Check Out Carmen Alexis’ Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Carmen Alexis.

Hi Carmen, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
Hi! My name is Carmen Alexis. An Atlanta native who at her core is all about creativity and expression. I’m an actor, model, host, singer, poet, voiceover artist, writer and so much more represented by Houghton Talent! It all started back as a little girl. When I was younger my mom had me modeling in JCPenney’s catalogues for kids. She’d also take me on auditions around the city of Atlanta saying and I quote “I just knew you’d be perfect for it”. Well, she was right! As they say, mother knows best right? So, let’s fast forward to being a teenager, I grew up watching Disney Channel and one of my biggest inspirations was actress Raven Symone! I loved her show “That’s So Raven! It was the very first time I said, “hey I want to do that”. She could act, do comedy, sing, and dance plus had a bomb fashion sense! Thinking about it now I’m so glad I had an example of a young black girl in Hollywood that was successful, confident in her blackness, multi-talented and a business mogul. Representation is important and it let me know that I could do it too! From there in high school, I developed the acting bug! I took drama, acting, broadcast journalism and musical theater.

Subconsciously, I was preparing myself for my now career of eight years in the business professionally. I became the anchor of the school news show and fell in love with hosting! Due to my love of entertaining pulling me more and more I decided to go to summer school and get all my credits early! I then went to college in my 11th and 12th grade year. I only came back for prom and graduation. At the end of my high school journey, I decided not to go to college and pursue my dreams of an entertainment career full time. This took several people by surprise being that I was an A student with both college and scholarship offers. I’ve always said that “you have to live your life for you. If you just do what others expect or tell you then it’s no longer your life”. My parents were in agreement but gave me a condition that I must get represented by a legitimate agency and book a gig in less than two years since I had about that much of college credits already. I buckled down, researched and interviewed with several agencies and was able to get represented by one in the southeast! I also booked a recurring role on a tv pilot called “Castle Ridge” playing a character named “Keyon”. It was unfortunately, however, not picked up, but I got the chance to act alongside stars like “Persia White” from the hit show “Girlfriends”. Throughout the years I then went on to create several businesses stemming from my passions. In the year 2015 I created my own online talk show, hosted by myself in a live studio setting, called “In The Spotlight With Carmen Alexis” (@itswcarmenlexis) airing on my YouTube channel of over 100,000 views.

This was a pivotal moment in my life, career and personal development. I operated as an executive producer, director, camera operator, editor and writer. This taught me about the extensive process and hard work that is “content creation”. I’ve conducted several interviews with celebrities like Trevor Jackson, Jacob Latimore, Cynthia Bailey, Mack Wilds, DC Young Fly and more. I had a couple meetings with networks on possibly picking up my show but decided not to move forward because I didn’t agree with most of the terms in the contracts; in that they were not obligated to pay or credit me for all my ideas and hard work. All in all, looking back at this phase of my life and career I am nothing but proud! I was truly getting big things accomplished with little to no help or a “production team”. I was able to sharpen my skills both in front of and behind the camera! I also set myself up with ample amounts of good footage for my hosting reel that’s booked me work as a host present day! “In The Spotlight With Carmen Alexis” is far from finished however! We will revamp the show once the world is more stable and come back better than before with a fully equipped team, more segments, new and fresh ideas, interviews and opportunities to place a “spotlight” on those who truly deserve it! Mark my words that this will be major for the younger generation!

Not much longer after that I started my own self taping service called “Self Tapes With Carmen Alexis” @selftapeswithcarmenalexis) located in the North Atlanta area. For those who are unaware on what a “self-tape” even is… It is essentially where an actor gets requested to send in an audition tape to a casting office for a tv show, movie or commercial. The actor then must digitally record themselves acting whatever the script and instructions detail. That’s where I come in! I have my own professional studio that is set up with the backdrop, lights and camera to get the job done! Unlike your average taping service, I take my time with every client including coaching and directing as needed in order to ensure they leave with the best tape possible! I act as the actor’s reader off camera and I edit and send them the final product via WeTransfer. I’m proud to say that several of my clients have gone on to book network tv shows, blockbuster movies and national commercials but most importantly they improve and grow as actors. I couldn’t call myself an “acting coach” if my clients weren’t learning and getting better at what they do. I use my own personal experiences in the industry to shed knowledge and tips whenever I can!

The idea for starting this business came from the fact that I already had a vast knowledge on how to operate the camera and edit from my broadcast journalism days. At first, I was only doing tapes for myself and 1 other acting friend occasionally, but my parents asked me “why not open up to the public”? After giving it some thought I loved the idea that I could help passionate actors who struggled with finding a reliable taping service. I’ve been through the same in my early years of acting and it’s not fun. I’m very grateful for the work I do! I work with actors of all ages, races and genders. I’m so honored to be a part of helping make other’s dreams come true! It’s truly heart-warming and fulfilling work! It also gives me a chance to study, learn, flex my directing and creativity skills which in turn makes me a better actor, coach and listener. Lastly, it’s pure FUN! Not many can say they get to do what they love for a living and get paid for it so I’m eternally grateful for the life I’m able to lead. The biggest thing I want from my actors is to always come in willing to give it your best and second make sure YOU HAVE FUN! That’s the reason we’re all going after this crazy thing called an acting career in the first place, because we love it!

I’m excited to announce that my company will now be expanding into doing headshots and voiceover auditions in 2021! Photography and voice acting are both passions of mine where I have experience in and I’m looking forward to venturing into these lanes! Actors will be able to book either indoor or outdoor headshot sessions with me! They will also be able to have their voice over auditions personally recorded, coached and edited by me and sent to them via WeTransfer! I’ve done national voiceover work for brands such as Publix, Disney, AT&T, Insurance companies, etc… Most recently I did a voiceover spot on behalf of the WNBA through “Creatives for Georgia” in regard to the Black Lives Matter Movement. I was honored that I could lend my voice to vocalizing issues that are important to me as a young black woman myself. You can find the spot live on all social media platforms: YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!

I’m grateful to be with such an amazing team that keeps me BUSY… whether that be bookings, auditions and callbacks! The year 2020 was crazy for my industry. For the better part of the year everything completely stopped! So, you can imagine my gratitude being able to book several projects that year including hosting gigs, voice overs, commercials, a tv show and a movie! I give all the glory to God because without him none of this would be possible. I credit me making it this far to him, my pure passion, love for the craft, understanding that this is my God given purpose, hard-work, dedication, relentless persistence, faith and believe in both myself and God’s timing. Also, to my support system, family and friends who’ve encouraged me and inspired me over the years! It hasn’t always been easy, but I am so thankful to have survived the storm to arrive at this beautiful place I’m at in my career now! I’m confident that the future holds BIG BIG things for me!

You can go check out some of my recent projects! Watch me on CBS Network guest starring as “FBI Agent” in hit show “MacGyver” Season 5 Episode #3! Also watch me on Lifetime Network in movie “Girl in The Basement” as “Nurse Leah Emerson”.

I have more awesome things in the works for 2021! Be sure to follow me and stay updated on my career on all social media @carmenlexis and subscribe to my YouTube Channel: “Carmen Alexis”.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, it has most definitely not been a smooth road. This industry is filled with tons of rejection after rejection after rejection! It’s extremely competitive and saturated. When going in for auditions there’s at least 30 other versions of “you” that’s being seen for the same role! It can be very discouraging if you let it, but I’ve found that it’s not about comparing yourself to the next actor, their resume or performance. It’s truly about loving what you do and allowing that JOY to shine through your audition. Joy is easily picked up and when you allow yourself freedom to just enjoy your audition without the oftentimes desperation of an actor to seep through, that’s where the POWER inlays! Also just holding on to the innate fact that you are unique and have something special to offer! This of course took some time to realize and practice on a consistent basis but at this point in my career that’s all I truly care about! I work on studying, preparation and getting into character then I let it go for the audition and make sure I execute my job, enjoy myself then give it up to God. That’s my process now. Another struggle earlier on was the dynamic of knowing how to process “rejection”. I believe that way too often we view that as a failure or incompetence on OUR part as the actor. However, that’s not necessarily the case. As I said before we go up against extreme numbers of competition and unfortunately there can only be one role offered among the talent pool asked to audition. You can be denied a role for several different reasons that have absolutely nothing to do with your acting like: height, hair color, skin tone, or body type for example.

It more than likely has nothing to do with your actual talent or performance but to what casting, producers or the director need in regard to the final ensemble of the project. I’ve personally been told after an audition for a lead in a tv show by the director that I killed it! He said he loved my performance and that I should expect to hear from them soon, however if I didn’t get the part it’d be because of them trying to match my role up with the parents in the show and make it make sense casting wise. Ultimately I didn’t get the role because I was too tall (5’9) and my skin was too dark to match the daughter of the actors casted as my parents in the show. You can imagine how devastated I was, and it took me a while to process this the right way. Seeing this as a win for myself as an actor because I executed my job, stayed true to my creative instincts and did my audition my way! All I could focus on was that this was such a big opportunity for me to “make it” and I worked so hard but got rejected due to such a superficial reason. Now looking back at this I’m glad this happened because it was character building, a learning experience and what I like to call a true test of your “authentic passion” for acting! Over the years I’ve seen many people fall off and call it quits because they were going after this for the wrong reasons or to be famous! You HAVE TO LOVE this because it’s not always going to be fair or treat you well. That love and passion for expression, creativity and storytelling is what will fuel you and keep you alive on this pursuit! Situations like this has happened to me countless times and it gets easier as you understand that it’s not a reflection on you not being “good enough”. It’s just that audition or role just wasn’t yours to get but YOURS WILL COME! Another element adjacent to this is when you’ve been through countless auditions, callbacks and finally receive word back from your agents that you are a top choice and are placed on hold then you get released a day or two before you were scheduled to show up for set! I cannot tell you how many times this has happened to me! It can be very soul crushing when these situations happen, and you’re left with nothing after being so close to it! In the moment, almost isn’t good enough but you have to develop a thick skin and let it roll off your shoulder and pick your head up to be ready for the next one! That’s definitely easier said than done especially when you’re really attached to a role because acting comes from a very personal place… but it must be done in order to survive and stay in the game. You’d laugh or be amazed at the opportunities that ALMOST happened for me! Can’t do anything about it but view it as a positive and allow it to fuel you to kill the next one! I was just released from being on hold two weeks ago for a project I really wanted! So, as you can see it’s just a part of the deal lol!

One of the last struggles I’ll talk about is that the nature of this career and life choice is so fickle and unstable! It provides actors with no blueprint, no fall back plan and no sense of security like if I was to work a “regular job”. We don’t know where our next booked gig will come from let alone the next audition! We don’t have a boss that we can complain to or ask for more hours when we are struggling to make ends meet and provide for ourselves. I operate solely off of blind faith and belief that somehow someway God is going to bring those things into fruition. I don’t think people understand how lonely and isolating that type of lifestyle is! When my friends and schoolmates were off in college with structure, lessons and a schedule on how natural progression should be, I wasn’t! I’d wake up daily like I was going to school and eat breakfast, head to the gym, come back studying shows, movies, and reading articles on the entertainment business then head to acting class in the evening and repeat. All in preparation for the career and auditions I BELIEVED were coming! It takes a special type of individual to leave all that safety and security behind for this type of life. It also takes a special type of re-arranging YOUR OWN LIFE to be available for the auditions and opportunities at the drop of a dime when they come in! We don’t get a head up so there’s always been a struggle of curating my life to be able to survive but also FOLLOW MY DREAMS! Ultimately for me, I realized that entrepreneurship was the best path because I could set my own schedule, hours and rearrange things without having to get permission from a superior. Hence “Self Tapes With Carmen Alexis” – @selftapeswithcarmenalexis, “In The Spotlight With Carmen Alexis” – @itswcarmenlexis FOLLOW THOSE and me @carmenlexis.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
In short, I’m an entrepreneur. That’s typically how I answer that question when asked what I do. When I was growing up, I always saw myself doing multiple things! I’ve never aspired to be limited by just one title or one type of career. I don’t like the idea of being boxed into anything! I am constantly growing and in a state of becoming. I have an ever-growing curiosity to try to be all that my heart desires. I’m an actor, model, host, voice over artist, singer and mogul in the making! I have several passion projects that I have in the works with my music, an online boutique, YouTube channel – “Carmen Alexis”, books and poetry! What sets me apart from others is my passion and my creativity. I thank God for constantly providing me with inspiration and ideas for different projects all the time! My passion, heart and empathy are so pure! Anyone who knows me can tell that I’m the real deal. It’s hard not to be infected with the love that I carry in everything I do. I think my businesses “Self Tapes With Carmen Alexis” & “In The Spotlight With Carmen Alexis” are definitely two things I’m most proud of thus far in my life and career. Also, simply the fact that despite all the ups and downs this journey has brought I’M STILL HERE breathing, well and as passionate as ever fighting the good fight for my dreams! Be sure to follow me and stay updated on my career on all social media @carmenlexis and subscribe to my YouTube Channel: “Carmen Alexis“.

We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I think the most surprising thing people may not know about me is that just as confident and put together I am for my career or whatever role I’m playing; I am also very goofy, nerdy and awkward! I swear it’s hilarious like how many times I just laugh at myself for doing something very odd. I dance and sing randomly a lot! I’ve learned to love it and that’s just a part of who I am! My family loves to joke that I have “Carmen’s sense” with how I handle things sometimes lol! People just see me as this super beautiful and confident boss lady who has it going for myself but once you get past the exterior, you’ll find I’m very emotional, sensitive, have my own doubts and problems just like the rest of the world. I’m also a huge sci-fi nerd who loves action, cartoons and video games! I geek out for Marvel and I can’t wait to play a super hero or villian plus voice an animation cartoon!!! I’m also really into nature and hiking and I have some vlogs dropping on my YouTube channel soon from my adventures! Be sure to follow me and stay updated on my career on all social media @carmenlexis and subscribe to my YouTube Channel: “Carmen Alexis“.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carmenlexis/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carmenlexis
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/carmenlexis
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/carmenlexis

Image Credits
Megan Dougherty, Carmen Alexis