According to German philosopher George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, “Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion” and this quote specifically applies to the talented Racquel Bianca John. Originally born in the Bronx, NY but raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Racquel is an actress, geometric abstraction painter, and blogger. Her resume includes BET’s The Quad, Burning Sands, and Acrimony. She can also be seen in the upcoming Nappily Ever After, a Netflix film starring Sanaa Lathan, Lynn Whitfield, Ernie Hudson, Lyriq Bent, Camille Guaty, Ricky Whittle, and Brittany S. Hall. Racquel has also created her own website, Purposely You, a website dedicated to sharing life experiences that will inspire you to find your purpose.
Check out my interview with Racquel Bianca John where she discusses everything from Nappily Ever After and her favorite film/TV project she’s worked on to how she came up with Purposely You and more below.
1-Which of your many art professions(acting, writing, and geometric abstraction painting) is your favorite to do?
To be honest, they are all my favorite. Each one has a different purpose in my life that contributes to me becoming a better person. I learn many things from each one. For example, paining helps me relieve mental pressures. What I mean by that is that I think a lot. So when I paint, I’m not doing too much thinking, just freely creating.
2-Who is your favorite actress/actor?
Outside of my brother Isaiah John, I would have to say that Joe Morton is one of my favorite actors. He brings strength to all the characters that he plays, and I admire that. Also, he has a certain rhythm to the way he delivers his lines, and it will take you on an emotional roller coaster.
3-Out of all your film/TV projects, which has been your favorite to shoot?
That is a great question. I will have to say that my role on The Quad has been my favorite thus far. I played Amoure in the second season for about two episodes, and it was the most fulfilling experience. It meant a great deal to me to have the opportunity to play a strong young woman in college who stood up for something. Many times we tend to be quiet in situations that we shouldn’t be. So, for this character to have a voice made me proud.
4-Your upcoming project, Nappily Ever After, is being released on September 21st and it’s getting some great buzz. How did you become part of the film?
Luckily, I have a great team behind me who helps with this process. My manager received an email inquiring for me to audition for this role. So, I went to the audition, then received a call back, and then the next thing I know I booked it. That’s the short version of how that process truly works.
5-What can you tell us about your character, Crystal?
Let’s see. What can I say without giving too much of the story line away…From what I gathered in my backstory of Crystal is that she’s young and trying to figure herself out. Also, she doesn’t care too much about her job.
6-How did you come up with Purposely You?
I started blogging back in 2013 as a way for me to explore my creativity and passion for fashion. That blog was called Parts of Me. The more I grew into myself, the more I realized that I needed to redirect my focus with my content. For months, I thought about what I stood for in life and didn’t stop searching until I found it. One day, I noticed that I enjoyed talking to people about purpose and living life with purpose. That’s how I came up with Purposely You. Soon, I will be making more changes to the meaning behind it and the site.
7-The blog on your official website is amazing. One of our favorite blog posts is Low Point, which is the link on your Instagram account. What was your motivation for writing this blog post?
The motivation for my blog post, Low Point, was to share with people what I was going through in hopes that it would help someone. During that time, before I made that post, I was experiencing some really low moments emotionally, but also I just wanted to be honest. Low Point was the first post to my new site, and I made a promise to be real and honest with my content.
8-If you had to pick one art piece that truly represents you, which is it?
If this question is pertaining to my artwork, then I would have to say they all represent me. I’m a very organized person, I like to be neat, and my favorite color is black(which you will always see in my work).
9-What advice would you give to someone who wants to pursue a career in the arts?
I would say, never stop creating because you never know what will be your door opener.
10-What is NEXT for Racquel Bianca John?
I’m going to project what I believe is next for me: I definitely see myself becoming a motivational speaker sometime soon, a new art series, a movie, series regular on a TV show, and taking Purposely You to the next level.
VISIT Racquel Bianca John’s official website and VISIT Purposely You.
Photo Credit: Racquel Bianca John