Get ready to be inspired by the captivating journey of Irma Cadiz, who's making her mark on the shows Power Book 3: Raising Kanan and Law & Order. Irma unveils her life story with transparency, highlighting her roots in Rochester, her struggles with finding affordable housing in Harlem, and her love for coquito.
We move beyond the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, delving into a candid discussion about the hard work and dedication needed to pursue one's dreams in the acting industry. Irma, who balances her passion for acting with her job as a hairstylist, brings a personal touch to this conversation about the acting industry. We also reflect on the impact of social media on actors and content creators. Irma shares her experience of building a following on social media and the opportunities it has created for her.
As we wrap up this rich, engaging conversation, Irma provides us with insights into her role in Power Book 3: Raising Kanan and we touch upon the reasons behind the long wait between series on the network Starz. This podcast episode is the perfect blend of professional and personal, shining a light on Irma's inspiring journey and her incredible career in acting. Stay tuned for an episode filled with shared experiences, lessons learned, and the strength and persistence required to rise in the challenging world of acting.
Get ready to be inspired by the captivating journey of Irma Cadiz, who's making her mark on the shows Power Book 3: Raising Kanan and Law & Order. Irma unveils her life story with transparency, highlighting her roots in Rochester, her struggles with finding affordable housing in Harlem, and her love for coquito.
We move beyond the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, delving into a candid discussion about the hard work and dedication needed to pursue one's dreams in the acting industry. Irma, who balances her passion for acting with her job as a hairstylist, brings a personal touch to this conversation about the acting industry. We also reflect on the impact of social media on actors and content creators. Irma shares her experience of building a following on social media and the opportunities it has created for her.
As we wrap up this rich, engaging conversation, Irma provides us with insights into her role in Power Book 3: Raising Kanan and we touch upon the reasons behind the long wait between series on the network Starz. This podcast episode is the perfect blend of professional and personal, shining a light on Irma's inspiring journey and her incredible career in acting. Stay tuned for an episode filled with shared experiences, lessons learned, and the strength and persistence required to rise in the challenging world of acting.
This is not a video. When I was coming out, we had to go outside the city. We had to go travel, go out of town, beat down doors. This was the first time Bill has ever gone on this set. He said here comes the token. This is not a video. And out of my mouth I said F you, my friends, are asking for positive women with family and business. That's what we bring to the show, and yet still it's like oh, she's boring.
Speaker 2:It's my real story. This is really who I am.
Speaker 1:I build myself off a dollar and a dream, without a man's help, without a basketball player. Particularly, the patriarchal box says white cisgender males have defined for us should be how we define ourselves. I didn't say it. That's what we're saying on the street, the streets, the avenues and the bulletin. Welcome, welcome, welcome.
Speaker 1:You are now tuned into another amazing edition of Sanya on Air. I'm your host, sanya Hudson-Pain, and how do I start off each and every single episode? You guessed it. I have another great show for you. But before I tell you about today's amazing guest, I need you to do me a quick favor. You know what? It is right, because if you are a loyal watcher and listener of Sanya on Air, you know I'm going to ask you to subscribe. Make sure that you subscribe to every Sanya on Air streaming platform. Sanya on Air streams across every major streaming platform and if you're watching this on YouTube, not only subscribe, but make sure you hit the little notification bell. That way, every time I upload an all-new celebrity interview, unpacking their pivotal moments and milestones, you'll be the first ones to know.
Speaker 1:Now on to today's guest. I'm super, super excited to talk to this amazing and talented actress by the name of Irma Kadees. Now let me repeat her name again Irma Kadees. If you are watching Power Book 3, raisin Kanan, like I am and like everyone that I know, you will catch her on an upcoming episode Matter of fact, on upcoming episodes because she's playing rock's hairstylist Now, this actress. The reason why I'm so excited to talk to Irma is because I love, love, love speaking to working actors, people who are still grinding the pavement, people who are still acting by day but then selling coquito at night, just like Irma and I love me some coquito, and it's around the holidays. So you're going to catch her in upcoming episodes of Power Book 3, raisin Kanan and also on Law Order Two amazing shows. So why don't we do this? Why don't we just jump right on into this conversation with Irma? Because she's a fellow New Yorker like me and I want to see about her coquito recipe, and I'm sure you do too. So let's get right on into it.
Speaker 2:Hi, irma, hi, how are you?
Speaker 1:I'm fine. How are you Good? Good, First of all, I'm excited because it's not too often that I get to have a conversation or an interview with a fellow New Yorker.
Speaker 2:I've been here long enough, but I'm upstate New Yorker, actually born and raised in Rochester by the Lake Effect Snow.
Speaker 1:I left there, like in, that doesn't really count.
Speaker 2:No, that's that's. I'm more of an upstater. I've been here since probably 2009, because my family's always been here, so I always spent my summers here. So I'm like a New Yorker by proxy. It's just. Eventually. I moved here after a eventually, after a divorce, because I was my first marriage. I was married in Florida and I think New York city was the compromise, like I've got to be around family, I don't want to go back to that snow. After having lived in Orlando and I was like okay, new York, we're acting, just go to New York, your aunt's are there, just. And so I've been here since struggling, right, okay.
Speaker 1:So we'll adopt you. We'll adopt you. You're a part of the New York family. Now we get it. So do you prefer Rochester or do you prefer, like, the tri-state area, better?
Speaker 2:No, no, no, no. I prefer anything to Rochester. Don't get me wrong, it's my hometown. Like I don't want to say anything disparaging about my hometown, right, but I left.
Speaker 2:Okay, I left when I was like 24, 20, like I left, I bounced and never looked back. I still go back because my, my mom, dad and sister immediate family are still there. I don't think they're ever leaving. But other than that, you know, and I have some lifelong friends, so I'm not going to, I'm not going to bash my city. Hey, you know, that's like we go up in a mid-sized city like that. You, you, you yearn for more. You know we got it, but at the same time I don't miss like I don't know. I live in Harlem. I don't know what else to say about that.
Speaker 1:Living in Harlem is a story by itself. That's a story about living in Harlem.
Speaker 2:Yeah, there's some things I miss like like appropriate housing.
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh, none of them talk about housing. Did you just see on the news that, um yeah, the Bronx there's, there's, there's my cousins.
Speaker 2:This is actually. I just texted my cousin. They know I'm because it's right on their street. Um, I don't think they know, anybody in that building cause. They're farther down where the houses are past um university. But that's like, literally, I walk that every time that go visit them. I'm like, wait, is that it's not your block? I don't, I have no idea which building that is, I just saw it, like you did online.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I'm waiting to put up videos like yes, I'm waiting to hear more, because what they were pointing on the five and six o'clock news was that they haven't found Any bodies. Thank God, but I'm not too confident that that's still going to remain the same.
Speaker 2:With that, because they're under the rubble bow, because Would they find that fast if there were any? You know what I mean?
Speaker 1:I don't know, but I mean somebody from the top floor, because it it was a seven-story building and the first floor had a bodega and they said people were in the store. So we will wait to see how this story unfold. I don't want to make this, you know, conversation to sad and solemn. So, because I really am so excited for my audience to learn about you. Very tragic, very tragic, but let's just jump right into you. So, working actress, and I know, traditionally when it comes to television or film, we do not see too many people of color as representation. All those things have gotten better. What made you want to become an actress, knowing that there is so little representation of people of color?
Speaker 2:I Don't know that I thought about that because I was yearning for when I was so much younger. I did start experiencing things Immediately like being a comm major in college, because I went to college in the 90s I'm very much a Gen Xer. Right, there were pauses and I went back and finished as an adult. But I do very much remember professors Telling classmates like make her sound American, make her you know, and that that was cool. And I remember there was a fear a little bit with me, like with Shakespearean things, I wouldn't tackle them like I was some what a wear of the whole colorism. Because I remember thinking like I'm I sound like a put, like I don't know how am I gonna pull an English accent? Things like that. That I tackled more confidently as an adult, not as a Youth. But I don't think I thought about the fact that we weren't represented at all.
Speaker 2:I just kind of really wanted to do it. I think I got a taste of it in high school when I did a stage play and I didn't know you could study it in college. To be honest with you, that's where I went with the communication major, because I started going with what I thought was tangible, but then I would see the, the order majors, I saw the classes. It's a world that started opening up, you know. But like everything else, I had kids. Things were put on pause and Several times, but it's just something that I never gave up on. I just kept coming back to it, you know, and it'll be there to the day that I die. You know, I might just be cracking into the door now, but I Got time. That you know. I got time. I can only go up from here, so we got it.
Speaker 1:So you said you caught the acting bug by acting in a play during high school. So when was the critical moment that you really decided to take acting seriously and you started taking, maybe, acting classes?
Speaker 2:It was. It was right away in college it was. It proceeded from high school right into college. But when you're young, you think you want something but you don't necessarily have the focus right because there's other things going on parties, life, whatever right. When I seriously took it, when I took it seriously again After the kids were a really started shifting focus, I would say it was like in 2008, when my kids were 11 or 12 at the time, something like that, and then the other maybe was eight and I had help.
Speaker 2:I started going to a studio called Art's sake down there in Orlando with one of my late professors who taught me Meisner, and then it's never stopped from there. There there's. There might have been some pauses, like during the teen years, where I had to take a little break because life, you know, and dealing with what's happening at home, but I kept coming back to it and just doing it, even on a small scale, like little commercial or a little weekend play, whatever I could do to keep my sanity during those times. And then, now that my kids are grown, now they're 26 and 23, now I have time, now I have lots of time and I can actually like focus and actually have a manager and an agent and actually, you know, really stay on top of it.
Speaker 1:So you know, I'm blessed with a husband that is very supportive as well, hmm.
Speaker 1:That's important. I'm glad that you mentioned that because a lot of people they have dreams, goals, aspirations and life is always Lifeing and I'm glad that you mentioned that, although life was lifeing, you decided to get back to it, even though there were gaps and delays. So you know, that's just a reminder to people. You don't have to let your dreams and aspirations fall to the wayside. Get back to it when you have an opportunity. So I'm glad that you mentioned that. You have to. You have to take it honestly. I can say. I can say you some therapy money because that's where I got that from.
Speaker 2:Therapists during the rough teenage years was like don't let that stuff go, do not. Every day that I walked into the offices, what did you do for you today? Because you know, as mothers, we, you know you're feeding them, you're getting them clothes. There's so many times when you go shopping you think you're going to buy yourself something. You don't. You buy it, you know, you forget about yourself. We always put ourselves last. We don't. We don't make it to the salon anymore because we're so busy.
Speaker 2:You know, and it's the one survival skill that he taught me you have to take care of you. He did the airplane analogy. He said you have to put the gas mask on your face before you can help anybody else, because if I'm resentful or if I pass out or if I'm whatever exhausted, you know I'm not happy, nobody's happy, and I can't help anybody if I'm depleted in my gas tank, you know. So it's one of the things he taught me do not give up on your acting classes. Even if you have to save $5 a week for your nails, do not stop doing them. Take care of yourself, because these kids will grow up. You know they'll move on, but you're here with you know three hairs left afterwards in.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, no, never give up on those dreams there. You know where's that. It's going to be there, where's it going. You know, if you have to take a pause and that's not just with acting, that's with anything, right, that's with anything if you have a dream about starting a business or whatever your goals might be in life, if you have to take a pause to take care of yourself and to handle life, which happens, that's fine, it'll be there waiting when you get back. Yes, I live by that model.
Speaker 1:Well, I'm so glad that you remained consistent and persistent with your goals and aspirations of being an actress, because you are going to be on upcoming episodes of power book three raising a chain and starring as what's your characters, named Valentina. Talk about your character.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's not a major role, but it's a major empire and I that door open for me just a little bit and I am so happy I am. I play rocks and I'm a career stylist, so I'm going to be right there next to Petina Miller, you know, if I am blessed with them because, you know, sometimes things end up on the cutting room for floor, but as far as we know, if they use that footage, we're all going to find out together on Friday. I'm Valentina and I couldn't be more ecstatic about it because that's my first big role.
Speaker 1:You know right. How did you find out about the role? Valentine's Day. How did you find out about the role so that you could audition?
Speaker 2:It was an audition that my manager sent me. So you are. My manager sent it to me.
Speaker 1:Did you audition for other roles besides Valentina, or just?
Speaker 2:Valentine's Day Is that series? Or, in general, on that series, yeah, this is a lifestyle for me, it's a lifestyle. No, no, not on that series. That was my first audition for that series and I was lucky enough to book it, because that's not always the case. I've auditioned for several series time and time again and if they like you, they'll keep auditioning you, They'll keep bringing you back to read for another character or another character, and sometimes you never get called in. I guess it was just my time. I auditioned for it and I got it, and I'm grateful for that.
Speaker 1:How many times did you have to audition?
Speaker 2:I auditioned for that role you get an audition.
Speaker 1:I think I submitted one self-tape for that, actually, oh, it was one, ok, because I know usually sometimes they have you come back. They want to see the chemistry between you and other characters. So you just submitted. They have a callback. Yes, all right.
Speaker 2:That's for a bigger role. The bigger the role gets, the harder that climb is. This one is recurring, but it's considered a co-star, right? I don't have 10 million lines. I go in there, I do my part, I feed the story, I leave. So for that, if they like your energy enough on screen, they don't have to necessarily call you back Sometimes they do, but the bigger the role, if you move up to guest star, where you got a ton of lines and now you're really carrying a story, even if you're not a series regular, you might get a callback. Here. It's different for every series, though, and for every show. I've had callbacks for commercials. You know what I mean. So it's a little different, you know. You never know how that's going to go. Right, right, right.
Speaker 1:I got it. I got it and you're also going to be appearing on Law and Order in January 2024. Is that correct? Talk about that role.
Speaker 2:That's a part too. And again, another small role big empire. Right, I'm a Law and Order fanatic, probably like anybody else, but you know I don't get to watch it as much anymore because I've been off of cable for a while, but I used to watch it, oh my God, svu, all of it. And to be honest, I got my opportunity passed because that it's the original Law and Order and that stopped filming for a while. And in New York City there's a saying that every actor goes through Law and Order. Like that's like popping your cherry. Every actor in the city has gone through Law and Order, but I hadn't. I had not, and I got called in.
Speaker 2:I did an audition for them and booked a role that aired last winter. And I'm a clerk. I announced the case. You know, I'm literally the person that calls out the case number, calling out docket, docket, docket, people versus so and so. That was my role. I didn't think anymore would come of that, but they called me back in. So, god willing, I'm in the first episode of the new season, nice, in another case with the same judge, mind you, the same girl, the way you know. I'm with Judge Patel again, so let's hope that this is a recurring thing. They can call me just if Law and Order is watching. You can call me back anytime you want, I'll be there.
Speaker 1:I'm sure they will. So what's your dream? What's your dream role?
Speaker 2:You're going to make me say that out loud. Yes, it's not so much the role. That is who I want to work with. I want to, I want to. I have goals of working with Spielberg at some point. Dream roles I like anything that where I can get a little bit dirty. I like anything where I actually love being a supporting character. I feel like they have a lot more drama going on and a lot more juice, and I like roles where you really get into people's reality, whether that be abuse or whether that be you know, just things going on. I find that roles like that, even in theater, have helped me cope with whatever was going on in my life too, and it brings a humanity to us. So we'll see. I love period pieces. That seems to shock people all the time, but I love period pieces. I'm like a last kingdom fanatic and an outlander fanatic, you know. So you put me in anything like that where I get to wear a corset and I'll tell you I've made it. So who?
Speaker 1:knows. So, since you like period pieces, have you watched the Gilded Age? That's amazing. Have you watched that series?
Speaker 2:I have not yet, I have not yet, I have not yet. No, that's a good one I have watched. I think I have a friend who does work on that, actually, because I keep seeing her posting about it, but I have not watched it yet, got it.
Speaker 1:Now, oftentimes, when we look at television or we go to see movies, oftentimes we can imagine ourselves and other actors or actresses. What actor or actress do you look up to?
Speaker 2:I can tell you and it circles back to the question you asked me before when I started wanting to take the classes again. Karen Knightley, actually Really I watch, yeah, because again he goes back to the period pieces and she's done modern stuff too, but she's also done a lot Pride and Pregnages, pride, can I even say that right? Pride and Pregnages.
Speaker 1:Mr Darcy, hello.
Speaker 2:But watching her. It's something about watching her because she has a genuine smile and she's very genuine with whatever it is she does. I love watching her. I think if anything pushed me to take those classes again back in 2008, it was watching her.
Speaker 1:Got it. Now let's talk about honing in on your craft or perfecting your craft. How often do you go to acting classes? Because I see that you are a member of the Chelsea repertoire theater, so how often do you take acting classes?
Speaker 2:It does not stop. Practicing your art is like going to a gym. That's what we are thought. That's taught many, many years ago. You move it or you lose it. Some things come intuitively, but the things you got to flex the muscle, to make, not to make those cliche comparisons. But it's constant, it's every week. If you're not in the classroom setting, you're doing it with a friend. You're doing it with your auditions. You're doing it with your reader. You're doing it. The audition for Canaan. I had a coach for that. I have a wonderful coach named Anna Suzuki, who was right there with me when I did that audition.
Speaker 2:Reading for me, it's constant. If you're not in a class, you're reading the books. If you're not reading the books, you're studying the films. You're studying other people's self-tapes. It's constant, that doesn't stop. It's like any other education. It's like I could compare that to the career I've had in hair. We were told in school from day one, you will never stop educating yourself because, though the basics do not change, that's the same in math and in anything. One plus one and two plus two and multiplying the back, things evolve. Things continue to develop. If you do not continue to educate yourself, you're going to fall behind. That's going to happen in any career, whether you're a doctor, whether you're a lawyer following law, whether you're a hairstylist, and it's going to flow right into acting. You have to flex that muscle. You have to it's constant.
Speaker 1:That was another teachable moment, or a gem, because in this age of social media, people are only talking about the glory and not the story. People are thinking that they're just going to submit something and then wham, they're an overnight success. I'm glad that you mentioned that you have to put in the work. You have to keep exercising your muscles. Thank you for mentioning that. Also, what I want my audience to know is that and you mentioned it briefly you are a hairstylist for 20 plus years. People need to understand that, because you got to pay the bills, working in the salon by day, also taking acting classes, going on auditions. How do you manage all of that and still stay true to yourself?
Speaker 2:I didn't, oh no, no, I didn't. I fell apart a little bit. I fell apart at different times because once you have the kids at least this was my storyline I had all these dreams, but I had kids. My story stopped right there, or it paused, I should say, it didn't stop. But suddenly it wasn't about me, it was about them. I had to feed them.
Speaker 1:I found out I was going to be a single mom.
Speaker 2:For me, hairdressing it was my plan B. I had my parents help me while I. That was a rough year. I had to be with my mother because my daughter, when she was first born, had surgeries and everything. I was literally the first year of her life. I had to be on social services so that I could be with my child during the day, work, night, clubs at night. That was the first year I could have some money coming in to take care of her While she was having her surgeries, because I didn't want anybody else other than my mother touching her surgery that second year of her life. Once she hit one years old, I enrolled in hair school Again, thank God for my parents, because from nine to three hair school, the hotel that I worked at was a block over.
Speaker 2:They allowed me to come in at 3.15 and I was there until 11. Then I would pick up my daughter and literally pick her up from my mother's just so I could sleep with her at night. And go do it five days a week, because grinding is not something that I'm unfamiliar with. You know what I mean, but I busted that out for about a year till I got that license and then that's when I bought a car. That's when I started, you know, and that was my plan B and that's how I raised.
Speaker 2:And it's not a career to be shy about, it's a great career, you know, because I have a theme with everything I do. Right, you gotta love what you're doing. You go to work every day. You gotta love what you do. And I'll say it to the cows crow home. You know, I don't care if you're making a little less money, but if you're happy about what you do, you're gonna get up and you're gonna go. You're not gonna be looking for ways to call out a work or anything like that. You're gonna go because you're happy about what you're doing. So that was a good plan B to have while I had to feed these kids you know what I mean it was a good way to raise them, and when they got old enough, I could continue pursuing the acting, you know. But no, life is life. Those bills are gonna keep coming. Yeah, yeah, yeah you gotta do what?
Speaker 2:you gotta do, but if you have a question for something, you're not gonna let it go. It's like breathing. You know, I was taught a long time ago. We are creators, right, if you have any. You know, everybody has their different faiths, but for the most part, people believe that there's a creator. Right, whether that's God for you, whether that's the universe, but that's a creator. We're made in that image. We are also creative people, and you take that away from me. What is life about? So yeah, I always came back to it.
Speaker 1:Good, good. So many teachable moments and I'm hoping that people can really grab onto them. The hustle is always real and I just want people to have reminders that it doesn't happen overnight or just by throwing one stone into the lake and then inspecting this big ripple effect. It doesn't happen that way. Consistency, hard work, grind, hustle, loving what you do those are all ingredients to your success, and I don't want to. I didn't like when you said well, it's not a big role, it's a role, it's a contribution.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, it is big, especially for me, because it's the first time I've had a sag role. I just, I think that's the humility in me and that could be some imposter syndrome, because I don't like to. You know, yeah, when I first started doing these interviews, I'm like, yeah, I'm just I'm only on a couple of episodes doing her hair, like you know, but it is a big role. It is a big role. It is. I should not under.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because I'm sitting there next to Petina Miller Exactly. You're sitting next to Petina Miller and I'm sure that there are other people watching who would love to be in your shoes, so we can't minimize what you've done and what you will continue to do You're absolutely right about that and I probably needed to hear that.
Speaker 2:I needed to hear that because it's something I've been doing a lot Realizing things. Oh, calm down, it's not that serious. You know, like almost trying to not step out of my shoes, you know. But yeah, no, I got to be on a show. I can die right now and say I got to be on a show that was powered by 50 cents Somebody who I watched, because again, I'm a Gen X, they're okay. So it's like oh my, yeah, I have no complaints, but you mentioned.
Speaker 1:So you now have your SAG after card, correct? Yeah, because of the self-adjustments. Congratulations. Now, billy Porter. Recently he made a comment that said that he is only receiving three cent residual checks and he has his SAG card. Now, at what point do you think an actor really makes enough money to afford the cost of living and to say, mama, I made it. At what point does that happen?
Speaker 2:If you're a good budgeter, you need that one big break. I think part of what you hear me saying is I haven't had my one big break, right, I still got a job. I'm still out here hustling coquito, you know what I mean. I still have a husband who supports me and helps me go through this Cause. No, you're not making big money right away acting. You know you. For every little check you think you get, right Like you might get paid. You know the numbers sound big.
Speaker 2:But think about this breakdown. Right, if I could pay 1200 for being on set one day, 1200, right, there's taxes, obviously, just like anything else. Everybody who has a paycheck knows half of that check's gone already with the taxes. Then I gotta give a cut to my agent. I gotta give a cut to my money. You know what I mean. Then you gotta count all the money, just like any other business that I've already invested in this, from headshots to getting footage, to the education that we're speaking about. How much money do you think is actually left of that one day that you were on set? And think about how many gigs you just named maybe four side gigs that I've had four days on set.
Speaker 2:No five total. So am I really? I'm still going to be working after this? I'm like still I'm waiting for the. You know, that's why they call it the big break. At some point, after all that hustling and grinding, you will finally make it and you will finally have the role that you can say, oh, I can retire, I can buy it when I've finally been able to purchase that home and purchase the one from it. That's when you've made it and you can take it easy. I'll be grinding until that day comes.
Speaker 2:But that takes time. It's not, you know, it's not as easy as people think. It's not as quick as you. And you got to know how to budget If you come on this money, because we've all seen this right in our past, we've seen it with so many celebrities that came across all this money, but it was either mishandled or they weren't. You know, maybe they didn't read those contracts thoroughly. So I'm grateful that I am a grinder, because when that budget comes I'm going to be ready to distribute it accordingly as far as I'm concerned. But that just comes from having been a single mom if you want to hustle and grind. But if you come into this young, you might not know those things and you might think that fountain's just going to keep rolling, and it's not. You know, I'm definitely not there yet, but look if somebody's out there watching.
Speaker 2:Maybe they're going to give me that.
Speaker 1:But people, yeah, because they see you on television, they see people in film and they think that they're rich. They don't know that. You know, in order to all of this, and just because you see your name, you know, on the television screen, it doesn't mean that you're rolling in bank. So that was another teachable moment. What do you think about this entire reality celebrity space, where reality TV stars are now being considered celebrities? What do you think about that without any type of formal training?
Speaker 2:Well, I think that the industry has been good about separating what a reality star is and what an actor is, so there's at least that to be said about that. But and I don't knock either there are two different realms, right, but we cannot deny that social media has evolved and changed the way things roll. Now, similar to the way that musicians can now promote themselves. You know, it used to be a time where you had to wait for a record label and you had to wait for somebody to discover you, and now people can just promote themselves. Justin Bieber is a testament to that. You can literally put yourself out there on YouTube. It's the same thing with people in any realm, whether that be in the cooking realm, whether that be. Whatever you're into, you can start putting your footage out there and if you're true to it and it's something you believe in because that's what makes or breaks people right Work will come to you. People will find you. If you love what you do, they're going to. You know there's so many niches out there and people will be able to find you. So that landscape has definitely changed. Yeah, I couldn't even be there. There's no way I could even be going to the intricacies of that. But that landscape has changed and there are even agents out there now for social media people.
Speaker 2:Yes, I mean because you've you build enough of a. It's basically your own channel. You build a channel of your own and that's why it's so important to be careful what you're putting out there in social media, because that is your face, that is your, your book cover, it's what you make it right. So you don't want to be putting your personal life on there to a certain degree, you know. You don't want to put your dirty laundry on there. You know, because everybody's looking at that. Your job is looking at that, I'm looking at that. People that don't know you are looking at that. You know what I mean. And when you die, I guess what's going to be there? Whatever imprint you left for the world, that that's what's going to be left.
Speaker 1:Yes, your digital.
Speaker 2:Yeah, literally.
Speaker 1:So if someone offered you a role, I'm sorry. What did you say?
Speaker 2:I was saying centuries from now. It's like a time machine. People will be studying us and our behaviors from what was going on on social media.
Speaker 1:Yes time capsule. So if someone offered you a role on a reality show, would you accept it or no?
Speaker 2:I think it depends. I because I have to a certain extent. I did a cooking competition on PBS.
Speaker 1:Yes, that was reality.
Speaker 2:To a certain extent it was completely looking, you know. So I wouldn't say no, I don't think I would like housewives or something like that. No, I don't think I would, only because I'm definitely a crier. I can't be on a show like that. I'm not knocking anybody who's on it, because people have made livings off of that, you know, and they have been entire empires, as we. Actually, that show was a great example. There have been empires made of it, entire careers have been made of it. These people are not considered actors, but they are definitely considered personalities. Yes, we know who they are and they have made, you know, and they've made livings off of that. So I'm not knocking that, I'm just saying that I am definitely a crier. That may not be for me.
Speaker 1:I will definitely be the victim.
Speaker 2:I'm a little. You know so it might be good for that. Being able to be in tune with my emotions might be good for acting, because you need to see that right and I know issues are showing them up but for a reality show, no.
Speaker 1:You know, it's funny I actually started.
Speaker 2:I had a friend who did a sizzle reel for an reality show when I first got to New York City we actually took some footage of. She had a whole concept for single moms in the arts and whatnot and I think she was I'm not going to say the title of it because, if it ever, you know, she had a nice concept and we actually shot some footage but it just never came to be. But when I think for me that might be a good thing, just because I probably wasn't ready, I didn't know what was looming with the teen years, my kids were a little still. I had just gotten here and, yeah, just like I say, the world probably would have seen me like, oh my God, this girl needs therapy. This, what do you want me? Like that? They don't even know me like that. Like, no, let's bring back the mystery of old Hollywood, please. No, I don't even know that. Oh, I love On the other side, but I'll do.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you talked about. I get it. You talked about being an actress. You talked about also cooking briefly on the cooking show, but I did not know and this is around the holidays. You are also called New York City's Kokito lady. When did that happen? Yes, ma'am, Talk about that because I'm like you're buying Really. But it goes right back to that, brian, I was talking about.
Speaker 2:I started doing it during COVID, Like many people did. Many people started side hustles and I went right back to. I knew I wanted to do something. I wasn't working. I was home, as we all were, and I didn't think I wanted to go full time back to work either. You know what I mean. I wanted to invest in myself for once, and I mean little did. I know I'd be working every day, but I get it.
Speaker 2:Sorry for another day, but my mind went to what do I already love doing? What do I already love, you know? And I was already experimenting and making that stuff for my family on the holidays and it's something I really enjoyed. So that's what came to me and I literally bought a cooler. During COVID, I think, I spent like $60 on Amazon. I bought a cooler, I bought some, some icy sleeves and I literally made some frozen and I went out and I hit the street. I was literally in Harlem screaming out culture, served on ice, get your go, people. Christmas in July, and and then just it took off from there. I've been blessed from that moment on.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but another teachable moment, because people are always asking well, what should I do? I don't know what I should do. Next, tap into what you love to do. You're already doing it you already. You're already doing it Exactly and just do it, so I'm glad that you mentioned that. So where can people purchase your cookie dough, cause I see that you have strawberry, you have a dosage and they let you homework oh yeah, cause I love me. I'm really going to order some. Where can they purchase the cookie dough?
Speaker 2:They can go to cookie ladycom. It's C O, q, I, t, o, l, a D Y. We're an e-commerce. I ship nationwide. I don't Ship outside of the country, however, and we also for New Yorkers. We schedule curbside pickups as well. So, and you can also follow on Instagram If you want to follow the adventures on cookie the lady NYC? Yeah, for sure. So selling cookie dough.
Speaker 1:Your mom, your wife, you're an actress. What else is next for you? I'm not sure, I'm not sure, I'm not sure, I'm not sure, I'm not sure.
Speaker 2:I'm not sure I mean who's to say. I mean, you know, let's just put it out there that I continue to act. Let's put it out there that somebody buys Michael Peter company. Let's put it out there that when we become famous, I have that brand and I can show the world what it is. Let's just put that out there, you know. Um, that's just where my head is. I think about it every day, Like when I put out into the universe what I want for myself. I want to become a household name and I want that product to become a household name. Um, I want to share my passion about my culture with the world.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I want to be able to do what I love every single day. Um, yeah.
Speaker 1:Got it, got it it's exhausting.
Speaker 2:trying to hustle, Let me tell you it's exhausting.
Speaker 1:Oh, I know, Let me tell you something, irma. This is a true story. So I wanted to get a camera, a professional camera, because I was starting to do a lot of red carpet. I waited until what? Was it? Labor Day. Have you ever heard of the West Indian Parade on Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn for Labor Day? Yes, I was out there with my mother, my mother selling, uh, what do you call those things? The drinks. Um, where, what's that drink? Nutcrackers, what were you telling? Yes, nutcrackers, I was in New Yorker. Where are you asking me? Where are you asking me? I just had a brain freeze. But just talk about the hustle. Do what you know how to do in order to get to where you want to go.
Speaker 2:So that's what I honey. We broke it because you want to be broke. So if you, if your legs work, if you got a laptop and if you got a mountain, you can sell.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes, my mother was right with me on Eastern Parkway selling nutcrackers so I can get me a camera and thankfully I did buy my camera. But going back to your character, Valentina, real quick, before we close out this conversation, what does your character bring to the episodes that you're in? Talk about it Like? Is she feisty, Is she quiet? Is she loving? Talk about your character.
Speaker 2:I think my character you know there's not much I could say about that because it hasn't aired, but it's. I bring information, it's probably the most I could say. I bring information to our, to our main star. I like to say I bring a little bit of character. You know it's a Dominican hair salon and if you've ever been to the salon, I mean you know I don't think I could say much more than that. I got a little bit of trouble, but did they briefly introduce you? If you're getting.
Speaker 1:If you're getting, I get it, but did they briefly introduce you? Did they briefly introduce you your character on last week's episodes? I did see rock go into the hair salon and I saw some hands.
Speaker 2:You saw my. You saw just little bits of me. I was watching they were going to show. I saw you. It's funny that's something to be known about that world when I tell you so much footage was shot that day. There was extras all in that room. I think we saw the receptionist only right when we shot all that footage. It was a full day. There was a receptionist, there was an assistant sweeping the floor, there were several clients in the chat, just to show the extreme amount of footage that can be shot. You know they were filming me spring and you know, flinging the cape, watching her hair, but what got in was my chin. Yeah, yeah, but that's not going to draw. That's probably why you see me hesitating, to be honest with you, because part of the reason I hesitated to do these interviews is because you just don't know how much they're going to show. Yeah, you don't, you never do.
Speaker 2:There's an expression that some things get left on the cutting room floor. So we're all going to find out Friday what gets left on the cutting room floor and what shows. You know we can only cross our fingers. The work is done, but in the end those are decisions and that's another part of this war that people may not realize. I'll always have the credit because I booked the job and I did the job and I filmed the job. But it's on them how much footage they use. And you know that's another part of this war that a lot of people don't realize, that that's an expression. Things get left on the cutting room board and in the final say, in the final, magic happens in editing, right? So we'll see. We're going to find out together.
Speaker 1:I get it. So what's your question? What did your kids say about you being on upcoming episodes of Power Book 3, raising Canaan? What did your kids say? Because you know your kids are the toughest critics. What did they say? No.
Speaker 2:I was just about to say. I mean they're happy for their mom but at the same time, they're not that excited. I mean they've been watching me grind this for a long time. Honestly, they've grown up watching me audition. They've grown up watching it.
Speaker 2:Some of these things don't become real until they see it. I know when they saw, finally, the footage of the cooking, they were really excited to see me on that. They were really excited to watch me compete and when you know, sometimes you don't think they're listening or learning, but they are. And I will say that when I didn't make it past like this, I did like two episodes, I think, and I think they felt really, they were really sad, but at the same time they were also my biggest supporter Because once they saw that I was sad, they were like wait, but you weren't the first one to go right. And then they made me feel like you know, that's your kids. I think they're proud of their mom. I hope they're watching because you know I don't know if you know your friends that have kids who are Gen Zers there's a little concern for that generation.
Speaker 1:My daughter's 28. So I trust them.
Speaker 2:Hopefully they're watching and learning. Yes, oh, I am, let me, let me let me Conversation for another day, but I'm gonna say what up they have so many maladies Do they not yes. Let me not start bashing Gen Z, but they all have something. Yes, they have over diagnosed themselves and I thought it was just Mike. It's up to my friends, we're the same age, it's the whole generation. We're done X's.
Speaker 1:It's sound like what's wrong with these kids, the whole generation.
Speaker 2:I just spoke to a teen, I think we might be seeing the effects of a group of social media.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, social media has a lot to do with it. In every teenage, I do think you know, yeah, yeah, we.
Speaker 2:It's hard enough for us, I feel, with social media and we were introduced to it, like, I think in college we saw the first chat rooms, right when it was just a whole code and you were excited that somebody was actually texting you back on the computer. That's how it started, and then eventually it was like AOL and dial up, but we kind of went from not having any of that to what it is now, whereas they kind of grew up with this stuff. Yeah. So I can't imagine, because it's addicting, I think, for adults. They spend a lot of time in front of these screens. I can't imagine with them how debilitating that must be, because, well, we don't have to imagine that. I think we're seeing it.
Speaker 2:They like to say it's not social media and it's nothing. They like to tell me. I'm oversimplifying that, but I could tell you that for me, in my experience, I feel like the worst of the teenage years was all over social media. They got into a hell of trouble over social media. They were willing to risk it all over those little phones and now I'm looking at them like yo at this age. I mean I'm grateful they don't have kids. I'm not ready to be a grandma or anything and I don't think that I'd be concerned Because by this age I did have them already, hustling and grinding, and I'm just looking at my kids like they're not ready you can get up.
Speaker 2:Like what's going on? I'm right, Right, you need to fill out health insurance papers. Like I'm, like yo, what's going on? Like what's OK.
Speaker 1:And then they say yeah, so one final question for the person out there who's watching this conversation or listening to this conversation, who is thinking about becoming an actor what advice do you have for him or her?
Speaker 2:Go to school, like. Take the classes, like learn how to act before you try to do anything else, Because I think what I see in this industry and in some of the groups and things a lot of people try to bypass oh, can I just get headshots, like they think they're just going to be because they're cute. Let me just get headshots and see if I could try to get an agent. No, take the classes, it's going to show up if you haven't. And you might get away with a few small things here and there and a few commercials, but the truth is, when it comes to the work that you really want, you have to be able to produce the goods and an agent isn't going to take you on until they see the gift that you have and that's going to come. You've got to crawl before you walk. So if you're serious about it and you've never done it before, find a good, reputable acting school and sign up just like anything else, because I think people see the limelight and they don't realize there's an education behind it, just like everything else, and it's an industry and it's a business just like anything else. And it comes down to money and if people are going to invest in you, because that's what an agent is doing right. They got to know they're going to make money off you. They got to know that you got the goods.
Speaker 2:So, just like anything else and I know people don't want to hear that but go to school, and there are so many great, just like you mentioned the acting studio in New York City. There's so many. So, from very expensive to very affordable, and even the expensive ones like we are. There's scholarships too on top of that. You got to remember that, and that's very good. I graduated, finally, from Brooklyn College. Brooklyn College is CUNY, very affordable, and they have an immaculate theater program and they have a TV club. There's so many places you could start. So don't let money be a deterrent, because at a school like that, you can definitely go to school affordably and they have scholarships on top of that. So if you're serious about it, you'll be able to, almost with next to nothing without education, and get your foot in the door and get started.
Speaker 1:Got it. But you're absolutely right, there are a lot of acting companies and theaters out there. I was walking on the Lower East Side about two weeks ago and I ran into a theater company where Nicole Ari Parker she was a member putting on a plate. So once again, these A-list actors and actresses they are still members of theater companies further honing in and perfecting their you always honing in, it becomes your family.
Speaker 2:After a while too, they do become your family. Some of those relationships that you see on screen where you seem to see the same actors working together. You'd be surprised how long some of them may have known each other or haven't known the director, because once you start building a circle, you tend to work together again with these people if you get along, and they do become a family. You've seen that with Stephen Adley-Gerges's group. These people are a family. Colon Sias, who's on the bear, she's part of that theater group.
Speaker 2:These people all still hold each other very near and dear and they're well known to all of us, you know, and they all started at the same little theater, you know lab. So, yeah, find yourself a group, you know, get that education. Find yourself your group. It start building your community, because New York City one thing that you can agree with me very big, so many people, but it can be very lonely if you do not start building, building your groups. Right. But once you start growing it, joining your groups, whether that's your acting group, your gym group, your whatever you're into it starts getting a little smaller, does it not? Because you start getting to know these circles and you need that here and that that's what it's like in that world. It also represents itself in acting. These people get to know each other. So you and you need that family, because it goes without saying that this career can be very depressing. It's a very rejection based career for every. When I started before there were self tapes. It was about 50 auditions to every booking.
Speaker 2:It's a lot more than that now you know, you're auditioning all day, hey, hoping to get that final role. If I show you my actors access and how many self tapes I've submitted for a couple years before I finally got this, even this one roll, you'd be like holy, you know it's work, it's work. So you need that kind of support group, you do.
Speaker 1:Well, you know, just amazing advice, lessons, gems, your own experience, teachable moments, or my. Thank you so much for having this Conversation with me and for blessing my platform. Sign you on air. Continue blessings to you in your acting career. This is only the beginning, and when you secure your next role, I'm going to invite you back so that we can discuss that, okay.
Speaker 2:Yes, 100%, I will be back. Thank you for having me. I really appreciate it. Thank you for powering through the little glitches.
Speaker 1:It happens, it happens. I'm gonna continue with this show. Thank you so much and I'll talk with you soon. Take care, thank you, take care. So there you have it, irma. Now. She minimized her role. We don't want to do that because you have to start somewhere. And, as Irma alluded to well, she matter-of-factly said she got the acting bug when she was in high school, when she started to play. Very young, life was life thing. She had kids, she got married, she moved, but through it all she remains consistent to her purpose and passion and her love for acting. So for as many knows, as she received, this one loud and resounding yes Comes in the form of her playing Valentina.
Speaker 1:On upcoming episodes of power book 3, raisin caning. I'm watching every single week. Stars do me a favor, just don't wait so long between Series. But I forgot I had Shane Johnson. He played on ghost and he told me why. So if you want to know why stars is always kind of Putting so much space between all of their different series, tune in to my son you and air celebrity interview with Shane Johnson. This has been an amazing Edition of son you on air. Once again, please subscribe. If you're watching this on YouTube, make sure that you hit the notification button. That way, every time I upload an all-new son you and air celebrity interview Unpacking their pivotal moments and milestones, you'll be the first ones to know. Now go ahead and subscribe. Smooth, just alls, take care.