Summer: It was a long process. I auditioned and sent three self-tapes over a few months, and after the last one, I thought, I think they’ll want to talk to me.
All of a sudden, I was on a work session, which was an hour-long call with the casting team. I got off the call and thought I was done. Half an hour went by, and I got a text from my manager saying, “Can you get back on the call? Mike wants to see the monologue, but with tears.”
I was like, “Okay, I’ve got this!” I laid on my floor for a while in my room, and I told myself all these affirmations about why I deserve this: “I’ve come so far. I’ve made it happen.”
Mike called me on April Fools’ Day. My team told me, “The director wants to talk about the character,” and I was ready to audition again if I had to. My team knew I got the part, but they wanted him to surprise me. When I got on the call, he told me I was going to have the part, and he thought I was magnificent. I had no idea!
I was mind-blown. I told my family it’s a core memory. I can picture it all still.

