The most powerful thing you can do is just be yourself. Christine Solomon is a phenomenal woman with a bright future unfolding before her. She is incredibly talented in many creative disciplines and has a profoundly inspiring outlook on life. Bolstered by her voracious appetite for knowledge and her relentless drive to succeed, it’s no wonder why Christine is one of the fastest rising stars on the global stage.
“I do have a really big drive and thirst for life,” Christine agreed,” and those two elements push me to constantly expand my knowledge. I feel that to be fulfilled, I must be learning, because if the learning stops, the soul dies. At least, that’s my philosophy.”
“I’m a strong believer in the idea that knowledge is power, particularly in your career,” she continued. “Being well-versed in all aspects of your field allows you to have more freedom and control over your work. But it’s more than that. Every time you allow yourself to be curious and venture into something new, you get an opportunity to meet people who teach you new things that add to your arsenal and take you a step further in your personal development.”
Christine’s background is remarkably diverse. She speaks several languages and has a beautifully rich cultural heritage that allows her to bring a broad range of unique skills and techniques to the screen. Her ability to portray such a wide variety of ethnicities has helped her to achieve success in Europe, North America, South America, and Africa.
When Entertaining Options asked Christine what her secret was, she replied, “Not every actor is the same (thankfully!), and everyone must bring something different to the table. Diversity — of skills, techniques, training, genre, looks, etc. — is key to succeeding in this business. It takes more than ‘good looks’ to get a role. It’s a complete amalgam of ingredients, including luck! I do believe you can create your own luck, but you need to work really, really hard. And you can never stop. This business is always churning, and you need to keep on top of it.”
“The quality of your life and the ability to reach your dreams are determined by how wisely you use your time. Your agenda and goal-setting strategy form a map that can get you to your desired destination — and sometimes you don’t even know what that destination is until you get there! So, it is important to be intellectually curious and venture out into new territory.”
“Passion is also crucial because it will drive you to develop your talent and to train extensively,” she added. “If you don’t have passion, you won’t put in the effort required to succeed. You also have to have a good personality, because once you start booking, you need a solid reputation. Are you likable? Do people enjoy working with you? Are you professional? Can people count on you? I think business sense comes later, after you’ve gained a bit of experience, when you have the right team behind you.”
“But the real ‘secret?’ You have to reach out and get out there, hustling and creating your own work. No one will give you a chance without you first putting in the effort. Education, determination, and perseverance will always help, but from my experience, the biggest mistake some actors make is to solely depend on their team to find them work. It’s called teamwork after all and you can’t expect others to do it all for you.”
Christine went on to say how important self-promoting is. Especially if you’re just starting out. She asserted that it is possible to be humble when you promote yourself, but you have to remember that “No one is coming to ring your doorbell if they don’t know the value you’ll bring to a production.”
“But through it all, you have to be yourself,” she warned. “At work, an actor is constantly in character. But with your team, with your fans, with your peers, on set or off, be true. That’s what makes you unique and stand out. It’s not about fitting in. A lot of people in this business want to fit in, but it’s the people who are unique and different who shine and catch people’s attention.”
Diving deeper, Entertaining Options asked Christine if she’d be willing to share the scariest thing that has happened to her in her life. She agreed and proceeded to relay the following, an account that we’ve titled…
Terror On The 7th Floor
“Just last year, I was invited to attend a film festival. The organizers booked me a magnificent room at this very old hotel that had been completely renovated into an exquisite, modern luxe hotel. That night, after the festival ended, the jurors invited me over for a night cap at the hotel bar. Something in my gut told me to say, ‘no,’ but I went anyway. The conversation quickly moved to the hotel’s past and I heard a series of spooky stories that all happened on the 7th floor, which, of course, was where I was staying.”
“I felt a little spooked, but I was so tired from the day’s events that all I could think of was getting some sleep in that extremely comfortable bed. I tried not to let those stories affect me, but 10 minutes into my sleep, the bathroom light turned on. My mind immediately went to all those ghost stories the jurors had told me and I thought, ‘Oh, no, this can’t really be happening!’ But at the same time, I so desperately needed to sleep that I convinced myself that if it was a ghost, it wouldn’t hurt me. So, I tried to go back to sleep.”
“About 35 to 40 minutes later, I felt someone grabbing my leg and shaking me to wake up. I was in such a deep sleep that while I was pushing my leg away, I actually said out loud, ‘Please, let me sleep.’ [laughs] But I couldn’t shake the feeling. It was as if I could feel the presence of a lonely, scared soul in my room. It was creepy and sad.”
“Every time I started dozing off, I would get startled awake by some strange noises in the bathroom. I thought about calling the front desk, but I really didn’t know what to tell them. I was too embarrassed to say anything about a ghost, not to mention I would have to pack up all my things to change rooms. And, I was just way too tired to do that. Plus, I really felt like this ghost wouldn’t hurt me. I just wish he would have let me sleep!”
“By morning, I was exhausted! I did end up telling the front desk what happened, and the lady said that they hear similar stories all the time. I guess some people get excited about experiencing those types of things, but it’s really not for me. It definitely scared me. Of course, we all had a good laugh about it over breakfast when I met up with the jurors again.”
When asked about what she has planned for 2018, Christine replied, “I’m super excited about several upcoming projects! However, I’m a tad superstitious, so I never want to talk about anything until after it’s done. But I guarantee, there are some amazing things on the horizon!”
“What I will say is keep an eye out for Demetrius Navarro’s latest family-fun comedy, Kids Can, which is coming out this year. I cannot brag enough about this production. You will love it! And, of course, bring the kids!”
Additionally, Christine will be judging at three film festivals: The Arab Film Festival in California, The Christian Film Festival in Bakersfield, and Scout Film Festival in Vermont. Be sure to follow Christine on all of her social media platforms because 2018 is shaping up to be a really amazing year for this incredible actress!
Christine Solomon: website • Facebook • Instagram • Twitter
Note: This article is the first in a new Entertaining Options series. Deep Cuts goes beyond the typical interview to offer individuals an opportunity to share some of the most intense moments from their private lives.
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