Iconsider myself somewhat of an aficionado of all thing’s cinema, screens large and small. So, I cannot begin to tell you how excited I was when I found out I’d be able to interview this award-winning actress!
Oddly enough just weeks before I found out about this amazing opportunity, I had just binged watch “The Residence” on Netflix and had already declared my favorite character to be Sheila. Little did I know I’d soon have the absolute pleasure of speaking to and being awe inspired by the actress who played Shelia, Mrs. Edwina Findley Dickerson. This interview still has me reeling with the many nuggets of wisdom she implanted into my life, I’m sure you’ll be inspired as well. Enjoy!
Regina: Could you share with our WOW readership a little bit about yourself? Where were you born and raised? As well as about your upbringing.Were you raised in the church?
Edwina:My mom was pregnant with me in Liberia, West Africa, which is where my father’s side of the family is from. My family worked in government, and war broke out, so mom fled to the United States. That’s how I ended up being born and raised in D.C. So, I’m quite literally African American. I was absolutely reared in the church from a young age. I started doing Christian plays and musicals. I participated in the choir and the step team as well as the praise team. That’s really what ignited my love for the arts.
Eventually my mother enrolled me in art camps and programs like dance and music to nurture those gifts. I went to Duke Ellington School of the Arts in D.C. At 16, I prayed and that was one of the first times I heard God speak to me very clearly, and He told me that He was calling me into art and entertainment, and that He would open doors. He opened a door for me in New York City. So that’s what gave me the confidence as a young person to pursue it as a career.
Regina: So, since you’ve been in the industry, what are some of the challenges being a Christian that you face and how do you overcome? Especially if there’s one that you think would seed into the life of our readers.
Edwina: I was offered an enormous amount of money to star in this big Hollywood production. And I was over the moon excited. They notified me that I would have to sign a nudity clause. It was very difficult choosing not to sign. But I chose to go God’s way, knowing it may take a little bit longer. If we just lean on God’s voice even if it seems like there is something we must give up or sacrifice, He will work all things together for good. Romans 8:28.
Regina: Besides prayer, as a Christian in your walk, what are some other tools you advise Christians in the entertainment industry to use?
Edwina:I would say become a part of a great community. Find your tribe. There will be times when you may feel bullied because you aren’t a big enough star for certain convictions. It was difficult for me as a young person trying to navigate those moments alone. Being intentional about having a community of like-minded people can encourage you. They can also walk with you through certain situations, giving you wisdom. That’s why mentorship has been important for me. When I was at NYU, I started an organization for young Christian artists called the Christian Actors Coalition. I promised the Lord that if He’d open the door for me to become successful in this industry; I would make it a part of my journey to pour into others the same way He poured into me. It important for me to serve and to keep that as a spiritual value, regardless of where my career takes me.
Regina: I have had a chance to look at your very extensive catalog. I see that you were in Insidious, which was demonic and horror. You were also in the comedy Get Hard. With that in mind is there anything besides nudity, that the Holy Ghost has already told you not to do?
Edwina: Since I was young, it’s always been more important to me to be in God’s will than to find acclaim or validation. There were some roles that had profanity, or violence that I went to God about. And He revealed to me that He was sending me to that production, because there were people waiting to hear from me. And sure, enough there was so much ministry going on that you would never know by watching the show.
I understand some Christians have certain things they won’t do like profanity, and I honor that. But the Lord has not given me that same conviction. I really try to let God’s voice lead me when it comes to roles. Because there may be some roles that seem fine, but the message of the overall project is something that I may not want to lend myself to. Having the Holy Spirit is essential to navigating a career like this as a believer.
Regina: Has there ever been a role that you didn’t take and you later saw it and thought, I could have done that better. Or a role that you didn’t take and you thought, Lord I see why you didn’t send me over there.
Edwina: There was one particular role that I felt was not for me based on my own personal convictions. Someone that I knew took it and it made them an overnight sensation, and huge star! I thought, God, should I have taken it? The whole thing about convictions is being able to live with the decision that you’ve made and being able to trust the path that you’re on. I talk in my book about the curse of comparison and how important it is to not look to the left or right, but to stay focused on what God has called you to do.
Regina: When it comes to the characters that you’ve played, is there one that you most identified with or one that you didn’t identify with at all, but you still rocked it, even though you didn’t identify with that character at all.
Edwina:The majority of the roles I’ve played, I do not feel are like me. The most powerful acting is when you can take it from being a distance of you and bring it as close to yourself as you possibly can. For instance, Sheila, (From Netflix’s The Residence) is very different from me. She’s a chain-smoker. She’s a liar. She’s an alcoholic. I don’t even drink. So, on paper, she seems very different from me. But in doing the work, opening up myself and then unwrapping her, I realized she’s a dreamer, and so am I. She had a big personality in a system that wanted her to be quiet. They wanted her to be seen and not heard. I have felt that way many times. And so, in some ways, playing Sheila freed me. I have played women, who were on parole and done all kinds of things. The Christian world can naturally be very judgmental. But when you start to walk a mile in somebody else’s shoes, it’s your job to tell their story in an honest way.
Regina: What techniques do you use when researching your characters? Do you have a set way, or does it just depend on the project?
Edwina: A part of it is really getting to understand your character’s backstory, motivation, and their overall objective. What path are they on and what drives them? What are the circumstances of their lives that brought them to this point? When you really start to dig deep like that, you begin to understand people that you think are so different from you. People that you may have judged, discounted, or walked past without a without a thought. And now suddenly they become fully human, worthy of empathy, honor, and in some cases, worthy of the same forgiveness that you are.
Regina: Let’s talk a little bit about your family. I know you’re a mom and a wife. I know that you’re like super crazy busy, so how do you balance it all and tell us a little bit about your support system and your village?
Edwina: As women, I think a lot of times we have big vision. I certainly do. And we want to fulfill the heights of our calling and purpose. We wear a lot of hats. I am mom of two young girls, wife, an actress, speaker, I have a nonprofit, I also do ministry and I’m a writer with a book coming out. My husband and I discuss how can we best support one another and share the responsibilities of our household so that we both feel like we have a certain element of release to operate in our gifts and in our professional lives.
Also, I have a great assistant. You absolutely need a village and support system. In my book, I talk about time and time management. Knowing what your goals are and how to break down the priorities in certain seasons. For example, knowing maybe this isn’t the year that you run the triathlon. But maybe it’s the year that you start your book. You must be strategic about how much time you have and what responsibilities you have. As well as about what goals you have within your timeframe. Knowing what you’re called to and being able to plan it out, is key.
Regina: Before we talk in depth about your book, I want to know, are there any other career goals that you have set for yourself?
Edwina: Actually, when I received the script for “The Residence,” I was already creating a show centered in D.C. about the black political world called “Chocolate City.” That has been a big project as well as producing and creating other television and film projects. Also, we’re going into award season, and that’s all very exciting. I’ve been very grateful for just the recognition that has come as far as my role and character!I’m looking at doing even more wonderful roles in the in comedy and drama spaces. I’m just excited about the new projects that God is bringing our way.
Regina: So, let’s talk about your book, entitled “The World Is Waiting for You: Embrace Your Calling and Manifest the God Dream Over Your Life.” A few things stuck out to me when I was reading the description. One was in relation to how we have the saying, “chasing my dreams,” but you phrased it, “chasing God’s dream for your life.” Tell me more about what inspired you to phrase it this way and drop into the spirits of WOW readers, why you put it that way.
Edwina: There’s a quote that Oprah has that says, “God can dream a bigger dream for you than you can dream for yourself.” And I absolutely believe that’s true. Sometimes we think that our dream is the biggest dream there could ever be. But we need to tap into the Spirit and allow God to speak something even larger over our lives. We should be partnering with Him. He has the course, the plan, and the vision. There’s a really powerful dynamic when it comes to stepping into what I call “the God dream” that is over your life. This plan has been spoken, declared, and written over you before you were ever in your mother’s womb. When you can connect with that, the possibilities are absolutely endless!
Regina: That’s why the scripture tells us, He can do exceedingly abundantly above not only what we can ask, but what we can even think! The next thing that stuck out when I was reading the description was when you said to strategically plan for the life you are praying for. That will preach just like that! But please just expound on it!
Edwina: As believers, often we can put most of our time, and heart into the faith aspect of life. We’ll be believing for it. But the truth is, if you believe for it, then you need to be prepared for it? I talk in the book about preparing for what you expect. Set your expectation high, but also, set your expectation of yourself high. I had a prophetic word that God was going to send me to Hollywood, though I didn’t know how. Over time, I was able to elevate my faith to a place of believing that God was going to do it. I knew I needed to get ready by faith. I got back into acting, singing, and dance lessons. I started preparing different roles, by faith. I started networking because I believed that the day would come, and I was going to have to be ready! We can’t get discouraged in our waiting season and allow that to make us give up. Then when the opportunity comes, we aren’t even ready. The door is coming. There is a whole chapter in the book about this concept.
Regina: Tell the readers where they can get your book, and when they can get it.
Edwina: It’s available now for Pre-order on Amazon, Target, or Barnes & Noble websites. The official sale date is 9.19.25. This is a prophetic book. It’s a book that will help to launch you into the life that has been waiting for you and that has been written with your name on it.
Regina: How can we keep up with you and your new projects?
Edwina: Go to edwinafinley.com. I’m also on Instagram @edinafindley on Facebook as Edwina Findley Dickerson
Regina: Finally, if you could leave one piece of advice that you haven’t shared to that young lady or young man that’s a Christian looking to step into their destiny in the entertainment industry, what would it be?
Edwina:I would first tell them to believe that all things are possible, regardless of their current circumstances, family dynamics, socioeconomic status, or educational level. God can supersede all of that, as well as all the obstacles that they may face in their lives.
And then I would tell them to get ready. Prepare. In the book I talk about living “into the picture.”So, ask yourself, how would you live and operate if what you’re believing for is already here?
I hope you have been as inspired to follow God’s dream for your life as I am now that this seed has been implanted into my spirit. From the moment we logged on to the zoom, her loving personality and genuine spirit poured into me through the computer screen. I know it was authentic and intentional. I’m so grateful to God and WOW for entrusting me with this life-changing conversation. Moments like these are lasting and meaningful, this is an interview I will never forget as well as one from which I have so much to glean from. God’s timing is the true and BEST timing and always will be.
Regina D. Wells aka "Gena-Mae" is a wife and mother of two. A professional writer, published author, film producers and live theatrical playwright and director, her moto for her company Gena-Mae Productions is to "Show the World Jesus, in a real way!" She is very passionate that any of her production work whether on paper or screen give all the honor and glory solely to Jesus Christ.
I really did enjoy this article. Congratulations to Regina Wells. To God be the glory for all he is doing and going to do in and through you.