PRODUCER/DIRECTOR
Finding the Magic Why Nadine Velázquez will never stop searching for the next, perfect moment By Mi chae l J . Pa l l e r i no A ll Nadine Velázquez wanted to do was finish high school and get to college. What came next would come. Maybe she would get a degree in journalism. Marketing. TV writing even. No matter where the path led her, it was important that she be successful. In a time she recalls as being challenging and lonely, she was
committed to the journey. The lessons learned from those early days still haunt her, but not in the way you would expect. In the reflective trip she takes often, what she learned early on still drives her today. The internal light that pushes the now famous actress and writer forward tells her to forever follow the highest excitement. “Whatever makes you feel inspired, find a way to do that all the time, because you’re either living from inspiration or you’re feeling expired, and no one can feed you the inspiration you need to feel alive.” Velázquez believes self-discovery is something we all should have an interest in. If you have the inclination to follow your heart, it will take you where you want to go. And sometimes, as Velázquez can attest, that journey can be filled with myriad twists and turns. Velázquez says the road to being one of the four women in their 40s who reunite for a chance to recapture their fame and swagger as 1990’s hip-hop legends on the TV show “Queens” has been a magical ride. The steps were filled with a number of impactful showcases, including TVs My Name is Earl , Hart of Dixie , Major Crimes , Catalina , and Love is a Four Letter Word , to big screen roles in Flight with Denzel Washington, Snitch opposite Dwayne Johnson, and The Bounce Back with Shemar Moore and Bill Bellamy. Along with her impressive acting portfolio comes her work as a writer. For example, she is developing a semi-autobiographical show for Showtime in which Will Smith is serving as one of its executive producers. “I really love creating. If I can embody a 90’s rapper, I can do anything. The opportunity has given me inspiration and courage to expand beyond my acting abilities.” Another important side to the Nadine Velázquez story is the one behind the scenes. Partaking in a never-ending slew of charity work, she considers every encounter an opportunity for charity. What does the person in front of her need? Can she give them that? “I use my intuition and my ears to sense what is needed. I’m imperfect, sometimes I can’t sense it, but my goal is to perfect my ability to determine. I believe it’s my purpose to become an instrument of goodness in the world and to spread that.”
“ Whatever makes you feel inspired, find a way to do that all the time, because you’re either living from inspiration or you’re feeling expired, and no one can feed you the inspiration you need to feel alive. ”
Nadine Velázquez
If there is one defining fact of which she is most sure of, it is that the takeaway at this point in her career is to continue to give everything she has. “My influences have been everyone who offered kindness or directions or support in my life that helped me have a better experience of what life could really be like. I want people to know my light. I want them to feel it.” If you can see it, drive toward it and embrace every part of what life throws at you, Velázquez believes life
is yours to seize. “There’s magic in the world if you’re willing to stay open to receive it and remain positive. Every time I walk with that mindset, my results in the industry reveal something better than I could have ever expected.”
@nadinevelazquez
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