LAURA JOHNSON
A&E Assistant
Bruce Willis and Sandra Bullock waited tables before they were famous while Brad Pitt sported a giant chicken suit to advertise for El Pollo Loco. Some are born into stardom, while others have to work at it. No strategy is right or wrong, yet, with a one in a million chance of becoming the next paparazzi-hounded celebrity, getting that one big break can prove a difficult task.
As junior Melissa Roy understands, making it big in the entertainment business means working hard and not giving up, even if you have to start at the bottom. For Roy, an aspiring actress, getting her foot in the proverbial doors of Hollywood means modeling as much as possible.
If Roy’s mantra for life, “Luck is when preparation meets opportunity,” is right, then she has been pretty lucky. She has worked as a promotional model for Common and a calendar model for True magazine’s 2007 calendar and appeared in a mini-movie entitled “Rhythm City Vol.1: Caught Up” for Usher. Roy has had many opportunities to build her resume while attempting to break into movies. Most recently she worked with Lionel and Nicole Richie in their upcoming music video, “I Call It Love.”
Growing up in the mid-western town of Greenwood, Ind., Roy said she always dreamed of bigger things than her small-town roots could offer. However, her mother was more than a little reluctant to let her daughter go off and be an actress.
“There were a lot of people who didn’t believe in me and laughed when I said what I wanted to do,” Roy said of her trials at home. “I was really determined, and I didn’t listen to anybody. I actually was approached by agents in malls when I was little. It’s frustrating because I wish I could have started younger.”
Although she is very serious about pursuing her dream, Roy is also in pursuit of something else: her bachelor’s degree. With a double major in psychology and Spanish, Roy is the definition of busy. Involved in a myriad of clubs, taking on 18 units this fall, plus pursuing an acting career on the side, Roy claims she loves the fast life.
On her Web site, the words “epitome of Exotic Indian Beauty” meet the viewer giving the world not only an idea of what she looks like but also of her background. Roy put her own Web site together so that potential photographers or agents can contact her. She does not have her own agent because having one means giving 2 percent of anything she makes to that agent. However, she does have many contacts and has been building her network since freshman year, when she moved to Malibu.
“I’m spontaneous and in acting you never know what to expect,” Roy said of the whole audition process. “As an actor you can’t like predictable situations. When you show up to something and there are 300 girls in line for that one part, you just have to learn to grow tough skin.”
Roy said she likes to hope for the best but expects the worst, so that auditions do not take a toll on her emotional well-being.
Although she was in Buenos Aires, Argentina, during the past school year, Roy has been able to stay connected to the entertainment industry through organizations such as the Entertainment Business Network (EBN). Responsible for various film festivals, “Pepperdine Idol” and a complex networking system, EBN helps give star quality students a chance in the industry.
EBN President Stefin Jackson, who joined the club to further his music career, said Roy is not only a major candidate for club president this year, but that she is also a major candidate for Hollywood as well.
“I’ve seen the work that she’s done, and I commend her for it all,” Jackson said. “She sometimes even works for free just to meet people for networking and such. She’s smart about it.”
Yonie (who does not use his last name) has worked with Roy through music video casting director Fred Johnson — who Roy actually interned with — as well as on television shows such as Nickelodeon’s “Zoey 101.” He said he is impressed with her abilities and everything that she has achieved.
“I admire Melissa’s ambition,” Yonie said. “I’ve been through some of the same things she’s been through, like living in L.A. alone. I recognize that persistence and drive in her heart. With acting, it’s not one thing in one day or one month, it’s all about endurance and stamina.”
Once Roy graduates she plans to take three to four years off simply to take her shot at the big time. Now that she lives in Los Angeles, she said people are finally starting to take her seriously. But for now her academic studies are top priority.
“I’m glad I made the decision to come to college.” Roy said. “I wanted to be smart about it and not be one of those struggling actors.”
9-7-2006
