We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Shelli Boone. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Shelli below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Shelli with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
I definitely get my work ethic from my mother. She was a teacher before she joined the military, and she worked service jobs during and after college before that. She holds two masters degrees in mathematics. She retired as a Commander in the Navy – waking up every day before it was even light outside, working all day in a leadership role that demanded a lot mentally and emotionally, and still coming home to cook dinner, check our homework and ask us about our day. And I don’t remember ever hearing her complain about it. She has been retired now for quite some time and she still works a few days a week as a caregiver for a young child. I think it’s amazing, and it gives purpose.
My mom taught me early on that I wasn’t going to just be given everything, and if I wanted certain stuff then I was going to have to work for it. So, I got my first job as a telemarketer at age 13 in order to be able to buy a pair of Doc Martins…and I have worked ever since. I strongly believe that if you want something, whether it be material or intangible, you have to roll your sleeves up and get to work. And I’ve never been afraid of that. I’ve worked in retail, at a gas station, sold knives door to door, delivered newspapers, washed hair, bartended, temped at a bank, typed as a secretary, did finance, production assisted – you name it! And to this day, I say that I am never above anything that is going to help me and my family get to where we need to be. Put your pride aside and work honey! Not to mention all the wonderful people you meet and ‘characters’ you get to learn from along the way.
Plus, I think it’s more vital than ever as an artist to cultivate a certain work ethic for yourself. It doesn’t have to be ‘a grind’ or a ‘hustle’ so to speak, but you do have to be motivated. Because again – nobody is giving hand outs – especially now. You have to be focused and driven enough to create your own work when things have dried up. And when opportunities do come your way, you have to know how to lock in, not get distracted, hunker down and do the work so that when you get on that stage, or get to set, you can do your best. Sometimes I think people think that quality acting is easy, they’ll just memorize a few lines. But it’s so much personal and lonely work that actors do behind the scenes to create these characters that you come to love.
And you have to do more than just the artist work, right? Then, there’s the business work. The marketing, the bookkeeping, the writing, the graphic design, the networking (and by networking I mean keeping in touch with people, supporting their causes and their work, fostering community). It’s all part of the job. I have learned that over the years. So being able to compartmentalize and put on different hats throughout the day has helped. It can get overwhelming sometimes, but it’s all part of it that you learn to love. And a strong work ethic is definitely needed to handle it all. So thank you Mommy!
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
At the moment, I am super excited about the hit show I’m recurring on – “All The Queen’s Men” on BET+! I play “Toni”, who is the estranged sister of the main diva in charge “Madam” played by the wonderful and gorgeous Eva Marcille. I have been routing for her since way back on ‘America’s Next Top Model’. We have such a great time on that set and I am in awe of what Tyler Perry has done in Atlanta. Tyler Perry Studios is a testament to hard work, tenacity and the power of perseverance. It is such a joy to be able to work on a show there and see all of those black and brown faces doing all the jobs! Kudos to the whole team there and shout out to the creator, Christian Keyes, and my director Armani Ortiz who is another master at his craft and Chrystale Wilson who plays my other sister “Carla” who I just love and Skyh Black who plays my son “Amp”! I have filmed two seasons with them so far and everyone has made me feel so welcome. It’s always nerve wracking when you go into a show with a cast that is already established but they made me feel like family. And I’m grateful to have the writers and producers include my character in on all the juiciness that goes on in the show. I can’t reveal too much as far as the plot, but it takes you on a wild ride!
I was so blessed to be able to land this role after my stint on “All American:Homecoming” ended. I hated that show got cancelled, it was so good. I was fortunate enough to have the illustrious show runner and creator Nkechi Carroll bring my character ‘Tina Hicks’ back to “All American” after my first episode and they kept me on for four seasons. I loved working with that whole team too, especially Geffri Maya, who was the lead of the show and played my daughter. She’s so talented and genuine. I guess that’s what you start to value too as you go along in show business – not just the work and being able to play the role, but the family away from home that you get to commune with everyday. Those people make it special, and that’s what makes the show special – that unique collaboration. I don’t think I always valued that when I started out years ago, but I definitely do now.
When I’m not filming, I am fully invested in my work at The Willie Agee Playhouse in Inglewood. I have served as Artistic Director there since 2016. It used to be called the Inglewood Playhouse but was renamed “The Willie Agee Playhouse”, in honor of the longtime Inglewood resident and Korean War veteran, for his community service and leadership as Chair of the Inglewood Parks and Recreation Commission. Mr. Agee passed in 2020, but I do my best to carry on his legacy. I am a longtime Inglewood resident and I think it’s important to foster the arts in your own community. We are located inside Edward Vincent, Jr. Park – our little gem of a theatre – just 55 seats but we are small and mighty. We feature professional, emerging, and amateur productions which I think is vital. We aren’t keeping artists out but welcoming them in to try their hand at whatever they feel passionate about. Never directed before? Try it out here! Never wrote a play? Put it up here! Then conversely, we have some real heavy hitters come through as well – Domonique Morriseau hosted an event for us and Josefina Lopez came through to speak to our actors and audience when we did a production of “Real Women Have Curves”. I truly feel proud that folks from all walks come to our tiny corner of the world to nourish their creativity. My mother and grandmother instilled a love of theater in me at an early age – they took me to Broadway and London’s West End and I think that’s where my love of performing grew.
Last year, I wrote and produced my second one woman show – “W.I.G.”, directed by Keena Ferguson. I really pushed myself with this one because I wrote and performed five original songs with my brother Dejay and producer Womatic Tracks. I am rapping and singing in this show, and I appear as ten different characters, both comedic and dramatic. The show revolves around my ever changing hair and some of the reasons why I change it so much. I am a self proclaimed ‘chameleon’ because my look is always different. Audiences really loved the show and it resonated with so many different walks of life on different levels. I’m excited to take it on the road, so I am developing a 2026 tour now with schools and regional theaters across the country. www.wigshow.online or @w.i.g.show on IG
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I think a willingness to learn is something that has definitely aided me along my journey. You can never stop being a student because there is always more to absorb. I still take classes and workshops to add to my acting toolbox, even though I am a teacher myself. I read, attend seminars and panels, watch documentaries – anywhere you can improve your craft and your business can be a source of information. And don’t be afraid to ask questions. It doesn’t make you look stupid, it actually makes you smart. I especially have had to learn that with technical aspects in the theatre, as I wasn’t versed in lighting and sound equipment. It was a lot of trial and error, a lot of frustration. and eventually I found my way. I plan to do this same as far as directing – learn…and then learn some more. And remember that YouTube University doesn’t know everything. Neither does AI. Learn from your family, your friends, your peers and those on a higher level than you. Knowledge is power.
I think a willingness to fail has also helped me stay in the entertainment business for so long. It takes a certain amount of fearlessness to be an artist and put yourself out there for the world to critique. It is scary to get up on stage, or in front of the camera and have people judge you. Sometimes you may be brilliant, other times not so much, especially in the beginning or if you’re trying your hand at something new. But staying humble and being able to laugh at yourself or shake it off when you stumble is what makes you human. Nobody is perfect. You can always say “hey, at least I’m out here passionate about something and going after it”, no matter the outcome.
Perseverance has to be the single most impactful quality that I have developed in this career and in life in general. Folks are not lying about the amount of rejection you experience being an actor. You hear ‘no’ on a daily basis. Sometimes you don’t hear anything! It’s literally a lifetime of mostly ‘no’ and a handful of ‘yes’. But when you do get that ‘yes’, it’s so amazing and life changing! But the constant rejection can be hard, especially when you want a particular part so badly. I have to admit there have been a couple of times when I lost out on a big role and it took me days to recover, to even get out of bed. It can be depressing because you are working so hard, putting yourself out there, getting your hopes up – just to get knocked back down. But over time, you come to accept that it’s just part of being an artist. You begin to feel at peace with that part of the business and you don’t let it affect you as much anymore. You know that eventually, you will hear another ‘yes’. So you keep going, even when it’s difficult or you feel like you might have reached the end of your rope. You rest, you hibernate, you rejuvenate, and then you rally again. You never give up. And that’s the name of the game. You have to literally be IN it, to win it. So don’t quit.
If you knew you only had a decade of life left, how would you spend that decade?
I thought this was such a delightful question! And at this stage in my life I am answering it completely differently than I would if it was ten years ago. I think back then, I might have said something career oriented – like make a movie or write a memoir, still trying to leave some type of legacy in entertainment. But with everything that has happened since that time – Covid, politics, changes in the industry – my thoughts on what is most important in life have changed.
If I only had a decade left to live – I would travel! My wife and I already travel at least once a year abroad, but we would do more! I would try to visit every continent and see every place that I’ve ever wanted to see. God has created so much beauty and there are so many natural wonders to be experienced. I would eat good food, and drink good wine and margaritas. I would frolic on the beach, and have meaningful conversations with strangers. I wouldn’t care about working so much. I would call or write to anybody that has touched my life to tell them how much they meant to me. And I would quit worrying about the future…
Well, I guess some of those things are things I can do now. Especially the worrying part. Thanks for that. See? You can learn something new every day. I guess what I’m saying is leaving a legacy isn’t necessarily winning awards or earning accolades. It’s how you treat people. And what feeling you leave them with after you leave their presence. It’s the time spent with the ones you love. It’s enjoying all of the wonderful things that you can while you’re here. Having a good time and living life to the fullest.
And then maybe I’d write a memoir (wink).
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.shelliboone.com
- Instagram: @shelliboone
- Other: www.willieageeplayhouse.com
www.wigshow.online
Image Credits
James DePietro (for headshots only)
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