USTYLEmag.com recently had a chance to catch up with the ever so talented and beautiful Shashika Cope, otherwise affectionately known as Ms. Sassi Whayz at District Commons Restaurant in Washington, DC recently and we had a great time. This beautiful actress, poet, singer, model and activist is taking the entertainment business by storm.
USTYLE: TELL OUR READERS ALL ABOUT SASSI WHAYZ. WHO IS SASSI WHAYZ?
SW: Sassi Whayz is a free spirit. Sassi Whayz is a fun loving, outgoing, charismatic energetic woman. She is every woman actually, your entertainer, the friend and the companion. She is loving, caring and compassionate. She’s amazing. If I had to summarize her I would say she is every woman.
USTYLE: ARE YOU FROM THE WASHINGTON, DC AREA?
SW: Yes I am. Born and raised.
USTYLE: SO YOU ARE JUST FINISHING UP WITH TWO EXCELLENT PLAYS, “BLUE GOD” AND “SECRETS, LIES & SCANDALS”. HOW WAS THAT EXPERIENCE FOR YOU?
SW: It was amazing. Initially when I was casted for both I was already in prior production for two films, so I was like more lines to learn. I’m looking through the scripts and I’m doing my highlights and saying, “Jesus how am I going to balance this.” It was a little nerve wrecking at first because this was the first time I had to balance so many things and learn them all at one time. The art of theatre is new for me, so I needed to do a “quick fix.” I needed to understand my lines in 2.2 seconds and retain it in 2.2 seconds, understand it and know what I am suppose to do. I was struggling with that for a minute. I wasn’t sure that things were going to work out because you want to deliver and make sure you have your lines down. You have to consider your cast mates because lines feed off of lines.
USTYLE: WERE YOU REHEARSING FOR BOTH PLAYS AT THE SAME TIME? HOW WERE YOU ABLE TO BALANCE THE TWO?
SW: The transition of characters wasn’t so difficult. It was just remembering the lines without the book. When I first started with “Blue God” we had rehearsals twice a week and “Secret, Lies & Scandals we would practice a few days during the week and on Saturdays, so that wasn’t so bad because it still gave us time to study. However, tech week is where you practice Monday thru Friday, which happens as you get closer to show time. The schedule became very hectic during that time and every day I felt like I belonged to my lines. I soon became accustomed to it after doing it for a while. Thinking about the end product is what kept me afloat. So just balancing them was the key because I do have a 9 to 5, along with being a mother. Once tech week was over and we performed I was on such a high. I had such an amazing time and at the end all my hard work, energy and effort had paid off.
USTYLE: HAVE YOU HAD ANY FORMAL ACTING TRAINING?
SW: I had no formal training. I was actually a part of an internet broadcast show, the DMV Socialites with Dayna Dane and a few others. We interviewed Mitch Credle (shout out to Mitch) on the show and he gave me my first role and introduction into the film life. From there is where I began to pay more attention, once I took it on as a craft. I began to pay attention on a different level. I began to study and look at monologues. I began to pay attention to other actresses and actors and watched how they moved in different movies and even on screen and I thought to myself, I can do that.
USTYLE: SO BEFORE FILMMAKER MITCH CREDLE APPROACHED YOU WITH THE OFFER TO DO THE FILM, HAD YOU EVEN SHOWN AN INTEREST IN FILM OR ACTING IN GENERAL?
SW: I didn’t have any interest in it, but I lived through it in another way because I sing, so I was always performing on stage. I’ve been performing since I was twelve, therefore that piece for me already lived but I wanted to be on the big screen.
USTYLE: THE BIG SCREEN I WOULD ASSUME WOULD BE THE MAIN OBJECTIVE.
SW: Exactly. I was like yes I can do this and then here comes Mitch, who opened the door for me and it was amazing, especially with “Blue God”. I had performed at an event that Dayna Dane had, called “Jazz in the City.” I did not know that Gill and Pam Nelson were going to be there. I first auditioned for “Secret, Lies & Scandals.” I left that event and went to another event in Baltimore and was approached by Pam and Gill Nelson. Pam saw me and turned to Gill and said, “Remember her, she’s the performer we were just talking about.” Gill said to me, “I’ll be in touch.” He soon got in touch with me and casted me for “Blue God” and then a few days later I got an email from The Williams Group saying that I had been casted for “Secrets, Lies & Scandals,” and that’s how my theatre life began.
USTYLE: WHAT CHARACTER DID YOU PLAY IN MITCH CREDLE’S BOSS MOVIE?
SW: I played Tisha, the girlfriend of one of Hakim’s street men. Hakim was also a character in Boss.
USTYLE: WITH ALL THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU HAVE PLAYED, WHICH ONE WOULD YOU SAY YOU’VE ENJOYED BRINGING TO LIFE THE MOST?
SW: I have to say definitely Paige from “Secret, Lies & Scandals.” Paige wins hands down because she’s outgoing. In the script she is written in as a stripper, but of course I always have to class things up…she’s an exotic entertainer. She has that fiery side and was the mistress of two men of great stature and wealth. However, it wasn’t about all that for Paige but more about love. She was cool and down to earth, which is why the guys enjoyed being with her because it was something that they were not getting from home. So not that Sassi is a homewrecker, but just the entertainment piece of having fun and letting your hair down and being relaxed as well as cool, calm and collective. She’s not afraid to say what’s on her mind in a respectful manner and just have fun. Paige was definitely my favorite.
USTYLE: WHO WOULD BE YOUR DREAM CO-STAR AND WHAT ROLE WOULD YOU WANT TO PLAY?
SW: A dream role for me would be a woman of power, because I want to show that women can bring that sexiness and edge and still have a no nonsense and no tolerance persona that says I am the Boss who runs the world mentality. I definitely want to be in a position where I can convey that across the screen.
Then I also want to be an advocate for domestic violence. To be that face because domestic violence does not have a standard or true criteria. It does not matter what you look like. A lot of people would look at me and say, “Oh you haven’t gone through anything” and I am like I have. I want people to see a living testimony that has not only gone through it but I overcame it as well. Those would be my two roles, now for co-star, Idris Elba. I have been following him since his Stringer Bell days on the Wire. I like his work ethic, because although he is not from here but from London, I love his ability to transition into roles and play them superb. Not to mention when he speaks you never hear his British accent. So yes my dream co-star would be Idris Elba. He has that surprise element that I love. If no one had ever done any interviews with him you would have never known he speaks with an accent because in most of his roles he hides it very well.
USTYLE: AWESOME SO WE HAVE TO HUNT EDRIS ELBA DOWN (laughter)
SW: Yes somebody call his phone please!
USTYLE: NOW WITH YOU BEING HERE IN THE WASHINGTON, DC AREA WHERE THERE ARE SO MANY ACTORS AND ACTRESSES WORKING, DO YOU FIND THAT THERE IS ALOT OF SUPPORT FOR ONE ANOTHER?
SW: Well I am going to say I support a lot of folks. When I can’t be at their events physically I do what I can to show my support, by sharing the information on social media or commenting about the event. If there is a need and I know someone that may fit the bill so to speak, I’ll encourage them to take a look at it because it may be something that they are interested in. Do I get that back in return fully, no I don’t and it’s sad because I don’t know why. It could be that everybody is doing so much and everyone that I am in contact with are really busy, so I don’t think a lot of it is intentional but on another note there are times where we have down time and you pick and choose what you want to do. I understand that there is a need for family and you still have to live in your own skin as well and do your day to day. I can’t honestly say that I feel the support to a degree, where it’s like I know my sisters are going to be there.
USTYLE: DO YOU FEEL THAT THERE IS A BIG MARKET HERE IN THE WASHINGTON, DC AREA FOR FILM AND ACTING?
SW: I think it’s being created. Mainstream as you know, when looking at the television and you hear someone being classified as being from Washington, DC a lot of times it’s actually Virginia or Maryland. I see the movement where a lane is being created and they are not waiting on Hollywood to come. It’s like these are the people that we have here. There is a lot of talent in this area and on so many different levels not just actors and actresses but I am talking about songwriters, singers, musicians and even dancers, as well as clothing designers. We have a lot here so just building and gaining the exposure is key. I like the lane that is being created and at this time there are a lot of things that someone who is interested in testing the waters to see what fits them. It’s just about being connected to those people. Social media right now is a big avenue because a lot of people advertise and put information out there. It’s definitely growing.
USTYLE: WHERE DOES SASSI WHAYZ SEE HERSELF WITHIN THE NEXT 5 YEARS, BECAUSE YOU HAVE SO MANY TALENTS FROM SINGER TO ACTRESS TO POET AND AN ADVOCATE FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE?
SW: I actually see myself doing both acting and singer. I don’t feel like I have to sacrifice one for the other. As you know with acting I can always incorporate singing. That’s why I love live theatre. I am learning to have a greater appreciation for the theatre because of the art, but you can also incorporate a majority of your talents that you have within the theatre. I would say within the next five years I want to see myself in a better position where I am more grounded with the foundation that I need and I am blossoming and growing. I’ll have the knowledge and information to share with others, while continuing my movement and my journey. I’m just ready to elevate. In the next five years it’s all about elevation, no specific direction other than growth. I’m a free spirit so I don’t like tailoring myself to one thing because when you try to do that then you miss other opportunities that may come your way and then you are forced to have them pass you by. So as crazy as it may sound I don’t want to be placed in a box. Elevation.
USTYLE: WHAT DO YOU FEEL HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE THUS FAR?
SW: The area and not having the resources, unlike New York where you can go to the big names like Sony and Arista Records for example. You can go to all these places, where here you can’t walk into those “big wig” places and actually have that platform to showcase your talents. As much as we are creating our own lane, it is definitely taking a lot of footwork and the recognition will come. So for me it would be the connector. I’ve had a lot of people that say I can do this and I can do that, or I know this person but at the end of the day they end up wanting something in return and when you don’t adhere to what they are asking for then the offer gets taken off the table. That is my biggest challenge, dealing with people who are in it for capital gain or in it only for the right now.
USTYLE: AND YOUR BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENT?
SW: My biggest accomplishment has been remaining grounded. Through all the adversities that I have faced I have continued to push and not stay a victim of my circumstance. Once upon a time I had forgotten how to live. I had become numb to so much, so yes my biggest accomplishment was learning to care about me. Investing and believing in myself and consistently continuing to push myself.
USTYLE: YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU ARE A BIG ADVOCATE FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN THAT?
SW: Well I was married for at one point in my life for twelve years and with my husband for fourteen years and it wasn’t always pretty. I would sit and watch television with an ignorant mindset and say I would never let a man hit on me, that would never be me, but when you’re in that time and space you don’t know what you would do, especially when you have children involved. Family members and just the support for me was not that strong. I don’t come from a close knit family, so if I told them that this is the issue that I’m having they wouldn’t be angry with him like I needed or wanted them to be. I had just gone through a transitional period where things went terribly south and wrong. It took a long time for me to get out. I was physically and verbally abused, and yes it did take a while for me to gain the courage and strength to get away. Once I did I still went through a downward spiral, where although I was out it still weighed heavily on me. My appearance, I didn’t care what I looked like. I would just get up and go on about my day. I had this thing about mirrors, where I would try to hide from myself and anything that showed my reflection, I was not interested. I had a gentleman friend that I would converse with all the time say to me, Can I say something to you without you being offended? I said sure. He said, “You are so beautiful but every time I come in here you look like an unmade bed.” It was at that moment that a lightbulb went off for me and it was like even though I am not looking into mirrors or anything like that that shows my reflection, the world still sees what I think I am hiding. It was at that point that I knew it was time for me to remember me because I had forgotten about me. Once I remembered myself I said I have to show women that there is life after, and there is life in such an abundant way.
We often get weighed down by the things that we were told in these relationships and the things that were done to us and we have a tendency to internalize it and begin to think that is us. I had to go through that period and realize that it wasn’t me. I was making excuses to cope, but the reality was, that it wasn’t me. I just want women to see that no matter how pretty you are, or what your body looks like or what kind of hair you have, domestic violence does not have a face and that it could happen to you but there is life after and you don’t have to stay victimized.
USTYLE: YOU TRULY HAVE A TESTIMONY YOUNG LADY. IN CLOSING WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU LEAVE OUR READERS WITH?
SW: I recommend that you always stay true to yourself. Love yourself and believe in yourself. I think that’s the biggest thing that we don’t do and I still have trouble with, and as a “thirty-fine” year old woman I have to keep reminding myself. Stay true to yourself.
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