Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Hasker
Hi Ashley , we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
As a young girl I always said when I grew up I wanted to be a dancer with my own studio in New York or LA but as I got older I realized that God had other plans. I was introduced into the acting world in my early 20’s with church stage plays. I didn’t even know what I was doing at the time I just wanted to try something different and surprisingly I enjoyed it and was somewhat good at it as others told me. That’s when I did some research via social media and found out about more auditions in my community. With no resume and a bad quality headshot ( a selfie I took on my phone) I started submitting for these auditions. I went in head first. I started to notice I wasn’t getting any positive responses and got discouraged fast. I gave up after a month and continued to just focus on dance. There were plenty of days though where I would wonder if giving up was the right thing to do. It got to the point where I started to ask God what is it that I did wrong and why am I not successful at it. He revealed to me that Faith without WORK is dead. Yes I was going to the auditions but I had not invested enough in the craft. I wanted the satisfaction without the sacrifice. I needed to put in the work for want I wanted he was not just going to hand it to me. Once I started to operate in obedience, and follow the path correctly, the vision became clearer to travel towards my purpose. It wasn’t an easy travel either and still isn’t. Turbulence definitely makes it’s appearance. With that said I’m so blessed and grateful to now not only be an Actress, but a Director, Assistant Director, Stage Manager, Production Assistant, etc.. Your girl has put in the work and has the passion to continuously learn about my craft. You can currently catch me acting in an amazing feature film called YO40 directed by Shacolby Shentell, on Tubi and Amazon Prime. I also have another feature film The Dichotomy of Hattie Mc Daniel, directed by Vincent Victoria that will premiere October 2024. I will be playing Etta Mc Daniel, Hattie’s sister. My #1 hobby is traveling the world, but I also enjoy dancing, singing, decorating, and photography.
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?
This journey was not the easiest, major sacrifices were needed especially when it came to time management. There was times I missed out of special occasions with friends and family due to rehearsal, filming, and performance schedules. Another struggle was figuring out your audience in the industry. What message did I want to send and what morals and boundaries did I need to set to obtain it. You could easily slip into the people pleasing era and loose sight of self. So I definitely had to stay grounded in the word to make sure I remained who GOD wanted me to be. The struggle between Purpose and Popular was real in the beginning of my career. Lastly I would say a struggle was hearing so many no’s and not enough yes’s but still having to trust the process. I wanted to quit so many times but I always tell myself what God has for me is for me.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a Director, Actress, Stage Manager, Sound Tech, Production Assistant, etc. I work on Films, Theater productions, Commercials, and Live events! I’m mostly proud of my level of faith and how I built the courage to bet on myself even while scared. I have been put in so many amazing rooms to work with phenomenal people because of it. Also seeing my work on streaming platforms Netflix, Tubi, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, and on theatre screens makes me super proud! My strong work ethic is what sets me apart from others. My ability to remain focused while working on challenging tasks and projects with diverse teams shocks me every time because my peers always say to me “ I don’t see how you do it. I would’ve crashed out by now”. So I don’t take those compliments lightly.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
Risk taking is definitely apart of life especially when it’s time for you to GO and GROW! It’s not always easy though. Having the mindset of knowing failures are only lessons learned, will help you take more risks as well. Never take risk without proper discernment! I had to make one of my biggest risk about a year ago( way past due) when my 9-5 was getting in the way of my purpose. I always took small risks while working there by missing work days just to go audition, work a project, or basically anything to help me in the industry. I knew I had reached my breaking point because my mental health was becoming worse the longer I remained comfortable in that expired season. I finally took that hard leap of faith and quit my job of 17 years. That risk was a hard pill to swallow but the greater reward of operating in my God ordained destiny was totally worth it.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://imdb.me/AshleyHasker
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/thelegacyqueen?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/ActressAshleyHasker
- Youtube: http://youtube.com/@thelegacyqueen
