Meet Charvelle | Actress, Writer, Model & Tarot Reader

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

Hi Charvelle, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I was born in Maryland, and after 9 years there my family moved up to Connecticut for the next 9 years of my life. I always have a hard time deciding on which one I claim as “where I’m from” but I am grateful that I got pretty even time split amongst each side of my family. I was raised by young parents, and so I spent a lot of time with my grandmother who always encouraged my artsy side, and wanted me to shoot for the stars. Same with my parents – they always encouraged me to go for whatever I wanted and that anything was possible for me. I truly believe that these influences made me the confident artist that I am today. Anything I want I always go for, but thanks to having a young immigrant parent (my father) I also know the value of hard work and perseverance. I know how to stretch a dollar, and never had anything handed to me so I totally owe my dedication to my dreams to my upbringing.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Right now I’m really excited about a huge undertaking I did this summer. I wrote a lot before the pandemic, and have been sitting on a few scripts that were collecting dust. In Spring I decided it was time to stop sitting around and waiting for the projects I wanted to be in to find me, and to just make my own thing. With the help of my acting class mate and good friend Auset Whatley, I was able to produce a pilot of a web series that I wrote, called “Sweetness”. I wrote it, directed it and starred in it as well, and along the way felt more validated than ever that this is what I want to be doing for the rest of my life. The pilot will be available online later this year, and subsequently we’ll be launching a fundraiser to help me make the remaining 7 episodes. It tells the story of a struggling strong black woman who loses herself to the stability her sugar daddy provides, until she finds herself, and her friends, fighting for their lives to escape his control.

For me it’s super important that I tell stories that are relatable which is why a lot of my work will always have elements of comedy and drama – much like life. I also think it’s important as a plus size woman that I tell stories that showcase myself in ways that show that larger women can be adventurous, desirable, funny, smart, strong, and not the butt of the joke, food obsessed, or just the best friend. I want the world, and the industry, to see me as their leading lady and it had to start with me seeing myself in that light.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Oooh, I love hosting visitors! I would start by cooking a big breakfast for my friend, something yummy and filling that we can get a good catch up over. Then we’ll rent some bikes down in Santa Monica and ride up and down the bike path to Venice, stopping at some shops, grabbing some boba or maybe a margarita at Cabo Cantina. Another day we might go for a hike, either to the Hollywood sign or maybe at Kenneth Hahn park, and I’ll pack a picnic for us to enjoy midway. We’ll have a spa day at Hugh Spa and finish with some Korean BBQ in K-Town. My husband and I have season tickets to the Chargers at So-Fi Stadium so we’ll definitely have to catch a game or maybe a concert. Chocolate Sundaes at the Laugh Factory is a must, and an afternoon walking around Downtown Culver City and grabbing some food at the Citizen Public Market would be a good time. If we wanted to party I would def bring them to break it down on the top floor at Micky’s or Rocco’s in WeHo. And before they go we would definitely head over to Smorgasburg LA, in downtown, to eat a bunch of yummy foods and check out the small business’ for some nice souvenirs for them to bring home.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I am eternally grateful to have found my husband within my first year in Los Angeles. He has been a consistent rock of which I can rely on. He believed in me, even before he got to witness any of my skills, and has always insisted I stay true to my dreams. If I didn’t have him supporting me for the past decade in Los Angeles, pursuing a career that is not for the weak, I’m not sure I would have made it this far. I’d also like to dedicate my shoutout to my sister, who is also one of my biggest fans and who through all the doubts and been my voice of reason on pursuing many of the projects and life moves that self-sabotage could’ve easily gotten the better of me on.

Website: https://www.thecharvelle.com/

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

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheCharvelle/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/thecharvelle/

Other: https://www.instagram.com/sirensaystarot/

Image Credits
Isaiah Mays, Brett Green, Drake Curtis, Raul Romo