Interview: Reyna Love of Secret Society

reyna love

Star of the new Amazon movie Secret Society, actress Reyna Love brings far more than her breathtaking beauty to the screen. Completely immersed in her role, she doesn’t just act, she makes you believe.

What was the role that blossomed your love for acting?
My mother had me on Sesame Street when I was younger, and I just fell in love with it. Being friends with Big Bird and Elmo as a kid was the climax of my life right there. Acting brought me the feeling of being on top of the world. Then once I got into high school I ventured off to the drama. As a teenager, there were battles I was fighting through and I used drama as my outlet. Opening up my Pandora’s Box of emotions allowed me to deliver all of these roles and characters by connecting to their stories. Ultimately, my younger years played a big role in my love for acting.

How was your younger self introduced to acting as a possible career?
My mom was never that parent to box me in when it came to my interests. She had me in every extra-curricular program you could think of, which was such a huge blessing. Being highly involved in the community, she found access to a variety of careers with standing right beside her soaking up as much knowledge as possible. I’m so appreciative of how supportive my mom has always been.

Are there other actresses and/or actors whose careers inspire yours?
I love me some Taraji P Henson, Zendaya, and of course Halle Berry! But honestly, there’s not one sole person I would say inspires me. All of my Black queens, everyone that supports the community, everyone making their dreams a reality, I’d love to collaborate with them. I’m a strong believer in manifestation, and I best believe I’ll definitely make it happen.

With Secret Society, what story are you selling to your audience?
Based on her novel, Secret Society was written, directed, and produced by Philadelphia’s own Miasha Coleman. I play Celeste, who yearns for love and is tired of using men for money. She’s at a point in her life where she wants to find her soulmate and be accepted for who she truly. The only thing stopping her is the secret shared between her and her sister, Tina, played by Erica Pinkett. It’s a jaw-dropping, sitting on the edge of your seat kind of movie that viewers definitely will enjoy when they catch it on Amazon Prime!

How did you and Erica Pinkett prepare to convince viewers, you were true sisters on screen?
Erica and I met at the table along with the rest of the cast. As we did our read-through of the script, the energy between us was amazing from the gate. Also, as we were filming, they had us stay in the same condo complex to strengthen that relationship. Through preparing for the film, we learned from each other and found so many similarities in who we are. From that, we were able to grow our bond in our personal lives that would transpire on screen as well. Together, Erica and I were able to create magic and I wouldn’t have done it with anyone else.

Was this your first time acting on screen after your Sesame Street debut?
Well as I continued chasing after my dreams, modeling sucked me into their realm. So, modeling became my main focus for a while, but I’ve also been featured on Magic City, a series on Starz and HBO. But as you know, having a large following on social media, “Can make you famous overnight, or so they say. As my following began to grow, I used my platform to showcase my acting skills through skits here and there. There was particularly one skit I did that attracted the writer, Miasha Coleman’s eye towards me. She saw my talents went beyond acting and here we are today with his bomb movie!

Experiencing both worlds, what are the biggest differences between modeling and acting for you?
I wear many hats in my life, similar to my mom, and modeling and acting have always been my babies. In modeling, there’s a lot of just standing around until show time or posing in heels for six to eight hours a day. Versus me having to be present 24/7 while acting and being on set. Trying to learn different personalities and relationships while delivering a message with emotions, kept me on my toes in a different way modeling had. Acting isn’t as easy as I thought it would be, and for that, I take my hat off and acknowledge all of the actors and actresses in the industry because it isn’t as easy as it looks. It was challenging, but I attacked it head-on and my excitement stayed with me along with every lesson learned.

Being from Miami, how has the culture played a role in who you are today?
For me, Miami is home. I’ve always loved my sunshine and sometimes you have to take the good with the bad. Growing up in Miami, I’ve always wanted to, “Get out of the hood.” I always wanted to be greater than I could ever imagine. I knew I was talented, and I just wanted to prove to the world that I was more than a model with a pretty face. So, I was blessed enough to you know, be able to take this road head on especially being from Miami.

With your career advancing, why choose to stay in Miami instead of the common locations of L.A., Atlanta, or New York?
Truly, it’s because my family is here. I’m open to moving to L.A., that’s going to be my next step. But Miami is my baby. I’ll have to have to get a place in L.A., a place in New York, and a place in Miami. Remember, manifestation is everything like I said before, so stay tuned. I will be out in L.A. soon. But for now, Miami is home.

What advice would you share with other creatives striving to make it in the industry?
I would say never give up on your dreams. I know you hear that too many times to count, but it’s really the truth. I have a manifestation board downstairs now, that I look at every day, and I see those things happening before my eyes. Not only that, but of course I put God first. Also, don’t be scared to network. Open your mouth, be yourself, and forget the haters. Don’t forget to love on yourself. Don’t be harsh, don’t be your biggest critic. Push yourself. Always love yourself first and love you like no other. Nobody’s going to see what you can’t see in the mirror and nobody’s going to love you if you can’t love yourself.

With a hit movie streaming on Amazon Prime, what more is in store for Reyna Love?
I see an abundance of great things in my future. In the next few years, I’ll be involved in more feature films in theaters along with series. If you don’t see great things for yourself, who will? That’s why you should always be your number one fan! If you can’t see yourself on top, why would you even put that on somebody else? You have to vision your success and then everybody else will fall in line as well. Nothing in life is going to always be handed to you, so I’m just putting my 50% in and letting God handle the rest.

Tiara Cooper