Rising Star Nicki Micheaux On The Five Things You Need To Shine In The Entertainment Industry
An Interview With Elana Cohen
This will be my first film and I can tell you I’m most looking forward to watching the audience react to the film and hearing what they take away from it. Being able to reach an audience is EVERYTHING.
As a part of our series about pop culture’s rising stars, we had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Nicki Micheaux.
Starring in a number of prominent roles in her versatile career, actress Nicki Micheaux (“Lincoln Heights,” “Animal Kingdom”) is now taking charge with writing and directing her first feature film, SUMMER OF VIOLENCE, which will premiere at the American Black Film Festival this June, where it will compete within the Narrative Features. You can view the trailer here: https://summerofviolence.com/
Micheaux is best known in the acting arena for appearances on such series as In the Dark, Shameless, Good Trouble, S.W.A.T., Colony, Veep, Animal Kingdom, Lincoln Heights and The Shield, among many other projects. She previously wrote, directed, exec produced and starred in the short film Veil, also exec producing the feature Final Promises.
Micheaux spent four seasons as Jen Sutton, a strong independent and supportive wife and mother on the ABC Family series, “Lincoln Heights,” which garnered her two NAACP Image Award Nominations for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series and she recently appeared in a high-profile recurring role as a sharp, focused detective Sandra Yates on the TNT hit series “Animal Kingdom.” Micheaux also had prominent recurring roles on the FX series “The Shield” and HBO’s “Six Feet Under.”
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you tell us a bit of the ‘backstory’ of how you grew up?
I grew up a bit of a military brat. We lived all over the US and I got very used to being the ‘new kid’ all the time. It made coming into acting really easy, as I was used to many different regional accents and all kinds of interesting people. I love to people watch.
Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?
Yes. I made my first film with friends in college, and I distinctly remember cutting the film in the editing room. We were cutting 16mm film, the actual film. I think we were in there for 36 hours, and I had completely lost track of time because we were having so much fun. I always knew I wanted to make films.
Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that occurred to you in the course of your filmmaking career?
Yes, getting the money to make the film. It’s crazy how things can just come out of nowhere. I met Johnny Wimbrey years ago and approached him about making movies. I continued writing, learning, and trying to raise financing. Years later, he called me up out of the blue saying he’s ready to jump in the game. You just never know who’s out there watching your career and growth.
Who are some of the most interesting people you have interacted with? What was that like? Do you have any stories?
I really love the other artists I meet at festivals. I’ve met so many courageous people daring to tell their story in a new way. I really love a hairstylist I met who had managed to turn stories from her job into a horror film!
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
I’m so grateful for my family. They’ve believed in me from the beginning and really always stand by me. And my kids have always been my inspiration. They were nice enough to pick up the slack around the household chores while I go make my film.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
I always remember the Emerson quote — “the prize will not be sent to you, you have to win it.” It has always been on my wall. Filmmaking and writing are all very long-term projects. And when you’re a busy working single mom, it’s easy to lose focus on your dreams. And for me that quote always reminded me to make the time for my dreams. Even though being a mom is more than a full-time job, I always would come back to the dream.
I am very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in film and television? How can that potentially affect our culture?
We all live here and we should all be able to tell our stories. It’s that simple. We should all have the same access and opportunity to go after what we want. It’s important for the world to not be so inwardly focused on one’s self or one’s own culture. We all live here together and it’d be best if we figure out a way to truly appreciate each other.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
I’m excited about a thriller script I’m planning to direct next. It’s dealing with a lot of cool topics that I find so provocative. That’s all I can say about it for now.
Which aspect of your work makes you most proud? Can you explain or give a story?
This will be my first film and I can tell you I’m most looking forward to watching the audience react to the film and hearing what they take away from it. Being able to reach an audience is EVERYTHING.
Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.
Oh yes this is always my favorite thing to talk about. I started as an actor so I guess I can make an actor list. But truthfully, I’m glad I didn’t know much. It’s like having kids and being a mother. If someone had told me what a pain it would be to try to have kids and a career, I probably would’ve opted out. But there’s so many good times in the middle of it all. I think we’re all looking for ways to avoid the pitfalls and the hard stuff of life — but that’s what life is, the ups and the downs. Find the beauty in navigating all of it. I never ever would’ve thought I was as capable as I am. I never knew I could do all the things that I’ve managed to do. If I hadn’t gone up the road which was completely unknown maybe I wouldn’t have discovered all these wonderful things about myself. All the stuff I wish I had known — people did tell me -”don’t give up”. “The only way to fail is to quit;”. Now that one may or may not be true today, but the intention of it is. So, I don’t have any secrets on what to look out for, but I would say, just enjoy the ride.
When you create a film, which stakeholders have the greatest impact on the artistic and cinematic choices you make? Is it the viewers, the critics, the financiers, or your own personal artistic vision? Can you share a story with us or give an example about what you mean?
Years ago, I read that if you’re thinking about this ‘really cool idea’ that you’d love to go see in the movies, chances are there’s thousands of others who’d like to see it too. For that reason, I try to stick with what I know I would like to see. It’s impossible to guess who’s going to like what all the time so I think it’s important to stick to your artistic vision and then find the audience that you’re speaking to. In particular, as a Black woman, I have to be true to my vision. We’ve spent too much time already compromising our voices to make others feel safe. It’s time for us to be seen. My goal is to reveal our hearts, our soul, the dynamics of our beauty over and over again until we get to a point where we don’t have to have hashtags like #sayhername. Because we will be at a place culturally where we’ll have enough value as women that we won’t be so dismissed
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
Can we finally end gun violence? Can we elect folks with the courage to save lives? Maybe we all go on strike and stop showing up to work the number of days that we’ve lost lives to gun violence. Our leaders don’t care about how many of us and our children will die before they change the laws. We the people must make a stand. Don’t go to work. Grind it all to a halt and then maybe we could save lives.
We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might see this. :-)
Yes, I’d love to have lunch with Robert Smith of Vista Equity Partners. Great minds like that are few in our lifetimes and having the opportunity to hear from him would be priceless.
How can our readers further follow you online?
Follow me on Instagram @nickimicheaux
This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!
