Los Angeles, the great sprawling desert city, the tantalising gold mine for many screen actors looking to work in Hollywood. If you’ve ever wondered when the right time to go is, then read on and assess for yourself if you’re ready jump ship just as Alice Jean did.
‘’Move to LA! Get to where the Big Studios are! Get to where the action is and make it happen!”
Whether you’re a well-trained actress from New York or a newbie from London, there seems to be this overwhelming need for so many actresses to get to Hollywood. It’s the excitement of making it in Hollywood that compels actresses to move out to LA without a a focused plan, without having a lot of the prerequisites in place.
Alice Jean started acting on a very young age (4) like many other actresses acting. She played Goldilocks, and from there on it was all going upwards for Alice. She went on to join community theatre, and doing school plays, and after school performances, varying from choir to dance class, to playing the violin for a short while. Once Alice Jean discovered that she really adored this particular craft, that’s when she got serious and aimed for getting her credentials, going to school for it and becoming official. Alice Jean paid more attention in English class, since it goes hand and hand with theatre, then finally she decided to move from London to Los Angeles, to study at the New York Film Academy, where she attained her Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts.
What attracted you to begin a career as an actress?
Honestly, after I did it for the first time, playing Goldilocks, it always tugged at me. It was the one thing I was always good at, and actually thoroughly enjoyed. I remember going to the West End, and being blown away by the impeccable actors who took the stage by storm. As well as going to the Cinema and marvelling at what all these talented filmmakers came together to create. I saw all this take place, and I was like, that it! I’m going to be in this! I want to do that too! I want to make people feel the way these performers make me feel. It’s really special.
What has been your greatest accomplishment as an actress?
My greatest accomplishments so far are the successes of the projects that I’m grateful to be a part of. A few of them are currently still going around the festival circuit, such as a short film I’m in called, ‘Working Relations’ where I played the lead, Autumn, who is the Ice Queen of the company. It’s been selected for 5 film festivals so far, with one selecting it as a semi-finalist in its Short film Category.
Tell me about what you’re working on now
I’m currently just wrapping up a show called, The Madhatter’s (Gin) & Tea Party. I played the March Hare and the Caterpillar! It was this wonderlandful immersive experience based off Alice in Wonderland, where we served drinks and finger foods, sang, danced, and just performed! It was an amazing thing to apart of, it gets weird and outrageous, from the moment the audience enter, and I’m grateful to have been a part of it.
Who is your favourite actor/actress, and why?
That’s such a tough question, because there’s never just one. The ladies are doing it for me right now! Viola Davis and Lena Headey are absolute powerhouses! Viola’s captivating performance as Annalise Keating in How to Get Away with Murder is unmatched. Lena’s astounding performance as Cersei Lannister is in a league of its own. Those women remind me every time they’re on the screen, why I love to do this. They deserve all their accolades and more.
Tell us about your new web series, who is it for?
My new web series is called, ‘Occupation Rotation’ it’s about an off-beat Corrie Trainor who attempts to find her place in society, one job at a time!
The message I’m trying to convey as an artist is that failure is a part of life; it doesn’t mean that we should stop trying; but we should reroute and try an alternative. I think the story is very relatable because I think everyone on the planet goes through the motions of trying to find what is right for them, and what their passion is, their “calling”. That’s what I’d specifically want to explore in this series. The big decisions we all face trying to find our niche, what we’re good at, and where our place in this world is.
When you suffer a setback, how does that emotionally affect you and your work?
I’ve suffered many, given the nature of this industry, and it definitely can be blow to your ego. It can cause me to sometimes lose confidence, but I’m working on that. The effect on my work can also be positive because the experiences broaden my emotional palette, and give me things to take inspiration from when given a scene or character to work on. I try to just add it to my little acting toolbox for future reference, but there are definitely times it’s hard to bounce back. Nevertheless, I find the more I experience life, the better I get.
What was it like moving to Los Angeles to become an actress?
It’s probably the wildest thing I’ve done, since being born. It was hard being away in a foreign place with no friends or family, but it was easy all the same, because I was coming to do what I had already been doing. The place was different, but the craft was familiar. In hindsight, I feel I should’ve done more research about this place, because I made many mistakes. However, it’s given me the experience for if I ever need to relocate to somewhere new, I know now, I’ll always be okay, as long as I’m doing my passion.
What 5 steps would you advice and give our ladies who want to start a career as an actress?
1. Practice – Join an acting school/class, go to workshops, and do the work!Invest in your career – Get professional headshots, get on the casting websites, attend the seminars, buy the books and plays, diversify your wardrobe etc.
3. Get out there! – Do background work, become familiar with a set, and how it all works, learn the lingo! Audition! Do free work to build up your resume!
4. Be on time! Remember, if you’re early, you’re on time, if you’re on time, you’re late, and if you’re late you’ve just missed it.
5. Don’t be so hard on yourself. It’s a journey. Mark Ruffalo was rejected 600 times before he booked. Trust the process. If you’d like to learn more, please check out my website, www.alice-jean.com for information about the YouTube channel I’ve started to help all my fellow actors, and artists! Flexible jobs you can do as an actor, performing jobs, acting jobs you may not have thought of, getting an agent, you name it, I’ll be talking about it!
What is a skill you think all women should learn and why?
Comradeship! Too often on the planet, women are raised as competitors when really if we came together, a lot of magic can take place. The suffragettes’ movement is an amazing example of what beautiful things can happen, when women support women. So I believe we should raise our girls to have each other’s backs instead of tearing each other down, and then we’ll be able to create more safe spaces for each other, thus more magic.
Tell us about your proudest Achievement?
My proudest achievement so far was winning an award for Occupation Rotation. We won Best Web Series Episode for the pilot in the Eurasia International Monthly Film Festival! We have also screened in 3 other festivals so far, with Rome Independent Prisma Awards selecting us as a finalist in their Best Web-Series / TV Pilot category too! To produce, write, and act in my own project was one of the most daunting, and fun experiences in my career so far, and I’m grateful that the world is being open to what I have to give.
![From Music to Perfume: How did your background as a music teacher influence your transition into perfumery, and how do you incorporate your musical sensibilities into creating fragrances? I’ve always thought in terms of metaphors, and music has many that can be related to perfumery! Beyond just thinking in terms of top, middle and base notes [soprano/alto/tenor in choir], I approach each fragrant idea as a composition. When documenting my ideas, song structures often come to mind. As the scent brief is visited, I meditate on what the fragrance should convey - do I want to create an accord or a “chord” of fragrance note combinations? Do I want an a capella soloist (a particular ingredient to stand out more than others?) Many of my thoughts regarding song composition transfers to my scent formulation process, with me treating each note as an intentional soliloquy at some point.
Brand Origin: What inspired you to start Pink MahogHany in 2005, and how has your vision for the brand evolved since its inception?
An avid lover of all things pleasantly scented (with slight modesty), looking back in retrospect, it’s no huge surprise that I’ve created an indie perfume house with just an idea to provide unique options for those who may be sensitive to unnecessary pungency. Initially, I just wanted to evaluate various blends to note their aroma profiles when “played” together…it wasn’t until I had friends and family asking if I knew of brands that catered to those who may be on the more olfactory sensitive side, that I really began to take my research more seriously. In the almost 20 years that Pink MahogHany has been in existence, our micro visions for the brand have evolved to larger territory. Where Pink MahogHany used to only be a personal brand, we are now also a bespoke formulation service provider to other indie brands seeking unique fragrance offerings for their products. These products range from (but are not limited to) perfumes, candles, body butters and lip balms. Ingredient Transparency: You emphasize transparency and the use of desirable ingredients in your products. How do you select your ingredients, and what challenges have you faced in maintaining this standard?
Being an indie brand often comes with a set of assumptions and misconceptions - one of them being more negative than positive as it relates to ingredients used. There is a lot of “fluff” in the industry with labeling falsification. Because fragrance formulas are a trade secret, not every molecular breakdown of a material has to be noted on the ingredient label (it would be incredibly long), but we at Pink MahogHany™️ adhere strongly to the IFRA [International Fragrance Regulatory Association] regulations that state for common and potential allergens to be listed on our ingredient label. We’ve taken this a step further to also include these ingredients listed on our website to promote further transparency, all while protecting our intellectual property. Unfortunately, we’ve had companies to unethically sell lesser expensive “dupes” of our artisan perfumes, so as a way to create a better authenticity stamp, we make it our duty to be honest about our claims. If our perfume says “Rose Bulgaria”, it is in fact just that and not a component of rose being passed off as the source material. Collaborations and Custom Scents: Can you share more about your work with private label clients? What excites you most about creating custom scent solutions for other indie brands? I could easily sum this up in one word and say “Funding.” True, there is money out there, but I’m always thinking outside the box. Having a program that has an “Each One Fund One” mentality doesn’t exist (that I’ve been made aware of). Bootstrapping can be quite the challenge, even when you’ve reached the 6-figure mark annually. Competition to be seen and set apart is extremely high, so having quality packaging and branding is a must. There are lots of factors to consider, though when desiring to make upgrades. If there were a unique, tier-geared funding operation available, it would help perfume brands offset packaging and bulk material costs in the beginning stages.
Industry Challenges: What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced as an independent fragrance house, and how have you overcome them to grow your brand? As the brand continues on the path of organic growth, I would like to expand our reach into schools, offering perfumery as an arts elective for middle and high school. I’d love to partner with botanists, farmers and horticulturists directly to grow and source raw materials for the students to work with in the creation of tinctures. My passion is getting back to nature as best as possible, as nature was my first “scent experience” as a child. We would also love to witness our fragrance creations being used to scent model homes, our focus diffuser blends being used in automobile dealerships as well as partner with Air Bnb and boutique hotels that specialize in highlighting minority, indie brands. Personal Journey: How has your personal experience, particularly as a divorced mother and someone who has experienced the loss of a child, shaped your approach to life and your work in perfumery?
Because I homeschool my twin sons, we are together a lot more than most, so one thing we all do is have moments of sharing where a neutral “floor” is laid to converse about anything. Though they are quite communicative by nature, I realize that sometimes I can be in work mode so much that it spills over into what should be our quality time. My sons see the authentic me and learn how to communicate through seeing authenticity. I’ve learned not to feel as if I have to be the epitome of perfection but allow them to see my imperfections vulnerably but with discernment. Having had two traumatic experiences pretty close together has taught me how to truly slow down and enjoy the simplicities of life - igniting a spiritual aspect that I’ve always carried but never fully explored…until Kenji’s sudden passing (2018.) Grief has a way of catapulting us into a quest for more meaningfulness in both life and business. After Kenji’s passing and my processing through the initial stages of grief, I was able to incorporate our spiritual bond into Pink MahogHany by way of essential oil diffuser blends for both focus and sleep and most recently aromatic perfume elixirs. It’s been quite the process channeling the void of his physical presence, but I also have peace knowing he can be honored in a great way through scent. I noticed once I began to be more open and receptive to spiritual signs, synchs and “winks”, more ideas began to flow. It’s been this way since his transition. Emotional Expression: Fragrance is often tied to memories and emotions. How does your personal life influence the fragrances you create, and do you have a particular scent that holds special meaning to you? My creative process is much more alchemic now, and I include Kenji by talking out loud to him, believe it or not. I’m a firm believer that when our loved ones transition from the physical plane, they are still present - just in another form. I choose to keep his memory alive by not pretending he never existed (even if for a brief period of time). I am working (slowly) on a book and accompanying fragrance, but I know it will require me to revisit some memories I’m not quite ready for, so until then, his big brothers will launch their debut fragrance, The Peaceful Tiger (they chose the name.) I’ve learned that even in what we consider “small things”, our transitioned loved ones want to be recognized and acknowledged. When the twins and I designed their fragrance label (with a designer out of the country that didn’t know anything about me personally), we had issues with the graphic - so much so that the designer asked if they could rework the design. When they sent the proof for approval, the Tiger was not only younger but sleeping, with an uncanny, angelic resemblance to baby Kenji! Becoming more aware and being more sensitive to my intention for launching a fragrance has definitely made room for more divine situations like these to occur. Healing Through Scent: In what ways has creating fragrances been a form of healing or expression for you, especially after the loss of your son, Kenji Mwamba? I know my sons may not necessarily want to be perfumers, but they definitely have an entrepreneurial heart. My desire is that whatever they decide to pursue (acting, script-writing, music or architecture), they know that anything is possible with the right amount of determination, grit, belief and immersion. One reason I chose to homeschool is so they could enjoy learning without restraint and have ample time to devote to their own separate passions and it still be fun. They know Pink MahogHany is theirs if they want it (many, many years from now - lol), and we are already discussing business structures for whatever they choose their role to be once I retire. Work-Life Balance: How do you find balance between your professional responsibilities and personal well-being, and what self-care practices do you prioritize? I’m not just a perfumer; I’m also a consumer, and self-care is huge for me. I often take salt baths to reset my energy and clear my mind after being around large groups of people or free a long day. I’m a habitual perfume sampler, and I have so many to choose from to wear as my “nightcap.” Even if just for 10-15 minutes, I cherish each moment I’m able to have some “me-time.” When time and co-parenting schedules permit, I’m definitely on a flight somewhere to indulge in some delicious food and mouth-watering mocktails!](https://www.womenontopp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/IMG_3812-1200x720.jpeg)
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