Meet the Multi-Talented Angela Marie Williams

Today we’d like to introduce you to Angela Marie Williams.

Angela Marie, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I am originally from Raleigh, North Carolina, and currently live in Atlanta, GA! Ever since I was a young girl, I was interested in the entertainment industry. I was always jumping to be in the home videos, putting on little shows for my family, and participating in any school theater and dance shows as possible! I was involved in theater and art classes, and competitive dance when I was young all the way through college. I went to Appalachian State University and graduated with a BS in Advertising and Business. After college, I worked for a Raleigh, NC local magazine in ad sales. After some time there, and not really enjoying life as much as I know I could, I realized that acting is what I really want to do. Everyone told me it would be hard and take a lot of work, time, and dedication, but I was ready! So, I quit my job and started to really dig in and find out how to make it as an actress. I did several ‘extra’ gigs in Raleigh, and Wilmington NC, and one night I got the email that I was booked to work as an extra in Atlanta, GA! So, I packed up my car and drove 6 hours to be an extra on a comedy movie with an 8am call time. My parents thought I was crazy, but wanted me to be happy, so they helped me pack and head on my way. After this day, I have lived in Atlanta ever since. I have a great friend who let me crash on her couch for the first 6 months or so in Atlanta, and then I got my own place. I have done several bartending and waitressing jobs to keep the money steady, and worked on any and every project I could, networked, and studied. Several independent movies and shows have given me a lot of experience. I worked on an improv comedy show, and this was one of my favorites. It gave me a lot of confidence to meet new people, and really put myself out there!

One of my first great roles was on an episode of Homicide Hunter for Investigation Discovery, I played a young mother of two who was brutally murdered. This was an emotional role to play because the story was very heartbreaking, and it also required a lot of emotion. Shortly after this I signed with Classic Talent Agency in 2015, and have gotten a lot of great gigs since! I’ve worked on everything from an NC Diabetes and Heart Disease Prevention PSA, to Home Depot Print ads, to ShutTheFunnyUp.com comedy skits, to creating our own short film called TWIN, a Toyota commercial, and much more! I keep myself busy with work whether or not it is paid because my favorite way to learn more about myself and acting is to do it. I love to feed off of other people’s energy and learn from them, and I hope they learn from me as well. Auditions and bookings keep rolling in, so I am very thankful for that! Confidence and happiness are key in this industry, you can really tell when someone loves what they do. If it makes you happy, do it!! There have been MANY times where I wanted to give up, after a bad streak of auditions or not feeling like I could make it, but you just have to keep pushing! It is definitely cut-throat out there, but I love that in Atlanta, everyone seems to be helping each other out, and we are on the rise, and trying to take over as the ‘hub’ for the movie industry! Growing is a great word for everything happening with me and the area! #workhard #playhard #grow #confidence #happiness

Has it been a smooth road?
There is a lot of rejection in the entertainment industry. It is sometimes hard to bounce back after getting bad news about an audition for a role that you really wanted, but you have to remember that sometimes you are just not the right person for that role! There have been times when I was down to my last dollar. Taking off time from work to act on independent projects that are unpaid will really take a toll on your bank account! I do this only because I know it will help me grow as an actor, and give me the experience that I need!

So, what should we be on the lookout for, what’s next in store for you?
I plan to keep grinding here in Atlanta! The entertainment industry is growing rapidly here, and I don’t see any immediate reason to move to LA or any other area. When I moved here I read up a lot on the area versus LA and decided this would be a great first step. If in the future I start to book more roles elsewhere, I would still love to call Atlanta my home. My boyfriend of two year’s family all lives here, and it is nice to have a family away from home since my family strings from Washington, Connecticut, and New York, to Virginia and North Carolina!

I’m currently really looking forward to a role I recently booked on Adult Swim! I had been waiting for a while to hear about it and had assumed I didn’t get it, but I got the email with good news! This will be filming around my birthday, December 3rd, and I’m really excited for it! No big changes planned, but who knows?!

Let’s explore some of the challenges you’ve faced along the way. What was the most difficult part of your career so far?
There was a definite lull in auditions and bookings at the beginning of this year (2016). I found myself getting very discouraged, and turning to focus on other things rather than working on my acting career. Nothing crazy, don’t worry, just opting to spend more time at home/watching t.v./with the dogs and my boyfriend (Stephen), or with friends when really I knew that I should be submitting to castings etc. My boyfriend works a 9-5 job so during the day there is a lot of time for me to focus, and I try to do that! I am easily distracted, though, ha-ha! I got through that by just remembering how I got here, and why I am where I am, and it encourages me to keep pushing. Stephen is also a big help, he encourages me to keep going, and not to give up. He is a great self-esteem booster and always tells me how great I am at what I do. Maybe he is just super nice, or maybe he is right ha-ha. Who knows??

What about “Wow-moments” – any moments that stick out? Any moments when you felt like you had made it?
Anytime I book a role I feel like it is my key to stardom! haha, only after to remember it doesn’t always work like that. Each booking is a blessing, and I feel on top of the world when I get that email or call that I’ve gotten the role! It really just validates my reasoning for taking so much time and effort, and I love it! There is a lot of struggle, disappointment, money and time spent, and sometimes it ends up not working out. I try to remember that every audition is a good audition whether or not I book it. Just to get in front of some of these casting directors is awesome. I may not be right for the role at that time, but they will hopefully remember me for the next!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.AngelaMarieWilliams.net
• Email: angelamarie665@gmail.com
• Instagram: @MissAngelaMarie
• Facebook: www.Facebook.com/ActressAngelaMarie
• Other: http://www.imdb.me/angelamariewilliams

Image Credit:
Porsche Coleman
Sannah Parker
Xceptional Photography
Terry Douglas
Debra Adams
Meredith Kurbel
Dee Coleman
DreamTouch Agency
Classic Talent Agency
DOPhotography