You saw me in the movie, my e-Queen?
Sweeeet! *hugz*
The 2nd time isn't so easy...and I gave y'all the wrong clue.
Because of commercials, i didn't time it properly, but if i'm not mistaken, my first appearance is between 1hr 15 to 1r 30mins.
my 2nd appearance is when someone opens the door to go outside...Madea, i think, after she tells ol' girl that "there's some hot grits on the stove."
thanks to BET showing the movie, my imdb page is up 33%. Woohoo!
Speaking of BET, I wanted to share a blog, well, most of it, that I posted on my myspace page /arvellpoe (check it out for the full version), but i luv y'all guys so here's what I wrote concerning SOMEBODIES and other me related stuff:
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Wednesday, July 30, 2008
7-30-08: Cloud 9 Edition
Current mood: blessed
Category: Life
Wow.
When I set up to write my first blog in over a month, I had a TON of stuff to talk about. Now that I finally have time to blog, my mind has gone blank. Maybe it's because I had a long day and my tuckered out.
Maybe it's because my brain is still processing the events that lead me to today's announcement.
Maybe I just want to finish this blog so I can watch the new episodes of House of Payne. Hahahhaha. Someone is gettin' married today and I bet you it's CJ and Janine. That's my story and I'm stickin' with it. Calvin may or may not get married tonite, but CJ and Janine definitely will.
So, why am I on cloud 9 is what you're probably wondering, right? What crazy scheme, plan, job or opportunity has Arvell come across today, right? Well, let me take you back. Let's go back and trace my journey to become SOMEBODY.
I AM SOMEBODYA few months ago, my agency sent me on an audition to be in the first episode of
BET's first scripted show, the comedy
SOMEBODIES, based on the independent film sensation seen at last year's Sundance Film Festival.
I read for the part of the drunk. Yes. Drunk. And I don't drink. I had read the script and it was kinda funny. I was totally diggin' it. The drunk's scene was funny, but I would have preferred being that dude in college who sells weed... it wasn't my choice. You think my feelings were hurt when I didn't get the part?
Hahahahha.
Earlier this year, as in January, one of my personal goals was to be on
B.E.T. I don't know why, but I did. I guess I like a challenge. Kinda like how I challenged myself in college to meet and interview OutKast and lo and behold, I got the opportunity to do both.
Time goes on and I get another opportunity to audition for
Somebodies. This about 2 weeks ago. On a Friday. I go in and read for an African Student. The episode is hilarious. I can't wait for y'all to see it. The script had me laughing out loud. At first, I was a bit hesistant to audition for an african character but after practicing with my wife's help, i got a decent accent down. Big ups to Prince Akeem of Zamunda for giving me a template to use.
It was a good audition. So good that I was immediately told to come back on monday for a callback. Callbacks are good. I was given pointers and told that i'd be auditioning in front of the creator/writer/star and the director.
Bring 'em on, I thought.
My name is Poe. Arvell Poe.
The callback audition was bananas! I could hear the Rocky theme music behind me. I wasn't taking any prisoners. I was in the zone and ready to do tha dayam thing. I came into the audition room IN CHARACTER. I was ready. I introduced myself, with the
african-ish accent, like this:
"
Hello. My name iz (character's name) but my american name is Arvell Poe. I'm with Houghton Talent and I'm and 6 3 and a haff feet tall ( When we audition, this is how we give our info to the camera) and I am from Zamunda. Look! My very first American Tee shirt. The Home Depot. I can do it and they will help me."
That's how I STARTED. That Home Depot line had 'em rollin'. The director, in between giggles asked "
Are you stand up?" I replied, in character, "
No, I prefer to seet down." More laughter.
Once we finally got started doing the lines, I was on my A-game. I forget a line or 2 but I didnt let 'em see me sweat. I kept it moving and it was all good.
Afterwards, as in a week after the role was given to someone else, a loooong week of me waiting to hear if I got the role or not because I was good, jack... I was able to ask the writer/creator of the show what they (him and the director) thought of my audition. In short, they loved my performance.
The director, she thought I was Nigerian. Hahahha. That's a great compliment. Long story short, they went with an actual 21 year. He had the wide eyed innocent look that they were lookin' for. It I was thinking, i would have shaved my goatee off to drop about 10 years off my face. I wasn't thinkin'. They caught me slippin'. It's all good. Once I got my critique, I could sleep again. I was good to go. Before that, I pretty much put all creative outlets on hold until I heard something.
On Monday of this week, I get a call from my agency. I was told that the casting agency for
Somebodies REALLY wants to see me. The really love me and they are trying to find a role to put me on the show. Good stuff, huh? They didn't care if I was in work clothes, what time I showed up to audition, didn't care if I didnt' have a headshot on me... they just wanted me there. TODAY! And they'd give me time to look over the script as soon as I got there.
I'm serious. I pretty much paraphrased what my agent told me..well, she left a voice msg. I can talk on my cell at work.
So, for my 3rd
Somebodies audition, I read for a college student in a musical. Again, another funny script. I take a few minutes to read the script... and bada boom, bada bing, I'm done.
The casting agent laffs and says, "
Arvell, hahaha... you're funny!" I took that as a compliment and went to work.
Tuesday. No news. It was a good day. Chilling with the wife. I get a call that my agency wants me to come in and audition for
One Tree Hill early wednesday morning. My boss lets me come in at 10am so I schedule my audition for 9:15.
Wednesday, July 30th. This morning, around 6ish am, i'm dreaming and I hear a crash. In my dream, I see something in my dining room break...the sound of breaking glass, but I cant identify the source cuz it sounds big. I am hoping it isn't our new China Cabinet. But it's a dream so I'm gonna keep sleeping.
Or so I thought.
Did you hear that crash? My wife's voice from the real world shatters the illusion of dream world and i think to myself, "oh man, that sound
was real!"
So, I hop out of bed and grab a can of spray starch as a weapon. Hey,
if there is an intruder in my house, he'll be a blind intruder. I know the can says dont use as a weapon, but it's self defense. How's a crook gonna sue me for breaking his eyes when he's breaking and entering?
I go down the hall with starch in one hand and the wife behind me. I turn the lights on and I see the cat with a scared, "
it wasn't me...i didn't do it" expression on his face.
He lied. He did it. We have a vase on our glass dining table that had 5 crystal roses in them. Beautiful but hella fragile. Those roses shattered into various pieces. No wonder the cat was scared. That's how the morning started.
By 9am, I'm at the agency ready to audition for
One Tree Hill. If/when I book it, I'll be in North Carolina all week next week...or until my scene is finished. They had to ship the tape to the powers that be by noon today, so that's why I had to be there at 9am. The audition went well, so we'll see what happens. I'll keep you posted.
By 10am, I'm at work...feeling good about myself. 10:30a, I'm in an employee meeting and my cell starts vibrating. It's my agency. Oh Lord. Please don't tell me that they erased my audition and they need me to come back and retape...'cuz if they don't, Lord only knows how I'm gonna be able to pull THAT off!
I listen to the voice msg. Long story short, I was told that I got the role that I auditioned for on Monday and they wanted to know if I was available because the episode shoots on Thursday. Hell yeah, I'm available is what I think to myself. Yes, I can make it is what I tell them. It wasn't easy because my boss doesn't let anyone take off without 30 days written notice. That's the roles. SO as I'm tryin' to plead my case, my boss tells me that I already have thursday and friday off.
God is good, right?
What happened was that I originally asked for this upcoming weekend off because I thought my dad's dad's family reunion was this weekend when in fact, it was last weekend. I asked the head boss for last weekend off and she gave it to me, but forgot to take back this weekend.
God is DEFINITELY good, right?
SO not only do i have 2 back to back weekends off, BUT I also have a worry free get out of work card in order to film this episode. I don't know what would have happened if it hadn't of worked out this way.
Fired? Possibly.
They weren't too happy with me when I told them I wasn't coming in because I'm gonna be in a
Tyler Perry HOUSE OF PAYNE Commercial and didn't show up. They asked me what my punishment should be and I said dock my pay" so they did.
I thought they would fire me. I was kinda wanting to be let go, but it didn't happen.
C'est la vie.
So, I'm on cloud 9 because a goal of mine has been realized. I will be on
BET's new sitcom,
Somebodies. Episode 8 which will probably air around christmas time. If so, then that'll be a great christmas present for myself from...myself.
Oh yeah... since the shoot will run late, they are hookin me up with a hotel room so I won't have to drive back to the ATL all late. This day keeps getting better and better.
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I'll post a recap about the actual shooting later, but I WILL say this... "Access Granted" was there.
