WOMEN IN FILM
Continuing a Creative Renaissance Aubri Ebony’s upcoming projects By Den i s e K. Jame s
Y ou might call Aubri Ebony a renaissance woman— after all, she’s dabbled in almost everything creative. From modeling to acting to film writing and even producing, Ebony, who was born and raised in Chicago, has sampled various artistic endeavors with both confidence and fervor, and it has certainly paid off. She con- fesses that since early childhood, all sorts of creative pursuits appealed to her. Raised by a grandmother who encouraged self-expression, Ebony immersed herself in singing, read- ing books, dancing, writing poetry, even constructing “ferris wheels and boats” out of Connectors, a popular building toy. “I think I have creativ- ity inside me,” she explains. “I feel so many things, and I display them in whatever way is palatable for the hu- man eye or ear.” Our own eyes and ears have long been captivated by Ebony’s talent. After earning her bachelor’s degree from Northern Illinois Uni- versity, she began a robust model- ing career while pursuing a master’s degree in Marriage, Couple and Family Counseling at Stetson Uni- versity. The foray into modeling went well; she soon signed a con- tract with The Diamond Agency in Orlando and garnered attention from Sports Illustrated for her well- executed modeling video. “That’s how I ended up in Atlanta,” she says. “After the Sports Illustrated experi- ence, I had an interview with Click
culture, and love,” says Ebony, adding that she wrote the entire film in “about two hours. “It felt so organic for me to write it,” she continues. “I’ve loved the ‘bad guy’ before—I’ve had flings before—and I think Saida embodies me and the essence of my own choices. Romance is the connection piece. Also, we are at a time of diversity and inclusion, and I wanted to create something both Black and Latin. I wanted to blend Afro-Latino culture in a visual way.” Ebony credits a number of artistic visionaries as inspiring her journey over the years, from classic musical artists, such as Mi- chael Jackson and Prince, to Erinn Jones, one of her creative col- leagues located in Atlanta. “I want to give a shout-out to Erinn Jones. She is a mentor and inspiration to me,” she notes. “She’s an amaz- ing actress and caster, and she has helped me to develop myself as an actress and writer.” As you read this article, the filming of Saida is likely to be completed—Ebony targeted No- vember 2021 for the release date. The team is submitting their fin- ished product to film festivals, but Ebony is far from resting on her laurels; in fact, she’s “even more excited” about another project coming soon on the horizon. “While I am very excited about [ Saida ], I am even more excited about a project I wrote
Aubri Ebony
Photo courtesy Aubri Ebony
Models in Atlanta, and I got signed to a contract. So, I moved to Atlanta to fulfill the contract—prior to that, I’d lived in Orlando and Daytona Beach.” While many people would have been satisfied with these successes, Ebony continued to push herself. She started a podcast in support of fellow models—an ef- fective blend of her master’s degree and her burgeoning
career—called The Model Counselor Podcast. Fast-for- ward a few years, and Ebony has several agents, includ- ing agents for television and film, dotted along the East coast. She has also just finished writing her own first film, Saida . Set in Puerto Rico, Saida follows the heartfelt tale of a young woman in a Spanish study abroad program who falls in love with a Puerto Rican gangster, then be- comes pregnant. “It’s a story about passion, sacrifice,
with my New York writing team, called Cat —but that’s all I can say about that for now,” she says, laughing. “But trust me that it’s going to be epic, and I’m looking forward to it. I wrote it, I’m acting in it, and I’m probably also co-producing it.”
www.aubriebony.com | @aubriebony
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