We were lucky to catch up with Gwendolyn Osborne recently and have shared our conversation below.
Gwendolyn , thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?
After years of being in the modeling industry and sitting in casting rooms with SO MANY models that look like different versions of me, it’s actually refreshing at this point in life to be in rooms where I am the only one who looks like me! I come from a lineage of aspirational black women so I have had positive and brilliant representations all around me since birth. I do believe that coming from this modeling background where I had to believe I would stand out to get the job, led me to being more confident in my uniqueness in rooms where I am the only one who looks like me. I know what I’m bringing to the table – or I could say, I’m totally bringing a new valuable table to the room!
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’m an actor, singer, wellness entrepreneur, and public speaker at my core, and beyond that? I love life, I love opportunities to immerse myself in art and connect with passionate humans.
This year has been incredibly productive, and I’ve been so humbled and grateful to work with the talented and hardworking people on productions right up until the strike, and it has been truly lovely to be able to reflect on that work during recent releases in the Burbank Film Festival for the short film “Priority Boarding” and the New York Indie Shorts Awards for the short film “Steel Libido”. Being able to experience the finished product of so much hard work with my team while surrounded by first-time viewers is always such a magical thing to me.
My primary focus looking ahead, which I’m genuinely excited about, is shifting into exploring the complexity of human emotion & cognition through the roles I’m seeking out, the audiences that I connect with through my speaking engagements, and my wellness brand as a whole. I know and love that life truly can and does imitate art, and connecting my brand to this idea of what art is, connecting this art to people through my platforms, performances and experiences… It’s just something that is greatly aspirational and this method of living continues to fuel me within my purpose.
I am looking forward to continuing to grow as an entrepreneur and specifically expanding my wellness brand. I’ve actually been grateful for the time I’ve been able to focus my role as Director of Wellness with a local nonprofit SHE IS HOPE LA to support single moms and their families. One of the main priorities I have for my wellness brand and myself is encouraging women to get back to themselves in the face of anything life may present, and that comes into consideration as well with the professional experiences that I welcome into my life.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Humility and honesty have been so huge for me. Letting go of ego, being honest with oneself about what actually is? This perspective has completely changed how I approach life, and people, taking care of what is needed, while still continuing to have goals for the life that I want and embracing myself in my reality… It’s finding that balance between what is and what can be.
I’m actually going to combine three things here: versatility, innovation, and intent. I’ve honed this combination of qualities from the beginning out of necessity and now, appreciation. I do think they go hand in hand. I recognize that our individuality as humans is innovation in its purest form. Maximizing our potential by becoming as versatile as possible, regularly recognizing what we can accomplish, operating beyond just survival… It begins with a true belief in yourself – who you are and what makes you different from the person sitting next to you and the intention to carry yourself forward into everything that you can be. This innovation of self is a lifelong experience and I aim to fully enjoy my own, empowering others to do the same, while finding those moments to have a great laugh!
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
Yes! I love to take some time to reflect towards the end of each year and connect with new brands, people, and opportunities that feel genuine to me and that intention I have heading into each new year. Coming into the end of this year, I have a specific focus on collaborations with brands that highlight and celebrate representation, wellness, and women! I believe genuine expression is so important, and I would love to work with people and represent brands that are as passionate about those three things as I am! If anyone is reading this and wants to collaborate, they can reach out to me via email at [email protected], or reach out to me on Instagram @itsgwendolyn.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://gwendolynosborne.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsgwendolyn/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gwendolyn.osbornesmith
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gwenosborne/
- Other: https://linktr.ee/[email protected] https://www.tiktok.com/@gwendolynosborne https://www.cameo.com/gwendolynosbornesmith
Image Credits
Cameron Radice, Cameron Radice, Darion Ko, Darion Ko, Yves Bright, Steel Libido Production, Yara Shahidi (Grown-ish Production), Wonder Woman Initiative
