Since Ambokile was a little girl she watched movies in fascination with her great-grandmother. Ambokile can remember telling her that’s what she (Ambokile) wanted to do when she grew up. Ambokile has always had a love for the arts. Also as a young child, she would write poetry in her room while the other children were outside playing. she was very introverted, yet a happy little girl. Ambokile didn’t talk much, she would just smile and so they began calling her ‘Smiley’. She believe that’s why she is so expressive to this day! Her grandmother would rent the classic movies and Ambokile fell in love with Marilyn Monroe and Dorothy Dandridge. She is also a spoken word artist and songstress.
Temple Bar performance. Santa Monica ca. pic.twitter.com/CkhQvV9Sp7
— Ambokile TheArtist (@SunsetFornow) February 26, 2017
How did you become an actor
I began acting lessons in Seattle Washington. I studied theater and Stanislavski with Director, Earl Kelly at the Moore Theatre. He instilled in me the true passion of an actress and also brought out some buried emotions. Stanislavski was the first book on acting I ever read and from my instruction from Mr. Kelly I learned about the beauty of true passion of the arts if you want to become a great actress. Acting is more than believing, it is a knowingness that must come from deep inside. It’s also a journey of self. I’m excited about the unraveling and discovery of me.
What acting technique do you use
I have worked with a variety of acting coaches in California. Primarily, I studied Meisner at Playhouse West in North Hollywood. I believe no matter what method you are taught, it is important to live in the NOW moment and stay out of your head. To be in the actual moment gives one the ability to be honest in their moment and to trust their gut instinct when making choices. Meisner technique taught me as an actress how to listen. Acting is not about memorization, it is about feeling, listening and being honest in the moment. Memorization is just an added tool to carry out the message. Rawness makes the emotion real.
What wrong impressions do actors hold about acting
Acting is not about ego. It is about connection. It is not trendy. It is a passion. It is a gift truly inspired by the heavens within. In my opinion it is impossible to move an audience without first living life. A truly incredible actor/actress knows how to go into his or her emotional archives and pull out emotion that is similar to the situation in the script, she knows where the conflict is and knows how to define her intention in every scene.
Do you take courses to improve your craft
Yes I do, on and off I take courses. I also study monologues at home in my down time and I write. There is an old Yoruban proverb, “Repetition is the mother of skill.” It is important to be comfortable within and around an audience of people so familiarity is essential. I’m currently on the waiting list for intensive classes with director, producer, and screenplay writer John Swanbeck in L.A., with plans to begin in April 2017. I’ve heard nothing but great feedback about his work and I’m really looking forward to working with him, peeling the layers and discovering more about ones relationship with the camera. I’m ready to dig deeper.
What acting books do you read
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron was one of the first books I read as an actress. I took an acting class in Burbank, California and we were instructed to read it. It helped me a lot because it taught me about the importance of becoming a visionary. It taught me to listen to myself and to be in touch with my emotion. I was able to write my own monologue from this book and was very emotional without embarrassment in front of the class. I have also read “How to Make Your Audience Fall in Love With You,” by one of my favorite acting coaches, Darryn Warren also in California. She actually autographed the book to me. Honestly, I’ve read so many books, but those are the two that come to mind because they sort of sealed the journey. Smile.
— Ambokile TheArtist (@SunsetFornow) February 26, 2017
How do you keep fit as an actor
I do the mirror test every single day. I do visualizations, seeing myself on screen, in plays, I remind myself so much that I am a phenomenal actress and that I can tackle any scene, whether emotional, dramatic, comedy, because it is my God given inherent gift of creativity and expression. I am now working on my emotional techniques to strengthen my connection with my emotions to make certain I am readily available emotionally when needed. I stay grounded spiritually by my envisioning process and reminding myself of my purpose, I do a lot of online research constantly reading new advice from acting coaches, I study movies, attend plays and I work out to keep the total balance.
How do you prepare for a role
I usually read the script twice initially before I make any sort of intention. I find that as I go further into the script I come up with new choices and new discovery . . . dig deeper, its like uncovering the layers you know? Again repetition is the mother of skill. So after reading the script twice, I form my intention, I create the conflict, I go into the database of my own life, I begin breathing the character, unionizing with the character until I am completely comfortable. I get that “aha” moment and I’m there. It’s very much a spiritual thing.
Ambokile as ‘Sunset’ in Shadow of the Monarch, directed by Randy Kent, & John Luksetich
How do you create a character from a script into a person
I become her by my choices. We become one but always it is what the director has created. I understand her. I have to fully understand her. It’s a little difficult to describe. Mostly I think it’s all spiritual. I really believe I channel the character. Once, I did a play in North Hollywood at the Berubian Theater. The Director told me privately to channel Marilyn Monroe. So I recalled some movies I have seen and brought that naive sexiness into the role. After curtain call we were greeting the audience and signing autographs and many people were saying, “I love your Marilyn Monroe impression.” I smiled so deeply within because I really accomplished my intention. Nothing about it was silly, it was real! So I guess you could say I am very committed to my character.
How do you stay fresh on a production set
It never leaves me. I become such a part of the character that it takes a while to separate myself from the role. I am always conscious of my commitment.
Describe a memorable character you played
I played “Sunset” in the sci-fi thriller film “Shadow of the Monarch.” This was my first co-lead in a film. Shadow is out for distribution now and just released two months ago. Playing Sunset showed me my strengths as an actress and my level of commitment and life I brought to the character. All of my scenes were intense and between takes some of my co-actors were discussing how serious and committed I was. This makes me hungry for more.
Explain one creative choice you took on set
I bring my reality to the scene and in one of my most recent movies, “Heavy Makeup” I made some choices about the character Abra, that the director really liked, by really putting myself in her place. In another movie I did, “The DJ” I played the opening scene, a woman named Anna, where it appeared I was having phone dialogue with another character in the film – only there was no other person there it was all in my head. I knew his lines and my lines and we wrapped that scene in two takes! The whole room started clapping.
What do you want most from a director
Honesty and direction if he feels I can give more than I am giving. I mean, the Director has to know what he wants from the scene.
What actors do you long to work with
Great question. Wow! Viola Davis, (smile). I know that is a long shot here, but hey dreams become reality by working hard and speaking it into existence. I am preparing myself for a more than great career. I know I was born for this purpose.
Why
First of all she is a strong black woman, truly gifted and committed to her craft. I admire her intensity, her raw giving of emotion on the spot, and the choices she makes in her scenes. This woman is so incredible, as I watch her perform, I forget it’s a performance. She is so incredibly passionate and realistic that I have to remind myself that this is not real life, it’s a scene or a movie. When she steps on the set there is so much power and passion. Wow, she really blows me away.
— Ambokile TheArtist (@SunsetFornow) February 5, 2017
What advice would you give to actors
Be yourself. Go to the top of the mountain. Challenge yourself. Bringing emotion to the scene (crying at the drop of a dime) digging deep, is something I am working on. Give it your 100% and never be afraid of criticism, be open, be you, and practice making yourself emotionally available.
Briefly write about your career
Most of the films I have worked on have been independent films and I have been supporting actress and co-lead. I also performed in a theatrical. I did a film by Go-Nuts films where I showed up on set as an extra. The director, John Luksetich pulled me into wardrobe and allowed me a bunch of improv lines. He saw my level of commitment from the time I walked on set.
Months later he contacted me and told me he had a character in mind for me and a script for me to read, which lead to me as co-lead “Sunset” in the film Shadow of the Monarch. But I’m thirsty, I’m starving as an actress, I need to go higher in my career, there are more roles and more challenges as an actress I am looking forward to. I’m driven . . . most of the time, I actually am sitting at home on a Friday night studying monologues and memorizing lines when my friends are out partying.
What an incredible journey this is! I’m just getting started, really. I am ultimately looking forward to my breaking role but even more so I look forward to evolving even more and being completely vulnerable to the camera. Its not about just what I’m speaking it’s a combination of what’s in my eyes and the power of that now moment… that’s what I intend to bring to the table, full speed ahead.
INTERVIEWS
In Conversation with Michael Oblowitz Director of Confidential Informant
Confidential Informant stars Mel Gibson, Dominic Purcell, and Kate Bosworth
