Meet Bitota Mpolo

We recently connected with Bitota Mpolo and have shared our conversation below.

Bitota, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?

My key to keeping my creativity alive is simply just staying creative and not forcing myself into a specific lane. I think so often people’s creativity dies from burnout because whether you’re an actor or a writer or if all you do is that singular craft, it’s inevitable that you’ll hit a block. A few years back, I was often so conflicted because I had so many creative interests, and that quote ‘A jack of all trades is a master of none’ used to cycle through my brain. However, now, having multiple creative talents has been my Godsend in keeping my creativity flowing.

When acting is becoming all-consuming, I can turn to something else. Screenwriting and directing have been my other two primary crafts; however, outside of those, I make sure that I do other things simply for fun, or as an outlet. I’ve done everything from songwriting to painting, to poetry writing. And those things are just for me, no ulterior motive or hope that it’ll go on to be something more than a creative outlet… for now.

I think that’s really the key. As someone in the creative profession, a lot of times when we create there’s this external pressure for it to be good enough to go on to be something more and it’s important to have those things that are just something creative for you to do. It doesn’t have to only be activities that you are physically taking part in; it could be consuming art that keeps your creativity alive.

There was a period of time that I hadn’t gone to the movie theater for probably almost 2 years (which was a big deal for me because once upon a time I used to go to the movies almost three times a week alone). That time period also coincided with a major writer’s block that I experienced. I just didn’t have the inspiration to finish new writing that I would start, or have the energy to look back at past scripts that I wrote. I felt an overall exhaustion from the writing process. Then, this past spring, I saw Sinners in theaters. I kid you not, I walked out of that theater, more inspired and invigorated to create than I had been for months. Maybe even years. The same goes for consuming art at museums or galleries and going to the theater and seeing new work. Good art begets good art. That’s how you keep the creativity alive.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I am inspired by many of the black women that came before me. My first role model was probably Oprah. Seeing a woman who looks like me thriving on that scale was insane to me as a child. I constantly find ways to give Oprah her flowers in my life, because I don’t think the entertainment industry would’ve been a possibility for me if it weren’t for her.

I am an actor who builds worlds with her mind and body, fully and completely. I’m excited to delve into this next part of my acting career post-training in London because it has been quite the journey. I went back and forth on whether to seek education in this craft for a long time. Although I know a lot of people say that you don’t need to go to school for acting, and I believe there is some truth to that. I also believe that education is power, and to be a highly educated woman in the craft is nothing but an asset.

I’ve been told so often in my career, even before my training, that I am a very intellectual actor, which has always kind of baffled me. However, recently, I asked a casting director to break down what she meant by that, and I was incredibly humbled to hear what she meant. In the past, I would take that note almost as a criticism that I was over-intellectualizing my sides for the character or simply too in my head. But when that casting director broke down what she meant by it, I was genuinely flattered. She explained that she could see the work in the training and the skill that I had for my craft. Hearing things like that helps me stay assured that I am walking within my purpose, and I am as talented and capable as anyone else to find success within this industry.

Thankfully, it’s just one of my many gifts that I am actively working on. Writing and directing come and go as inspiration strikes, but I am excited to see what the future holds for me in this career.

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?

Persistence, discipline, and discernment are the three most important principles that I have learned to hold onto over the past few years. This isn’t just specific to a career in acting, but just for adulting in general; these are vital skill sets and overall qualities that I’ve held close.

For acting, of course, persistence is key. This is a lifelong career, and if you don’t keep at it, you won’t start seeing results. However, this is true in general. I think when you’re younger, you expect to see results as fast as lightning, but persistence and dedication to your craft are the only ways you’ll start to see a progression in your career. It’s also important to know that just because you aren’t currently booking doesn’t mean this isn’t your path. A lot of times, not booking the role comes down to many other qualities, not just your acting in and of itself, whether it be if they’re looking for a certain dynamic on screen, or simply your height, or your specific look. It’s important to stay persistent, regardless of the current outward validation that you are receiving.

For discipline, this comes with the territory of being persistent, but it goes beyond that. With a career where you’re essentially a freelance worker (unless you’ve booked a long-running television series), you have to create your own schedule on a day-to-day basis, specifically when you’re not on the job. And that comes with being very strict with yourself about auditioning. It comes with being strict with yourself to be the best you that you can be, because if you’re your best you, you’re the best actor, director, creative you can be. This means eating healthy, keeping your body in good physical shape, getting out of bed and working on something related to your craft every single day, whether or not you’re on the job, and being constantly in pursuit of greatness. Because you never know when you’re going to book that superhero movie or that thriller that requires you to be sprinting on set every day. And regardless of the job that you book, being in your best physical and mental health means that you’re living your best life, so it’s important to keep those principles intact as a way of living.

Discernment. This is a tricky one because discernment can’t really be learned. It’s a part of you. But you have to listen to that little voice in your head that’s telling you right from wrong. And you have to trust that if you turn down an opportunity that doesn’t feel right, a better opportunity will come. It’s really hard in this industry to say no to opportunities because you never know when the next job will come, but you just have to have faith that the right opportunity will feel right in all the ways. It is so important to stay safe in this industry. Luckily, SAG-AFTRA has a lot of protections in place to ensure actors and all creatives are safe in the workplace. But it’s also up to you as an individual to know what you’re comfortable with and determine what is personally right for you.

I have definitely said no to a couple of opportunities that didn’t feel right, and luckily, I haven’t felt any regret in those decisions because my intuition knows best. Even if someone else goes on to take that opportunity and it goes well for them, I will never know if it was going to pan out the same way for me, and that’s okay. After all that, If Leonardo DiCaprio did Boogie Nights, we might’ve never seen his depiction of Jack in the Titanic. And if Matt Damon said yes to being our Jake Sully in Avatar, we may have never gotten the masterpiece that is the Bourne series. Everything happens for a reason, and you have to learn to trust that.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

Yes, a thousand times yes. I’m always looking for people to collaborate with. Specifically, in my screenwriting, I have quite literally so many scripts so many specs, that I’ve written that are just looking to find a home with a production house or producing partner. Although I have had much fun and enjoyment in producing my own works, I’m at a place in my career where I’d rather my writing find a home apart from myself, and I am consistently looking for a creative team to bring those works to life.

In terms of my acting, I never stop looking for new opportunities. Television is definitely a love of mine. The opportunity to bring a character to life and stay with that character over a long period of time definitely excites me. So if you have those opportunities, definitely reach out to my team. While I’m here, I might as well say that I also envision a world that grants me the opportunity to bring a superhero role to life. I love the physicality of those roles, and the multiplicities that actors who take on those roles have to take on because you’re playing a character who literally has a fate of the world in their hands, but they’re also just a girl or just a boy or just a person existing in the world that has to figure out a way to cope. I am just waiting for the day that I receive an audition for a project in that realm because it is definitely a dream project of mine. I know it will one day come, and trust I am ready for it.

Image Credits

Performance still by Andrew H. Williams