“I want to start a movement to make sure the veterans who have served our country & their families are treated with respect & well taken care of”
With Actress Erin Reese DeJarnette
“…Making sure the veterans who have served our country and their families are treated with respect and well taken care of. Many struggle after leaving their duties and need medical, financial or emotional support. We need to do better in providing programs for them. They made the decision to enroll and protect our country so we should be doing the same when they are return.”
I had the pleasure of interviewing Erin Reese DeJarnette. Erin Reese is a 14 year old native Floridian who has left the East to live on the West Coast to pursue her dream in the entertainment industry. Erin Reese began modeling and dancing at the age of 6 and soon fell in love with acting. Erin Reese is the official triple threat actress, singer and dancer. She currently has a recurring role as Bess on Brat channels YouTube hit teen show “Chicken Girls.”
Thank you so much for joining us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
I saw my first musical theater performance “Beauty and the Beast” at age 5 and told my mom that is what I want to do! I loved the acting, dancing, singing and beautiful costumes. Shortly after that I was signed with Florida agent Karen Greer of Ford Models in Miami, FL and the journey began.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started this career?
Having always watch Disney channel it was so crazy to attend an acting workshop with one of my favorite actors Adrian R’Mante. Adrian an actor on Suite Life of Zach & Cody known for his character “Esteban Julio Ricardo Montoya de la Rosa Ramirez” was one of my favorites. He has mentored me as an actor through is CGTV program since I was 6. It is crazy to know you are watching the actors who then become your coaches, mentors and friends.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
So, when I first started out I didn’t know all the “terms” used on set. My mom and I were told you can find plenty at the crafty table, I replied “Mom we get to do crafts?” The PA laughed and said, “No, it’s where you can find food, snacks and drinks.” Lesson learned look up terms used on set before starting a job!
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
I love working with the Brat Family as they continue to develop more projects. Being on “Chicken Girls” has really been an amazing experience. My other passion is music and I really enjoy being in studio recording songs. My production team EsticoAndGriff are currently working on another new single for me and I am super excited about it.
Who are some of the most interesting people you have interacted with? What was that like? Do you have any stories?
Well, working in Georgia for two consecutive summers and living in a hotel with all of the cast from Coat of Many Colors/Christmas of Many Colors was the best experience. Working with Stella Parton, Jennifer Nettles, Rick Schroder, Gerald McRaney and all the cast was unforgettable. We became a family and did things together on and off set. There were only 13 kids in the movie so we would have movie nights in the hotel room and swim after we were done filming. It was an amazing first experience for me.
Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?
Pace yourself, stay humble and remember where you came from. Florida is my home, it is where I was born and raised. California is the office as my acting coach reminds me which helps to keep me focused.
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. 🙂
Making sure the veterans who have served our country and their families are treated with respect and well taken care of. Many struggle after leaving their duties and need medical, financial or emotional support. We need to do better in providing programs for them. They made the decision to enroll and protect our country so we should be doing the same when they are return.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.
1. Time commitment & sacrifice you make to be in the industry. You miss a lot of things like family because you are traveling, filming, auditioning or coaching.
2. Handling rejection. I am fortunate I learned quickly after an audition to walk away and forget about it move on to the next but it was a process.
3. Be myself. I would initially go in trying to “be a character” but soon learned that I needed to bring myself to the character and create it, if that makes sense.
4. Home Sickness. There is no pill to cure it.
5. Emotions. It’s scary but the feeling you get when you accomplish what you set out for is almost unexplainable.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
Don’t let other people define you, be yourself and proud of it. This business is competitive you have to believe in yourself and don’t let anyone let you think less. It is very important to stay true to you.
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 could easily say my coaches, agents, and managers but the real heroes are my parents. They work hard and sacrifice to help me work to achieve my dreams. We are separated a lot living on two different coasts most of the time. My parents keep it all together for my sister, niece and I we are really close. I love my family and without them and their support I couldn’t do any of this.
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. 🙂
Millie Bobby Brown. She amazes me, we are about the same age and she has made such an amazing career for herself. Also being separated from her family a good amount of time we have some similarities which would be great to talk about and get her perspective.
How can our readers follow you on social media?
Instagram: ErinReeseOfficial
Facebook: Erin Reese DeJarnette
Twitter: @iamerinreese
Webpage: ErinReeseOfficial.com
IMDb: imdb.me/erinreesedejarnette