Emelina Adams
CREATIVE CREDITS
Photographer: Lindy Lin | @lindylinphoto
Stylist: Monica Cargile | @monicacargile
HMUA: Michelle Vanderhule | @beautybymichellev
Actress Emelina Adams talks about college, Bullet Train, winning Miss Nevada 2016, Back on the Strip, and much more!
CLOTHING CREDITS
Suit - Mangano
Ring - Vegavaan
Shoes - Giuseppe Zanotti
You have been a part of many fashion campaigns, from partnering with Pretty Little Thing, to being the center on billboards for the Marciano Guess campaign. What does the typical day in the life look like when you are preparing for a shoot? Do you have any special tricks that get you in the mood?
Each day is different depending on what I am preparing for. When preparing for one of my GUESS shoots, I try to maintain and live a healthy lifestyle by working out and eating healthy. I LOVE Pilates, especially the lagree method. Working out has always been a priority for me. Coming from a pageant background, I like to be prepared. I always strive to be photoshoot ready in case a last-minute booking comes up, from my hair being freshly colored and cut to having a clean neutral manicure and pedicure. I like to keep everything looking natural and classy. Skincare is very important to me, and I get monthly facials. I really love the beauty industry so much. On days when I have the actual shoot, I always wake up extra early and get plenty of sleep the night before. No specific special tricks, but I always come to set with a lot of energy and am ready to work and have a fun day! If I could be on set every day, I would be. I LOVE it!!
What inspired you to get into pageants when you were younger, winning Miss Nevada in 2016? Would you say doing pageants gave you an upper hand in the modeling industry? What would you say are the differences and similarities between the two?
I’m a huge girly girl and super feminine, and I had ALWAYS wanted to get into beauty pageants, but I never knew which system or how to go about it. My ultimate goal has always been acting, and I had read that some of the biggest actresses like Michelle Pfeiffer and Halle Berry, to name a few, had gotten their start doing beauty pageants, so I thought maybe that could happen for me, and I saw it as a way into the entertainment industry. I loved the Miss USA system so much, and I wish I had been involved sooner. It’s such an amazing community of empowering, strong and influential women. I’m so grateful I got to be a part of this sisterhood, and some of my best girlfriends are from the pageant world. I’ve been modeling for 12 years, and I started modeling before I won the title but winning Miss Nevada USA 2016 definitely opened up a lot of opportunities for me, especially during my reign. I have shot for many of the Las Vegas hotels, been on big billboards on the strip, and filmed commercials for the different venues and casinos. In today’s world, I feel like you have to be so much more than just a model. You have to be a well-rounded person to be successful in this industry, and competing in pageants has prepared me for the entertainment industry and everyday skills. I really feel it has helped for modeling and acting. The main difference I see is that pageants are more polished than the modeling industry because we are always ready with the hair and makeup aspect of it, whereas, with modeling, you get to be more creative and do different looks. As a model, no one really gets to see your personality unless you’re on set, but I got to bring that to the table when I was competing and doing my interview with the judges.
You are currently coming out with two new projects, including Brad Pitt’s Bullet Train and Kevin Hart’s Back On The Strip. Because these are two very different types of projects, how did you prepare for each role?
I am SO excited about both of these projects. They are my two biggest projects, and I loved filming for both.
Both were very different projects, but I got to play a fun and sexy role in each film. I have learned to embrace what I am getting cast as and just own it. My audition for Bullet Train was so unique because there weren’t any lines for the audition. I had to improvise a scene, so I had to come up with something creative. I booked this off of a self-tape audition, which is insane because there was no dialogue to go off of, and I had no script. I can’t give away too much about my role, but I have a really fun moment with Brad Pitt. The director, David Leitch, is super funny and he let me improvise while I was filming and I really enjoyed that. It was so amazing to be on that set at the Sony Studios.
Back On The Strip was a blast to film! I got to film in my hometown of Las Vegas, so that was really special to me. I play a comedic role where I am a trophy wife to a plastic surgeon. I got to look totally different for this role which helped me get into character. I wore a fun Marilyn Monroe type of wig and a ton of makeup, and they had me super glam, which being a pageant girl, of course, I loved. I felt like I really got to play around with this character and be someone else which is why I love acting so much.
CLOTHING CREDITS
Dress - Coral Castillo
Shoes - Zara
I am so impressed with all of the hit projects that you’ve been a part of, especially with the renowned TV series, Thirteen Reasons Why, which really created a lot of awareness of the realities of sexual assault and suicide. What was it like to play a character that experienced trauma and was part of a show with such an important message?”
I am so happy that I got to be a part of this impactful TV series. I loved working on this show; the cast and crew were amazing. I’m on season 4, episode 9, the Prom episode, so I got to meet everyone and had a lot of fun filming on such a big set. I have my degree in Psychology, so it was really amazing being on a show with such an important message about mental health and how we need to take it seriously. I haven’t had to play a role like this before; usually, I am the comedic relief character, so it was something different but in a good way. I do believe it’s good to raise awareness about real-world situations and things that can happen even in high schools, which is why this show is so amazing.
I saw that you majored in pre-law and psychology in college. Do you ever see yourself returning to that career path? How has your background in law and psychology helped you in your career or day-to-day life? Do you remember when you wanted to change direction to a more creative path?
I really enjoyed going to college and having that college experience. I went to a big university and was in a sorority, but my heart always told me I wanted to be in the entertainment industry. I knew from a young age that I wanted to be an actress and a model. I actually took acting classes and did theater when I was young. My family is very traditional, and they really wanted me to go to college to become a doctor or a lawyer. I think I was always scared to actually make the move to LA and pursue acting and modeling full time. After receiving my Bachelor’s degree and my year being Miss Nevada, I moved to LA and never looked back. I don’t think I will ever return to something I got my degree in. I see myself staying in the entertainment industry forever. My degree in Psychology has helped me with day-to-day life and my career. This industry has so many ups and downs, and you just have to stay strong and keep going and never give up. I’m glad I have my degree, but I don’t think having a degree determines someone’s success. Being happy and doing what you love is success to me, and for me, that’s being an actress and a model!
I saw that you are extremely passionate about fashion! How would you describe your style? Are there any must-have pieces that you can’t live without?
I do love fashion! Being in the modeling industry is so fun because I have the opportunity to wear all different kinds of clothes and take part in creative shoots. My personal style is all over the place. I am a girly girl, but I also like being edgy sometimes. I really love having staple pieces in my closet, from shoes to jeans to bags. I tend to wear a lot of neutral colors like black and white because they can literally go with anything. I model for GUESS and Marciano, and almost my entire closet is filled with their clothes! I LOVE the brand, and I’ve been wearing Guess since I was a little girl. The quality is amazing and affordable.
How did you get your start as an actress? What made you consider acting as a career? Do you have any advice for other women who want to follow a similar path?
I have always wanted to be an actress from a young age. Growing up, I was in the arts, from dance to piano, to choir, and I performed in my first play in elementary school. I didn’t know how to get into acting, so I thought modeling would be a step in that direction. I’ve now been modeling for 12 years and actively pursuing acting for 5. I read some actresses like Michelle Pfeiffer and Halle Berry got their start in beauty pageants, and I thought that would happen for me as well, and I ended up winning the title of Miss Nevada USA 2016. That opened up a lot of doors for me. My advice is to go after your dreams and put the work in! No one is going to work harder for you than yourself. Not everyone has the same journey, but it’s important to know your strengths and your brand and learn how to market yourself.
How do you use your platform to help those around you? Do you have any specific causes or organizations that you’re passionate about? Why are you passionate about them?
I love giving back to my community, and when I was Miss Nevada, I got to work closely with a lot of organizations I was passionate about, like Make-A-Wish and Solutions Recovery Center. I got my degree in Psychology and Pre-Law, so mental health is really important to me, and that’s something I like to advocate for. If I wasn’t in the entertainment industry, I wanted to be a child psychologist.
I know you’ve been incredibly busy lately! But when you’re not working, what are some of your favorite ways to unwind and take care of yourself? How do you like to spend your free time?
I love to travel. I’ve been to 12 different countries, and I plan on traveling more when I’m not working. If I’m not able to travel, I enjoy going to the beach. I grew up in Las Vegas, so being able to go to the beach for me is such a treat. Working out and maintaining a healthy lifestyle helps with my mental health as well.
Where do you see yourself going from here? Is there a new career path or project you want to accomplish?
I’ve just been waiting for my other films to be released. When they do come out, I hope this brings more work for me. My main focus is acting right now, and I envision myself booking bigger roles and being a series regular on a TV show. Once I make a name for myself, I’d love to create my own product and start my own company. I can’t wait to be a leading lady one day.
