Elise Hudson

Image Courtesy Of Elise Hudson

WHERE WERE YOU BORN AND RAISED?

Nashville, Tennessee, USA.

WHERE ARE YOU RIGHT NOW AND HAVE YOU ALWAYS LIVED THERE?

Currently I work and live in New York City, and it’ll be four years this upcoming August.

WHAT'S THE BEST THING ABOUT YOUR PRESENT CITY OR HOMETOWN?

My favorite thing about Nashville is that it is, as we call it, “The world’s biggest small town.” It’s a rather large city and full of people, and yet you always tend to run into someone you know! My favorite thing about NYC is the amount of opportunity the city offers, and the amount of live theatre right at my fingertips.

WHAT WERE YOUR ASPIRATIONS GROWING UP?

As a kid, I was very focused on doing well in school. I was always a perfectionist, which has its pros and cons. I wanted to learn absolutely everything I could. A little before high school, I started auditioning for plays and working with an acting coach, and my love of performing grew form there. 

WHY THESPIAN?

They say that if you are thinking of being an actor, you must consider: Is there anything else at all that I could do that would make me totally happy? If the answer is Yes, then do that, because the acting business is hard. For me, if I was not pursuing acting, I know that I would be unhappy. For me, there is nothing so fulfilling as telling a story onstage or onscreen. Stories can magnify the world we live in and show us the truth, or they can distract us from the hard times by making us laugh. Both results are valid. Both are necessary.

WHAT IS YOUR TRAINING?

I got my undergrad degree in Theatre from Boston College, and I have my Masters in Fine Arts (MFA) in Acting from Brown University/Trinity Repertory Company in Providence, Rhode Island. I also trained in Oxford with British American Drama Academy.

HOW DID "SHE'S GOTTA HAVE IT" COME TO YOU?

My manager submitted me for a small one-episode role on She’s Gotta Have It, and luckily I happened to book it. The character is named Rachel, and she’s a woke white chic who is annoying good at West African dance and it pretty with it, but occasionally she still says the wrong thing. Once I got on set, there was a lot of improv involved, and Spike Lee (our director) and the writers enjoyed what I brought to the character enough to decide to write my character into more episodes. My small character grew to be Nola’s upstairs neighbors and one of her close friends. I’m very grateful for how big my role has grown. You can see Rachel again in multiple episodes of Season 2, coming to Netflix May 24 in the States. 

WERE YOU A FAN OF THE ORIGINAL MOVIE?

I must confess, I had never seen the movie before auditioning for the show. But I’m, definitely a fan now! 

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COSTUMES DESIGN ON THE SHOW?

Marci Rodgers. She’s incredible. Check out her website www.marci-rodgers.com. Or just Google her! She’s everywhere.

WHOSE OUTFITS DO YOU LIKE THE BEST AND WHY?

I have to say I’m pretty partial to some of my dresses for Rachel in Season 2. But I also love seeing the bright and bold outfits Marci puts Chyna Layne in for her character Shemekka.

HOW DOES YOUR CHARACTER EXPRESS HERSELF?

She likes to dance. In class, at a party, whenever. Or do you mean clothing-wise? She loves colors and a boho look. She probably shops at Free People and Madewell and vintage stores.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR OWN SENSE OF STYLE?

Honestly? Elegant-Comfy. Lol. I want to be comfortable at all times, but I try to make it classy and elegant whenever possible. Think Madewell Jeans with a Portofino shirt from Express. Also, my favorite heels are a thick black heel from Cole Haan that you just can’t beat. So elegant. So comfortable. Occasionally I like to add a cool statement piece to edge it up. Currently I have some bright earrings from Thailand that were a gift from my bestie Marina that I keep finding ways to work into my outfits. They have elephants on them (favorite animal). I’m wearing them right now, actually! 

WHAT DO YOU GET UP TO WHEN YOU'RE NOT WORKING?

Half of the job is finding the next job. So when I’m not acting, I’m auditioning/networking/seeing plays/meeting people. You can’t just wait for the jobs to come to you. It’s a 24/7 job to be an actor, but it’s worth it. Also, I love rock climbing, boxing, wandering the city, catching up on my favorite shows (Game of Thrones, Outlander, and Jane The Virgin), reading books (fantasy, mystery, and historical fiction), hanging with my incredible partner Josh, planning future vacations…you know. The norm.

UP NEXT?

Up next you can see me on Law and Order: SVU (Episode 20x23 “Assumptions”) in a supporting guest star role, airing this Thursday May 9 on NBC 10/c in the States. If you have Hulu, you can also catch the episode the next day. Following SVU, you’ll see me in multiple episodes go Season 2 of She’s Gotta Have It, on Netflix in the States on May 24.

HOW DO YOU UNWIND?

If I had a dog, the answer would be playing with my dog. Sadly, I don’t have my own yet, so I seek out opportunities to meet other people’s dogs. Luckily, Brooklyn is full of them, so a quick walk around my neighborhood allows me to pet lots of dogs and also make a stop at my local community garden with whatever book I’m currently reading.