Rising Stars: Meet Jasmine Ashanti

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jasmine Ashanti

Hi Jasmine, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
When I was younger, I never really felt like I fit in anywhere. I was shy and always thought I was too weird to hang out with the “cool kids”. So when my parents sent me to a regular summer camp, I didn’t have the best time. Then, the summer I turned 9 years old, my mom found me a dance summer camp and I took to it like a fish out of water. It made sense to me, expressing myself through movement and I loved it. I was always a dramatic child around family, so when my dance studio stepped away from dance recitals and started doing plays that incorporated dance, the acting bug bit me hard. At the age of 13, I knew what I wanted to do. I was going to become a famous actress. I was good at it and I understood how to jump into someone else’s shoes and tell their stories and it was fun. And although, I’m not famous yet, I have been afforded so many beautiful opportunities to showcase my talent and tell stories. I majored in dance at Suitland high school in Maryland. I majored in theater in at Temple University in Philly, and went on to receive my MFA in Acting in grad school from the University of California, San Diego. I’ve been in LA now for 10 years, still pursueing this dream. It hasn’t been easy and I’ve experienced so much rejection, but there have been wins that definitely keep me going. The creative process of figuring out what to do next has been scary, but my dear friend Jamal, let me know just the other day, that I jump at the unknown with joy and curiosity. So I’m holding on to that to keep me going!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has absolutely not been a smooth road. Although, I’ve always known what it is that I want to do with my life, I haven’t always known how to get there. Honestly, I still don’t. The entertainment industry is not for the weak or faint of heart, we experience more rejection in a week than a lot of folks do in a lifetime. All you can do is your best. Ask for help when you need it, thug it out and hustle hard. (And knowing when to rest so you don’t reach burn out. Which is still something I am working on.)

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am an artist. I love everything about the arts. I started as a dancer turned actor, and now I act, direct, and coach auditions for other actors. I love story telling, and creating a world for others to get lost in. Whether I am acting, directing, or coaching, I am weaving together a picture and giving voice to someones words, giving voice and humanity to characters who would other wise be silenced. I am honestly proud of how far I have come in this industry. Been in LA for 10 years and I feel like I am just getting started.

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
So many things make me happy. Like, I am honestly so grateful for my life. I have two healthy married parents, my sister, the most amazing best friends, a fabulous community of artists. I live in one of my dream cities. And that all makes me happy.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @jasmineashanti_stclair
• Facebook: Jasmine St.Clair
• Other: tik tok: @jasmineashantiactor