Chante Adams has had a meteoric start to her acting career.
One week after graduating from theatre school, Adams was auditioning for the role of legendary rapper Roxane Shante in the biopic “Roxanne Roxanne.” That clearly went rather well, because just over a month later she was shooting the film.
But, as with any worthwhile journey, this adjustment wasn’t without its issues, something that Adams recently admitted to me over the phone.
“Coming from a theater background I was using my big loud theater voice, so the people in the back could hear me. But since I have this camera in my face when I was shooting the movie I didn’t need to be as big or as loud. I had to adjust to those things.”
“Especially because I had never been on a set before, or filmed a movie before. But I was confident in two things: one I could act and the other I could learn. It also helps having two amazing co-stars in Mahershala Ali and Nia Long, who were so patient with me.”
Things have only got better for the actress since then, too, because her fierce portrayal in “Roxanne Roxanne” has earned her critical acclaim ever since it screened at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. So much so that the cinematic world is now firmly at her feet.
During our conversation I also asked Adams how she was handling this transition into stardom and what she wants to work on next.
“I feel good. Next I really just want to do more roles like ‘Roxanne, Roxanne,’ that have more strong roles of female characters of color, and tells stories that we haven’t heard before.”
“That’s what I learned I was passionate about while doing this movie. I had always known that, when doing plays and other projects, but that’s what I am focusing on as I look forward in my career.”
“I want to inspire with the roles that I take. And let little girls that look like me know that they can do anything. I mean, I booked a role straight out of college despite not having any experience on a film set. Anything is possible. That’s what I want to do.”
Adams already has her eyes set on a particular genre, too.
“And I want to be a superhero. That’s always been a dream of mine. There’s not one superhero that I particularly want to be. Growing up I always wanted to be Storm. Because that’s the only black superhero that I saw, so I thought that was the only role I could play.”
“But now there are so many doors that are opening for women, and women of color, so now I can be anything. I don’t know what I want to be there, but I want to be a superhero.”
While we wait for Marvel or DC to iron out a deal with Chante Adams, make sure to check out “Roxanne Roxanne,” which is now on Netflix.
