Ernestine Johnson took Beyond The Gates fans behind her audition. She shared the tape that secured her role as Shaunice on the groundbreaking soap. Her social media post included an inspirational message for other actors who experienced failures and setbacks.
Get Inside The Audition
On Tuesday, April 22, Johnson shared a clip of her audition for BTG on Instagram. She proved why she was the perfect actress to play the gossipy nurse. Johnson was dressed in royal blue scrubs and had a coy expression on her face as she said her lines. She perfectly played the part of the confident, secure, and yet approachable supervising nurse.
Johnson didn’t share her audition tape to gloat. She wanted to share an important message for those who have pursued their dreams but have faced setbacks. Prior to this role, Johnson had gone through the exhausting audition process, which she admitted would make her head spin.
“As an actor, you get audition after audition. Some you put on tape and submit, and go on about your day. Some you obsess over because you were so connected to the character, or you did some really good work,” Johnson explained. “Then there’s one that just comes. You didn’t expect it. You weren’t looking for it. It just lands in your inbox.”
She had no idea that she would join this history-making soap, but it wasn’t hard to relate to this character. For Johnson, it became part of her. “That character lives in you. You identify with her. She’s easy. It flows. No stress, no anxiety, no nerves. You feel her,” Johnson shared.
READ NEXT: Ernestine Johnson shows off her ‘extra’ talent.
Words Of Wisdom
There was a good reason for this Instagram post. Johnson wanted to reach out to her “fellow actors” who have gone through hoops in the audition process. She assured them, “YOUR TURN IS COMING.” Then, she added some advice, “Stay diligent, stay creating your own work, stay a student of your craft, stay the course!”
Over the course of her career, Johnson has attended around 1,000 auditions. Then, she got her lucky break with BTG. She concluded her post by expressing her gratitude to the cast and crew, especially BTG’s writer and producer, Michele Val Jean. “Thank you @michelevaljean and the entire writer’s room for writing such diverse, complex, and fun characters!” she added.
Fans are living for Johnson’s audition tape. They agree that she’s the perfect fit. One fan wrote, “I love it!!! So deserved beautiful ❤️🙏🏾🎬,” while another commented, “Thank you for sharing this and congratulations.” A third fan added, “Love you on Beyond The Gates! I was so excited to see you on the show. And you be acting!!! Congrats on the role.”
