The work behind the work.
The scene you see on screen is such a small part of the process.
Every role I've played asked for its own preparation. Its own ritual. Its own way of stepping in and stepping out. Here are some of those clips, and what helped me flow through them.
The hardest part of being an actor isn't the work. It's everything that happens around it. And inside it.
4-time Canadian Screen Award nominee · Dora Mavor Moore Award nominee · 25+ years on camera and on stage
Beyond Black Beauty
For this role, I didn't just prepare. I aligned. I worked with my angel cards, my crystals, and sat in stillness because this character was deeply connected to the earth, to legacy, to something bigger than herself.
I wanted to meet her there. So I moved slower, listened deeper, and let her energy settle into me instead of forcing my way into hers.
Streaming on Amazon Prime in the U.S. and UK.
Listen to the stillness meditation I usedDesignated Survivor
It took all of God's glue to keep me together before filming this scene. Anthony Edwards and Kiefer Sutherland. Two actors I've admired forever.
And here I was, not just standing next to them, but matching them. Equal power in a high-stakes scene. Terrifying and thrilling all at once. Before I stepped on set, I had to ground myself.
Season 3, Episode 9, “Undecided.”
Try the meditation that grounded meSupernatural
I auditioned for Supernatural for ten years before I got cast. When I did, it was for a role I didn't even audition for. Life is funny like that.
Billie knew they were Death, but they were also new to it. When you inherit that kind of power, it doesn't download instantly. So I played them in a constant state of processing, adapting, becoming. The old Death was settled and ancient. Billie was learning in real time, and that shaped every choice I made.
Joined in Season 11 and appeared in 15 episodes through the end of the series.
19-2
Accents can feel like a mask, but they should feel like home. Jamaican Patois was my native tongue. I grew up with it and carry it in my bones.
Whether a dialect is yours or new to you, the key is placement. The voice still sits in you the same way.
Season 2, Episodes 2, 4 and 9. Season 3, Episode 1.
The Sisterhood
This character was rooted in faith, in calling, in the belief that nothing is ever wasted.
From the outside she looked like the villain. From the inside she was the most obedient person in the room. That's how I played her.
Listen to the God Has a Plan for It All reflectionBad Blood
For this role, I lived in the body of a wolf. Always watching, always calculating, never fully belonging. I didn't have a pack, so I moved like I was born to survive on my own.
That was my way in. Every scene, every choice came from that instinct. That's the kind of work I love, when a character isn't just built but felt.
All of Season 2.
Workin' Moms
Comedy is a rhythm, and sometimes you have to set the tone before you walk on set. For Workin' Moms, I wanted to be light, open and playful.
So I made it easy for myself. Every morning I put on music, had a dance party in my trailer, and let that energy carry me into the work. No overthinking. Just fun.
Season 4, Episodes 1, 2, 4 and 8. Season 5, Episode 1.
We Three Kings
Singing with BeBe Winans was a dream, and also my biggest fear. I had to set aside my insecurities and step into the version of me who knew she belonged there.
Not afraid. Not doubting. Not thinking. Just being. Meditation helped me move through the nerves and trust that my body, my voice and my presence already knew what to do.
Shadowhunters
The further we get from reality, the closer we often come to understanding ourselves. While filming Shadowhunters, I was performing at the Shaw Festival and flying to Vancouver to shoot Supernatural.
It was a lot. What kept me grounded wasn't grit. It was gentleness. Small moments of care helped me stay present and soak it all in.
Season 2, Episodes 6, 7, 16 and 17. Season 3, Episode 5.
Listen to this gentle moment of reflection25 years in this industry without losing myself.
Every ritual and every tool on this page is part of how I've stayed. The Ready Actor Challenge is where I teach it. 31 days. One audio. One question. One small shift.
What happens when casting gives you an adjustment?
Take the 10-question Audition Adjustment Test. Less than five minutes, and you'll know exactly where you're starting and what to do next.