Today we’d like to introduce you to Cassandra Belony.
Hi Cassandra, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I began my acting journey almost thirteen years ago, while still in high school. I always had a strong interest in performing on stage. When I was younger, I would beg my mother to put me in theatre classes. However, my mother couldn’t afford them. After a while, I stopped asking my mother to put me in theatre classes, but my interest in theatre grew rapidly. When I entered high school, I joined the Drama Club. It was a great club for me to grow as a young performer. I starred in multiple productions, including special performances outside of school. Once I graduated from high school, I knew I wanted to pursue acting on a professional level. I figured majoring in Theatre in college was a step in the right direction. While in college, I learned about different acting methods and styles of theatre around the world. I took classes on lighting design, set design, wardrobe making, and playwriting. I also starred in a few local plays and made an appearance in a short film. However, I felt I wasn’t making strides in my acting journey. When I moved back home to Fort Lauderdale, I started writing more. I had a rough draft of a play, Strange Fruit on a Burning Tree, and workshopped it at the Stages of the Sun Festival. Through a mentorship program with fellow artists and performers, I grew more interested in writing and directing. In 2019, I turned a short story about a woman reminiscing on the life of an old friend into a script. I renamed it, Melancholic Verse. Then, I went on to direct and star in it. It was my first film. I enjoyed the experience so much that I wrote a second project. My second short film, We Good Project. The film follows a student filmmaker who reunites her old friends from high school for a sisterhood project. We Good Project, received many accolades. It was selected at the Urban Film Festival, Toronto International Women’s Film Festival, and Tampa Bay Underground Film Festival. In addition, the film won the dramatic comedy award at the Creative Horizons Festival. This year, I completed my third project, a web series, I wrote and starred in called Rozayy So Unfiltered. It will premiere online next year. I continue to act and lend my talent to short films and commercials. So far, I have starred in ten projects that weren’t my own. My goal is to continue acting in other projects and directing and writing my own.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I think one of the biggest challenges is finding work in South Florida. South Florida has beautiful weather and a great culture. However, for an actor trying to find consistent work, it is difficult. I think it is important to have a good agent and not be afraid to put yourself out there. That means looking for the work yourself, submitting yourself on casting websites, and marketing yourself on social media. Another challenge is dealing with insecurities. As someone who is both an actress and a filmmaker, I have doubts about whether or not I’m chasing a pointless dream. Sometimes, I think about quitting altogether. Thankfully, I have an awesome support system that has encouraged me throughout my acting and filmmaking journey. I am also a woman of faith, and with God by my side, I can achieve anything.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m proud of all the goals I have achieved. My most recent accomplishment was getting my production company off the ground. It is called A Kaasun Feature. With my production company, I hope to create projects that are relatable to the black female experience and underrepresented communities. I have other projects currently in the works, but I would love to start producing other filmmakers’ projects.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
Don’t give up too easily, or, commonly phrased, never give up. It’s cliché to some, but it’s an important one to follow if you’re ambitious. There were so many times when I had given it my all on an audition and didn’t get the part, or when I was overwhelmed during pre-production for one of my projects, and thought the end result wasn’t going to be terrible. In those moments, I felt small, and I wanted to quit. As mentioned before, I have a great support system and strong faith in God, and with those two things, I am able to persevere. Also, I keep going because my dreams are very important to me. I have come so far in my journey, and it would be a slap in my face to quit. I owe it to the little girl who wanted to take theatre classes but couldn’t afford them.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/akaasunfeature/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AKaasunFeature
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/theclassyvisionare/
Image Credits
BWH Photography
