Meet Sheree J Wilson

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sheree J Wilson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sheree J below.

Sheree J, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?

I got my work ethic from my parents and my grandparents. Both my mother and my father grew up on farms. My dad’s was a dairy farm in Iowa and my mother’s was a beef cattle Farm in Minnesota. My entire childhood I spent so much time riding on the tractor with my grandfather, when they were bailing hay, feeding all the animals. I was very good at milking the cows and giving bottles to the baby goats and sheep. There was always something to be done from set up to sundown. I just assumed that everybody worked as hard as my parents did and my grandparents. I love to be in action and always doing something working on some project. It really did prepare me for the 12 hour days on sets and memorizing 10 pages of dialogue every night before tomorrow’s call time. I once asked my dad if I could get an allowance because I was cutting the grass, doing the dishes, helping my mom with laundry, tending the garden, mopping out the stalls in the barn where we kept our horses… my dad just looked at me with total confusion and then started to laugh! He said let me get this straight, you would like me to pay you to be a member of this family is that what I’m hearing? I said never mind! HA!

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?

I think the most important aspect of this chapter of my life is my philanthropy. I’m on the board of the yellow rose gala foundation and it is one of the most important things in my heart. This is a local charity but a huge charity that raises funds for Progressive MS research. Vicki light who is my first and only agent was diagnosed with MS 42 years ago and I have been on every step of that journey with her. Yellow gala foundation was started by Jimmy and Dee win when he was diagnosed in the same year that Vicki was. I was on the series Dallas from 19 86 through 1991. I learned about their incredible organization because of my love for Vicki and they created this because they wanted 100% of every net dollar raised at their events to go to Progressive MS research. I have cheered a few events and I am on the board and we have created over a half $1 million of research money each year so far… and counting

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Looking back on three qualities or skills that I have used to create my successful career in film and television are one: dream big and just go for it! If you never try you will never succeed. I had a blissful naïve confidence that all my dreams would come true and if you don’t have some sort of confidence in your dreams and pursuing them then the absolutely will not come true. Number two is never Believe somebody’s review or rejection as anything personal. You could be too tall, too short, too blonde, not blonde enough, and it would have nothing to do with your talent sometimes. So create rhinoceros skin and Teflon skin and let every audition that didn’t get you a job just roll off of you because you’re probably gonna get the next one. The last and most important quality is to always stay humble and in gratitude. Gratitude is always everyone’s secret weapon into a happy life because when you stay in gratitude you are already having a happy life. Be grateful for the audition be grateful for the rejection be grateful when you get the job, and be grateful when you’ve done a fantastic job and shown up in the most elegant way.

What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?

The most impactful thing that my parents did for me was to always encourage me in any of my dreams and endeavors. They never said no that is ridiculous you can’t be a Broadway star or an actress you need to be a doctor and a lawyer because your grades are so good. If I wanted to be a cheerleader, run the track team, being an all-around gymnast, and being theater and drama all at the same time… they never said no to any of my passions or my challenges. They were very strict and very firm about my schoolwork and not letting anything interfere with my studies, but they didn’t squash my wild ambition and dreams. It was a gift to have my parents support me and I know a lot of people don’t have that same gift so I am completely grateful to my parents for being those of parents.

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Image Credits

Bob Manzano and Gregory Martin

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