Show Notes
'Actors are emotional athletes. Taking on all this emotion and processing it in a safe container is like an emotional shower for the soul.'
Actress and American Sign Language interpreter Sharon Pierre-Louis (Django Unchained, Switched at Birth) joins Claire to discuss her journey through the performing arts, from church plays in her Haitian-American upbringing to Hollywood sets and Deaf theater.
Sharon shares how a sixth-grade crush initially led her to the stage, how learning ASL to communicate with her brother opened new career pathways, and how she navigated systemic barriers as a Black actress in university and Los Angeles.
We explore the therapeutic power of acting as an emotional release, the challenges of balancing motherhood, self-tapes, and industry strikes, and what happened when Sharon realized her 'joy reservoir' was running on empty.
Sharon also introduces Pepli, a digital platform she created as a 'LinkedIn for creatives' to help artists collaborate, book work, and build genuine community without chasing social media algorithms.
Bridging Worlds with ASL: Discovering her deaf brother as a child, learning American Sign Language, and later combining her passions on camera in Switched at Birth and on stage with Deaf West Theater.
Breaking Casting Barriers: How Sharon proactively sought out auditions at FAMU (a historically Black university) while at Florida State to ensure she was never limited by industry stereotypes.
The 'Emotional Athlete' and The Joy Reservoir: Why acting acts as an emotional shower for processing complex feelings, and how stepping away during motherhood inspired Sharon to replenish her creative energy.
Pepli: A Digital Haven for Artists: The story behind Sharon's new app designed for performers, visual artists, and arts organizations to collaborate, find auditions, and share their artistic process without bottomless feeds or algorithm pressure.
Find Pepli in the App or Play Store, or find out more at pepliapp.com.
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Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout