Superstar & Award-Winning Actress Rosalind Tellez-Griffin is Determined to Win!

 Interview by: Gina Sedman

I had the pleasure of interviewing one of the most encouraging forthcoming on-screen actors of this age, "Rosalind Tellez Griffin". When asked about her life before achieving independent stardom, this is what she revealed about herself".

I was born in Los Angeles on a very hot summer day in August. My mother said she named me after Rosalind Russell the actress. Maybe I got my start with my name. Growing up, my family gathered a lot. It was during those times that my mother and her four sisters, and brothers would unite to sing and dance. My grandmother was avid about capturing most of that on film.  I have always been interested in the arts as far back as I can remember. I pretended a hairbrush was my microphone or my dolls and stuffed animals were my live audience. Musicals were my passion, to act and sing would be a dream come true. Let the truth be told, I wanted to be Shirley Temple.  TV inspired a desire in me to emulate the actors that I saw.  When in middle and high school, I jumped at the chance to be in the drama club and choir. The minute, I could dress up and transform into someone else, was an exhilarating feeling.

When I first started working with Gina Carey, CEO of GNA, on the 2016 documentary, Aspire to Inspire, she gave me a great piece of advice, to just be myself.  As we continued working on future film projects such as Assumptions, The One Year Pact, Rosa England, and The Star Connection, that advice is still the number one way I approach an acting role. Sure, you always transform yourself into the character you're portraying, but you must be comfortable with that role. Your lines are conversations, just everyday conversations. For I, preparing for a role, I first speak to the director and ask what vision did she see when writing about this character. The personality? Background? I like to read my lines into a recorder and play them back. A little secret, I look in the mirror and try different voices and mannerisms’ as I breathe life into the character.  Then you rehearse and rehearse again. When you think you have it down, rewind and redo it.

My favorite role so far has been Rita England, in the movie Rose England. She was simply a woman who was afraid to be poor in her adult life as she was growing up. She was hard because she felt she had to be to get what she wanted. She was so determined to have it all, that she betrayed a close friend and damaged her one and only child. This character was written for me and it was my biggest role.  I was so happy to be given this opportunity by Gina Carey. She is an actor’s gift to work with, if she offers you a role, she already sees you in it. I trusted the process she had in place. If you get the opportunity to be in a project with Gina Carey, you won’t be disappointed. You will walk away knowing you were a part of something great.

The role I would like to play would be a strong female role where I overcome some everyday life challenges. I want to send a message that not everyone is living a negative life despite the challenges that try to stumble them. We have some strong women who started businesses in their kitchens and garages and are now household names. I would also like to do a comedy role. Where I’m the owner of RozzyB’s Place, a beauty/barber with full services. Where it’s nothing but crazy funny people working there and crazy funny people coming in for service. This would allow for plenty of laughs. Where else can I have blue hair?

I have been featured in a documentary called Aspire to Inspire, the movies I have been in are Assumptions, Acts of Kindness, The One Year Pact, Rose England, and The Star Connection. I was nominated and won for Bit Part in Acts of Kindness. I am also proud to be a member of IMDb

The misconception about acting for me has been, it looks easy, but it's hard work that goes into acting. Your brain tells you; I can memorize these lines quick, fast, and in a hurry. That frankly is a wish from heaven. It's work, dedication, and most of all commitment. Young, up-and-coming actors might think that their talent is all that is needed to win an Oscar. Not so, it takes a village of people on your team. It’s not a career that you can expect to be the chosen one all the time. Going to an audition for one role and finding out there are 200 actors in line for a chance at it. Actors must have thick skin to survive the rejection and adulation that will come with the desire to be an actor. There are blurred lines and color lines to overcome on your climb up the ladder. If it's your passion, then. do your homework, find people who have your best interest at heart, and surround yourself with them. If your heart is in it, you will make it. However, learn that everyone is not your friend and that’s not a bad thing, because everyone has their agenda, accept that you will lose a few people along the way and move on. You only want true friends around you.

My first role was small but very rewarding. I walked from one side of the room to the other. My legs were popping…a start was born lol. Even still I was nervous, and I wondered how I was going to be portrayed on the big screen. It was an all-day shoot, but I had the best day. No matter how large or small the role, I vividly remember the environment that director, Gina Carey set in place for the day. Each role was a major role in her eyes. That felt great amongst the cast.

I can see myself acting for a very long time in roles that I can do justice to the character. I recently retired from the education field, and I can see myself taking on more roles in the future. I’d like to do some commercials too. I want to write and maybe see that the novel becomes a screenplay.

My desire to act has increased. This is due to the great experiences that I have had. The actors I have worked with, the roles that were written, and the director making it all come to life. A fellow actor gave a speech the other night saying that “Gina Carey has put Palm Spring, CA on the map” People are calling it East Hollywood. With her being a self-produced recording artist to CEO of her company, you can see just how far dedication to your craft can take you.  I’m very proud to be one of the alumni that she has chosen to work with. 

You may quote me “I would like to act for a very long time” Two of my granddaughters, Kalyna and Eve are pursuing the arts, one is acting, and the other is dancing. They are currently doing musical productions. My niece, Lundun Jones has produced and choreographed sold-out productions at The Box.  My uncle, James Kennon Wilson was an opera singer in New York and his noted role was in Porky and Bess with Sidney Poitier and the beautiful Dorothy Dandridge. A cousin, Dondamon “Don” Barnes acted in, The 5 Heartbeats and The Bronx Zoo. You might say, we in a small way got the bug.

The most rewarding area of being an independent actor is choosing your destiny. What roles are going to catapult your soul? There is no studio saying you’re not what we are looking for or a contract tying you down to future projects. You don’t have to compromise to appeal to the masses. You have the pleasure of working on your own terms. But to be clear, if you choose to work with an independent company, then support them in their efforts to support you. Advertise the work you are involved in. Bring your close friends and family to see your acting skills. In other words, if someone invests in a project you are a part of, you as an independent artist should invest in you too.  It’s a labor of pure love that goes into independent directing/filming/acting.

My strategies regarding acting are simple. I will accept the roles that I feel speak to me. Roles that I can breathe life into.  As I move toward future roles, I want to know I’ve selected a character that I can make believable on screen.

I think every actor at some point in their acting career would desire to become a Sag/Aftra actor/actress. I think it might come with a few perks, a free water bottle and a sun visor for striking, right?  I’m just kidding. Yes, I would like to be in that division of actors/actresses. However, some satisfactions and advantages also come with being an independent actress.

A union comes with language outlined in writing to protect the artist.  Having a group of like-minded individuals wanting equality in the workplace can be a plus. Better pay, better health benefits but as with any union, your voice can only be heard if you vote.  You must vote on issues that affect your pay, health, and your work environment. When these areas come together, being a union member can be protected. However, you must deal with strikes in areas where those strikes affect your job. There are pros and cons. Hands down if Ms. Eva or Mr. Tyler said they had a role for me, I’m going to have a Sag/Aftra card.

Writing, it's my first love. I used to write stories and pass them around in middle school. I have the beginnings of a novel, that has been in the making for the last 6 years. I want to finish it. I recently went to La Jolla College and became inspired as I sat on a screenplay reading. It was amazing.  A group of selected authors had their novels turned into screenplays by up-and-coming screenplay writers from Hollywood.  These screenplays were read by professional actors. When it comes to my journey, wherever my passion and desires take me, I will follow. However, I won’t limit myself to one thing. The world is big, and I still like to think I can explore it.

My advice would be first and foremost, to decide why you want to do this. Then explore the area that appeals to you, is it acting, casting, producing, writing, directing, or camera/sound a person? Whatever it is, gather as much information as you can. Take classes at a community college. Join a community player acting group. Look for and attend auditions. Be reminded that volunteering is gaining experience and credit for your work. Explore it for laughs and giggles or a real career.

END OF INTERVIEW