Today we’d like to introduce you to Abigail Whitney.
Hi Abigail; it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for sharing your story with us – To start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
I studied theatre and performance in high school and continued my studies at the University of Toronto’s Centre for Drama, Theatre, and Performance Studies. During my undergraduate years, I signed with a modeling agency. I directed my first full-length play titled “Les Frères (The Brothers),” written by Jamaican-American playwright Sandra A. Daley-Shariff. This achievement made me the Best Director at the 2019 University of Toronto Drama Coalition Awards.
The Varsity newspaper featured an interview with me on the front page of their November 2018 issue in an article titled “UofT student, model, and director — how does Abigail Whitney do it all?” I was hailed as a “quadruple threat” by UofT News in their piece “UofT students who crushed it.” My role as the director of “Les Frères (The Brothers)” also garnered coverage on CBC Radio CBC’s Q, ByBlacks, CBC’s OurToronto, Eboss Canada, and Broadway World. I’ve modeled across Canada and internationally for renowned brands, including Covergirl, Lululemon, Fashion Canada, Sephora, Sirens, Hudson Bay, Joe Fresh, and Urban Planet, and graced five fashion magazines’ covers. New York’s Gritty Vibes Magazine wrote an article about me saying: “The Canadian model is one of a kind.” Additionally, I pursued further theatre studies abroad in London, UK, at Queen Mary University of London and landed an acting role in Queen Mary Theatre Company’s “If I Die on Mars” which premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the world’s largest arts festival and was listed as “Top 10 things to see at the Edinburgh Fringe” by Pocket Size Theatre. The Varsity newspaper published a second article about me, a personal essay highlighting my acclaimed career titled: “Acting, modeling, directing: my university career comes to a close.”
I also have diligently built my directing portfolio within stage productions. Noteworthy among my assistant directing theatre credits are the immersive play “Here Are The Fragments” (2019), which earned a 2020 Dora nomination, as well as “Infinity” (2020). This production successfully toured Vancouver, BC, in January 2020. Currently, I’m the assistant director on the internationally acclaimed production, “The Book of Life,” which premiered in Europe at The Edinburgh International Festival (2022), had its US premiere in South Carolina at The Spoleto Festival (2023), and an African premiere in Kigali, Rwanda, at The Ubumuntu Arts Festival (2023). I’ll be part of the team for its US tour in the fall to Texas, Georgia, Virginia, and Boston.
Additionally, I have made contributions to the realm of short films as an assistant director, including “Sensitivity,” “Notice,” “Madness with Rocks,” and “Witness Shift,” in Obsidian Theatre Company’s 21 Black Futures short film anthology series that aired on CBC Gem, the winner of the 2022 Canadian Screen Awards for Best Web Program or Series, Fiction. I worked on projects including Lawrence Hill’s “Sensitivity,” nominated for “Best Writing,” and Luke Reece’s “Notice,” nominated for “Best Lead Performance” by Lisa Berry for the 2022 Canadian Screen Awards. I was interviewed by UofT’s Scarborough Campus’ The Underground magazine in an Artist Feature, sharing my gratifying experience. In 2020, I signed with my first acting agency and landed the role of Moonshadow, the first Black female superhero that graced Amazon’s “The Boys” Season 3, marking my TV debut. In 2020, I was listed as one of the “100 Black Artists to Support this Juneteenth” by New York’s Gritty Vibes Magazine. I’m on the cover of Canadian Ark Magazine’s 002 “The Reset” Issue, with a full-spread interview as a ‘Game Changer,’ an “innovative and fearless force, changing the arts as we know it.”
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Navigating one’s artistic path undoubtedly presents its share of challenges. While my student days provided a clear route with structured courses guiding my progression to earn a degree, my current status as a freelance professional demands self-routing. This self-carving career journey requires me to adeptly navigate unexpected obstacles/challenges such as union strikes, the competitive landscape of grant applications, submitting to film programs and workshops offered by organizations, managing finances for both living expenses and financial goals, creating impactful work-eligible for festival selection and broadcasting approval, while addressing challenges like misogynoir that I experience in every facet. Regardless of the present struggles or those looming ahead, the pivotal importance of embracing risks and maintaining adaptability and flexibility in making crucial adjustments remains evident. Alongside this, my unwavering trust in God, faith in my journey, and belief in the validity of my dreams stand as paramount pillars guiding me forward.
Thanks – What else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a versatile freelance artist, engaging in multiple creative disciplines. I’m an international fashion model, stage and film actor, director, emerging playwright, screenwriter, and theatre/film producer.
My work in theatre delves deep into themes of heritage, familial intimacy, and the intricate dynamics within displaced immigrant families. Notably, my directorial debut play “Les Frères (The Brothers)” by Sandra A. Daley-Shariff draws inspiration from Lorraine Hansberry’s “Les Blancs.” This poignant narrative follows three estranged brothers of Haitian descent who reunite in Harlem for their father’s final days. Another project on the horizon is “The Noose,” a play I’m directing and co-producing written by Haitian writer Frankétienne and translated to English by Asselin Charles, set to premiere at The 2024 Next Stage Festival in Toronto. The play revolves around two Haitian characters in a 1980s New York basement apartment, delving into shared migration experiences, political oppression, economic exploitation, and social exclusion.
My background as an award-winning stage director and international fashion model significantly shapes my films. My debut short film, “Seule,” which I independently wrote, directed, and produced, intricately blends narrative and fashion, transporting audiences into a world of wonder and haunting beauty. This film garnered “Best Film” recognition at the 2021 Short to the Point International Short Film Festival and the “Best Experimental Film” Award at the 2021 Austin Micro Film Festival. It’s also an official selection at the 2023 RED Movie Awards in Paris and is available for streaming on CBC Gem. In the film, my recent projects dive into the theme of solitude, from capturing moments of aloneness in “Seule” to exploring intimate instances of love and loss in my upcoming short film, directing and co-producing. In this film, I aim to weave theatrical elements into film storytelling using fashion, based on my fashion modeling experience, to enhance the visual allure of my work further.
My interdisciplinary approach enhances the narratives of my films and theatre work and distinguishes my style as an emerging filmmaker and director, promising a distinctive viewing experience. Additionally, I’ve extended my creative range to music videos, producing Toronto-based artist Woodney Pierre’s debut single “Ici” music video, which has garnered over 24K views on YouTube. Furthermore, I directed and produced her second music video, “Sans Toi,” currently surpassing 12K views on YouTube.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
The most important lesson I’m still learning along my journey is the art of letting go of specific expectations and outcomes at the appropriate moment. This involves releasing the rigid notion that things must adhere to a predefined image I had envisioned. Instead, I’m learning to embrace the value of following my gut instinct, allowing it to guide my decision-making process. Equally significant is the recognition that building a strong team is pivotal. Surrounding oneself with individuals who comprehend my work style and my vision is essential. Furthermore, self-awareness is emerging as a crucial learning lesson on this journey. Gaining insights into my preferred work methods and collaboration style is invaluable in achieving synergy when working with others. Learning from the missteps of those around me and absorbing the wisdom offered by peers is a lesson I’m learning along the way. Developing the ability to discern between constructive and unproductive feedback is instrumental in my growth, and I’m learning to exercise my practice bit by bit.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abigail_whitney/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abigail-whitney/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/abigailwhitney_
Image Credits
The Personal Photo is shot by Valeria Myronenko, makeup by Romy Zack and styling by Sara Vaughan Roberts 1st image is me as Moonshadow, this is relevant when I say in “Your Story” that: “In 2020, I signed with my first acting agency and landed the role of Moonshadow, the first Black female superhero that graced Amazon’s “The Boys” Season 3, marking my TV debut.” 2nd image is me holding up my name at the Edinburgh airport as the assistant director on the play “The Book of Life” that’ll premiere. This is relevant to my answer in “My Story” when I say Currently, I’m the assistant director on the internationally acclaimed production, “The Book of Life,” which premiered in Europe at The Edinburgh International Festival (2022), had its US premiere in South Carolina at The Spoleto Festival (2023), and an African premiere in Kigali, Rwanda, at The Ubumuntu Arts Festival (2023). I’ll be part of the team for its US tour in the fall in Texas, Georgia, Virginia, and Boston. 3rd image is me on the cover of Pump Magazine,this is relevant when I say in “My Story”: “graced the covers of five fashion magazines.” Shot by Ariel Lii, Makeup by Khera Alexander and Styling by Christal Williams. 4th image of me in black and white is shot by Natasha Thirlwell 5th image is the photo shot by Natasha Thirlwell featured in Vogue Italia’s Photo Vogue 6th image is me on the cover of KNOW Magazine shot by Elisabetta Vacchetto, makeup by Elise Reisser, hair by Vitalis Kara, 7th image is me on the cover of PUMP Lifestyle Magazine shot by Svenja Ava and makeup by Viktoria Kokina 8th image is me on the cover of SALYSÉ Magazine shot by Svenja Ava and makeup by Viktoria Kokina 9th image is my Sephora SPF campaign 10th image is my Sephora lip campaign 11th image is my Sirens campaign 12th image is my New York Gritty Vibes Magazine article written by Tyrel Hunt 13th image is one of the photos used in the Gritty Vibes Magazine article that’s shot by Kofi Morgan, makeup by Cassandra Campbell, styling by @_.ser3nitee.joy._, wearing J. Martin Crochet 14th image is me in my Covergirl campaign 15th and 16th image is me interviewed for CBC’s Our Toronto for my directorial debut of “Les Frères The Brothers” 17th image is me interviewed by CBC Radio alongside Alessia Cara
