With over 140 acting credits, Carlease Burke has proven her extraordinary acting skills and versatility time and time again. On heels of her role in the Child’s Play and several successful television shows, she is among the most respected in the game.
You received your bachelors in pre-law before moving to Los Angeles in pursuit of an acting career. Share with us the moment you decided to risk it all.
I wanted to go to college to get a B.A. in drama major since acting is what I’ve wanted to do for my entire life. My mother had other plans, she wanted me to be a teacher because that was her dream deferred. She made it very clear that she was not going to pay my college tuition for me to “learn how to sing and dance.” I didn’t want to be a teacher but did have some interest in law, so I majored in that just to appease her. I did sneak in a creative course every semester. When it came time for me to graduate, the tables turned. I was not going to waste my parent’s money on an education for a profession I had no passion for. I needed to see if I had what it took to make it in show business. It didn’t feel like I was risking anything to follow my dreams. I was more concerned with the regret I might feel for not following them.
Having played a wide-range of characters, what do you look for when choosing a role?
A good script, with a role that I can sink my teeth into. I enjoy doing the research for characters that are not like me and I like the challenge of losing myself in my work. It’s a huge compliment when people tell me, “you’re not like that character at all”! I look for the integrity in the person I am portraying and like to feel that they have made a transformation of some kind. And most of all, I like to play characters that are memorable!
Has there ever been roles you turned down on principle?
Absolutely. A film director once cast me in one of his little shorts and wanted me/my character to perform an extremely disgusting sexual act with another character. I was not comfortable with it at all and I liked the director (at the time) so I asked if there was another way he could tell this part of his story. He adamantly said no, so I adamantly said Hell No! Talk about integrity…not to mention that I would have had to live with that choice for the rest of my life. Who knows where that footage may have shown up.
One of the most incredible things about acting is that to be good, you have to at least appear fully immersed in character. Has any role you played imprinted on your everyday persona?
Right after college in New York City, I started performing in plays. I was in my 20’s and hadn’t learned how to separate the real me from the characters I played. I may not have even known who the real me was yet! On two separate occasions I fell in love with my leading men which then lead to a complete disaster off stage. I now know how to take the time to disassociate from the character in real life. That can be difficult but over time you can learn how to quickly get back to reality. There’s nothing wrong with bringing yourself to your character, you just need to know not to bring that character home with you. Your friends and loved ones may not want to deal with all that!
What was about the character Alice Moore of NBC’s Crowded that appealed to you?
First of all, the production team consisted of people I had been wanting to work with for a long time. I had also dreamed of being a series regular on a sitcom. And then to book the role of a sassy wife, stepmother and grandmother by marriage was an offer I couldn’t refuse! It was well written with a Hollywood A-list team in every department. Too bad it wasn’t picked up for more seasons. I was just hitting my stride!
You have over 140 acting credits, that’s quite an outstanding accomplishment. How would you describe the keys to your success?
The keys to my success are knowing that I have the talent, the ambition and the tenacity to go the distance. I don’t let anyone stand in the way of my goals anymore. I work hard and treat all people with respect. I take my work very seriously, yet I’d like to think I’m fun to be around. I’m grateful and take nothing for granted.
Tell us the most important lesson you have learned throughout your career.
One that I continue to work on every day…to focus on me and what I bring to the table. I try not to compare myself to anyone else and I’m not in competition with anyone but me. Whatever goals I accomplish, the next time I aim higher. To have a successful acting career you have to be in it for the long haul. Nothing happens overnight despite what it may look like. This is more than a career, it’s a lifestyle.
You also play Doreen in the remake of Child’s Play currently in theaters. What can our readers expect?
If you haven’t seen the movie yet, please do. I think you will like Doreen as much as I enjoyed portraying her. I did get to incorporate a lot of the “real me” in this role. Doreen has one of the best and most memorable lines in the film. Hit me up on social media @CarleaseBurke when you know what it is and I will definitely give you a shout out!
Do you have any advice you would like to offer aspiring actors?
Hone your craft and open yourself up to a lifetime of learning everything you can about the business on and off stage. Take care of yourself. This work requires stamina and concentration. Never give up. Be a star where you are.
