Actress Zoe Renee and why storytelling drives her career!

Zoe Renee is no stranger to play roles which take us on an emotional rollercoaster. From her breakout role in the critically acclaimed independent festival darling, JINN to her latest in the Amazon Studios heightened thriller Master, she is making a way and name for herself in the entertainment business.

“I didn’t know how to articulate it”

Zoe cares more about the impact of her role and the project than the fame. “ I used to have other thoughts on what success looks like in this business but that has shifted,” said Renee. Once the project is done she listens for people to say that they connect with the characters and the story. It’s about the relatability for her. This is what fuels her craft and keeps her motivated for more projects. Zoe said,” It’s what brings so much life to me,” when people tell her or she reads comments where they say they felt exactly like her character did in the moment. 

“ There has to be alignment”

It’s beyond the exciting opportunity for Zoe because the role, the story and everything involved has to be aligned with what she feels is important for people to see and hear. “ I want the body of work I do to be honest,” said Renee. It’s about real stories about things actually happening around us now that fuels Zoe when it comes to scripts that are present to her. 

“It starts with what is honest and true”

When it comes to her getting into character her process is to find what is honest and true about the character. “ The foundation of acting is being a good listener,” said Renee. For her to get into character she has to have the lived experience or get close to it as possible through observation and listening. She wants to make sure that people who watch her role who may have similar livid experiences can feel connected to her portrayal. Zoe said, “If there is a role that is not honest and true to something that I can reach, I will not touch.” It would be a disservice to the audience in her opinion because of the time it took for someone to sit down and write each.

“ And to me if at the very start, you can’t be honest, people read right through it. That’s not the type of artist I want to be”