DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
I Voted for SAG Awards. What’s Your Pick?
© NaimaLett.com/blog



Argo, Les Miserables, Lincoln, Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Silver Linings Playbook

I voted for the SAG Awards.
Ballots just closed. Show airs Sunday.
Who would you choose?

LET’S PLAY

By now, you’ve probably figured out that I like to do fun posts on Fridays.

Proverbs 17:22 expresses my intent, “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” Each day, even in the hardest of times, if we can find some kind of cheer, it soothes our hearts.

So, let’s play! Let’s dust off our vintage Simon Cowell tight black T-shirts (I’m sorry, Nicki Minaj does not do his seat justice), and let’s have a go at it.

SAG AWARDS

The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards are the voice of the people. It’s different from the Academy Award® voting block of 5,765 industry professionals described by the LA Times as 94% Caucasian, 77% male, 62 median age. SAG-AFTRA represents more than 160,000 diverse actors, dancers, singers, voiceover artists, broadcast and media professionals, so the awards reflect a broader pool of voices.

Various sources calculate that the SAG Awards predict Oscar® winners only about 75-80% of the time. For example, last year, Viola Davis won the SAG Award for Best Lead Actress and The Help won Best Cast/Picture. But the Academy Award® for Best Lead Actress went to Viola’s friend and previous Oscar® winner Meryl Streep and Best Picture went to The Artist. It’s just different. But we have a lot of fun. It’s the only awards show honoring only actors, and the red carpet is splashy and more colorful.

15 CATEGORIES

So, here’s the quick & easy!
There are 15 categories:
Outstanding Cast, Stunts, Actor and Actress in Lead and Supporting roles in
Motion Pictures, Miniseries, Drama Series & Comedy Series. Got it?! :=)

BEST PICTURE

The top prize of the night is “Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture”.

That’s a long way to say “Best Picture”. But SAG Awards don’t do a “Best Picture” because we only vote for the performance of the actors, not the director, screenwriter, cinematographer, costume designer, composer, etc, and everyone it takes to actually make a “Best Picture”. Random facts that I’m sure you wanted to know. LOL!

Anyway, the 5 choices are pictured above.
Which one would you vote for?

QUICK REVIEW

I reviewed 3 of the 5 films in detail last month:

ARGO: Political Thriller with Dose of Fun
Les Misérables: Best Musical, Full of Faith
Silver Linings Playbook: Funny Spin on Illness

I saw Lincoln and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel after I wrote my last reviews in the post, Our Award Films Need More Hope, so I didn’t review those two in length.

So quickly, Lincoln is an extraordinary experience. Excellent film. It will most likely win the Academy Award for Best Picture, as probably will Steven Spielberg for Best Director and Daniel Day-Lewis for Best Lead Actor. It’s worth it to see.

And The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is interesting, as well. It uses humor and lightness to deal with the weighty issues of aging and retirement. It probably produces more questions than answers, but it’s a cinematic feast of India’s urban culture.

SO, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Personally, I voted for Les Misérables because I was so moved by the entire experience in the theater. I had a visceral reaction to the portrayal of grace in action and the willingness to sacrifice one’s life again and again.

Would you vote for Lincoln? Argo? Silver Linings?
Go ahead, Simon, weigh in and let us know what you think!
Naima

Which would you choose?
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© 2013 Naima Lett. All Rights Reserved

DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
Bald & Beautiful: GMA’s Robin Roberts Returns
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©ABC News, Good Morning America Anchor Robin Roberts

The Bald and the Beautiful!

Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts is slowly making her way back to her anchor chair after undergoing a complete bone marrow transplant last September. She was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome, a rare blood disease, which resulted from cancer treatments years before. We blogged first about her journey in Robin Roberts Presses On and Here We Go Again. To say she’s been through a lot is an understatement.

Looking Up

“The big news is that my last bone marrow test showed no abnormalities… Praise God!” shared Roberts, eyes lifted heavenward, via video at the beginning of the week.

Her doctors asked Roberts to go back to GMA for a test run and to see how much stress she’d be under when she “comes home” to GMA in February.

Roberts laughed with her GMA cohorts, “I got up at 4 o’clock this morning. I have to get back on GMA time. That’s one thing I haven’t missed, that alarm clock! Next week, my doctors have me doing a dry run. I’ll get up. I’ll go to the studio. Have make up and hair. (pause) Well, make up. We’ll talk about the hair later!”

We all know that she’s been through some trying times that are no laughing matter, but Robin’s hope is inspiring.

Look to the Hills

I’m reminded of the opening lyrics of Psalm 121:
I will lift up my eyes to the hills—
From whence comes my help?
My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.

What a beautiful picture the songwriter painted of how we look upward to God for help and He provides. Robin has been vocal about leaning on God’s help through all these trials, and we continue to be encouraged as she shares her life with us.

Would You Go On Camera Bald?

On a side note, would you go on camera bald?

You might think I’m only talking to women, but several of our brothers (of all hues) deal with hair issues, hair loss, etc, too. Hair is big business! Did anybody see the Inauguration?

I had fun with hair and weave in the short video clip “Small Car On Your Head” [1:58] that we shared last week. But underneath the laughter, there are significant questions.

That’s not to say that if you choose to wear a wig or weave, there’s something wrong. We all must choose what makes us most comfortable. I just think that it’s really freeing to see Robin, front and center, bold and bald, fearlessly embracing the journey before her and all that it entails.

Praying for You

Praying for all of our Fam who are battling illness. I’m lifting my eyes to the hills, on your behalf, and asking for your help to come from the Lord who made heaven and earth. And as Robin concluded in her interview, “Don’t ever give up. This too shall pass.”

Lots of love from the LaLa,
Naima

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DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
Hollywood’s Drive
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© NaimaLett.com, Hollywood Sign, Oscar & Walk of Fame

The drive to “make it” in Hollywood is very powerful.

And let’s be clear, nobody “makes it” without that drive…
and a great public relations team. :=)

Celebrity Is Created

I read an article many years ago, I wish I could find it for you, in which an executive explained how celebrities are created through millions of dollars spent on P.R. Of course, there must be talent, but talent is not enough to become a household name, he shared. Nobody simply “ends up” in celebrity news or on covers splashed across international magazine stands. An artist must first decide that celebrity is what they want, pursue it doggedly, and employ high level teams at top dollar to secure such valuable public real estate space and to create brands that keep the whole team working for years to come.

Folks seemed shocked to learn that celebrities’ managers were daily informing paparazzi where their clients would be in order to get the “money shot”. Even more strange, some of the same celebrities who staged photo ops, are now complaining that the photographers don’t respect their privacy. They worked so hard, relentlessly for years, to get in the magazines. Now, when TMZ needs new stories every 24 hours and the paps start going through people’s trash and harassing their kids, it’s all too much.

There are hundreds of celebrities that quietly move around these Hills, living their life, raising their children, and we never hear a peep from them until the studios ask them to promote their latest television show or film. They go out on the press junket and then return to normalcy. They don’t travel with an entourage. The paparazzi don’t run them off the road because their photos aren’t worth it. I’ve worked with some of them. We see others around town. As the article said, the celebrities who want non-stop attention pay lots of money for it.

In The Beginning

But nobody starts with a $5,000/month P.R. team.

Thousands move here every year in pursuit of the Hollywood dream to make a living working in our craft. Yet, according to union workshops, only about 1% of professional actors actually make more than $10,000 per year. That means 99% fall below last year’s U.S. poverty line of $11,790. The Hollywood majority struggles to make ends meet.

I’ve known artists who have moved to L.A. and lived in their cars, crashed on couches, slept on the beaches, and gone to homeless shelters, all in pursuit of their dream. It’s a really hard path to choose, but people do it. I spend a lot of time counseling artists and encouraging them not to move to LaLa Land until they have savings, a safe and secure place to sleep, a solid resume and reel, and possible survival work. And even then, with all these factors in place, that Hollywood Hill can still be a beast to climb.

Only the artists who learn to adapt, create opportunities and prove that they can make others in the biz lots of money survive long term. How? That’s where drive comes in.

Drive

One definition of drive is “to strive vigorously toward a goal or objective; to work, play, or try wholeheartedly and with determination.”

In and of itself, I don’t believe that drive is a bad thing. But hey, I’m driven. I think I popped out that way. And when I search through the Bible, I see lots of driven examples. When Jesus prayed before His betrayal, He reminded His Father that He brought Him glory by finishing the work God gave Him to do, John 17:4. He was driven to finish the work of His Father.

As followers of Christ, we too are encouraged to press toward our goal. Isn’t that what Paul says he did? He strained and pressed, with single-minded, laser focus toward his goal.

In Philippians 3:13-14, Paul says, “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Being driven ain’t bad.
The question is what are we driven for?

What Drives You?

So, what drives you? Why do you do what you do?

I am now digging into the research for my doctoral dissertation where I get to discover what drives Hollywood, what we value, what our beliefs are. I’ll spend the next year pouring over lots of data and doing interviews. I look forward with excitement to share my findings with you at the end of the journey.

But in the meantime, I hope that you’ll take a moment and ask yourself these very questions.

If you’re here in Hollywood or not, what drives you?
Pursuit of fame, fortune, power, success?
Security, marriage, family, friends?
God’s calling? Glorifying Him? Finishing His work?

Something to think about.
Onward & Upward,
Naima

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DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
“If You Believe…”
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© Naima Lett, [54:11], Full length video, May take a few minutes to load.


Last week, we had fun with:
“A Small Car On Your Head“, a short video clip [1:58]
in which I jokingly propose that Mary wasn’t a sister. LOL!

If You Believe…

That excerpt was taken from the entire message entitled “If You Believe…” [above].

I shared “If You Believe…” at New Antioch of Randallstown last year about the story of Lazarus, Mary and Martha in John 11. There is so much about folks believing in this passage. By the time Jesus goes to raise Lazarus from the dead, he asks Martha, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” John 11:40. It’s a fascinating story, and we had a great time with hundreds at the conference.

What Folks Are Saying

Some of the comments people shared after the message that day were:

“I don’t have the whole car, but I’m sure I have a transmission.”
“I never laughed so hard going through God’s word. Thank you. I needed that.”
“You made the word so real and so clear, like I could understand it. I got it.”
“God really spoke to me today. I let some things go.”

Be Encouraged

I pray that this will encourage you as well in this New Year. And please feel free to share it with others. If we believe, we will see the glory of God.

Onward & Upward,
Naima

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DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
We Have a Dream
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© source

We still have a dream.
Do you?

My recent “I Have A Dream” moment happened a year and 1/2 ago.

I wasn’t on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial mobilizing 300,000 marchers as the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. did 50 years ago. Or on the steps of the Capitol being sworn in with millions around the world watching as President Obama was today. Instead, I was in my bedroom in my pajamas, alone. But it was just as historic, to me, none-the-less.

I woke up, pressed.

Felt like I’d tossed and turned all night. Who am I kidding? It had been several nights, several weeks actually. I was so frustrated with our family – God’s family. I had seen and experienced such inequality in that past year that was, for lack of a better word, unbelievable.

Words lasered through my soul and spilled onto the page:

I Dream of a Church…

That’s how the manifesto started.

And I dreamed, in technicolor – of a family – male, female, young, old – that looks like heaven with people “from every nation, tribe, people and language” worshiping together, serving together like in John’s vision in Revelation 7:9-17.

I dreamed of a family who loves people as sacrificially as God loves us, sending His Son to give His life for us, Matt 22:34-40. I dreamed of a family living out the Great Commission, doing what Jesus did – teaching, preaching, healing, serving, meeting needs. His life was not His own, Matt 28:16-20. I dreamed of artists using their gifts in truth and lives being changed.

Wouldn’t all that be radical?! Instead of folks fighting over gender issues or chasing fame, fortune and power?

Who knew?

I didn’t know it at the time, but that heart’s cry, with about 10 declarations, soon became the foundation of our vision when we started our bible study a few months later with 15 dream chasers and dream makers in our living room in the Hills. That bible study became Hope in the Hills. http://hopeinthehills.net/

Through much prayer, we embarked upon simplifying those declarations into a clear, concise vision. We remind ourselves of it most Sundays when we gather to worship together. Kevin recently composed it into song. Simply put:

We dream of a church that
* Looks like heaven
* Sounds like heaven
* Loves like God loves
* Lives like Christ lives

That’s our dream, Fam.
And it’s coming true.

What’s yours?
Naima, aka Dream Pusher

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DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
Small Car On Your Head (Fun Excerpt from “If You Believe…”, © NaimaLett.com/blog



[1:58] © Naima Lett

FUN!

Above is a short excerpt I’m calling ‘Small Car On Your Head’ from my sermon “If You Believe…” – John 11 at New Antioch last year. The full message is BELOW. Enjoy!

FULL VIDEO:
“IF YOU BELIEVE…”

[54:11] © Naima Lett

And let us know what you think! :=)

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DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
Is American Idol Melting?
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©FOX, Randy Jackson, Mariah Carey, Ryan Seacrest, Nicki Minaj, Keith Urban

Is American Idol melting?

The preliminary ratings, showing a 19% drop from last season’s premiere, would imply, “Yes”.

But FOX is still celebrating. Why?
Because though it lost 4.1 million viewers, 17.8 million still tuned in; pushing FOX to a ratings win over ABC, NBC, CBS and CW.

In other words, hold that fire Moses. Folks are still partying!
Just kidding. Just kidding!

Who are these 17.8 million?

Perhaps they’re fans of new judges Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj and Keith Urban?
Perhaps folks tuning in to see Mariah and Nicki fight as supposedly “leaked” via video last Fall?
Or perhaps they’re families looking for children-friendly content that Modern Family and Nashville don’t offer?

Are you still tuning in?
Do you still like the show? Let me know. Really, I’m not bashing. I used to watch it.

Me and Idol

I’ve got to be honest. The last full season I watched was #3 when Fantasia won. So, I know Kelly Clarkson (who is still chart-topping to #1 after 10 years in the biz), Ruben Studdard (who has done gospel records, started a foundation for kids and lost 80 lbs as vegan), and Fantasia (whose had a mix of Broadway shows, reality shows and a roller coaster personal life).

By Season 3, I had picked up on the machine churning behind the scenes and knew too much about reality shows to believe that what was airing was actually all that was happening.

Fantasia confirmed in her autobiography what I had suspected all along: producers were pre-screening the talent, searching for great and horrible auditioners, through 3-4 rounds of auditions before anyone ever made it before the judges. I thought it was so cruel that the producers led artists on who were obviously not right for the show in order to make sport of them for entertainment. By now, everyone knows. But at the time, I was done.

I’m constantly reminded of Paul’s letter to believers in Ephesus about unity and use of their gifts. He encouraged them in Ephesians 4:15 that “speaking the truth in love” was the way in which they’d all mature in Christ. I know this is in reference to the Church, but truth applies across the board. The way that we help artists mature is not to lie to them for ratings. If someone cannot sing, they should not go before the judges and be torn down so that America can laugh at them. The Voice figured this out. If you get on that show, you can sing. I’m not saying it’s a better singing competition, (it’s quite confusing); I’m just saying it’s hard to trust folks who lie. :=)

Former Glory

FOX knows Idol will never return to its former glory as “The Most Watched TV Series, 2005- 2011” and the only TV show ever to be #1 for 7 consecutive seasons.

It was widely publicized last year that ratings fell by 25% over the season to what they were in Season 1 with the onslaught of new singing competitions like The Voice and X Factor. But FOX knows, even as it declines, the show still posts larger numbers than most TV shows on air. Which means, they can still earn top advertising dollars.

Whenever I pass an American Idol billboard around LaLa Land, I keep wondering why FOX hasn’t pulled the plug going into 12 seasons and declining numbers?

Well, they’ve got 17.8 million reasons not to.

Let me know when they get to the TOP TEN, and I might tune in to see who the producers, I mean, the American public chooses this year.

Onward & Upward,
Naima

Do you still tune in? I’d love to know why.
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DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
The Impossible
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The Impossible starring Academy Award nominee Naomi Watts & Ewan McGregor

We saw The Impossible last night.
And that was some experience.

I waited so long to see this awards contender, honestly, because I’m not a fan of tsunamis, and especially when they’re caused by earthquakes. I live in LaLa Land now. The ground shakes every now and then. When we first moved here and were looking for a home, we looked at an area close to the beach and I noticed tsunami warning signs. Needless to say, your girl kept it moving.

So, the possibility of sitting through 1 hour and 47 minutes of drama caused by an inescapable wall of water that surged from an earthquake wasn’t necessarily a top priority on my list. I sometimes delay those “And this horror could actually happen to you too!” films. LOL.

But it was a complimentary screening. And Naomi Watts was just announced last week as an Academy Award nominee for Best Actress in a Leading Role, and I felt compelled to see her performance. (She’s up against Quvenzhané Wallis, The Youngest Best Actress Nominee Ever, remember?)
Hence, we sat down to see this impossible journey, based on a true story.

THE IMPOSSIBLE

The official film synopsis reads:
Maria, Henry and their three sons begin their winter vacation in Thailand, looking forward to a few days in tropical paradise. But on the morning of December 26th, as the family relaxes around the pool after their Christmas festivities the night before, a terrifying roar rises up from the center of the earth. As Maria freezes in fear, a huge wall of black water races across the hotel grounds toward her.

The poster says, “Separated by disaster, Driven by Hope.”
The trailer says, “Nothing more powerful than the human spirit.”

We know the beginning and end before we ever watch the film. It’s the middle that we stick around for. The question is ‘HOW did this family survive’? That’s what the movie is about.

PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE

When interviewed, María Belón, the real-life mom-heroine said, “The film is about people helping people.”

I think it also heralds the theme that is evident in many of the top ten best-selling films of all times: Avatar, Titanic, The Avengers, Transformers, Dark Knight Rises. That theme is one of someone being willing to give their life for another.

Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:13

The film is not religious in any way and does not mention God or faith, but the story reiterates this theme of sacrifice again and again and it resonates with all of us.

One Caution, Maybe Two

The Impossible is rated PG-13: for intense realistic disaster sequences, including disturbing injury images and brief nudity. As one reviewer said, “This is not for the squeamish”. So true. Just like Beasts of the Southern Wild, there are children in the film, but I would be very cautious to take children to see this film.

And similar to ARGO, even though The Impossible is based on a true story, the film does not portray the actual ethnicity of the real family. The true family is Spanish with dark hair. The actors are British and blond. Just saying.

JOURNEY WORTH TAKING

I had concluded last month that Our Award Films Need More Hope. This one has hope. It’s a journey worth taking, if you’re okay with lots of water. :=)

Onward & Upward,
Naima

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DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
God & Sports: Is He Pulling for Your Team?
© NaimaLett.com/blog



© Reuters, Quarterback Tim Tebow & Linebacker Ray Lewis

Does God care who wins the Playoffs? The Super Bowl?
Is He pulling for your team?
If we pray hard enough, can we secure a win?

According to two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and Super Bowl XXXV Most Valuable Player Ray Lewis, who has spent all 17 years of his illustrious career with the Baltimore Ravens, the answer to those questions would probably be a resounding “Yes!”

But is that true?

No Weapon

“No weapon formed against us! No weapon!” exclaimed Lewis SAT in his post-game interview when asked what made him think his Ravens could break the Broncos’ 11-game streak.

Lewis then turned and hugged Broncos’ quarterback Peyton Manning who came over to congratulate him, and didn’t miss a beat, “No weapon. No weapon. God is amazing. And when you believe in Him. Man believes in the possible. God believes in the impossible. And I told you guys last night. Our team was so confident that everything was against us. But we found a way to come in here together. And we’re leaving here together. It’s just awesome…”

OK, I’m a preacher. I love God’s Word, but does this strike anybody else as a curious use of Isaiah 54:17, “No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn…”?

When God gave that prophecy to Isaiah, it seemed to be in reference to Israel’s restoration. We might even be able to stretch the context to encourage God’s people. But the reason for winning an NFL playoff game? Congratulations to Ray Lewis. Awesome career! This is his last season. Kudos for being so vocal about his faith, but let’s try to keep the scriptures in context.

I’m Not Hating, Fam, For Real

I watched the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens battle into double overtime on Saturday in 13-degree freezing temps. It looked unbearably cold from where I sat in my living room in LaLa Land, but the fans were pumped up.

I was pulling for the Broncos because 2 of my brother-friends are die-hard fans, and they lost by a field goal; but believe me, I’m not hating on the Ravens. I’m just pointing out that we should use caution in throwing out scriptures as if God actually cares who wins or loses a football game. If anything, I think He cares more about how the game is played and how we as people treat one another.

The NFL is a JOB

When it’s all said and done, the athletes are doing a job. They are employed to play for everyone’s entertainment. The NFL is a business. Professional athletes weather pain, injuries, freezing temperatures, long absences from their families and are compensated financially for their sacrifices. I believe God looks at each person’s heart and how they fulfill their on-the-job commitment.

Peyton Manning, Ray Lewis, Tim Tebow and all of us will have to answer for all of our actions, on and off the field.

God’s Side

Was God on Tim Tebow’s side just last year when he was still with the Broncos and then left Tebow this year in a tough, almost non-existent season with New York? Ten minutes ago, Tebow told FOX, “I don’t know what my future holds, but I know who holds my future.” Sounds to me like he still thinks God is on his side, regardless of which team he’s with or his winning or losing record for the season.

Instead of trying to obligate God with scripture to back our teams, how bout we make sure we’re on His team and live like He lives, love like He loves, and enjoy the entertainment.

Alright! That being said, “Lord, can you please bless Hot-Lanta to smash the 49-ners this Sunday, in Jesus’ name, Amen.” (No disrespect to the 49-ners, as I do live in CA now and love it! :=)

LOL,
Naima

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DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
The Real Skinny On Award Shows
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© Getty: Kerry Washington, Jennifer Lawrence, Halle Berry, Anne Hathaway

OK, What’s the Real Skinny?
And I’m not necessarily referring to weight…

Though, last night on the 70th Annual Golden Globe Awards broadcast here at the Beverly Hilton, hosts and best friends Tina Fey and Amy Poehler got huge laughs when they joked about actresses and their insane dieting leading up to Awards Season.

Tina set up the joke referring to The Hunger Games as not just one of the year’s biggest films, but “What I call the six weeks it took me to get into this dress.”

Poehler slam-dunked the response with the film Life of Pi being “What I’m gonna call the six weeks after I take this dress off!” Get it? Life of pie. :=)

But seriously, after blogging Friday about awards and True Greatness, I feel compelled to reveal some tidbits of truth to you as it relates to our Awards season. Many of you ask me tons of questions; so, here’s the scoop.

THE REAL SKINNY

1) BIG BUSINESS

Award shows are big business. They are one big commercial for everyone involved: studios, production companies, actors, actresses, producers, writers, directors, fashion designers, jewelry makers, shoe designers, fashion stylists, hair stylists, limousine companies. Everybody, from the company that hauls in tons of red carpet to the celebrity chef for the event, is banking on walking away from the night with lots more loot and/or more potential to make more loot.

“Go see our film,” says the studio that wins 3 awards.

“Hire me for your next film,” says the actors, singers and composers.

“Remember my name,” says the designer who sends the lead actress 3 dresses on loan to choose from and prays that she, her stylist, her manager and entire glam squad will choose their dress and say their name when interviewed on the red carpet. Becoming ‘the chosen’ designer is VERY competitive. Becoming the actress that every designer wants to dress is even more so.

2) NO COINCIDENCES

Everything’s planned. Everything.

Highly-paid publicists (standing off to the side of the celebrity) hand info and questions to producers to feed the hosts to chat with the celebrity on the red carpet. Acceptance speeches are usually written by master craftsmen and actors are expected to pull them off with sincerity and truth. (Though, I don’t think Tarantino wrote that ahead of time last night. Actually, my husband and I agreed… we think he was toasted.)

3) NOBODY WINS ON TALENT ALONE

Nobody wins any award around here without the power of a well-oiled Hollywood PR machine.

I remember reading Angela Bassett’s autobiography years ago where she stated how surprised she was to learn that she couldn’t win an Academy Award for her portrayal of Tina Turner based on her performance alone. She was expected to hire one of the PR firms in town who specializes in publicity campaigns to Academy voters. She didn’t hire. She didn’t win.

That doesn’t take away from anyone’s talent. You must give a great performance to be invited to the party. But you will not be voted prom king or queen without some major marketing. So, have your manager contact your business manager and put that top PR firm on retainer at least 6-12 months beforehand so they have enough time to build your public story and make it look like you’re in the news for other causes than the repetitive message, “Please vote for me.”

KNOWING THE TRUTH

Knowing the truth doesn’t take away any of the glamour of the fabulous gowns and everyone playing dress up and looking their best. It just reiterates that Hollywood is a business first.

If I can pass anything along to any of my fellow artistic peers, it’s this, “If you want to work in Hollywood, learn the business.”

I meet so many actors who move and just have faith that things will work out, but they have no idea how this business works and neither do they want to learn. They want to pray and watch God work miracles on their behalf and jettison them to the front of the hiring line without learning what it took to build that line.

James 2:14-26 is a fascinating expose faith and works. Verse 17-18 says “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead… Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.”

Our faith should propel us to learn as much as we can about the field that we want to work in, whether that’s Hollywood, Wall Street, or the elementary school down the street. Our faith should drive us to learn the real skinny on wherever we’re called and utilize that truth to make a difference in somebody else’s life.

Happy findings,
Naima

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