Today, The Platinum Mask channel would like to introduce Dashantanaya Lee for a conversation.
Hey! Please explain to the audience what you’re promoting.
I’m here to discuss myself, my brand, and my acting.
What was the biggest obstacle in your journey and how did you overcome it?
I would say this year the biggest obstacle i’ve had to overcome was myself. With Covid-19, personal lives, the rise of social media/ social media influencers, and the already overwhelming desire to just “make it big” I found myself loosing sight of what was really important. I wanted to get to be big time more than I cared to be happy and stable. I had to take a step back and look at myself in the mirror and just be honest with myself. What’s helping me, whats hurting me, and what’s pointless. It’s not an easy task to do but if I can’t be honest with myself why would I expect anyone else to be. And if I don’t know what I truly need how will I be able to recognize the people that are for me versus the people that aren’t.
Is there anything you wished you would have known earlier in your journey?
I wish I would’ve known who to attach myself to. I’ll be very honest, as i’m sure many of you have heard before “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know”. That’s even more true in the entertainment industry. I can be as talented as I need to be, if i’m not surrounding myself with the right people, the right influences, then I won’t go anywhere. Especially in Dallas. This circle is VERY small, and if you’re not already in it, you’re going to have a tough time. That’s not to say you can’t do it however, don’t ever let anyone sway your dreams. Anything is possible if you’re willing to put in the hard work.
Do you have any favorite spots in the Dallas-Fort Worth area?
I absolutely love working at or with anyone affiliated with ‘The Dojo’. They are a group of profound creatives and just all around good spirited human beings. They’re all so versatile and kind. It’s truly a collective of creatives that want everyone around them to win and you couldn’t not create magic there.
Were there any major challenges due to the covid-19 pandemic? How did you overcome them?
As far as live Theatre was concerned it halted. That put a big strain on my career because live theatre was how I made the majority of my income. Since then I haven’t been able to book any large scale gigs whether it be on stage or behind the scenes. I’ve been blessed to work with Amanda Rockhold a few times on smaller theatre scaled events with her troop ‘ Human Spirit Theatre’ and i’ve had a blast . But i would be lying if I said I didn’t miss being on a big stage. There’s truly nothing like it.
What was your upbringing like and did you discover your passion early on?
My upbringing was fairly normal i’d say. I grew up in Lewisville with my brother and sister full time. We fought like all siblings do but we had a blast. My mom was strict but accepting. She allowed us the freedom to just live our lives the way we saw fit and would usually only step in if she saw us doing something idiotic. I knew I wanted to perform from the time I was 5 years of age. So that was a very easy decision for me. I don’t think I’ve ever honestly wanted to pursue anything else. Acting is my entire life. My first and truest love.
Do you have a mentor and can you remember any key advice they have given you?
I do not have a mentor , but I surely wish I did. If anyone out there sees this and wants to be that for me, come on over lol. I’d love to learn. However, I would say the closest thing I did have to a mentor was a man named Curshion Jones. We don’t speak often, and have only met in person a handful of times, but he is a phenomenal man and on more than one occasion has put me into positions to get work which is hard to find. He’s also plugged me with important producers and writers, who have been able to give me advice on the inner workings of big time Hollywood and what they expect. I’ll forever shout him out .
Were your friends and family supportive of your mission?
Always. Of course they wish I would do something more stable at times, but everyone in my circle loves me and supports everything I do/accomplish.
Any links you want to share for the viewers?
