Lisa Michelle Cornelius; Embracing the world of entertainment

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

“Family support is the most important aspect of my career; without them, I would not be able to do what I do.” Lisa Michelle Cornelius

As soon as she walked through the door, it was as if she had turned on an additional set of lights in the room. Lisa Michelle had agreed to come in for an interview on my show In the Now on MyTCNTV Network, even though she had to rush downtown for an audition. Her cheerful disposition and beautiful smile were great indications of how amazing this interview was going to be. It is easy to appreciate such an alluring, light-hearted, zealous soul, and it is why I would like to present to Toronto, our women empowered Lisa Michelle Cornelius.

Lisa Michelle is a Toronto-based actor and singer, who has extended her career into: theatre, television, music and film. If you ask Lisa what she enjoys doing the most she will tell you that acting definitely brings her the most joy, and that she has been inspired by the likes of: Phylicia Rashad, Viola Davis, Jodie Foster, and Leonardo DiCaprio. If you asked Lisa Michelle if she ever thought she would be doing what she is doing now, her answer would be a resounding, “No!”

Lisa’s career life began in the corporate world, and for years she tells me that she existed in this world that did not suit her at all. As life has it, she met her husband in the corporate world, and he was the one who gave her the support and push she needed to really start the life that filled her with purpose. “I had just been released from my corporate role, and I was very miserable. I had started looking for work again, and my husband asked me why? Why would I want to go back into a job that I hated?” Jokingly she continued, “He actually chuckled and reminded me that he was taking care of everything anyways, so go ahead and live my dream.”

From there, Lisa went full force into her acting, singing and song-writing career. She speaks of how blessed she is having such a supportive family, “I have a large family, and not once did any of them tell me to go and look for a real job. I am especially thankful to my mom and dad (who most recently passed away), because they always stood behind my decisions, and this is why I have been able to do this to the capacity that I have.”

Like anything that you want to be great in, Lisa threw herself into her work. She will be the first person to tell you that it is not easy, and that being in the industry is like being on an emotional rollercoaster. Regardless, the joy that it brings her balances out the rejection she has had to deal with, the time that it takes away from her daughter, husband, and family, and the constant work that has to be put in to getting recognized in the industry.

Her work ethic has paid off, as she has been selected to appear as either a principle (a role where an actor has six lines or more), or an actor (a role where the actor has less than six lines) in a few popular selected film and television roles. Some of these include: 12 Monkeys (Syfy/David Grossman), The Handmaid’s Tale (MGM/Kari Skogland), Black Mirror (Netflix/Jodie Foster), and American Gothic (CBS/Matt Shakman). She tells Toronto Caribbean Newspaper about her most interesting experience, which was with the show Black Mirror, “My husband and I were watching this show when it first came out and thought, even people who aren’t really into Sci-fi could get lured into a show like Black Mirror. It is all about the possibilities, and projections of technology; a real look into how technology could look in a couple decades or so. It is a little dark, so I would not recommend it for everyone, but it was definitely a show that my husband and I enjoyed watching. What a surprise a few weeks later when I received a casting call for non other than Black Mirror. It was even a bigger surprise when I found out that Jodie Foster was directing it. I had a chance to meet one of my influences, and it was worth every minute.”

Another world in the entertainment industry is the world of theatre; out of all of her work, Lisa undoubtedly enjoys this world the most. She has had an opportunity to be a part of: Obeah Operah (Chorus/Culchaworks, Weyni Mengesha), Joseph & the Amazing Techicolour Dreamcoat (Ensemble Encore Entertainment), and Godspell (Ensemble Drayton Entertainment/North American Tour/David Hogan). As much as she loves theatre, having a daughter put certain things into perspective, “As much as I love traveling the world and performing, theatre means extended time away from home, and with a young daughter, this is not possible for me right now. It is not that I don’t have the help; I just don’t want to be away from her for such long periods of time. When she gets older, I am going to consider doing more of it, because then she will be a lot more independent, and might be able to travel with me.”

Lisa Michelle’s artistry also dips into the song writing and recording world. She has two independently released R&B albums (This Moment and Love Lessons), and she has performed her original music at: Canadian Music Week, Irie Music Fest, and the illustrious Montreal Jazz Festival. While her professional career focuses on film, television, and theatre, you can still hear this beautiful voice throughout the GTA, at local shows, and a concert series, “Influenced – A Neo Soul Tribute Show,” which she co-produces with vocalist Gina P.  Lisa Michelle continues to show the world that she will not be denied her purpose. She is interested in mentoring young actors and actresses. Interested parties can find her on her official website:http://www.ThisIsLisaMichelle.com.