Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashanna Bri.
Hi Ashanna, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
There were three things I always knew, One, I wanted to unite people, Two, I wanted to be heard and make a difference, and Three, I wanted to see representation! This is what sparked my interest in the entertainment industry at a young age. I grew up in Carson until I was eight, then my family moved to Orange County, the two couldn’t be more different, I call it character building.
In Carson, there was so much diversity, Black/Afro-Heritage, White, Latino, Pacific Islander, Asian, Indian and everything in between; cultural diversity was widely accepted, we even had school shows where we’d sing in French, Samoan, Yoruba…I still remember “Funga Alafia Ashe Ashe”. Times were amazing because even though we didn’t have much, abundantly I felt blessed, that shift came when I moved to Orange County, where diversity was far and few, I went from an ethnic melting pot to a sprinkle of a few things here and there. I felt more and more disconnected from myself since there weren’t many people who looked like me or could even relate to me so I started tapping into performing because that was my escape, a place where we could all connect as one, no matter what we looked like.
Fast-forwarding to college, I decided to major in theater, raw and fearless, I dove into truly performing and that’s where it took off. Concurrently I started auditioning for tv/film roles and started landing gigs; between commercials and featured spots, I was in the auditioning room quite frequently. One of my life-changing moments was at one audition, a casting director commented that “I had a versatile look and great energy” and they suggested a few agencies I should reach out to for print representation. I couldn’t think of anybody else that looked like me in that world, especially being a curvy woman, but I remember I always wanted to see diversity, be heard and make a difference and to connect people. And although I could have never imagined being an actress and a model collectively, here I am living in it!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road to get here hasn’t been easy because there’s so many inconsistencies! In entertainment you deal with rejection, judgment, and being picked apart, But staying grounded and faith-driven has always led me down the path I needed to walk in.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
In the world of tv/film, I’ve been featured in productions such as Bones, Dexter, The Man in 3B, Always a Bridesmaid, Lie To Me, and Insecure. As a model, I’ve shoot for Target, Torrid, Target, etc. Also, I’m a firm believer in developing all your talents, so I took it upon myself to also work behind the scenes to truly understand the skill set and things we need to know to makes productions flow effectively. I’m most proud of my devotion because each of my wins aren’t just wins for me they’re wins for people who look like me that haven’t seen representation.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I’m living proof that if I can do it so can you. I’ve had so many cards stacked against me but I never lost sight of my vision! My vision grows a little more each day! And my little piece of wisdom that I’ll leave with is “Never count yourself out, even if you’re the only one betting on you, that’s the winning bet”.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Ashannabri
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/AshannabriFP
Image Credits
Photographer Raul Romo, makeup Morgan Marinoff Hair Gayla Belay Photographers Valeria Franklin, Toby Tiet W/Makeupartist Rubi De Los Santos
