Becki Dennis turns a Survivor into an Award-Winning Indie Role

Becki Dennis is turning her latest indie film role into an award-winning vehicle on the festival circuit. A Boston native, Becki first started performing in school theatre and dance productions before heading to Point Park University‘s Conservatory of Performing Arts in Pittsburgh. After earning her degree in Musical Theatre, she continued with additional studies at Emerson College, Berklee College of Music and Boston University.

Becki caught her break in Boston when David O. Russell cast her in American Hustle as a nanny for Amy Adams’ character. She went on to land with Mark Wahlberg as a friendly receptionist in Seth MacFarlane’s, Ted 2. Since moving to Los Angeles, Becki has appeared on This Is Us, Fresh Off the Boat, Jane the Virgin, Speechless, GLOW, How to Get Away with Murder, Shameless, I’m Sorry, Life in Pieces, Pretty Little Liars, The Fosters, Pure Genius and The Young and the Restless.

Currently, Becki is grabbing attention for her starring role as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse in the new indie film, Spin The Plate. The film recently premiered at the Boston International Film Festival, where Becki was awarded ‘Best Actress’ and director Eric Eastman earned an ‘Indie Spirit Special Recognition Award’.

indieactivity: How did you get into acting?
Becki: I loved singing, dancing, and performing as a kid, then started training seriously in acting, voice, and dance as a teen, and majored in musical theatre in college. It was always self-motivated. After graduating college, I pursued professional theatre for a few years, while I segued into on-camera acting in film, TV, and commercials. There was a point where I almost gave up on acting, but it found its way back into my life. Feeling compelled to perform since a young age, and still having this immense passion all these years later through all of the challenges, makes it feels as though I didn’t choose acting – it chose me.

indieactivity: What helps you create character?
Becki: In order to create an authentic performance I really need to put myself fully in the shoes of the character – through all of their life experiences that have made them this way. It could come off phony if I try to play my idea or judgement of the character. It has to be me, or how I would play this situation if life had handed me the same set of circumstances. There are so many sides to me and each new role gives me a chance to reveal a different side of myself.

indieactivity: Is there a specific moment that you know you are prepared?
Becki: Not really. I prepare as much as I can within the time that I am given before an audition or shoot and take it from wherever I am with it. The creative process is always ongoing, so I’m not sure if there would ever be a point when I’d be done preparing. You might feel ready or like you’ve done all you can do, but you still need to stay emotionally prepared between shots and after breaks, and can always learn something new.

Jo Fighting Freeze

indieactivity: Briefly explain your role in the new film “Spin The Plate.”?
Becki: In “Spin the Plate,” I play the lead role of Juliana ‘Jo’ Orsiano; a tough, guarded tattoo artist who loves animals and hates people, especially men, due to her troubled past. Jo’s father sexually abused her as a child and her mother is an alcoholic, who permitted the abuse, but is also a domestic abuse victim herself. Jo is now grappling with PTSD flashbacks to the horrors of her childhood. An interesting man comes into her life, who takes down her walls and defenses, teaches her to love again, and encourages her to seek justice against her father and a new spiritual path. Jo is a hero, as well, who saves stray dogs, aides children in trouble, and beats up bad guys. She finds purpose in her life when she channels the pain from her wounds into helping others.

indieactivity: What is you first impression of “Jo”?
Becki: I was drawn to Jo immediately when I first read the novel “Spin the Plate” by Donna Anastasi. I empathized with her and felt her pain, and was also so impressed by her badassery and strength after everything she had gone through. At first I thought that she was very different from me, but as I got to know her I realized that she wasn’t as different from me as I had originally thought.

indieactivity: How do you keep your performance fresh during hours on a production set?
Becki: The longer I am on set, the more enveloped I feel in the world of the story and the character I’m playing. It can get tiring for sure, but every additional take is a chance to discover something new about my character or the scene. If you are in the moment then every moment should be fresh.

Jo and Francis at the Dinner

indieactivity: What is the best advice a director ever gave you?
Becki: The director of “Spin the Plate,” Eric R. Eastman, encouraged me to stay focused in character between takes, which is not something I had normally done before this film. That suggestion alone allowed me to go further with my performance than I had ever gone before. It was challenging because I’m a friendly person and Jo is not, so being unfriendly to the other cast and crew was difficult (and gave some people the impression that I was a bitch.) I had to get over caring what other people thought of me in order to serve the story in the best way possible.

indieactivity: What other tips for actors would you like to share?
Becki: Don’t buy into the branding nonsense that a lot of self-proclaimed marketing gurus are trying to sell actors. I played this role in “Spin the Plate” against my ‘type.’ You are more than likely capable of playing a wider a range of characters than how others perceive you or try to box you into.

indieactivity: What do you like to change about the business?
Becki: I would like non-celebrity actors to be valued more for their time and talent. We are often undervalued and underpaid.

indieactivity: Who is your creative idol, and what do you love about their work?
Becki: I don’t have one specific creative idol, although I admire several strong, inspiring women who are amazing actors and people. I have been blessed to work with some of them already, including Viola Davis and Gina Rodriguez, just to name a couple, and too many incredible female directors to name.

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