Kali Lewis is a force to be reckoned with in the Atlanta entertainment industry. At the age of 23, Lewis started her own TV production company, Let’s Talk Productions. She also wrote, produced, filmed and starred in her TV pilot called “Game Peep Game” that is roughly based on her life.
Lewis talked with rolling out about her production company, gaining experience in the entertainment industry, and gives tips for others looking to get into entertainment.
How did you find your way into the entertainment industry?
I would have to say I come from a very creative family. My father actually wrote the song “Bad Boys,” and he’s a part of one of the longest running reggae bands in history, Inner Circle. My brother, Lunch Money Lewis, has produced and worked with artists like Doja Cat, Nicki Minaj, Gwen Stefani, and Snoop Dogg. My mom was a professional ballet jazz tap dancer, my sister does graphic design, and my other sister does interior design. With that kind of creative backbone of family, it started there with me, and just introduced me to the entertainment world. I’ve always been a kid with a really big personality, and I’ve been acting since I was 4 years old. I definitely feel that the core of the creativity was definitely family.
What led you launch Let’s Talk Productions?
I’m currently signed with one of the top talent agencies in the southeast, and I get amazing auditions with them. When you read these scripts, see these stories, and you’re just a regular consumer of TV, you want to see a piece of your story and a piece of something that starts a larger conversation. Within the arts, that’s always been it for me. It’s not been about the clout or the popularity, it’s just starting a conversation that’s larger than myself and creating [an] impact. With Let’s Talk Productions, I wanted to have a production company that can promote and create stories that start those larger conversations.
What improvements would you like to see in the entertainment industry?
I just want to see more honesty and truth. I think that sometimes we think audiences won’t connect with certain things, but I think they should let creatives, create. I think that the industry is trying to make more room for Black women, women in general, and for people of color. I want to inspire other creatives who are coming up to don’t wait for people, and that’s an inspiration for my company as well. You can sit there and audition and wait, or you can create the reality that you want, create those stories that you want to tell, and be confident in it. There [are] so many different platforms coming out, and a bunch of platforms are newer but still growing, and those are great places to get your projects on.
