Christina Moses is not only a tremendously successful actress, but she’s also inspirational. After overcoming an innate shyness she’s had since she was little, she decided to pursue acting professionally. Now, she’s starring in the new CW series Containment and the new film How We Met, which premiered at the Dances With Films Festival on June 11. Here, we chat with Moses about her passions, what sparked her love for acting, and the best advice she was ever given.
Cliché: You grew up around the entertainment industry. Was there a definitive moment when you knew that you wanted to be an actress?
Christina Moses: I didn’t know what being an actress meant exactly. My father was an acting teacher, writer, and director. I would watch his classes and rehearsal, and then perform them at home. But it wasn’t until junior high that I developed a love for the craft of acting. It took me awhile to convince myself I could go for it and achieve an acting career because I always had a love of academics, but after college, when I was living in New York doing theater, I started to pursue it.
I read that you used to be shy in front of the camera. How did you overcome that?
I was shy in general. I wasn’t comfortable until I knew you. In eighth grade, the general shyness left. I realized I had a much bigger personality that I was just hiding. I knew it wasn’t who I really was. I broke out of my shell and each new challenge helped me overcome that shyness.
You have a lead role in the series Containment. What’s it been like working on this show?
The whole thing is really exciting. The pilot was really exciting. Our director, David Nutter, and Julie Plec lead with heart and are really great with people and connecting people. They assembled an incredible team of actors and crew. Everyone liked the show, idea, and concept. The whole cast was just really genuinely excited, so that was cool to be in that buzz and environment. It’s a family relationship. It’s cool to be a part of a story that highlights the flaws and the virtues of humanity. This epidemic brings out the best and the worst in people.
You are also in the film How We Met. How does working on a film differ from working on a television show? Is there one you prefer over the other?
TV is usually shot on an 8-day schedule, but we shot our show on a 7-day schedule. A 7-day schedule is really fast, so you have to learn to keep up with that pace. Typically with film you have more time, but since How We Met was a low budget indie film, we shot up to 20 pages a day sometimes, which is nuts! But I love to tell a good story, period.
How do you prepare for a new role? Are there certain things you do to prepare yourself to start a new project?
I make sure I really connect to it with my heart. I do research and make up my own relationship to the character and the story. I pull from myself and how I relate to it. It’s an ongoing process. I definitely allow myself to live in the unknown as much as possible. It’s nice to discover what’s happening in the moment.
You’re passionate about creating pathways for female projects in the entertainment industry. In what ways do you believe the entertainment industry must change to be more inclusive of women?
There needs to be more female writers from all classes and backgrounds. We’re so culturally diverse, but that isn’t always represented. In general, we just need more female writers and directors. Female roles are also often in service of men. We need a more diverse representation of women. Bridesmaids was big because it showed women can be funny, too. It’s all about changing the current social conversation, and Bridesmaids is an example of that.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?
Fail. Be able to fail. Go ahead and give it your all and fall on your face. Discover your talent and your passion and go for it. Never be afraid to fail, because failure connects us to each other.
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Christina Moses Discusses Her Role in ‘Containment’: Photographed by Quavondo, Makeup by Chechel Joson at Dew Beauty Agency
