Sh’Kia Augustine is the star of the WETV collection Kold x Windy.
Sh’kia Augustine
Rising up, Sh’Kia Augustine turned to artwork to flee the boredom of life in small-town Oakland, Florida. Her grandmother served as a youth director at an area church, organizing occasions reminiscent of performs, reward dances and reciting Easter talks for native kids, her Jamaican father labored as a DJ, and her mom labored at Walt Disney World.
“My mother labored there for about 11 years and he or she used to get Disney motion pictures totally free. We did not have cable TV. All this stuff fascinated me after I was born on this small city,” remembers Augustin warmly. “I [watched] music movies on TV and artwork felt like such a much bigger area exterior of Oakland. So I attempted to do one thing in Oakland that I may do this was artistic, and the one place I may do this was the church.”
As an adolescent, her mom remarried and later moved to Leesburg, Florida. Augustine immersed herself in the highschool scene and received a music scholarship taking part in the flute to attend Florida Atlantic College. After graduating with a BA in finance and music enterprise, she deliberate her profession as a artistic artist, which ultimately led her to performing, writing, producing and singing. Augustine has carried out in neighborhood theater and native movie productions, and has written internet collection and brief movies. Her profession flourished and he or she landed a recurring position because the voice of Shonda on the CW Black lightning and at the moment stars as Malika “Chilly” Clever, star of AMC+, Allblk and We TV Chilly x Windy. As a screenwriter, her pilot scripts have been positioned in numerous screenwriting competitions, reminiscent of a quarter-finalist in Screencraft and a finalist in WeScreenplay.
With the resurgence of pop-culture feminine hip-hop duos like Metropolis Ladies, Bettie Gang Twinz, Cam and China, exhibits like HBO Max Rap Sh!t describes the rise of feminine presenters from a extra comical perspective. Augustine was initially involved in regards to the present’s premise, as it’s primarily based on “drill rap,” a subgenre of hip-hop that takes its title from the which means of “capturing somebody,” which tends to glamorize violence, the pursuit of wealth, whereas emphasizing social -economic injustices confronted by the black neighborhood. Nonetheless, Kold x Windy takes a extra severe take a look at the world of hip-hop and drill as heroine Augustina strives to grow to be a star within the hopes of creating issues higher for her and her son whereas residing on the South Aspect of Chicago.
“After I noticed the breakdown approx [the show] of two feminine rappers making an attempt to make it in Chicago, [it wasn’t] one thing i [was] acquainted, however as quickly as I learn Malika’s breakup, I simply resonated along with her character as a result of she’s a younger mother with a troubled previous [and] misplaced her son due to a legal document. She is making an attempt to alter her life. She’s very gifted and good, and all through the collection you see her go from being an artist and a shell to making an attempt to develop by asking questions and studying about document offers. I additionally really feel like that is the place I am at in my life,” says Augustine. The present additional explores the conflicted relationship between Malika and Renee “Veterna” Johnson’s characters and the way the 2 girls wish to take two reverse paths; Windy needs to proceed reveling in raps about homicide, weapons and violence, whereas Malika is determined to alter her surroundings.
“I really feel like lots of people, particularly from the place I got here from, will relate to this story and hopefully have a special consequence in life,” she provides.
One other collection centered on individuals striving for a greater life is the favored FX Community program Atlanta the place Augustine performed the position of Kenya, the ex-girlfriend of Ernst “Ern” Marx, performed by Donald Glover, within the last season.
“It was cool, actually, a dream come true [that] got here true as a result of when the present got here out I used to be in Florida on the time. So I used to be getting a little bit extra conversant in tv. However I keep in mind watching the present and feeling prefer it was us, it made me really feel like I may write for tv. I see how typically our tales are unclear and weakened. However we are able to painting it on TV, make it humorous and attention-grabbing, and typically cringe. But it surely’s nonetheless an genuine option to inform a narrative,” says Augustine. When her agent despatched her to audition for the present, she immediately dispelled her pleasure and expectations as she felt that the critically acclaimed collection had received such notable awards, like an NAACP Picture Award, two Golden Globes and an Emmy Award, the producers wish to attempt to join the “larger stars.” However Augustine bought the position by way of a magic stroke of probability and destiny.
“Being on the set was straightforward. Everybody was so calm. Donald Glover is who he’s on display screen; he’s so calm and composed and all [was] it is cool. There’s [was] lack of strain; there was simply such an environment. So it simply made me really feel like, “Wow, what a straightforward day at work,” when it appeared like everybody was having enjoyable and bringing good power, and it is simply not ego. I am so glad I used to be in a position to be part of it,” she says. In the identical vein, she’s following in Glover’s footsteps by making a collection along with her husband known as Relations.
Augustine typically collaborates along with her husband, Daniel Augustine, and the pair have labored on a number of internet collection. Through the 2020 pandemic, she wrote Relations across the time her grandmother died and used her writing as a therapeutic methodology to grieve her loss.
“I went to a funeral and I hate to snort at my grandmother’s funeral, however if you come residence to satisfy household you have not seen in years, it is humorous. Some individuals bought as much as communicate and her funeral was a lot enjoyable as a result of it was such a great time to see all these individuals and it made me really feel like I used to be again residence. Then I simply thought of how thoughtless my household is me, and I believed I ought to write about it; I want to write down about this expertise,” she stated, talking of her artistic inspiration. “We have been all ready and had a lot time to take care of it. We had time to spend along with her. I wished to get out of there; I felt peace as a result of she had been struggling for therefore lengthy. I am simply blissful that she’s in a greater place.”
Her childhood trials along with her household served because the concrete basis for the muse Relations which covers her tales of rising up in a dynamic involving three half-siblings, half-sisters, brothers, moms and dads.
Content material creation and possession is a technique Chilly x Windy actress makes use of in Hollywood to create generational wealth. By way of her manufacturing firm, Augustin Productions, she goals to interrupt the cycle of poverty, lack of schooling and alternative.
“When you work for another person on a regular basis, they’ll at all times receives a commission greater than you. I actually admire Tyler Perry as a result of I really feel like he has mastered possession. I feel some individuals do not even perceive the method he created for himself that enables him to construct wealth. I feel that is the final word aim,” she says.
As a contract actress, the price of residing in Los Angeles, California is astronomical. Los Angeles is among the most costly cities within the US, with a median annual revenue simply $655 above the nationwide base.
“You’re employed from paycheck to paycheck, gig to gig, film to film, present to indicate, until you are a producer and have actual company over the stuff you’re making an attempt to create. As an actor or artist, you wish to be the CEO of your model and firm to leverage it and make a residing. As a result of so many actors put their lives, kids, holidays, and extra on maintain as a result of they’re making an attempt to make that dream come true or that subsequent gig. However should you discover a option to grasp possession, you can also make this life worthwhile whereas we’re right here, as a result of we do not even have a lot time; let’s attempt to discover a option to get pleasure from this life whereas we now have it,” Augustine properly advises.
Nonetheless, like many different black artists, one other hurdle she should overcome is touchdown her subsequent job and getting the Hollywood system to take away boundaries to racial fairness in “funding, content material improvement, advertising and marketing and distribution.”
Based on a McKinsey & Firm report, the tv and movie trade “[stifles] Black expertise all through the movie and tv trade ecosystem and at each stage of the content material improvement course of leaves Hollywood with no less than $10 billion in income every year. Attaining racial equality will make the movie and tv trade fairer and extra worthwhile.”
Augustine has seen some modifications within the numerous studios which have applied range applications, however she admits that different DEI initiatives have hit the bottom working.
“It is onerous to watch whether or not actual range is occurring. I really feel like I see much more potentialities for myself than earlier than. However I see a whole lot of unbiased creators, [generating] their very own capabilities, and so there’s much more selection on TV. My tasks will naturally be various as a result of these tales concentrate on my neighborhood and experiences,” she muses. “Actually, we might all be higher off if we did not assume a lot about what Hollywood is doing, and centered extra on what we do ourselves. You spend time complaining about individuals and issues you’ll be able to’t management. I can not management them [or] any of those applications. All I can management is what I do every day, the tales I get up and write every day, and the trouble I put in every day to publish our tales. So that is what I am centered on, ensuring I am doing my half as a result of that is all I can management.”
She is the co-writer of the psychological thriller titled Burnt home with Future Macon of South Carolina by way of her manufacturing firm. Final yr, the 2 artists accomplished a undertaking known as Speak Blacka brief movie directed and written by Macon, chosen by ABFF 2022 and nominated for an HBO Brief Movie Award.
“For the previous six months, we have been writing a function movie script collectively, assembly weekly through Zoom, and we have simply completed the primary draft. It’s now submitted for a grant in South Carolina. So hopefully it will likely be chosen for a grant, but when not, we plan to go the crowdfunding path to get it printed. I’ve a undertaking I do not even know if I can announce it however I have been filming one thing at Tyler Perry’s studio [which is to be determined with a release date]- she teases. [future].”
Watch the primary season Chilly x Windy on-line right here.
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