Today we’d like to introduce you to Niya Davis.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Niya. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started acting through singing actually. I was singing in a band in the DMV and the lead vocalist wrote a play for which I was to be the stage manager. However, the director asked that I audition for a role instead. It turned out they liked me on stage instead of backstage, so I became a permanent part of the cast. That show was called “The Ass Chronicles,” a play about female body image. I performed that show for a couple of years in the DC metro area and a few festivals when I caught the attention of another local playwright.
Eventually, I’d move on to working with that playwright who began to write roles for me in his productions. I worked with a couple other locals and created a little buzz for myself. This was between 2010 and 2013. In 2014, I went to David E. Talbert’s Actor’s Workshop in Chicago, where he chose me to be one of his audition finalists. I had the opportunity to audition for one of his stage plays and the movie “Almost Christmas”. I didn’t land either of the roles but it was a great experience. Around this time, I was referred to casting to be considered as the leading lady in what would be my first indie film. In 2015 I filmed “Jeremy Brooks”.
I’d caught the “film bug” and was interested in doing more in front of the camera. I went on to do five more independent films after that. In 2016 I moved to the Atlanta area as there is more work here than in the DC area. I started to work shortly after moving here in theatre and film. I’ve toured with the production “In Three Days” and headlined the show, “Here Comes the Sun” performed at 7 Stages Theatre, DC Black Theatre Festival, and the Artes De La Rosa Theatre in Dallas/Fortworth. My supporting role in the award-winning indie film “MARVELOUS” paid off and landed me a lead role in the series which is currently in production. I still continue to audition and hone my craft.
Has it been a smooth road?
The road has certainly not been the smoothest. First off, I was a single mother moving here alone with a young child. We had a safe place to stay but there were times when home life was less than ideal for my mental and emotional health and I wondered why I moved. There were financial struggles and work challenges. It was the first time in years I hadn’t had a steady job. I left a very safe situation to follow my heart’s passion. I had no health insurance for a couple of years and could get very little help. All the money I made went to my rent and my daughter (of course), so there was very little to fund my acting career. I thought I’d end up having to get some miserable office job. Things eventually started looking up. My living situation had changed and I found steady flexible work.
Then, in 2018 I was rear-ended and the only transportation I had was totaled. Work became a challenge again. I was extremely depressed at times. I’d see my daughter off to school and then just sleep. Sometimes I’d wake up at 3 pm and realized I hadn’t eaten or drank anything. There were also new concerning issues with my health. I thought, “Why is this happening?” One day I made the decision to stop being down and things began to turn around. I thought about all the blessings I could count and decided to find a silver lining. This journey is still challenging, but the saying goes that “Nothing worth having is easy…”, or something like that.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I am a film, theatre and television actor. A few of my films can be found on YouTube (MARVELOUS and GOD’S PURPOSE), Amazon Prime (THE BEST THING) as well as other streaming outlets. The film MARVELOUS where I played the role of “Gladys”, won the best feature film, best director, best soundtrack, and best lead actor at the 2018 Charlotte Black Film Festival. The full feature is available on YouTube right now.
I have been told that I have engaging presence and infectious energy. Having a passion for helping people, I want to continue to use these attributes to draw audiences so they are inspired, changed, and entertained by the stories I tell. If just one person leaves touched in some way from my truth, then I’ve done my job. Recently a guest at my job asked me was I any good at acting. My response was, “I’m great.” Everyone can’t say that about themselves and mean it, and that’s one thing that sets me apart. I know I’ve got it! I am most proud of the fact that I’m doing what I said I was going to do. I’m following my heart’s desire to act.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I believe the acting industry standards are whatever the elite decide they are. I can’t call it really. This is an industry where you are put in “your lane,” but change does come according to movements and social trends. It’s important to keep up with the current industry and make moves according to the time.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.imdb.me/niyadavis
- Email: theniyadavis@gmail.com
- Instagram: @the_niya_davis
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/theniyadavis/
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-geIwNlzSgc
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