Sam Mendes

A Masterclass in Longevity, Range, & Perseverance:

In today’s episode, I got to sit down with an extraordinary actress who has crafted a diligently curated body of work defined by her remarkable range. Carmen Ejogo has played major roles in Sam Mendes’ Away We Go, Sparkle with Whitney Houston, It Comes at Night, Roman J. Israel, Esq., Alien: Covenant, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them, and most recently opposite Mahershala Ali in the new season of True Detective.

Characteristically tight-lipped about her personal life, Carmen generously pulls back the curtain to reveal how she’s made it this far and how her commitment to her vision has afforded her a career that has captivated audiences and critics alike. She shares how she says no more often than she says yes, and how this discernment has empowered her to keep a clear vision for the stories she wants to give voice to. We also get to chat about how she prepares for an audition, how she balances her art with the business of the industry, and how she decided from the very beginning of her career that her body of work would be defined, not by her appearance, but by her talent, determination, and humanity.

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Resources

LINKS:

• IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0252238/
• INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/carmenejogo/?hl=en
• TWITTER: https://twitter.com/carmenejogo?lang=en
• NY TIMES: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/18/style/carmen-ejogo-true-detective.html
• GOLDDERBY.com: https://www.goldderby.com/article/2019/carmen-ejogo-true-detective-hbo-mahershala-ali-video-interview/ 
• TRAILER: True Detective Trailer

QUOTES:

“I’m a big believer in the power of ‘No’ and I’ve been saying no most of my career and very seldomly do I say yes.”

“When I was starting out, to be an actress you really were made to feel your ingenue years were going to be your best years and you had to make those work for you…I just realized early enough on that there was going to be a shelf life if I took that attitude on board. I really had to prove that I could act.”

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