Meet Jonaye Anderson | Actress & Producer

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

Hi Jonaye, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
If we’re being completely honest, I think taking risks are always scary because you just never know what the outcome is. You don’t know if it will work or if won’t work. But taking those risks also makes you do things out of your comfort zone and that’s a place we can sometimes get too comfortable in. Everything you do requires some sort of risk, especially if you’re trying to elevate and be better. You have to trust the unknown.

I knew for me in order to have that fight; that beast in me for both my life and career, I had to take risks. And with doing that can simply mean by advocating for myself, by trusting the process, by shooting my shots and by putting myself out there in ways I wasn’t normally used to. Those were definitely risks I had to take. If I hadn’t taken any risks, I would still be stuck on step 1. I would still be saying “I could have done that, I should have or should be doing that, why didn’t I do that” My rule is to never go through life with too many would have, could have, should have moments, when I know I have what it takes to make it happen. There are so many times we miss opportunities or have regrets all because we didn’t go for it. You will never know the opportunities that are waiting for you if you don’t get out of your own way. Even if you feel there’s so many uncertainties, again trust the unknown and take that risk.

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.
What sets me apart is that I’m just unapologetically me. I know who I am, and what I want to be seen or felt when people see my work. I’ve stated this before, but I move with a lot of empathy. I think that’s what I’m most proud of is my heart. Having that has allowed me to connect and feel so deeply about life and circumstances that I can relate to just about anyone in many ways. Those connections add characters to the stories that I want to tell and be a part of. That’s why acting has always had my heart. It’s just something about diving deep to tell someone else’s story, even if it’s real or fiction. I mean your removing you and bringing this character to life in such an intimate way that it’s impactful. I want to be a part of stories that holds a meaning that can still be felt as strongly the first time as it would 10-20 years from now. I want now to be the one that’s making people have that feeling just as I did when I was watching my favorite actors and actresses. That’s all I want to do.

Anything you want in life takes time and commitment, it doesn’t come easy, I don’t want it to. It’s going to be challenges; you will hear a thousand no’s before you hear one yes. I want to go through the process of wins and losses, keeping the mindset of I can always do something that will help me be better. I want to work hard for it, it’s been helping me appreciate it all so much more. Don’t get me wrong, I make sure to remind myself of how far I’ve come and all that I’ve accomplished by giving myself grace, of course. I definitely reflect at times and just have moments where I’m saying I’m so proud of me. That’s what helps me overcome the challenges.

I pride myself on working hard, having heart and most importantly being courageous. I love what I do, I’m passionate about what I do, and I’m obsessed with what I do. Not sure if that’s good or bad but you know, this is what I want. I’m always working at it and trying to perfect it. I’m just a constant student always trying to learn every step of the way, from acting to producing maybe even directing, I’m always learning something.

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?
There’s a lot of fun things you can do in LA. I do think everyone’s fun depends on their personality. As for me, when I first moved to LA I would always either hike or drive-up hills, sit at the top view to just journal and reflect, so that would be one of my happy places I recommend. I also love going to Mel’s Diner on Sunset Blvd. That became one of my favorite breakfast spots hands down, it just reminds me of home and anytime my family visits, that’s the first place on the list to go. And as cliche as this may sound but you have to visit the Hollywood Stars Walk of Fame. That’s almost like a must and even on that strip alone there is so much you can see and do. The Grove is also a good one! There are tons!

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?
Yes, of course! A big shout out to my family. They deserve so much credit for being that extra love and support I have always needed to succeed at anything really. I’ve probably said this repeatedly in other interviews, but they are just my safe space when I want to feel protected, heard and encouraged. There are no limits to how far they are willing to go in making sure I am always reaching for the stars. The magnitude of my tenacity stems from them.

Family means everything to me. I’m older now so my approach on how I view not only my career, but my life is always evolving. I’m changing, I’m growing, and I am constantly thinking of them in anything I do. I am an auntie now, to two amazing little boys, which is by far the best title that’s been given to me. It’s been hard missing out on some of the special moments in their life, but the bond I have formed with my nephews is unlike any other. That love from them gives me so much fuel to keep going because they’re next up you know? And I can’t stop, I just can’t. Every move I make and even changes in my direction they are always in the back of mind. I sacrificed time away from them to chase my dreams, so you better believe I’m going to make it count and make them proud. There’s just so much more, I mean so much more, I can’t wait to share with them.

Instagram: JonayeKelsey

Other: https://pro.imdb.com/name/nm13003855