Today we’d like to introduce you to Aleeah Rogers.
Hi Aleeah, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My acting story starts out in Houston, Texas at Next Level Acting studios and the University of Houston. Deke Anderson, was my first acting coach (besides college) and helped me land my first agency, Pastorini- Bosby Talent. This strong foundation helped me believe that I could pursue acting as a full time career. After a couple of years, I landed my first network television booking with The Originals back in 2014. After filming for three weeks in Atlanta, I gained the confidence to pursue my dream and move to NYC. I auditioned and was accepted into The Anthony Abeson School of Acting. The classes were a turning point in training for me. I was able to fully devote myself to the craft while also living in one of the greatest cities in the world. Unfortunately, I could not land a legit NYC / LA agent to save my life and that failure sent me back home to Houston.
I quit the industry for a couple of years but found my desire to go back to NYC and give it another shot. Life is full of failures and I knew that I wanted to try again. Acting was not over for me. So I quit my job again and moved back to New York. This time, I secured management before I moved, giving me access to more auditions and opportunities. The bookings started rolling in, FBI, Skyvault, Wu Tang:An American Saga and a few more. Then COVID-19 hit and the theatre/television industry in NYC came to a screeching halt. I once again left NYC and was unsure of the next step in my career. Luckily, my wonderful agents at Pastorini-Bosby had a new plan for me as they helped me secure representation with a top LA management company. Within months of returning home, I booked a few more roles and decided it was time to make the move to Los Angeles. One of the biggest lessons I learned was to trust my gut, regroup, and believe in myself. My career is exactly where it’s supposed to be because I listened to what was right for me. My path has not been easy but I am very lucky to be in the space that I am now. My journey has taught me how to handle this industry and that I am capable of anything I want to pursue.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
It has not been a smooth road. I’ve failed many times. Actors will audition for 100 roles and maybe book 1 of those. There is more failure in this business than there are wins. Navigating through this process is all about how you handle the rejection. I love what I do. I love creating art and telling Black stories. I failed in New York City when I first moved there in my early twenties, but was that really a failure? Looking at that time in my life as more of a lesson, I now know that I wasn’t ready and it wasn’t my time. I needed to feel that this road was not going to be easy. That experience gave me the hunger to pursue my dream even more. I love how my career has blessed me to work with so many wonderful artists. I am extremely fortunate and grateful for my success.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am an actor. I have been in the business for about ten years bouncing between New York City, Houston, and most recently Los Angeles. I am known for roles on The Originals (The CW), FBI (CBS) , Wu Tang: An American Saga (Hulu) One Crazy Christmas (BETher). My more recent credits include Insecure (HBO), Sacrifice (BET+) and Grand Crew (NBC). I am most proud of my work on Insecure and Grand Crew. Both shows are written and produced by Black people. One of my greatest joys in this industry is being able to tell our stories written by us, produced by us. I love that I am able to be on the final season of Insecure, a show that I have loved so much.
What sets me apart is my own uniqueness. In every role, each actor provides their own essence, something that only they have. I’m proud to continue to put my stamp on this industry through my work.
What’s next?
I am currently looking forward to my new life in Los Angeles. I recently made the jump which has already been extremely fruitful for my career. The next personal goal in my journey is to book a series regular role. I have been extremely close to booking one this year. I know my time will come. The industry is changing and I can see that from the auditions I receive. I continue to audition for Black stories written by us and that makes me pumped for the future. I am excited to see what the next few months hold for my career. I also plan to finally finish a television script I have worked on for years. My title can now be Actor, Writer, and in the future Producer.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@aleeahrogers.com
- Website: www.Aleeahrogers.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/THISISALEEAH
- Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4483596/
Image Credits
Insecure -HBO
FBI – CBS
Originals – CW
