‘Don’t sleep on your dreams, just live it’

Rhona Fox is a dynamic U. S. based-Guyanese actress living her dreams in the glitzy world of Hollywood

By Venessa Deosaran

Born in Essequibo, Rhona Fox is an accomplished actress, producer and editor in the U.S. who is very proud of her heritage. In an interview with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine, Fox said she was raised all over Guyana. Her father was a high school principal and his specialty was upgrading school systems so her family moved around a lot. Her mother was also a teacher and as a result, Fox attended several primary schools in six years.

“I have tons of fond childhood memories of Guyana. They include having my own cow in Essequibo – my parents wanted me to have fresh milk so they bought me a cow. We also raised our own livestock – chickens, turkeys, goats, sheep, and ducks – so we had fresh eggs and meat, and also had our own garden. I also love the black water lake in Essequibo also the Amerindians and their native dishes like cassava bread. Most of all I missed the authentic cuisine: Guyanese curries, and Guyanese-Chinese fare. It doesn’t taste the same over here. I also miss the local produce and long for Guyanese cashews, jamoon and star apple,” she said nostalgically.

Fox was raised in Anna Regina, as well as in Demerara and Berbice. Her family then moved to Georgetown where she and her two brothers attended Queens College. Fox was in Form One when she and her family moved to Nassau, Bahamas. There she completed her high school education.

“I migrated when my parents moved to Nassau to teach there. They always wanted to send us to university overseas but couldn’t afford it on their teaching salaries in Guyana. When the opportunity arose for them to gain employment in the Bahamas, I recalled it was a very difficult decision for my parents. I was 10 years old. They had to give everything up and leave their family to move to this strange land. Thankfully it worked out for us. They currently live in Florida and are still teaching,” stated Fox.

Achievements

Fox and her family then moved to New York where she pursued her studies, graduating with a degree in Communication with a minor in Economics from the State University of New York at Albany. She was also the editor of the student newspaper for two years, which more transitioned into her career following college.

Additionally, Fox is a member of SAGAFTRA, the Screen Actors Guild and the union for film and TV actors. She spends much time also taking acting classes, so acting is on-going, constant study, as well as hunt for work. Fox finds it hectic to chase auditions and land new acting gigs, however it is her passion and she is chasing it.

Fox was a producer for television networks ABC and FOX. She later became the editor of a national magazine in the U.S. called ‘Jamrock Magazine’, where she wrote cover stories with the likes of Wyclef and Shaggy.

In 2007, Fox started a music media marketing agency called ‘FOX FUSE’. Through her company she has done everything from publicity to production of music videos for clients. Her production end, Fox Flicks, has produced videos for artistes like reggae stars Gyptian and Capleton. She has also worked with Machel Montano as his personal publicist for three years and toured a lot of the Caribbean islands with him.

Although engrossed in so much professionally, the philanthropist started ‘The Rhona Fox Foundation’ which is still in its elementary stages. Her mission, she stated, has always been to help women and children, especially victims of domestic violence. Growing up in Guyana, Fox said she remembered it was a prevalent issue. She regularly donates clothing to women and recently sent clothing to Senegal, Africa. She has also done work with international reggae star Shaggy, who also has a foundation, to get toys to children in the U. S. and Jamaica. One day, she hopes to bring those efforts to Guyana.

Fox’s acting career highlights included shooting a commercial with Spike Lee, famous American film producer, as the director.

Fox also regularly stand-in for the only two Indian actresses on TV, for productions that shoot in New York. She acts as Archie Panjabi on ‘The Good Wife’ (CBS), and Reshma Shetty on ‘Royal Pains’ (USA Network).

“Standing-in for a principal means you are pretty much their body double – you rehearse with the crew, they use you to set up all the shots, you read the lines and so on. Then when the principal is ready, they step into our spot and the camera shoots them. So that’s what I’m currently doing, and it’s hands-on experience.

I’m on their schedule and I’m doing everything they do. It’s a rare gig because you have to be the same race and have the features and hair length and colour as the actor. It’s rare to get that job as an Indian actor, because there aren’t that many Indian actors on TV in the U.S. and only two in New York,” Fox divulged.

Recently, Fox appeared as a nurse on ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’. She will also be playing a nurse in a new movie called ‘The Bitter Pill’, starring Jude Law and Catherine Zeta- Jones, currently shooting in New York. She was also recently featured on the homepage of Yahoo as a doctor in their ‘Healthy Habits’ headline story. Fox said it was “pretty cool” as it was worldwide and not just the U.S.

Future plans

Fox’s goal is to land a regular role as a nurse or doctor on a TV show that shoots in New York. The 32-year-old said she is glad she got into the industry a bit late, because she is more grounded and will not lose her head with the glitz and glamour of Hollywood life.

In the music aspect of her life, Fox is currently working on Wayne Wonder’s new album, which will be released worldwide on July 24 by her FOX FUSE company. Her client, Shaggy, will also launch his label and she is presently working on the public relations part of that. Her company is also part of Pitbull’s team, so they are always promoting his new singles on radio stations around the world.

Her advice

What is the recipe for Fox’s success? Drive.”When we moved to the Bahamas, my dad would always say if we don’t work hard in school, he’ll send us back to Guyana and we’ll have to work on a farm. He was kidding, but at the time, it instilled in my siblings and I, a fear that we had to make it. My brother Sean is a Civil Engineer in Manhattan and my brother Ron works for GE as a Biomedical Engineer. So they are both really successful.

I’m the black sheep of the family and definitely chose the path less traveled. However, my drive to ‘make it’ burns ever brighter!” a determined Fox said.

Fox’s dream was not to migrate to have a ‘better life’; she just dreamt big and always imagined living in New York and somehow that happened. She always wanted to make something of herself after leaving Guyana, with the hope of going back one day to help impact and inspire someone there, and that’s happening right now, she said. Her advice is to not necessarily migrate for a better life but to learn everything one can from each situation they are in, and use that to build the future they dream of.

“Live your dreams don’t sleep on them. Sadly, I’ve never visited Guyana since I left. I definitely want to come back. My boyfriend is American and I’d love to bring him and introduce him to what I call ‘the motherland’. He loves Guyanese food and music so it will be great when I do return, hopefully soon. I always tell people I’m from Guyana. I’m very proud of my heritage,” she said appreciatively. (Taken from Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)