Back in February, we were fortunate to connect and have a conversation with
Actor, and Award-Winning Filmmaker, Adetinpo Thomas. Hailing from Carson, California, Adetinpo received her undergraduate degree in Theatre from the University of Georgia and an M.A. in Acting from the University of Connecticut. Her projects Clean Slate, (2021) & The Earth Will Not Swallow Us (2021) have shown in festivals from San Diego to Barcelona. On screen she is best known for her work on Hawkeye (2021) & Black Lightning (2020). Most recently, she joined the cast of the musical film adaptation of The Color Purple (2023).
Atlanta Film and TV: We gave you a brief introduction, but could you share with us about who you are and what it is that you do in the Atlanta Film and TV community.
Adetinpo Thomas: “I work in the independent film community, and have made my own short films, and have joyfully acted in others’ as well. I have also started teaching Acting and Directing for the Camera at Georgia State University. Teaching on the collegiate level has been a great experience. Getting to shepard and cultivate a technique, and approach to the arts that is rooted in compassion for the next generation of artists is huge. It’s happening more now than it has in the past. It’s also from the perspective of a black woman teaching, when historically a lot of film and tv departments are led and populated by white men. The experience has been beneficial to the students, their words not mine, in so many ways because I am the one who’s in the room teaching.”
Atlanta Film and TV: Take us on your journey of how you started to where you are today.
Adetinpo Thomas: "It all started in elementary school, when I performed in a play. I also have to give a shoutout to my childhood best friend who was cute and at the time, was in all the commercials! She had friends in the industry who I got to meet, and I’ll never forget going to watch Spy Kids and sitting next to Daryl Sabara, a star of the film. It made it all feel tangible. What made this career feel a little out of reach was being Nigerian. My family’s expectation was for me to be either a doctor, an accountant or a lawyer. After my family moved to Georgia I decided to join the high school’s Drama Club. My first experience being on stage was when I performed in the musical Footloose, and the experience was electric! I enjoyed the building of community, singing, and dancing. I was convinced I was going to be on Broadway, in the ensemble of ‘Wicked,’ 'dancing through life!' But, then I realized what it was going to take for me to do that, and I decided I was going to do straight plays exclusively. After studying theater at the University of Georgia, I decided to go to Italy to work as an Au Pair, and while there a friend of mine got into Harvard University’s MFA program. I thought ‘that sounds cool!’ At the time, my Nigerian mother kept saying ‘you need to get a Masters in something!’ And, then I thought, ‘jokes on you, because you didn’t specify! I’m going to get an MFA in Acting!’
I auditioned for U.R.T.A. and got into the University of Connecticut and I am grateful for the training. There’s nothing that is equal to the conservatory-style training, when it comes to getting your mind, body, and voice working in tandem to create a character. Being able to study like that is a blessing and a privilege. Afterwards, I was talking with an industry friend, and decided I didn’t want to spend three years in the program, so I was ready to head back to Georgia. The department allowed me to leave with a degree, and then I moved back to Atlanta in December, 2015. By January 2016, I was fortunate to get an agent, and by March I booked a national commercial!
Since then I have been acting and creating. The creating comes from wanting to fill the vacuum of what’s being offered to me. Being dark-skinned and a woman, for people who are closed-minded, makes the spectrum of what I can be in very slim. And, of course, I am not one of the five black A-list celebrities that are allowed to exist at one time. At best I would be able to have one line, or a scene and act in a few Indie projects. Being in short films and indie projects has given me the confidence that I could actually lead something, or be a series regular. I can carry an entire story, and do it confidently, which has been a blessing because now going forward into bigger budgeted projects, I have that assurance. What has been lovely is that almost all of my auditions are self-taped. I don’t have the soul-grating experience of going into a room, and everybody looks just like me, feeling like a number. Doing auditions via-self tape means I don’t feel that intense competition. I don’t feel stressed or anxious around auditions now because I am able to film my auditions at home with my husband. Being able to walk onto set with confidence, knowing I have a community of support, and solid training has given me a little bit of a boost. I've been able to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time."
Atlanta Film and TV: You recently played Mary Ellen in the cast of the musical film adaptation of The Color Purple. Talk to us about that role and what was your favorite experience about being a part of the cast.
Adetinpo Thomas: “My favorite experience of being a part of the cast was being in the room watching titans standing with each other. There was a lot of support. On my last day working on set, I was in the trailer with Tamela Mann, Fantasia, Danielle Brooks, and Taraji P. Henson. There was sisterhood, encouragement, and marriage advice. Fantasia played one of Tamela’s songs and we all gently wept and praised. There is a lot of heart put in when you give traditionally marginalized groups opportunities. (It's almost as if opportunity is the only thing that keeps us from being successful.) Being able to be present for this project was an absolute blessing that I won’t ever forget!
I often audition for roles like detective, cop, or young professional, and being able to be in period pieces is always fun, because the amount of poise and grace that existed in the way women carried themselves in the past makes me think, ‘ooh! You saw that in me?’ "
Atlanta Film and TV: Besides playing Mary Ellen in the musical film adaptation of the Color Purple, you also played Jamilah Olsen in the hit TV series Black Lightning, as well as Wendy in Hawkeye, amongst many other characters. Can you share with us some ways you get into character?
Adetinpo Thomas: "One of my favorite ways to get into character is through music, and I think most people have a soundtrack that backs their lives. Using music gives a deep insight into a particular character, especially when it’s a period piece. What were the songs that were out back then, that I would’ve been listening to? Would it be the white or the black version of a song? Was the song on an 8-track, or a record? I would use all of these details to anchor myself in the time period and vibe the story takes place in.
Sometimes, I’ll use some version of either the Stanislavsky technique, or Laban movement technique. Laban’s technique is about movement helping translate a person’s traits. So if I chose that my character floats, a person that “floats” might be a hippy, versus a person who “punches” who may be a lawyer. And, the Stanislavsky technique is more about lived experience informing the work. I use a combination of both techniques, and have devised my own technique that has provided a quick jump into, and also gives me an opportunity to roll around in, the character work, which I love!
I’ll also use journals. One when I am prepping for an audition, and one for when I book a role. When I book a series, I have to mark out all of the scenes, because what you may end up shooting first is the last scene of the episode. There are a lot of things that happened in the story beforehand but you haven’t “lived” that experience, or you haven’t done those particular scenes yet. Journaling makes it fun for me!"
Click here to view our full conversation, with Adetinpo Thomas!
Atlanta Film and TV: There’s a portion of your website, where you talk about what you wished you would have known. Can you share with newer actors a few things you wish you would’ve known before working in film and television?
Adetinpo Thomas: "It’s a marathon, and not a sprint. It takes 15 years to become an overnight success, minimum. (If that ever happens.) Just because people smile, doesn't mean they're nice; and just because they’re nice doesn’t make them your friend. Do the work that’s sustainable, and none of it is worth your integrity.”
Atlanta Film and TV: We like to ask our Movers and Shakers what we call G.E.M.S. which stands for Great Educational Moments with Movers and Shakers. Do you have any G.E.M.S. you would like to share?
Adetinpo Thomas: “Being super anxious is hard to manage, and it won’t make the work any easier. So, if anything, let go of any anticipation, or expectations you put on yourself. All you can do in those moments is trust that you can do it. Try to calm yourself as you’re going through an experience. There will always be things thrown at you that you cannot anticipate. It might not be every episode, or project, but when it shows up, it shows up! And, you still have to figure it out because you’re an actor, and it’s your job and it’s a part of acting. I say all this to say, be nice to yourself. Take things in stride, and learn how to manage your anxiety.”
Atlanta Film and TV: Is there anything else you would like to share?
Adetinpo Thomas: “Acting is fun, and it can also be hard. Actors are some of the smartest, deeply emotionally intelligent, and most self-actualized people I know. And, sometimes actors get lumped into just being pretty and dumb. The reality of having to put on different people and personalities constantly means that you have to understand different people. And, the people who tend to do it the best, also understand themselves. So, if it’s something you’re interested in, don’t let anything I say be scary. But also don’t walk in with rose-colored glasses because this is still work; it’s still a job, and it’s very blue-collar. We still have a union that has to fight for us. But, I also know that it is beautiful and cathartic, it does offer the kind of art that changes people. It also teaches people compassion and empathy. And, sometimes art is the only way to change people.”
Atlanta Film and TV: How can people connect with you?
Adetinpo Thomas: “ I am @adetinpothatsme on Instagram, Twitter, and Tik Tok. I also have a website, and if you would like to email me directly there is a contact form. I coach and have a series on Instagram where I talk about the realities of being an actor. I’ll often have a conversation with a friend about an experience and then I’ll make an honest video about ‘the thing’ and how to combat it. If you want more of the intense tidbits that I offer, you can definitely find them on Instagram!