Today we’d like to introduce you to Monica Joelle Ortiz.
Hi Monica Joelle, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I grew up as a competitive golfer playing from the age of 5 until I was around 16. When I stopped pursuing the game, I sort of fell into the arts. My oldest brother Josh is a filmmaker and always needed actors for little projects he was doing. My other older brother Joel and I would be his Guinea pigs for those shoots. Eventually, we would do extra work for fun together until I came across a local ad looking for a golfer for a shoot filming in our area in Florida. I applied to the agency and the job listing and booked it. I was 18 at the time and immediately fell in love with being on set. Shortly after I started working at Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando as a performer, took some acting and improv classes, and the rest is history. I didn’t fully pursue acting until 2020 right before the pandemic hit, but always loved performing, whether it was on the golf course, on stage, or on camera.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s interesting looking back from where I started because although there are so many things I would like to achieve, it’s really motivating to sit back and reflect on how far I’ve come. It certainly wasn’t a smooth road to get to where I am now, but I would definitely do it all again in a heartbeat. There have been lots of doubt, imposter syndrome, and feeling like a token for a lack of a better term whenever I am given opportunities to work. I’m so grateful to be pursuing this career in an era where inclusion and diversity is being prioritized as much as it is, but often times it can feel performative when you’re the only person of color in the cast; sometimes you’ll even see such a diverse cast while the crew and production who hire you do not reflect that same diversity. It’s hard not having a lot of control with what opportunities you get, but that’s everyone pursuing this career. My biggest struggle now is trying to stay busy, letting go of auditions once I submit them, and trusting that all the challenges along the way won’t be for nothing.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Most of my acting work thus far have been in commercials, while the stage work has mostly been improv. However, I have had the pleasure of doing a one-woman show at Universal Orlando called Poseidon’s Fury and the ever iconic Disney show Fantasmic. Though my main focus has always been acting, my love for writing is still very much there and something I would also love to pursue. My first job as a teenager was as a Ghostwriter online. I would write SEO articles that AI likely generate now, and it definitely helped pay for acting classes. As a daughter of immigrants who has had the opportunity to live in the motherland and learn to fluently speak the languages of my ancestors, I find my perspectives when writing and acting have definitely broadened and strengthened. Life in the Philippines was simple, but full of so much love and hope for a better life. I lived for the teleseryes (soap operas) there and always fantasized myself being in one. Despite being a beautiful country though, I had grown with a lot of colonial mentalities that I actively try to unlearn every day. In the soap operas, the brown Filipinos like myself would never be the leads, they would either be the help, or the background talent. A lot of that has to do with our long history of multiple colonizations. I do believe however that that narrative has slowly started to shift to celebrating our indigenous features and skin tones more, especially with Gen Z being more of those qualities on social media.
During the pandemic, I spent a lot of my time making content about Filipino culture and history, amassing a decent following on TikTok and IG. It was a really great outlet for me to not put too much pressure on acting and just try my best to share the knowledge I’ve accumulated throughout my life. If I’m ever at a Filipino restaurant or store, it is so humbling to get stopped by a fellow Kababayan (Countrymen) and them telling me how they’ve been encouraged to look further into their ancestry because of the videos I have made. I’m so proud of all the silly yet informative content I’ve put out there and hope to one day have that same impact with the movies and shows I’ll get to be a part of in the future.
During the pandemic, I spent a lot of my time making content about Filipino culture and history, amassing a decent following on TikTok and IG. It was a really great outlet for me to not put too much pressure on acting and just try my best to share the knowledge I’ve accumulated throughout my life. If I’m ever at a Filipino restaurant or store, it is so humbling to get stopped by a fellow Kababayan (Countrymen) and them telling me how they’ve been encouraged to look further into their ancestry because of the videos I have made. I’m so proud of all the silly yet informative content I’ve put out there and hope to one day have that same impact with the movies and shows I’ll get to be a part of in the future.
What matters most to you? Why?
My family! I am who I am because of those who raise me, and those who raised them. Often times when I am nervous or anxious from a callback or audition, I actively try to think of them. It calms me tremendously to know that I am fully enveloped with love and guidance of my people. There is a saying from one of our national heroes Jose Rizal that goes “Know history, know self; No history, no self”. It’s so important for me to always remember where I come from and to lift that up in my life wherever I go.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Instagram.com/monicajoelleo
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@monicajoelleo?_t=8adkizDHPwM&_r=1
Image Credits
My Mom, for the photos in the Yellow Dress (AiramDPhoto), my brother Josh, and my other brother Joel.
