Meet Rasina Alexander | Actress & Yoga Instructor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rasina Alexander and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rasina, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
I think I mostly get inspired by people. Wether I know them or I hear a podcast or read a book about them. I love listening to people’s stories and seeing how they move through life. Also witnessing someone speak about something they’re passionate about can be very inspiring and motivating.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Pursuing a creative and self-employed career path is never easy. But when it calls you have to answer. As artists, actors more specifically, we have a duty to be a mirror to society, to share somebody’s truth, to represent those who are not able to represent themselves. We are vessels, story tellers. We are driven by a search for a larger meaning, something bigger than ourselves. Being an actor asks for empathy and understanding, approaching life from a non- judgemental mind. It requires listening and action. And when you’ve had a taste of what that feels like, you can’t really turn your back on it. It becomes the air you breathe. “You have chosen a field where you’re going to be hurt to the blood. But to retreat from the pain is death.” – Stella Adler But of course it doesn’t come withоut its challenges. Being an actor can be a very lonely and uncertain job. There’s a lot of waiting, rejection and vulnerability. Actors will often have to do other things on the side to get by financially, so people will sometimes ask when are you going to get a “real” job. As if having a “real” job means you only have to be doing one thing all the time. And that can really make you feel like you’re less than others. I actually recently heard someone say that being an actor was a non-essential job and that was quite heartbreaking to be honest. For a long time I put all my energy and focus towards making acting my only source of income because I thought that would validate it to other people but I only ended up feeling anxious and questioning myself. I gave into self-doubt and the lack of confidence as a person and artist. Like I had made the wrong choice for not getting a “real” job. And I got lost in it. I lost who I was because that’s all I could think about and I also forgot how much I love acting. But this past year, I took the opportunity to really slow down, take a breath and figure out what I love outside of acting. To remember that I’m not competing with anyone, I’m not in a rush, there’s no end goal, there’s just.. my life. I did things that had nothing to do with acting and funnily enough I would say that actually made me a better actor. Because at the end of the day you can’t mirror life truthfully if you haven’t experienced it, if you haven’t seen it, if you have nothing to relate to. “The world is in front of you. You have to take it in. You have to see things you never saw before. Then you have to give it back to the world.” – Stella Adler I took the opportunity to do other things, to learn new skills. I learned how to cook better, I found out that I enjoy really long walks, I learned how to garden and not kill my plants, I started colouring and dancing. I learned how to.. just enjoy myself. I got certified and started teaching yoga which took me even further and I am now in business with my mother making acupressure mats and organic cosmetics. I’m also still working as an actor and I am more in love with it than I have been in a long time. Being an artist is a constant up and down. There’s a lot of no’s, very few yes’s, a lot of things that are talked about but don’t end up happening and some that do. And I have had to learn how to let it all go. To know that it doesn’t affect my value as an artist or a person. To feel confident in who I am with or without that job. I think everyone’s journey is different, everyone’s version of success is different and the only thing that can take away from the joy of it is the expectation and pressure we put on it, rather than embracing it for what it is. I can say for certain I feel content with being where I’m at. And for that I already feel successful. The rest of it will come when the time is right and when I’m not forcing it. Something I’ve learned, since we last spoke, is how to approach myself from a place of mindfulness and love. To approach life with gratitude for what I already have and the acceptance and knowledge that I am complete as I am. Every day I try to make the conscious choice to be present in the moment. To know that while I might not be in control of what happens, I am fully in control of my thoughts, my responses and actions towards what happens. It’s crazy what you can find out about yourself when the world goes “pause” and you don’t have a say in it. It’s freeing.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
What I like to do when I have friends or family visiting is take them to my favourite places or the places that I go to in my day-to-day. That way I feel like I make them physically present in my life. I’d take them to The Getty, Santa Monica and we’d get churros at pier and walk around the promenade. The Grove and The Farmers market- I love the stand with singapore food, and also there’s a cute little shop with candles and essential oils that I always visit, and also the World Market, because who doesn’t love a good interior design store. I used to live really close to Hollywood and Highland, so in that area would be- In n out, this great Brazilian place- Bossa Nova on Sunset blvd, we’d go for a hike in Runyon canyon as well as Griffith park and the Observatory. The Farmers market on Vine on a Sunday for some fresh bread and flowers. I’d show them the Stella Adler Academy where I went to school and obviously all around Hollywood blvd. Go to the Hollywood bowl or the Pantages. Maybe catch a film at the Hollywood Cemetery. Play some games at the arcade in Dave&Busters. I would definitely take them up to the Hills somewhere at night so they can see the view of Los Angeles at night. Visit The Broad and LACMA and Downtown LA- The Last Bookstore, Broadway theatre district etc. Malibu to the beach and there’s a beautiful trail there with a waterfall- Escondido Canyon Park. The Huntington Gardens, Sqirl for some Sorrel Pesto Rice. Gyu-Kaku is a must to try. The taco truck next to my house for some great mexican food. Oh, and if the Renaissance fair is happening we’d go there. (I know a lot of my life revolves around food.. and I’m okay with it. )

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My mom. There is no one else who has been there for me, encouraged and supported me like she has. She is the reason I’m not afraid to take a chance and go after the things I have a passion for. My teachers who I was blessed to learn from and who taught me how to trust myself as an artist. Who gave me the tools and technique I now apply every time I work. My agent- Miles Anthony and our whole team at MAA. Throughout this past year when everything was shut down we were working harder than ever. We were networking and doing workshops with casting directors, producers, directors. People we would dream to be in the room with were watching our work and giving us feedback every day. We learned so much and we grew. We made a support group, a family. My partner, Cian Lorcan, who’s also an actor. He’s a constant inspiration to me. His work ethic, his talent, his presence. He pushes me and never lets me back away from bringing the best of my work. (I feel like I just practiced my winning Academy Award speech)

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rasinaalexander/

Image Credits
Irina Shestakova Rory Lewis