Meet Ishara Jhacole | Actress | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ishara Jhacole and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ishara, how do you think about risk?
I make most of my decisions based off what “scares” me most (at the time), my goals, and my family. My risk taking is borderline reckless because I’m so confident and focused, I don’t give myself a chance to “worry” about anything. Straight tunnel vision. If I do run into a risk that blocks me, I assess my options, pray about it, and I make sure I’m okay with the worse possible outcome. There’s comfort in that… I can then let go of any fear or doubt that comes with the risk and put all my energy towards the positive outcome. At the end of the day, I know what my biggest fear is and if I don’t take any risks, I will be allowing my biggest fear to come true. My whole career is a risk in itself (as I’m constantly reminded of this). But what I can say is, I don’t regret any of the risks that I’ve taken thus far because it has taken me farther in my career and made me stronger as a person. Most people don’t take risks, but I’m not most people. In my mind, risk = courage. And it takes courage to be exceptional. It’s about trusting the process and holding on to “what if….”. God has a plan for me, I just have to commit to it despite how difficult it is.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I love to tell stories. Whether I’m in front of the camera or behind the camera, doesn’t really matter because not only am I a great actress, I’m a great director. In short, that makes me ideal to work with because I know the pressure for both sides and it’s really important to know how to communicate. After graduating from The American Musical and Dramatic Academy (New York and Los Angeles), I continued my training through online masterclasses and books. I never stop learning because acting isn’t easy… We have to force ourselves to feel things we don’t want to feel, we have the pressure of timing, realism, personal emotions to overcome, and character transformation. And that’s just scratching the surface. I find my strengths in meditation, and keeping the child in me happy. I know what I’m capable of and it is best delivered when I free myself of judgement and every little negative thing that bothers actors. Thats why I only take roles that “speak to me”, because thats where the connection happens. I’m a very diverse character. Yes, I can play the pretty girl, the bad girl, the good girl, or even the tomboy. But my favorite characters that I WANT to play are crazy. I love Jim Carrey and “The Grinch”, I want to do stuff like that! I want to dress up like Johnny Depp and play all types of characters! While some actors want to play the cool character, I want to play the wicked witch of the west! I’m not afraid of committing to my characters and that is what sets me apart from others.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I wouldn’t even know where to start. Houston is a food hotspot so we would be eating out allll week just to try different things. Going out for a chill night and a movie at discovery green. Turning up and going to Lost and Found before we hit Clé to get even more lit. Then waking up to Taste Bar and Kitchen for breakfast so we can go do whatever dumb idea we came up with for the day. But I’m a big kid so I like to do things I’ve never tried before (iFly, Archery, taking classes, etc.) or regular things like skating, Zero Latency (virtual gaming), visiting Lago Mar, or relaxing at Spa World. My favorite time to have visitors is definitely during the Rodeo season though because thats a whole event in itself.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have so many I want to recognize personally for different reasons but I’ll say that I love and appreciate all my friends and family who consistently support, sacrifice, and motivate me. I am grateful to God for his guidance, blessings, and strength. But my twin sister, Evania, deserves a big shoutout because she always comes through for me and I can depend on her. She has my back no matter what and that’s priceless. My powerpuff squad (Iyana, Atarah, Kiara) reminds me who I am constantly and they always make a home for me. My creative “La Famille” (Zy’Air, Jus, Chase, Chris, Quintin, Vanna, Peanut) from New York to Los Angeles, they were the reason I got through college. My new creative friends (The Cinematic Affair Team, and all apart), shoutout to them because they are making things happen in Houston mf Texas. @thecinematicaffair | Stay Tuned! And, lastly, Ashleigh Jade, my mentor, is a film director from London… she helps keep me focused on my goals, throwing books at me, and sharing vital information. I love and appreciate everyone and I can’t wait to show them the recognition they all actually deserve.

Website: www.isharajhacole.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/isharajhacoleee/

Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/Jhacoleee

Image Credits
@reygphotography @lovethatgirlbre @kelleybruso @grantfoto Calvin Pennick JR Photography