--- title: "Isha Blaaker of ‘A Madea Homecoming’: Moderation Is the Ultimate Weapon When Mastering Stage Projection and Presence" url: "https://authoritymag.co/articles/isha-blaaker-of-a-madea-homecoming-moderation-is-the-ultimate-weapon-when-mastering-stage-projec" publisher: "Authority Magazine" author: "Edward Sylvan" authorUrl: "https://authoritymag.co/authors/edward-sylvan" interviewee: "Isha Blaaker" company: "‘A Madea Homecoming’" category: "Pop Culture" datePublished: "2022-02-23T13:17:30.663Z" dateModified: "2026-11-12T19:24:02.478Z" tags: "Pop Culture" --- # Isha Blaaker of ‘A Madea Homecoming’: Moderation Is the Ultimate Weapon When Mastering Stage Projection and Presence *The international multi-hyphenate talent shares his journey from professional kickboxing and elite modeling to starring in Tyler Perry's blockbuster franchise.* > When I learned to project my voice on a stage my teacher said that this is what Americans always do. So now I would go around, over projecting my voice at innocent bystanders in the street, almost screaming, “Excuse me do you mind if I pass you by? Thank you! --- As*a part of*[our series about pop culture’s rising stars](https://medium.com/authority-magazine/search?q=Rising%20Star)*, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Isha Blaaker.* *From modeling in luxurious global fashion and designer campaigns to bringing diverse characters to life on screen in both television and film, Isha Blaaker is becoming widely recognized as an international multi-hyphenate talent to watch.* *In 2022, Blaaker is set to star in his debut leading role in the upcoming 12th film in Tyler Perry’s iconic Madea franchise, “A Madea Homecoming” for Netflix. The Madea films have become widely recognized as a cultural phenomenon, having grossed over $1 billion at the box office, and will now debut the newest installment on Netflix for the first time, allowing over 214 million subscribers to simultaneously watch and enjoy the film around the world. “A Madea Homecoming” continues to follow the journey of Perry’s infamous femme senior character, Madea, as she prepares to welcome her family who have all come into town to celebrate her great-grandson’s graduation from college when some hidden secrets threaten to destroy the joyous family homecoming. The film is slated for release on Netflix on February 25, 2022.* *Before Blaaker landed his breakout role in a feature Netflix film, he honed his craft with a handful of recurring appearances in television, appearing on the Emmy-nominated HBO Max series, “The Flight Attendant,” opposite Kaley Cuoco, as well as Violet Hour Media’s horror-thriller series, “Red Riding Hoods,” and a SBS6 action series, “DNA” in the Netherlands.* *Born in South America in Paramaribo, Suriname, and raised by a single mother in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, Blaaker proudly speaks Dutch, English, French, German, and Surinamese Creole. Before turning to acting and modeling, Blaaker received both his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration (IBA), as well as his master’s degree in Consultancy at the Erasmus University Rotterdam. Blaaker has also practiced full-contact karate competitively until he was 23 years old, having earned the title of National Champion a few times before going semi-pro as a kickboxer.* *While attending university, Blaaker signed with the international fashion modeling agency, MAX Models, and had to ultimately give up his pursuit of the martial arts as his career in modeling began to take off. It wasn’t long after he graduated that he was also scouted by an American agency, Soul Artist Management, to come work in New York City, the mecca of the fashion industry. Throughout his modeling career, Blaaker has starred in major international luxury brand campaigns for the likes of Hugo Boss, L’Oreal, Ralph Lauren, and an Estée Lauder commercial opposite Ana de Armas, to name a few. As his name continued to become more well-known in the fashion industry, Blaaker developed a love for acting and began taking classes and studying the craft professionally for four years under Susan Batson and Bob Krakower, as well as a two-year Meisner program at Maggie Flanigan Studio prior to booking roles in TV and film. Blaaker now credits acting as his true passion and a daily commitment next to modeling.* *When Blaaker is not working on set in front of any cameras, he can be found spending quality time with his friends, whether going out dancing or watching UFC together. He is currently based in New York, NY, and travels around the world for work.* --- **Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?** Thank you for having me! I was born in Paramaribo the capital of Suriname, the greenest country in the world and moved to Rotterdam in the Netherlands when I was a year and a half. Growing up, I was the second of five siblings. There was a big age difference between me and the others. So, mostly I had to figure things out on my own. My parents separated when I was eight, after that my mom took care of my brother and I. Things went well at first, but my mom lost her job when I was thirteen and then we went through some pretty tough times. Martial arts competitions and my Playstation were my biggest salvations. So much so that I got kicked out of high school at the end of my second year. I was always the chubby kid in class and a bit of a loner, but over the course of that same summer I had a growth spurt, leaned out and all of a sudden found myself being chased down the block by the girls at the new school. It definitely had a positive effect on my grades and I even placed first in the nationals for the first time. It’s funny, what a little bit of confidence can do for you. Even though we went through a lot of ups and downs as a family, my mom made sure my brother and I never missed a thing. I wouldn’t know how to repay her but be the best man that I can be. Secretly though, I do enjoy playing characters with ulterior motives. I guess acting gives me a break from having to do the right thing. **Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?** One day, I was trying to meet up with my girlfriend at the time in Manhattan, but instead, I ran into Pharrell Williams. He was just standing outside of a hotel waiting for his cab. I had been taking acting classes for a couple of months and I needed to make sure. So, I went up to him and very respectfully asked his advice about fully committing to something I had fallen in love with. He said: “What would you do…for the rest of your life if all your bills were paid?” My mind went blank and I said: “I don’t know.” When I finally met my girlfriend I told her the story and she said, “Well, what about the next five years?” And I said, “Acting!” And here I am 5 years later being blessed with one of the lead roles in a worldwide feature film on Netflix. **Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?** The first job I booked was with an actress I had a huge crush on when I was a teenager, but I had forgotten all about it. On the first day of filming, something was really bothering me, but I didn’t know what it was. Then I was like, “Oh yeah!” I told her, we laughed and she was actually really cool about it. It definitely took the pressure off. **Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?** I used to mumble a lot as a kid and I have a really deep voice which made it even harder to understand me. I still sound like cookie monster when I wake up. When I learned to project my voice on a stage my teacher said that this is what Americans always do. So now I would go around, over projecting my voice at innocent bystanders in the street, almost screaming, “Excuse me do you mind if I pass you by? Thank you!” It was like this superpower. People finally understood what I had to say and they immediately moved out of the way. But then my brother was kind enough to tell me it was the weirdest thing he had ever heard and that he could hear me fine without overloading his eardrums. That’s when I learned that moderation is key. **What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?** Well, it’s my first premiere. That’s definitely very exciting and it’s right in the middle of pilot season so between modeling abroad, auditions, working with my coaches and the interviews and preparations, it’s a lot. But I am very excited to be able to take my mom to my first red carpet. **You have been blessed with success in a career path that can be challenging. Do you have any words of advice for others who may want to embark on this career path, but seem daunted by the prospect of failure?** I think a lot of actors get stuck when they have to find representation. There’s no one way to solve that puzzle, but it probably works best with having someone inside recommend you or having something else going for you that makes it interesting to represent you. It just might get your foot in the door to prove that you can act and are willing to improve. **We are very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in film and television? How can that potentially affect our culture?** Greater understanding for each other brings us closer together. Showing diversity teaches people what the world could and should be. It opens people’s minds and breaks stereotypes. Being Black in America, Europe or Africa are three different things, for instance, but they are all part of the African diaspora. If we can see that, then maybe we don’t have to accept our surroundings as a set reality. We could learn a lot from each other’s cultural narratives and use that to improve our own. **What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? Please share a story or example for each.** 1. It will become 7 days a week and once that happens, it doesn’t stop. 2. It’s okay to say no, just know how to say it. 3. If you take care of your health you get to show up more often and do better work in the long run. 4. There are two types of actors. The ones that need to take a chill pill every now and then and the ones that need a kick in the butt. 5. By the time your creative ideas become possible you might not have the time to work them out anymore. So work them out as early as possible, so you can still get them done when you do have the resources. **Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?** Treat yourself like a business and train like an athlete. Reinvest everything you earn in the growth of your business and constantly keep improving your skillset. **You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)** I don’t know about enormous influence, but I respect it when people can fight for their rights without becoming vindictive. Sometimes we can fight so hard for what we deserve that we forget that the end goal is equality. At times that means sharing with the other side, the one we don’t like. **None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?** My mom. Any woman who can put a knife in her pocket for protection, get on her bicycle at night, cycle through the rain to go wash dishes, to feed her children deserves my reverence. **Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?** Life just gives you apples, you decide whether they’re good or bad. We went through some pretty tough times at home, but after you’ve shed all your tears, all that remains is laughter. You just have to make the best of things. Sunshine really does come after the rain. **Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them.** Israel Adesanya, stylebender. I really respect how he combines different styles into his art form. There are so many techniques and approaches to learn as an actor. And I wish I could learn them all. I would love to hear how he approaches his art. **How can our readers follow you online?** @ishablaaker on Instagram. I post very bad humor on my stories, a couple of location flexes on my timeline and a lot of family stuff and selfies. Oh and if you ever run into me on a dating app, it’s probably not me, sorry. **This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!** --- A*bout The Interviewer: Growing up in Canada, Edward Sylvan was an unlikely candidate to make a mark on the high-powered film industry based in Hollywood. But as CEO of Sycamore Entertainment Group Inc, (SEGI) Sylvan is among a select group of less than ten Black executives who have founded, own and control a publicly traded company. Now, deeply involved in the movie business, he is providing opportunities for people of color.* *In 2020, he was appointed president of the Monaco International Film Festival, and was encouraged to take the festival in a new digital direction.* *Raised in Toronto, he attended York University where he studied Economics and Political Science, then went to work in finance on Bay Street, (the city’s equivalent of Wall Street). After years of handling equities trading, film tax credits, options trading and mergers and acquisitions for the film, mining and technology industries, in 2008 he decided to reorient his career fully towards the entertainment business.* *With the aim of helping Los Angeles filmmakers of color who were struggling to understand how to raise capital, Sylvan wanted to provide them with ways to finance their creative endeavors.* --- Source: https://authoritymag.co/articles/isha-blaaker-of-a-madea-homecoming-moderation-is-the-ultimate-weapon-when-mastering-stage-projec (Authority Magazine, Pop Culture). Interviewee answers are first-person statements of the guest. Index of all pages: https://authoritymag.co/llms.txt