Meet Anneris Mercedes | Actress

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

Hi Anneris, why did you pursue a creative career?
I have always been drawn to the arts. As a child, I would spend most of my days drawing, daydreaming, watching TV/movies, listening to music, singing, and playing pretend with my older sisters. I was an extremely shy and quiet kid, and would never speak unless spoken to. It wasn’t until I stepped on the stage when I felt like I could fully express myself for the first time. I remember my fourth grade teacher, Ms. Tapia, taking the time to foster my creativity by encouraging my creative writing, artwork, and putting me front and center in our school productions. I felt seen and heard. It wasn’t long until I had my mind set on becoming an actress, and pursuing it as my career.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Growing up, I never saw myself reflected on screen. I was obsessed with movies and musicals, and wanted so much to be a part of that world, however, I wasn’t sure if there was space for a Dominican girl like me. One of the reasons why I wanted to pursue acting was not only because I loved it, and it gave me the freedom to express myself and step into other people’s shoes, but also because I wanted young girls to look up at the screen and see themselves represented.

Things have changed a lot since I started my acting career. There are definitely more opportunities available for people of color, however, it still feels limiting at times. I haven’t had the chance to play a really complex and interesting character yet– the roles I usually audition for feel old, tired, and predictable at this point.

Lately, all the signs of the universe have been pointing me towards creating my own work. I have been ignoring these signs for a very long time, however, I cannot continue to ignore them. I realized there is so much more I need to do creatively, and so much more I need to say. It’s definitely terrifying though, but I know I must work through this fear, and continue finding my voice and stepping into my power.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If this was their first time in LA, I would start by taking them down to Santa Monica to check out the pier before heading to Malibu for a beach day. We would obviously need to go hiking at Griffith, and have a lovely picnic in the park. I feel like we would probably spend most of the time eating though, and checking out new restaurants– brunch will be mandatory, of course. I love flea markets, so we’ll have to check out my favs, like the Rose Flea and the Melrose Trading Post. Shopping will be done at The Grove, Beverly Center, and Century City Mall. And we would also need to see all the stars, so we’ll stroll down the Walk of Fame, take a couple studio tours at Paramount and Warner Bros, and possibly see a live taping of a TV show. And the week would not be complete without a trip to the Korean Spa to beautify ourselves, and decompress from all the fun!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
This journey has been extremely difficult (to say the least), especially the past 10 years living in LA. I was raised in Queens, NY and moved out here not only to continue pursuing acting, but to step out of my comfort zone and stand on my own two feet. There have been several times when I wanted to quit, and to be completely honest, I have been struggling with that thought lately. However, when I got the email to share my story on this platform, I was reminded of the constant love, support, and encouragement from my friends and family throughout the years, and the reason why I am doing all of this in the first place.

Thank you to my sisters, my parents, my aunts and uncles, my cousins, and my close friends for all of their words of encouragement– it’s what keeps me going in these moments of doubt.

Website: www.annerismercedes.com

Instagram: @annerismercedes