Shaquita Smith is making her way in the entertainment industry with her own rules!

The Making of Jordan & Wicked City   

When it came to the role of Jordan, Shaquita Smith left her mark that demonstrated her ability as a classically trained actress to embody and bring a character to eft. From the start, Shaquita understood that Jordan’s role would require her special touch as a performer. “I called the director and told him that I think Jordan needs to have a guess,” stated Smith. Then, her method acting skills jumped into overdrive. Shaquita said, “I was reading the lines for Jordan. I thought about this woman who reads all the time. I’m like, she needs gasses.” It might seem minor to some, but for the trained professional, it makes a whole world of difference in making the character believable.   

“The way I audition for the role of Jordan is completely different than what you see on the screen,” said Smith.  

Shaquita understood that Jordan had to stand out from the other ensemble of diverse Black women. Shaquita stated, “I wanted to make sure people saw that these women were different even though they were bonded as Black witches.” From her attire to how she evolved throughout the series, Shaquita ensured that Jordan was relatable. She described how the evolution of Jordan’s energy and mannerism changed throughout the season. You could see her start as hyper but slowly calm down with each passing episode. “I mean, that’s what we do as humans, right? We get excited about so many things, and then one moment, we aren’t as excited about them anymore,” said Smith. Her approach to character development is this detailed oriented.  

“I was like, wow, this is a show about witches and supernatural. This is something we don’t see for our community in the entertainment industry often, so it allowed me to be part of history for us,” said Smith.  

It was a no-brainer for Shaquita when the opportunity presented itself from Tressa Smallwood. Shaquita said, “It gets better each time,” about why shows like these are important even when there are few or not that many because they can push the culture forward. Too often, production companies and studios want to avoid taking on projects like such, fearing the African American community won’t buy in as viewers.   

Shaquita, The Classically Trained Actress & Producer  

“I had to study for that because theater is completely different from film,” stated Smith as she took me on her journey in entertainment. Her love for entertainment began on the stage. Her intense training since high school in the theater department led to her having a full scholarship to Troy University. With her sights set on more, she headed to Atlanta, where her acting career would soon take off. She clarified that theater and film have different requirements, so she had to dig deep to understand what she wanted out of life as an actress.  

“In 2016, I landed a role on NCSI: New Orleans,” stated Smith.   

This pivotal moment for her was the transition from theater to film. Her love for it would even take her to newer heights as a producer on a project asked her the monumental question, “have you ever thought about producing.” Of course, this isn’t a question producers throw around, but seeing her versatility and ability to show up and transfer characters demonstrated a skill that needed to be more evident to her. Although Shaquita replied initially, “Nah, I’m not doing that, and I’ve only focused on acting.” lo and behold, that thought would soon change.  

“I found myself not getting the roles I wanted,” stated Smith.   

In the entertainment industry, various roles are designed with something other than African Americans in mind that showcases them in different lights. Shaquita got to experience being in the latest action project, which was thrilling. “This role is something I was excited for because I always wanted to be part of, and you don’t see that many African American women in, “said Smith in response to the importance of her first acting role.   

Shaquita said, “when I take on projects, I look to see where this space can live.” She created her production to give the community a voice. She wants to use it to see different projects come to light. It’s about what this project says and how it will move the pendulum forward.   

“It’s really about connecting the dots,” stated Smith.  

When it comes to producing, her focus is on pushing it forward through strategic storytelling. Shaquita said, “It depends on the project’s genre and specifically where it’s going,” which is essential for any project she is developing. She is truly someone you find that loves the craft and the art of storytelling in all aspects.