Karissa Lee Staples
This is an amazing day - Karissa Lee Staples is here for this week’s Dreamos Round Table! Karissa grew up doing theater in Maine, studied at an acting conservatory in NYC, and ultimately landed in LA to pursue her dream almost 10 years ago.
After a few years of consistent faith, perseverance, and a killer work ethic, Karissa booked a series regular role on USA Network’s “Necessary Roughness”. Since then, she’s had the opportunity to book TV guest spots and recurring roles, play the leading lady on several TV movies, and is currently killin’ it as “Bonnie” on the CBS drama “S.W.A.T."
Karissa’s courage, resilience, and ability to navigate the industry is absolutely incredible. Wherever she goes, she leaves an impact, and we’re so thankful for all she shared with us. We know you’ll be encouraged as you hear more from her heart, story, and pursuit.
What dream are you currently turning into reality?
I’m an actor! I’ve been fortunate to have been working and paying my bills as an actor for almost 8 years now. While I am eternally grateful for that, I do feel like I’m in the gray area, though. I haven’t gotten that “break” yet - that role on a show that really puts me on the map. My deepest dreams will come true when I land a comedy that lasts many seasons. I’m keeping the faith alive!
When did you first realize you discovered your dream?
I had a few phases. When I was little, I wanted to be a famous singer, so I would coupe myself up in my room and belt out songs from Celine Dion and Mariah Carey. When I got older, I didn’t know what the next step would be, so my mom signed me up for a musical theater summer camp program at our local city theater. I was so shy that she had to drag me to get there. I was crying, kicking, and screaming not to go. Apparently, I had no choice. Then, as the saying goes, “I got the bug.”
I found myself doing community theater (we didn’t have a program at our high school) and then some professional summer-stock theater during the summers. The true realization came when I was a student in the musical theater program at Wagner College.
One day, I was in an acting class where we were crawling on the ground, screaming like animals, and I was like - “Nope! This isn’t fun for me anymore, and I’m not going to be able to make a living doing this.” So, I dropped out after my first semester, found an apartment in Brooklyn, and enrolled in a conservatory to study acting for film and TV. I have never veered from that journey ever since.
How does your faith go hand in hand with pursuing your dream?
I feel like one of the most important tools in this journey as an actor is having faith. There is so much that is out of our control. On our part, we hone our craft, network, stay creative during the quiet times, work on being our best selves, and nail the audition (hopefully!), but then the rest is all up to the powers that be. There’s so much rejection without even knowing why you’re being rejected, and that’s a lonely place.
For me, I have faith that if I show up, do my best (at an audition) and find joy in the process, something will eventually hit. That’s when I give up my self-will and hand it over to God’s. Before every audition, I pray for strength and to be in the present moment. I know that every rejection is just redirecting me. I’ve never lost the faith that I’m on the right path.
What encouragement would you give someone who’s going after their dream?
Never give up and believe in yourself! There’s a reason why you’ve heard those sayings thousands of time. If you have a dream you love so much that it shakes your soul, and you believe that you’re worthy of achieving it, you keep going and never stop.
I believe that joy, persistence and resilience will get you to where you want to be. If you’re feeling that achieving your dream is a “one in a million” ordeal, well then, why can’t that one be you?