Angela Lewis-Wright is a woman with a very inspiring story. At over sixty, she began a career as an actress and a model. And this was after retirement. Now, I do not know about you, but when I think of acting and especially of modelling I think of young women; women who are just starting out in life. I certainly do not think of a retiree. But Angela landed a filming and modelling contract when she was over sixty years of age and retired from her teaching job. Her story is a pointer to the fact that we are never too old to pursue our dreams, dream again, or start afresh. I hope her story inspires you to find purpose and walk in it, despite your age. The truth is this; if we have breath, we can still achieve our dreams. Never think it is over, never count yourself out of anything good. When you think life is over, life may just be starting. Every new day that you are privileged by God to see is an opportunity for something new.
When and how did you begin your current line of work?
I worked up until about three years ago. I worked as a teacher, and I trained as a nurse as well. And I also worked in the corporate world in sales, so I have had different things that I have done along the way. But I have always been a Christian, first and foremost, I am married, and I have one child. And I really thought after I retired from teaching, that that was it, I could go on and do leisurely things. We have a property business, my daughter and I, which was very interesting, we learnt an awful lot, for about 18 months, but in that time, I joined my church drama team, and I was involved in that, and then the opportunity came where I was given a few lead roles, and I found I thoroughly enjoyed it and really felt that the Lord had opened a new door for me, a completely unexpected turn of events, and that really has been it, everything has been changed and I have been doing lots of exciting projects, modelling being one of them. So, I really didn’t expect this to happen, but the Lord knows best, I guess.
So, you went from taking a lead role in the drama sketches in your church to modelling and filming. Were you discovered while doing drama in your church?
What happens is that when we step on to that drama stage, it really is a ministry. It’s not just remembering your lines and doing a great job, it’s also about being led of the Holy Spirit and just being guided by what it is that God wants you to do to minister into people’s lives. And so as a result of that, yes, I did get a lot of recognition, and a lot of very positive feedback, and at the same time, I also got chosen to be support artist in some films and from that I got very good feedback and I decided to pursue it, and the modelling as well, the advice I was given was, yes definitely there is a market for me as a model, and I just pursued it, and the doors kept opening.
So, what was it that attracted you to this job?
I have been a Christian baptized a long time and walking the Christian walk for the majority of my adult life. And I got ill in 2011 and I really thought that I wouldn’t see the end of that year and at that point, I had the opportunity to stop and really be still and renew my relationship with the Lord. And it was in that period of time that I realized that yes, it’s good to be saved, it’s good to go to church, it’s good to do all of the traditional things. However, we need to know God for ourselves. It’s great that we have good, committed pastors, and leaders in our churches but, God wants a relationship with us as individuals. And it was at that time that I stopped and really took stock of my life and at that point, things changed because as I’ve said, I really was very ill at that point, I really thought I wasn’t going to see the end of that year and prior to that I was very fit, I used to run marathons, was very active in my church, doing lots and lots of things, but during that period of time, I stopped and started to take stock and I really started reviewing my walk with Christ, and really looking at what was my responsibility as a Christian, what was it that I needed to do, because, you know, I think at that point it’s an opportunity to really stop and listen for the voice of God differently. And that was what I did, which led me to the church that I now worship in. And it was a real awakening, a revival, of my spiritual life, and so I really wanted to contribute but I didn’t want to be in a position where I was taking on a lot of leadership responsibilities but neglecting my own spiritual development, and so that was what really interested me in participating but doing it in a way that I felt was led of the Lord, not just doing something to be active. And that was how it came about that I participated in the drama team. Previously, I was teaching the youth in my old church. And I know that God has given each one of us a gift and wants us to use it and then the drama team opened up, and I really wasn’t sure, I was quite nervous about it, and I thought, oh Lord, am I doing the right thing, is this the right department? But, it just happened, the doors opened, the drama ministry is wonderful and the people in the drama team, everybody loved the Lord, that’s what we were there to do, and that was it.
How has this job impacted on your life?
In so, so many ways. I get the opportunity to work with some fantastic individuals, people that I probably normally wouldn’t get a chance to meet. On the film set, I meet lots of people who’ve come from different walks of life, done different things. I’ve worked with Hollywood actors and actresses, as well as UK international actors and comedians and actresses. But the wonderful thing about it as well is that I am also able to minister to people, not necessarily to thrust things down their throats but to just have a discussion with them and be with them in a way that is really about demonstrating, I believe, Christ and God’s love to the best of my ability and so much so that we did have a photographic shoot in someone’s house recently and this person was quite wealthy and we got talking and I was able to share with him, the fact that I had been ill and how God had really put His hand on my life and helped me to recover and my health has been restored and I can now go out and do what I do. And he had been diagnosed with an illness and he said, you know I am really interested in what you have to say. And he went away and came back at the end of the shoot, and he said, I want to talk to you some more, and gave me his card, and we’ve been in discussion. Now, that wouldn’t normally happen if I hadn’t come into this line of work. So, it’s just an opportunity to really share the gospel and to impart and impact other people’s lives and also be impacted and keep learning from other people as well. So, yes, it’s a blessing.
Does this job require any special talents, or can anyone do it?
I believe anyone can do it. However, I think if you want to be successful, you have to really come from a perspective of wanting to achieve excellence and giving up your best. I was on the film set one day, and it was bitterly cold. I had worn what I thought was required; a nice warm coat and they said, oh no, you’re too glamorous, too smartly dressed for this role, you can’t wear that, and we have to take your hat and gloves off because it’s not meant to be winter. And I thought, you must be joking. Fortunately, I’ve got lots of things in the boot of my car, so I piled on all these clothes under my jacket, but I was freezing throughout the course of the day. I had to say, look you’ve got to give me back my hat and gloves in between things because I’m cold. And so, I negotiated, but I could see that at one point I was really upset, and I could have just said, look just stick your film I’m going home. In the end, I got quite a good role in this particular upcoming TV series. And I could have lost that opportunity if I didn’t have the right attitude. So, I think attitude and willingness to really give up your best regardless of the circumstances. I have taught in college and universities and have various academic qualifications; however, I know very little about filming and modelling and the people that I am working with know a lot more than I do so I need to be teachable. I need to have a teachable spirit and to learn from people that I am working with. So, if anything I think that those are probably I would say some of the key skills.
Did you know you were going to be doing this job at this stage of your life?
Now that’s a really interesting question. The Holy Spirit has laid it on my heart to write my book, and that’s one of the things that I’ve been thinking about. And I can remember as a young child, I grew up in the Caribbean and in the Caribbean it very often happens that women find themselves as single parents being the only parent that a child has, and I think that it was quite difficult for my mother and one of the things that happened was that she sent me to go and live with another family because she felt economically it was going to be a struggle for her. And I have just been thinking about that and those years, very early on, and I remember always being able to entertain the adults. I used to sing, and dance and I could read quite early as well. And I was the only child amongst a number of adults. So, I suppose I was quite adult in my behavior and they would always say, oh Angela give us a song. So, I learnt to entertain, and I really did love it. I loved being the centre of attention and dancing and carrying on. And when I was teaching I used drama quite a bit in expressive ways in my teaching, but I didn’t expect that in terms of doing it on a full-time basis or as something I would do now but I know that along the way it’s one of the gifts and talents that have been lurking there in the background. So, no, I didn’t expect that I would be doing it now, but I can see that there has been a trend throughout my life and yes, I am enjoying it.
Well, you certainly sound like you’re enjoying it. So, what is most rewarding about your job; what makes it all worthwhile?
I think now, I have found a real vehicle to express myself and I feel that there is such an opportunity to witness and to share Christ and to share the love of God. It really doesn’t have to be always behind the pulpit, there are ways of imparting God’s love and really expressing it without being so terribly serious and a bit pious sometimes and it gives me the opportunity and I find on stage I can actually incorporate lessons from the Bible in what I do and how I do it, and so I see it as a powerful vehicle for ministry and for evangelizing and one that I fully intend to use.
So, in other words, your job does have an impact on the body of Christ?
Absolutely. Because that’s the very first thing, that I share. I do share that I am a Christian, and sometimes I will hear conversations, and I will hear comments being made and I will think, if I can’t add to that or I can’t contribute to that in a way that is going to edify and uplift, I might not always participate in every conversation and I am not being unfriendly. And I have to wait up as well, because sometimes in an effort to share our views and share our perspectives, sometimes we can do more damage than good and I’d rather leave the door open and be able to come back to somebody maybe on a one on one rather than in a group setting and actually speak to somebody and have them look at that particular issue from a different perspective rather than taking on a group and it become confrontational. So, it’s a very fine balance, but yes, I don’t stand there in front of the camera saying, yes, yes, yes, and no, this is the way that we’ve got to do it, but I do have those discussions and do what I need to do to share the gospel.
Are there some things you don’t like about your job?
Being cold (she laughs) and sometimes there’s a lot of waiting around as they change film sets or they speak to the actors and change scenes and sometimes depending on how the thing is working out, there’s a lot of changing around and a lot of hanging around and sort of last minute things that happen. Not that I don’t like it but sometimes, it can be a little bit much especially if it’s a long filming day and at the end of the day, they decide they want to do something different, and you have to jump around and make those changes quickly and sometimes I can be a little bit like, oh, you know I’m really tired, I don’t think I want to do any of that. But that’s life, you just get on with it, to the best of your ability, with a smile. There are uncomfortable things now and again, but they are few and far between and nothing that I dislike intensely, no.
In hindsight, looking back at your life, is there anything you would do differently?
Yes, there is. I would really, maybe pray a lot more before making some decisions especially in terms of when I moved into nursing and teaching, even though they are things that were in my heart; I knew that I wanted to do those things, I wanted to help and to impact people’s lives. And going into business, I think maybe I might have done just a little more research possibly certainly with nursing, I probably would have done a little bit more. And one other thing, maybe I would have started having my family a little bit earlier, I would have thought about that, but beyond that, no.
So, you wouldn’t have taken acting up earlier on?
I probably would have done. Yes, now that you reminded me. I did do some modelling when I was in my youth. Somebody did approach me once to come to London and do modelling, but my mother said no. I lived in Birmingham, and I think I was about 16 or 17 and this lady said they would like me to come to London and be a model, and my mum said, oh no, I don’t think so. So yes, I probably would have done. I would have taken it on a bit sooner. I would have done.
You’re someone whose life just seemed to open up when you thought that things were winding down, and you’re here now with this brand-new career. So what advice do you have for Christian women who are retired and think, this is the end of the road for me?
Well, I would say to them that it’s the beginning. I think the thing I have really come to realise is that as long as we have breath, every new day is a new opportunity, and I do believe that it’s so important to give thanks for every day and that’s something that I don’t take for granted. As soon as our eyes are open it’s an opportunity, a day for adventure, a new day of fun and so I think that as women, I think God has really given us the gift of patience the gift of prayer even though we might not have a physical abilities that we had as younger women, we do have the ability to pray for our families, to intercede, to really just seek God’s face, not just for ourselves but for our loved ones; our husbands, our children, our families, our parents, if they’re alive. So, we have the opportunity, to really seek out many different ways of serving God. And not having all the distractions around, I’ve found for myself I would say, I really do feel at this point in my life God is really looking at me as an individual and re-examining my relationship, re-examining my walk, re-examining my understanding of the Bible, questioning some of the things that I’ve been taught as a Christian, not necessarily because they are wrong, but because some of the teachings that we’ve been exposed to, I think some of them come from a wrong perspective, and therefore, we have learnt things from a particular viewpoint, taught our children from a particular viewpoint, and I believe that God is saying, look, come back to me, come back and learn what I want you to learn, not what your preachers have interpreted not what your churches have told you but come back into relationship with me. And I think as retired women, as women in a different phase of our lives, we can use some of that time to get back to that place where we were in communication with God, where we had time, more time for one on one. And I think as mature women, we can start doing that and then we can start mentoring and opening up doors because we have so much to teach others and to impact and guide and mentor younger Christians, younger people; Christians and non-Christians alike, men and women. We have stories to tell, we have things that we have been through that we can help people to deal with and cope with.
So, basically it can be the beginning of something new, a whole new ministry?
Absolutely. Absolutely. And I think that to sit and think it’s over; I think it’s a sin. It’s sinful to say, that’s it; I am such and such an age, there’s no more. That’s not true, and I believe far from God’s intention.
Very well said. So, where can people get more information about you and your achievements?
I have an email address that I am happy to give out if people would like copies of my little books. They’re just very little books, but I am quite happy to give copies of them away. My email address is angie357@icloud.com. And my website is www.angiemodels.co.uk
