being on tv. But I told them it wasn’t me because I’ve never been on tv. I’d just started this job and I worked behind the scenes as the lead production accountant on The Judge Mathis Show. They shot in Chicago and I was in Burbank. It couldn’t have been me! So, cut to my very first staff meeting and the room was packed with employees, laughing and chatting…when the tall man walks in, the room falls silent. Except for me…I yelled out, “Hey Jim!” And everyone laughs but him, but he said, “Hello Treisa.” So the meeting goes on and he tells us all about the new promos that were already airing and asked us all to pay close attention to the last one. He said, “It’s the coup de grace.” I didn’t know what the hell that meant, but in the end, there I was. I was shocked. And he said, “I don’t know what kind of entertainer you are, but you need to be doing something like that.” As it turned out, Jim was the President of Telepictures Productions. He’s the same guy who gave Ellen her talk show and so many others. I started training to be an actor from that point on. I quit seven years later with everyone’s blessing. And that’s how I started. Today, I have over 65 tv/film credits, including the Oscar winning film, Vice and host of hit tv shows like Grey’s Anatomy, Criminal Minds and Silicon Valley.
Has it been a smooth road?
As great as my story is, it is equally tragic. So no, the road has not been smooth. While I was working at Telepictures, I lost my brother. He was fatally stabbed in 2001 and his murderer hasn’t been found to this day. I’ve had tough financial times, including five years of being homeless. I lost my mother to cancer, my Father to heart failure and my Uncle was lost for 12 days and found dead. This was all within eight months. 2014 sucked. My stepdad and half brother disowned me after my moms’ death and a host of friends have turned on me too. And with all the heartbreak, my heart took too many hits and failed. But I’m still here. I have a pacemaker/defibrillator implanted on my heart and I have another chance to keep living. My struggles are daily but I am truly blessed.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
I’m a working actor in television and film under my company name, Evidently Entertainment, Inc. A list of my credits can be found at Imbd.me/treisagary. I’m also an audition coach, known as Evidently Acting. I specialize in audition technique, which is about booking jobs, as opposed to just being a good actor. Most people aren’t aware of how much work it takes to become a working actor. It’s an entire mindset shift and to help other actors with that shift, I created my own process and published a book called “8 Steps to Working Actor”. I teach it privately and it changes lives.
What sets me apart from others?… 1) I’m a working actor, so I have practical knowledge and experience since I’m using the technique daily. 2) My energy and intuition. I’m a natural empath, and I use my heart to process the emotions of others. 3) I’m a universal thinker, which means I can see several perspectives at the same time, without bias.
As a whole, I am proud of the skills I’ve acquired over the years and grateful to be able to share the fruit of my labor, even under the harshness of life’s circumstances.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Yes, LA is the place to be, especially if one is just starting. It takes a lot of training and it’s all right here.
Pricing:
- Audition coaching $150/hr
Contact Info:
- Website: Treisagary.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @Treisa_Gary
- Other: Imdb.me/treisagary
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