When rolling out spoke with Detroit model-dancer Rian Williams Graham, she was in hot pursuit of her dream — literally. Graham was traveling between Detroit, Miami and Atlanta, to avail herself of every possible dance and modeling opportunity which presented. Having made it through the preliminary rounds of “America’s Next Top Model” Graham was nearly devastated when, just before the L.A. auditions, she came down with an acute case of acne. But the confident and persistent Graham emerged from that setback with renewed purpose and more drive than ever. –roz edward
How do you get work assignments?
I am a triple threat — I model, I act and I dance. When people are sleeping, I am up researching, e-mailing casting directors and getting auditions. I get the bookings myself. … I was paying for people to handle me and get in front of the people I needed to know, but I decided to go to the people I needed to know directly. I google [people] and find out where they are going to be and I make sure I’m there. So I got the Sean John video and I just did a movie with Diggy Simons and Tiana Taylor called The Start Up. I’m also in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. That [role] I did get through [the] Marlon Ratliffe Agency. And I just did another video with Cash Out.
You turned down your first shot at television. Why?
The producer of “The Bad Girls Club” invited me to be on the show. I thought ‘OK, I’m gonna be on TV, I’ll be seen, and, of course, I know how to be a bad girl. I’m from Detroit, and who’s badder than girls from Detroit? But then I thought that may not be the image that I want, because you have to act a certain way. Plus, it’s hard for reality show stars to get other work in TV. So I turned it down. I had to think about my image and building a brand.
Who are your role models?
I spend a lot of time researching the stories of people who made it. For dancing it’s Fatima but she kept at it so tough; and Megan Good for acting because she didn’t give up either.
What is it you like best about the entertainment industry?
When I’m there I feel like I am in my element. I was on set yesterday from 10 a.m. to 12:30 that night. But I don’t get tired, I am energized and excited by it all.
