Interviewed by Jessica Dewey with Influential People Magazine
ARIEL JOHNS
ACTRESS, WRITER, BLOGGER
WWW.BUCKSOFAMERICA.COM
This human-interest story covers the amazing true accounts of the Bucks of America, as well as the story of Phillis Wheatley (played by Ariel Johns) and other influential people during America’s fight for independence. Who is Phillis Wheatley you ask? If you do not know then you must see this movie! She was one of the best-known poets in pre-19th century America. She was an early literary giant at a time when enslaved African Americans weren’t taught to read and write. As tensions grew between her colonies and Great Britain, she shifted her focus to political works. George Washington, John Hancock, and even French philosopher Voltaire was impressed and inspired by her works. Voltaire wrote friends arguing that “people of color” could indeed be literate and write poetry.
Ariel Johns is a native of Philadelphia and an alum of the University of Pitts- burgh. With several pilots, short films, online projects, movies and plays under her belt, she is quickly rising the ranks to be one of the most sought after actresses and writers in Hollywood. Currently, she is working on several projects including leading roles in an upcoming short and a feature film. A lover of storytelling, she recently finished co-writing her first full-length feature and a TV pilot. In her spare time, she runs a popular lifestyle blog hoopLAblog.com where she gets to do several of the things she loves: travel, attend events, and eat yummy food.
IPM: What drew your attention to Bucks of America?
Ariel: From the moment I heard the story I knew I wanted to be a part of it. The fact that the Bucks aren’t in school textbooks and very few history books is a problem. I want to be a part of the solution and teach this story of forgotten heroes. I hope their legacy will be in textbooks from now on. IPM: Tell us about your audition. What did you do to set yourself apart from the others in the casting call? Ariel: I became Phillis. Everything from my thoughts to words, to clothing, was Phillis Wheatley. I was her. I was so convinced that I was her that I wanted the people around me to feel it too. It worked.
IPM: Just about everything is unique about Phillis, including her name. Who or what was she named after?
Ariel: Ironically, she was named after the slave ship that bought her to Boston.
IPM: At an incredibly young age, she became a prodigy. However, people were reticent to believe that she had written the poems being attributed to her. Why was this?
Ariel: We have to remember this was a time in our country when blacks and women had little to no rights. Some even though both slaves and women were incapable of learning. This was a slave girl who was bought here and didn’t speak the language. She learned and mastered English very quickly and began writing before she was a teenager. For many, this was too much to fathom and they refused to believe Phillis could read let alone write as well as she did.
IPM: Many of her poems were a commentary on the times, on individuals leading the way in the protests over the British taxes, which the colonists deemed to be illegal. Why was this? Who were two leaders that she penned poems about?
Ariel: She was a slave in colonial Boston. She witnessed firsthand the anger and animosity between the Colonists and British soldiers. She was raised in the bible and read many religious works. The Wheatleys often entertained and George Whitfield, a famous British evangelist was often a guest at their home. Upon his death she penned a poem about him that drew international attention. Perhaps her biggest fan for a poem she penned about him was George Washington. He even invited her to his home to sit at his table. invited to the home of the leader of the colonial army. This was unheard of at the time.
IPM: At the age of 20, Phillis made her first trip overseas, with the help of the Countess of Hutchinson. What happened on the trip that caused her master to give her a gift upon her return to the Colonies?
Ariel: The Mansfield Act had just passed in Britain. This law said any slave that stepped foot on English soil was freed and did not need to return to their homeland. It started from a case between a Jamaican slave and his master. Lord Mansfield claimed the slave was free after entering England. This news was reported in newspapers in the colonies and many historians believe Phillis read about this and knew she could be free upon being in England. With her intelligence and savvy, many feel her going to England was not just about publishing her works but was also about gaining freedom. Historians believe she brokered a deal with the Wheatleys that she would return to Boston with them, only if she was a free woman. They accepted the quid pro quo, and she came back to the state a free woman.
IPM: Phillis became a sensation for a short time; she was the first female published author to be able to make a living from the proceeds of her writing. Then something happened to change everything. What happened?
Ariel: After the death of the Wheatleys, she left the home and married a man who most agrees wasn’t the ideal candidate. She was unable to repeat the success of her first book of poems and had to work as a maid to make ends meet. Manual labor was not something she was used to, and she grew sick and died shortly thereafter.
IPM: What is the most important thing that you want people to know and remember about Phillis Wheatley and her life?
Ariel: I want people to know her name and legacy. I want her story and works to be taught in history classes along with George Washington, Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and all of the other founding fathers of the US. She knew Ben Franklin. She was invited to George Washington’s home for dinner. John Hancock confirmed the validity of her works and signed the opening of her book, and her poem about the accidental death of a boy by a British soldier may have singlehandedly sparked the colonists into fighting for independence.
IPM: What have you found in your research about Phillis that grabbed your attention?
Ariel: I didn’t know the ship carrying her published books from England was the same ship that the colonists attacked for the Boston Tea Party. Thankfully her team knew something was amiss and quickly unloaded her cargo, before the ship and other contents were destroyed.
IPM: What is the most important take away about your character that you want people to know?
Ariel: I want Phillis Wheatley’s name to be known. She is an unsung hero who helped to shape our country. She was the first African American published author and the second woman published author, she was an original trendsetter and deserves recognition.
IPM: Do you have any message you think our readers should know about the character you portray?
Ariel: I laugh to myself whenever I think about this question. Phillis Wheatley was so bad a**. She broke barriers, tore down walls, and helped spark the American Revolution.
IPM: What attracted you to begin a career as an actor?
Ariel: I have loved movies since birth and always wanted to be in them. The thought of being able to play someone you’re not and loving what you do for work is priceless. I
PM: Is it difficult?
Ariel: Yes, but anything that you want in life is difficult. You will always hear rejection or have self-doubts, but at the end of the day, when you love what you do, it’s worth it.
IPM: What is some advice that you would give to someone aspiring to become an actor?
Ariel: Watch as much TV and movies as possible. You never know what stories or characters you can draw inspiration from. I also believe in affirmations and practicing positive thoughts. You are your biggest cheerleader and need to root for yourself even if no one else is.
IPM: What is your biggest achievement in the field of acting?
Ariel: This role. Having the opportunity to bring to life this iconic hero is amazing. I am humbled beyond words.
IPM: Where did you learn to become an actor
? Ariel: I took acting classes in college and then after moving to LA immediately immersed myself in the Meisner technique. I’m very blessed to have trained with such wonderful teachers and fellow actors.
IPM: Do you have an important message you would like to share with our readers and aspiring entrepreneurs?
Ariel: Anything, and I mean ANYTHING is possible.
Mobile: 267-975-1754 Email: ariel.a.johns@gmail.com Website: imdb.me/arieljohns
Mark your calendars moviegoers! This must-see film will be hitting theaters in the summer of 2021. Its projected release date is set for the 246th anniversary of Bunker Hill. See you there!
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