Today we’d like to introduce you to Ria Saint John.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My pre-journey started in Phoenix, AZ, roughly around 1999-2001. My parents had enrolled 16 year-old me in a modeling school back in Tucson, AZ to help me gain some self-confidence. I was what you would consider a shy, quiet, soft-spoken teenager & a bit of a pushover. This modeling school would present themselves to be a world FULL of promises that required more money than my parents had and when push came to shove, they didn’t deliver. Surprise, Surprise. But my parents didn’t know what they didn’t know. Ultimately, looking back on it now…It was an experience I will never forget. Through this modeling agency, I did participate in an enormous showcase being held in July 2001 in NY. During this time, Ashton Kutcher & Katie Holmes were both discovered at this particular showcase a few years earlier and they were both successful in the industry. I was lucky enough to be selected to go, after auditioning of course. I went to NY mostly for my singing ability and NOT for acting. In fact, acting in front of people terrified me. It definitely didn’t feel natural to me AT ALL. But being in NY at 16 and experiencing the busy city was just something I will never forget. I also got to see the WORLD TRADE CENTER just a few months prior to 9/11 happening. I got a beautiful picture of the twin towers and my mom has it blown up and framed in her house to this day.
I did have minor success at the showcase…Michael Jay with Jambo Productions was interested in me and provided a “callback” with my agency. I met with him and my agents the following day but the agency had someone else up their sleeve that they ALSO brought to this meeting. Ultimately, Mr. Jay chose the Britney Spears look alike and left me out in the cold. I won’t get into the details about how all that went down with the other girl BUT, it didn’t pan out for her either.
Needless to say, the modeling agency proved to be a dead end and my parents & I didn’t know where to go from there. I didn’t have the motivation or determination at that time, and my parents didn’t want to continue to push me. SO…I gave up on it. Moved on with it. I had a small, small taste and just sorta shrugged my shoulders and said, “OH WELL”.
Everything went back to normal pretty quickly. I graduated HS, did my 2 year degree at our local community college and then joined corporate America. I met my husband at the age of 21-22-AND fun fact: he was about to be a dad (previous relationship type drama-that’s another story) and I navigated through being a step mom. Shortly after that, we got married in 2009 and then started having kids of our own (we have been married ever since).
Once our boys came, I stayed home with them & my daughter for a little over a year and then went back to work. I wanted to do something for the community so, I became a probation officer. Didn’t know that I would love the life of a PO and work in the law enforcement lane, but I ended up doing it for about 8 years. I was trained in defensive tactics, firearms, arrests & CPR/First Aid just to name a few. From there, I went to the Federal Government as a Special Agent with the DEA. This is where my story re-starts…I left the DOJ shortly before my year mark and we decided to leave Phoenix and move to Austin in the summer of 2021. I came to Austin jobless. I was burnt out with law enforcement and just needed something fresh. I met a friend through a friend who was talking about how she LOVED doing background work. “Background work?!” What the heck is that? She explained to me how to get started and what it was and I thought…”Why not?”
Shout out to Michael Druck, CSA for booking me on my first background project…Tom Segura’s Holiday Special Podcast. It was amazing!!! I had a blast meeting new people and going to a different city in Texas. I was just loving it so much. After that, I went on to be a Featured background actor in an episode of “The Chosen”-Shout out to Brock Allen Casting for booking me on that one. I did background for a year and then thought…how do I get speaking roles? So what does one do when they have a MILLION questions but don’t know how to start?! YOUTUBE IT!! And that is what I did.
I found Wendy Alane Wright and her Hollywood Winner’s Circle (HWC). Wendy posts YOUTUBE videos for FREE in order to help new actors get started in the industry. Now, the industry has changed since 1999, but learning from her was LIFE CHANGING. I spent 6 months watching her videos and implementing her advice that I actually started getting some traction on my own without an agent, mostly student films and low budget short films. I finally bought into her program (which honestly is soooo worth it) and got to work. I got my first agent, booked a few commericals with that agent along with booking stuff on my own but wanted to get with an agent that wouldn’t just submit me to commercials. I wanted those tv/film opportunities-like most of us do. BUT HOW DO YOU GET THOSE? That has been my question since starting this journey in 2022 and I continue to grow, learn and pivot as the industry pivots. I have booked over 25+ projects, I’ve won Best Supporting Actress in a short film, been apart of many award winning projects, and have met so many amazing people along the way. All I can say is…NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK!!!
I do have a 9-5 job, but luckily it offers me the work-from-home lifestyle I need to provide for my family and continue to work toward my acting goals. It’s tough, but worth it.
BUT, I can confidently say…because of my life experience and the things I have been through, it has helped shaped me into the person I am today and has made it easier for me to act in front of people. I wasn’t ready for the industry at 16…but 25 years later, I am ready for it NOW!! BRING IT ON!!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
This is a loaded question…nothing is “smooth” in this business. There are so many ups and downs, yes’s & no’s, that it would make anyone want to quit and rip their hair out (if I did that, I would be bald). Acting is not for the faint of heart. It’s not for the weak minded. This business is brutal, unforgiving and won’t wait for you to catch up. You have to have some thick skin, a moral compass and some OTHER outlet to help you relive stress.
My personal struggles are wanting to control the uncontrollable. Sure, you could say I am a control freak with a dash of OCD (undiagnosed). I think most actors ALL have similar traits. It’s not bad, it just has to be managed so we don’t get burnt out and just quit. I thrive in coming up with ALL possible scenarios and then having a solution already in my back pocket ready at a moment’s notice. This isn’t always helpful because then I spend so much time thinking about the “what if” moments, that I forget to live “in the moment” and just let things be. I also have a hard time just being patient with things. I wanted to be on a hit show like yesterday. But I understand that sometimes, things just take time.
I am going to be taking Margie Haber’s online Intensive coming up at the end of this month to help me combat that desire to want to control everything and just be. We will see how it goes. Wish me luck!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a non-union actor based in Austin, Texas. I am not known for anything in particular, YET!! But I am making my way there. I am most proud of the award I won for BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS, in the short film, “It’s Not an Eating Disorder”. It feels good to be recognized even in the smallest of ways. It can really benefit the mindset.
What sets me apart from others is my tactical skills and how I can bring that to many roles. I’m also learning stage combat so I can add that to my skill level while acting. Because hitting someone in real life is A LOT different than hitting someone for the camera.
I enjoy deep, meaningful characters that have multiple layers. I thrive in drama and emotional scenes. I don’t love to cry, but I have learned that crying on camera comes easy for me than most. I’ve been told that I have emotional intelligence and I can tap into that when needed.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
The most important lesson I have learned along the way is to not stress over the small things. Also, don’t compare my journey to someone else’s journey because we all come from different walks of life. Not one life is better than the other. Just enjoy the ride, but make sure to wear a seatbelt or a helmet.
Only focus on what you can control within reason and then leave all the other stuff alone. You can’t be perfect because there is NO.SUCH.THING. as perfect. You are amazing just as you are so wake up everyday and believe in yourself.
I always like to say, “experience a new perspective and learn something new”, that’s how you grow.
Contact Info:
- Website: actorcv.me/riasaintjohn
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riasaintjohn/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RiaSaintJohn/
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/@riasaintjohn
Image Credits
Avai D’Amico, Tim Cage, Arthur Marroquin-ABM Photography
