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If you’re ever going to risk every thing you have, you may as well invest in yourself.
That’s what Racquel Bailey, an aspiring New Jersey actress, did when she used her last paycheck to purchase a billboard in Southwest Atlanta that she hopes will capture the attention of media mogul Tyler Perry.
Details + video & photos below…
Bailey says she goes on up to 20 auditions per week, but she spends her evenings teaching beginner ballet classes at Newark schools.
Her evening gig will soon be coming to an end, but instead of crying over spilled milk, Battle has decided to risk it all and splurge on her future.
Using her last $1,500 earned from teaching the class, the actress rented an Atlanta billboard which is meant to catch the eye of the “top film maker in ATL.”
“Let me be your next leading lady,” it announces, addressing the “top film maker in ATL.”
That person, says Bailey, is Tyler Perry. She couldn’t use his name because of license issues, she says.
The ad, which includes a link to her website, is posted on a billboard located in southwest Atlanta near Perry’s studios and will be up for the entire month of April.
No word yet on if Perry has made contact with the actress and when asked, TP Studio representatives refused to comment.
But Bailey’s $1,500 investment has at least paid off in the form of media coverage. Several news sites have reported on her billboard, as well as Essence magazine and several blogs. Her website was even down temporarily due to a sudden surge in traffic.
“I’ve been doing this for a while,” says Bailey, of acting.
“What happens is, sometimes you get responses, sometimes you don’t.”
And a billboard is, in fact, a lot bigger than those 8-by-10s she hands out at auditions. A single mother, Bailey majored in theater at Fairleigh Dickinson Universityand has appeared in off-Broadway productions. She says she got a little screentime in “Law & Order,” too, playing a reporter. (source)
Bailey has faith that Tyler Perry will eventually respond to her gesture.
Her website includes a demo reel with dramatic, black-and-white monologue footage, another scene in which she yells into a phone and yet another of an intimate conversation with a man.
“Steven Spielberg,” she says, at first, then “… Spike Lee?”
As far as why she chose Atlanta for her billboard in comparison to New York and/or Los Angeles, Bailey says that prices in the South a lil bit easier to scale per capita. “Atlanta’s a little more intimate.” she says.
What do you think of Bailey’s billboard idea?
How far would you go to follow your dream?
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FULL PHOTO GALLERY
Brilliant idea!! If not now,when?!! She went for it.How many people wait saying when things get better,I’ll do this or that and it never comes.
Great story! Now If I could do something similar for my script writing, I would be happy! Hope she makes it!
Good job, chica! Its all about standing out and being noticed. GREAT way to invest $1500 in yourself!
Best of luck to her!!!
Definitely wish her luck!
I hope it pays off for her. But I pray that these billboards don’t start popping up all over Atlanta if he does help her!
Brilliant idea!!! If not Now,When?!!!! She went for it. How many of us put things off saying when things get better,I’ll do this or that??! Nothing changes n nothing never gets done.I pray the right person sees it n all her dreams come true.God Bless her
Might be worth it :). Good luck
Go getter!!!! Love it!
All of her good wishes must feel wonderful,even if her dream doesn’t happen when she’d like it too. Tyler most likely knows about it cause I believe he and or his peeps read this #1 blog and probably are vetting her as we type. The Old Spice guy got in. Hey,girl’s got the same chance. Better than playing the lottery. Nothing but good wishes from me.
I have been in the biz for 23 yrs and have seen dailies footage on the best actors in the biz. And from what I can see of her reel…….. She is not bad!!!! Not great (yet) but not bad. I think she will do fine if given the chance to work under a director and other actors that will challenge her. If I were Tyler I would give her a shot in one of the plays first. Good Luck to her. This biz is hard to crack.
Best of luck.
I commented before I saw the video. I LOVE HER! I want to see this chick in ANYBODY’S MOVIE.
She is determined & I wish her well!
That’s right walk by faith not by sight
Determination/ambition will go a long way
GOD BLESS HER & I PRAY THAT SHE MAKES IT!!!!!
She believes in herself… Good for her! I’ll have to use her story to inspire my job hunting clients.
The best part of the story, she actually has talent. Good luck.
May God bless you! You made one step God will see you thew. Good Luck.
i admire her determination. she is very reminiscent of kimberly elise and Anika Noni Rose
her skills seem to fall in the drama genre. if she does have a comic bone in her, she should show that as well if she hasn’t already.
She’s a very good actress. I feel she’s going to be very successful! Gob bless her. She’s very determined!
Great story,smart move instead of packing up and moving down here in this economy
I love your ambition raquel!! I wish you the best success
and hope to see you on the big screen in the future !
Can anybody tell me why the billboard is located on Campbellton Rd? Just curious.
If it works for her, (which I think it will because he just has a kind heart ) everyone will start doing it. Including me ! Lol I’m an aspiring actress also…. Lots of billboards will be popping up
@ Just Curious…Perhaps it’s at Campbellton Road because his "Tyler Perry Studios" is near there….
Good luck to this lady.
This lady is a great actress and the script reminds me of Tyler perry’s movie "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enough"…
The woman is a trained actress and is skilled like Angela Bassett…
GOOD LUCK!! I believe they will call U. No one can sell yourself better than u. This was an awesome and creative idea. If this was your last paycheck the media exposure will payoff. God Bless.
Since she’s a single mother I hope she didn’t spend her last $1500. She has the billboard for the whole month of april and today is April 22 and this is the first you’ve reported on this? You are an Atlanta blogger and all you do is bash kept gildfriends, sugar mommas and side pieces. Sadly TP probably won’t give her a chance b/c she’s not rich, a slore like Kim K (who he gave a part to), or a potential wreck like Bobbi Kristina (who he also gave a job to). Good luck to her. I didn’t watch the video nor will I, but I do support good black actors/actresses.
I laughed when I saw it on Campbellton rd the other day getting gas. But now that I hear the back story, I am in her corner! It’s something I’ve never heard of before and I hope she gets what she needs out of this.
I think it’s awesome. Faith is all she needs and she will be fine. Money comes and goes. She would have probably blown that 1500 on something else anyway. This was productive.
I saw this the other day. At first I was real lost but I hope someone notices. Bigups to her for believing in herself.
i hope she get more than a small part in the background. TP seems to like to work with the same folk over ave new faces a shot
Best of luck to her and great idea to invest in your future and certainly no one else was going to do it for her. Be a go-gettter in life and have some hustle bout urself. U go girl.
I HOPE SHE IS BLESSED BY THIS AS TYLER WAS BLESSED BY HIS BREAK THROUGH WHEN HE USED HIS LAST MONEY TO FUND HIS MULTI MILLION DOLLAR CAREER. IF HE CAN HELP KIM KARDASHIAN WITH A MAJOR ROLE, SURELY HE CAN HELP THIS YOUNG LADY..TYLER I HAVE FAITH AND CONFIDENCE IN YOU!!!!
that was stupid!! now what will happen if he doesn’t give her a chance and now her ass is broke!!!
Saw it yesterday! Thought it was cute, daring and original, but was hoping she didn’t spend her last dime on it…so much for that.
She seems a bit overacted in the demo reel. But thats nothing that can’t be fixed with the right coaching. I wish her the best of luck!
I dont think he will respond to such a billboard. He has a website where you are supposed to submit your auditions. They are not accepting auditions at this time. You have to respect the process. Also if they did respond to that board, every Tom Dick and Harry will start posting boards all over the atlanta community.
I am just happy she wasnt dumb enough to put her number on the board. Radio and TV has been talking about her, so if he doesn hire her someone will
I think it’s extremely aggressive…. So many people born here have been paying their dues in this business.. Why should she step in and get the lead role instead of being humble and asking to work on a crew first before the leading role…I don’t think she should get the lead role just because she’s aggressive…,
PAY IT FORWARD TYLER!
great job!!!! great role model for others!
[...] I would hope that the NJ Actress who spent her last check on that billboard near Perry’s studio isn’t THAT [...]