Women in Entertainment and the importance of saying NO.
A few nights ago, I had the great privilege of attending one of my most longed-for events and experiences held at the acting school I am currently graduating from, the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AADA).
A Women in Entertainment Panel was held at the Academy Theater in Los Angeles on March 6th, two days before International Women’s Day. From the moment I entered the auditorium, I was struck by both the beautiful diversity present in the room as well as the realization that these sights have been missing during my time at AADA. My education has been formed by brilliant, but exclusively white teachers.
AADA is a Prestigious, bi-coastal acting school in the United States that started our first semester with an awareness workshop led by a kick-ass Manhattan based therapist who spoke to us about toxic masculinity, saying no, asking for consent, and the fine line between art and abuse.
AADA has also provided us with intimacy training. Sadly necessary, it is a relief to me that this important class is offered, the focus of which is on how to approach intimate scenes on stage or set, teach actors about the clear do’s and don'ts in these situations, and provided for me a strong feeling of support and protection for both parties in their work space.
(Learn more about Intimacy Training here: https://www.sagaftra.org/contracts-industry-resources/workplace-harassment/intimacy-coordinator-standards-protocols )
Jumping back to my experience of last Friday, I was already truly overjoyed and exited by the people present in the room with who I was going to share the next few hours with. Then I heard the five guest speakers and the host speak about the importance of saying NO, and I could not have felt happier.
I, who grew up in the entertainment industry, had to learn the hard consequences of not being empowered to say "no” or not being listened to when I did speak up as a young teenager. This might be the reason why it often - and naturally still - makes me cringe when I hear young actors being told that their duty is to accept any type of job offer given to them, whether or not they like it.
If you know me at all or have spent any amount of time with me in class or at work, you will know how many times I have gotten into debates over this and am sure you can only imagine how absolutely thrilled I was by the opening words of the five women on stage that evening. They strongly encouraged all actors in the room to always check in and say no if they feel they will not enjoy the work offered to them or think the work could endanger them.
I was reminded again that evening, that the quality of your work will most likely amongst many other things- not only be determined by the environment you work in, but by our own complicit behaviors when we do nothing to stand up and do not reject certain behaviors. How will I ever work in the places I want to work in, if I am not surrounded by the people I would like to work with?
This is both good and bad news to me; good, because it gifts me with endless potential and makes me the creator and responsible person for my own excellence; bad, because often enough it seems like (especially) young actors do not receive the empowerment to say no to jobs that they do not want to do. Having spoken to other fellow young artists, many are ashamed of having to fall back on another job outside of acting during the times when they might refuse to work on a project they could not stand behind. Others just do not have the experience, encouragement, or bravery to say no. I wish this would change. And I wish they would take more pride in saying the word no.
Thankfully enough, the inspiring people being interviewed that evening were the living evidence of how saying no truly can be one of the greatest gifts you give yourself and your career, no matter where in your career you may find yourself at. One of the best examples of this is Naomi Mcdougall Jones. It especially becomes clear when the successful AADA-Alum describes the moment she quit trying to please the people in the industry and running after them while being treated unfairly. As a result of the decision to say no, she recently published her book called “The Wrong Kind of Women” which presents us with a brutal insight into Hollywood's predominately white, male reality. That Hollywood is led by these kinds of people may not be a secret anymore and though it still hurts to read it again and again on the important pages of her new book. I think her story and book ultimately have the potential to fuel the fire of revolution within the industry.
There were many moments that made hearts in the room beat faster, like when Adilah Barnes speaks about how she stood up to the writers of the show she was on many years ago after it had started to increasingly paint her female character in a degrading way. Ultimately, the diverse representation of the females on the stage - which included multi-talented Hana Mae Lee, young but extremely experienced former actor, now writer Tatiana Suarez-Pico, as well as Kelly Jenrette, an Emmy-nominated actor for her excellent performance in “The Handmaids Tale”- was what truly made this event night shine bright. The presence of every single one of them together could not have been more important.
Seeing AADA-Alum Ashley Key and her Partner Niketa Calme-Harris (who you might know best from lending her voice to the original Lion Kings young Nala) thriving in what they have created and presented to AADA that night, brought both joy and this electrified, energized feeling that just made one want to dance in the streets on the way home. It is that feeling you get once in a while when you leave an event or meeting with a wonderful friend and you want to tell the world that something big might have just started like right here, right now - at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.
Happy International Women’s Day!
