COVER STORY
T hey come from different backgrounds, different moments in time—each driven by their own cultural and spiritual awakenings. But as different as they are, their similarities are striking: passionate, driven, resilient. You may soon want to add unforgettable to that list. In a time when Georgia continues to be the place today’s entertainment world turns for talent, Erica Page, Kendrick Cross, and Angelo Diaz are up to the task. Here is a snapshot of what has prepared them for the place on the list.
In a time of political and societal divisiveness, Ambitions seemed to hit at the heart of what America was trying to come to grips with, including story lines that included politics, gentrification, cheating, homosexuality, the opioid epidemic, etc. Stacked with a diverse set of characters, each with their own signature issues and demons, the show touched on real issues and real problems. “It gave our audience something to relate to,” Page says. “It showed the many sides of diverse people who sometimes get typecast into a certain category.” The diversity that Ambitions delivered is something that Page says is important in today’s ever-evolving cultural-scape. “Diversity is everything. I’m happy that it is finally starting to be recognized as a necessity in entertainment. We are a diverse world. Everyone is mixed with a little this and a little of that, so it is gratifying to see TV and film acknowledge and embrace that more than ever.” And while OWN canceled Ambitions after just one season, Page believes her future is just beginning. After signing with an LA agent, she started making the regular audition rounds, complementing her time with brushing up on real estate studies (the perfect complement to her soon-to-be empire). As she eyes the future, she looks to take on more challenging roles—superhero, female drug lord or drug addict, or maybe even an action-packed driven character. “To be completely honest, I’m just hustling. I want to keep being a part of the amazing stories that can inspire people and give them hope. I have no limits. I am open to it all. I have taken to social media lately in hopes to use my platform to do better in the world.” Until then, the world—and its many recent changes—is an open book. “I’ve come so far and have grown so much in just the past five years. I want to keep growing, keep expanding, create more opportunities. I’m excited to see where this all goes.”
We are a diverse world. Everyone is mixed with a little this and a little of that, so it is gratifying to see TV and film acknowledge and embrace that more than ever. – erica page
Erica Page, Actress TO THE FUTURE, WITH LOVE…
The moment she saw Jennifer Lopez in the movie Selena , Erica Nichole Page felt something she had never felt before. She remembers wanting to make people feel the same way she did while watching Lopez—special, inspired, magical, touched. Page was 12. It would be years—and what seemed like a lifetime of odd and ends jobs later—before that feeling would hit her again. This time, the little girl from Atlanta was all grown up and working as an extra on the movie set of Fast and Furious 5 . Before her stood two of Hollywood’s biggest bad asses, Vin Diesel and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. This time the moment felt different. While she had inched closer to that “something” she had always dreamt about, it still seemed too far away. Instead of returning to the Fast and Furious set, Page quit and enrolled in an acting class. If she was going to be “in the business”, being an extra was not going to get it done. The moment inspired her and pushed her to set aside her fears and go for what she wanted. “I had let fear and not fully believing in myself hold me back for years. We didn’t grow up with a lot, so for a long time I felt my dream of being an actress was too far-fetched and unrealistic. I let it sit in the back of my mind for a long time. Every time I imagined what my life would be like if I went for it, I stopped myself and did what I thought I was supposed to do.”
Page’s first break came on her first audition with a recurring role on a web series called Osiris , a 10-episode science-fiction/action story about a man the grim reaper refuses to claim. Over time, after landing parts in a slew of projects, including Sleepy Hollow , Homicide Hunter: Lt. Joe Kenda, The Vampire Diaries, MacGyver, Ozark, Dynasty, and The Resident , among others. She eventually scored big when she landed the role of Bella Tru, a fashion designer, on the OWN network’s Ambitions . A “dream job,” as Page calls it, the character of Bella was a perfect fit. Like Page, Bella was Mexican/ American, did not know her biological father, grew up poor, and longed to make a good life for herself and her family regardless of where she came from. “Bella was willing to put in the work no matter what it took, and wouldn’t take no for an answer,” Page says. “That is me. I love how fabulous she is, how ruthless she is, the ambition that she has.”
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