Act-Trivist Natasha Eli on the Pursuit of Greatness

A Jill of All Trades would be the best way to describe the activist, on-air personality, and mother, Natasha Eli. This Women on the Rise All Access author is using God-given gifts and talents, including her work as a hairstylist, in her ministry to empower others through makeovers and more!  All while also creating art through acting and advocating in unique ways. Natasha’s journey is one of impact, understanding, and chasing her dreams!

How did your experience as a stylist in the salon industry influence your transition into film & acting?

Styling is something I was born with; most people have to learn skills, but I was “self-taught” as a child. I almost feel like styling was something I was born with; it was always a part of me. When I transitioned into film, it was a natural progression for me since I was always styling people for photo shoots and film. I was always on film sets, but the film talent is sold separately; it is a gift that needs seasoning.

The salon industry exposed you to countless personal stories. How did listening to those stories influence the way you connect with your clients? 

The salon industry is full of stories untold. There is always a therapy session going on, I found myself being a therapist of sorts at times and don’t think that I too was the one in need of healing at times. I had a client once who was going through domestic violence and as she spoke about her situation, her words touched me so deeply. She had been sh*t five times and she didn’t know my relationship was on the same path, very toxic. I also once had a client in someone else’s chair staring at me so hard in the salon, she finally got up to approach me, she asked that I step away from my client so she could speak to me… she told me God told her to have a word with me and when I say everything she spoke was so on point to me… I made immediate changes in my life, needless to say in the end and I won’t go into details, but my son’s father was unalived. I’m a skeptic when it comes to people just approaching or claiming to be a believer, but she knew so much it couldn’t have been anything other than the man himself. For those reasons I will always have a deep connection to styling.

What challenges did you face transitioning from the salon world into acting and film, and how did you push through them?

Well to answer this in short, if I can keep it short (laughs), the challenges I’ve faced I don’t wish on my worst enemy. I’ve had the happiest times of my life be overshadowed by the worst, as I spoke earlier I had just started a new venture I leased a small salon on the Northside of Atlanta about 3 months in, my world shattered, my son’s father was murdered and I was facing eviction on all ends because I had a long hospital stay months on months, I delivered a preemie baby during all of this… did I mention that on top of all of this I was pregnant, go figure and low and behold

The person I was leasing from wasn’t very understanding because she thought I was not telling the truth, but all I can say is that God take you through those times to show you that only he can pull you out.

Not Man. Not even churches believe you when your story is too horrific, I had a mean bout with depression but needless to say I had to tighten my laces up, remember whose I was and face the challenges head on knowing God was walking right beside me. I met Tell All Inc. CEO Kathy Taylor who introduced me to TstNetwork where I started hosting shows on their network, then the opportunities were presented but they didn’t start rolling in until I showed myself approved.

In hindsight I was an actress waiting on the opportunity to present itself. Let me dare not forget that Ms. Brown my elementary school teacher who sparked the acting bug in me and my aunt Evangelist Patricia Clark and Evangelist Juanita Bynum who spoke it over my life at a very young age.

What do you hope your journey and experience shows other people who are starting in one industry but dreaming of another? 

I would say don’t be afraid to go hard or go home! Be multi-faceted if you will, most people are given the same skill and talent as you, it’s what you do with it that matters. Much like anything, that you don’t use you lose.

The industry can be a beautiful thing, stay rooted, never let greed or money overshadow your passion for the arts. The money will come but do what makes your heart happy so that when you do wake up in the middle of what you prayed for you are proud that you never had to mistreat anyone to get there.

I hope my journey shows that you can do anything that you put your mind to, situations shall pass and character remains. I’m living proof that God exists. Tap into the spaces where other creatives live, they will make room for you and rub shoulders with people who can teach you. Be teachable and know that too who much is given much is required, so be ready to give all you got to get what you have. Lock in.

What began as self-representation evolved into consulting and full agency work. At what point did you realize this was becoming something bigger than you initially thought?

I created what I longed for, it was by happenstance, I only created it for me so that I would represent me. I didn’t want to be signed in a way that restricts me or takes money but more so I needed to package myself in a professional way because that’s what matters. Then something bigger happened and one person after another was lost in the same way I was when I started out. I began to inform them so just as someone to consult with because when I started, I was just as confused or had questions and needed someone to ask. I needed to learn the ins and outs of the business even something as simple as how to read a call sheet. My agency isn’t a typical agency; we are consulting to bridge the gap between directors and the actors that would never stand a chance otherwise due to the gatekeeping in the industry.

I’ve witnessed people get booked who are not talented vs. an actor who actually is, just because of relationships. This dilutes the passion and only hurts the project of the true visionary. I’ve casted for people who don’t even want to give me the credit for the work I’ve done because they want to be credited for it alone, therefore you have to TAKE IT! I wish for better in our community when it comes to that.

Running an agency comes with responsibility over other people’s careers. How do you balance faith, intuition, and strategy when making decisions that impact others?

For the most part I let them take their career in their own hands, I help with the tools from hosting acting workshops to helping them to package themselves in a way that even they would buy and just advise them along the way. I simply give them the formula that I used I put them face to face with the directors every week. In a sense I give them the water, it’s up to them to drink.

How do you use Law Abiding Criminal as a platform for advocacy, awareness and change within the justice system?

Law Abiding Criminal is a brand that I own unfortunately it came to fruition because of the unaliving of so many Black men and the mass incarceration of Black men. No matter what our accolades are, no matter how good of a person, our skin is the weapon. For now I am in school for Criminal Justice and Criminal Psychology and I plan to incorporate the two, The change that I’d like to see and have the privilege to be a part of is helping to get some of the wrongly accused back to freedom, helping with our youth’s literacy as it pertains to the law and eventually working directly with at risk youth to help them avoid some of the challenges that so many in our community has had to face.

How has motherhood shaped the way you approach activism, education & service? 

I am a boy mom so I’m very passionate about the way our youth is treated. I’ve marched and advocated for people and my sons have been on the front line with me so that they understand the importance of using our voices for those who can’t. Education is key, today the value of an education has been devalued because of social media. Kids think they can bypass school to an instant success story via streaming. Stay in school, yes, you can do all those things, but every story is different just know that. I am a philanthropist by nature a helper in whatever way I can. From Christmas all the way up to New Year’s Eve , Myself and Rott n’ Sweet Gallery gave out over 100 bags to random people that included hand warmers, disposable toothbrush sticks etc. and not to just the homeless just people who seemed to be in need for that weather, some of this nights were the coldest of the year. I wanted my kids to understand that the holidays are not just about receiving. One drop of a dime we can change places with people.

With so many projects under your belt, how do you decide which stories to tell or which character to bring to life?

I pray over everything in my life. When I’m offered a role, I fully read the script so that I can understand the story being told. I do a mental breakdown of the character to see where the character is in life and either I feel it or I don’t. I’ve portrayed characters in some ways that I can relate to and others I’ve probably met in my lifetime. Recently I turned down a role because it was too dark, not that the script idea was bad but the idea that I would be the dark power and it had spiritual content, I had to decline. I didn’t think there was any roles that I wouldn’t try so that was a first for me. I absolutely love the art of storytelling so I am fully vested in this I don’t feel there is any role out there that I can’t pull off but my beliefs is the only thing that’ll keep me from it.

How do you stay inspired and motivated when working on multiple projects at once? 

Believe me after each role there is a detox that takes place with me then I go onto my next role. There are some actors that I know who can go from role to role even more than that can do multiple roles at one time. In my experience the male actors do that best but me personally I tried it recently it was way too much for me running from one set to the other and getting out of one character to the next. I stay motivated because my worth and validation doesn’t come from any outside source. I self-heal I do the work frm inside out because as soon as you depend on anyone to do it for you they are nowhere to be found. My children are my source of that plug in energy that I need to keep going. They are the most beautiful script God ever wrote for me, that is my most inspired role yet.

Right now, I’m filming the Tears of a Hustler series by Silk White, and this role is enough on its very own. Pauleena is something to deal with I on her very own (laughs). I know I wouldn’t be able to carry another role outside of her… definitely not at the same time (laughs).

For more information on Natasha Eli:

INSTAGRAM

The post Act-Trivist Natasha Eli on the Pursuit of Greatness first appeared on SHEEN Magazine.