Johnnie
FIORI Johnnie Fiori has performed in everything from the Telly Tubbies to Hairspray, she’s acted with Danny Devito, and been directed by Woody Harrelson. There is not much that this talented American performer has not tackled in her career… and it seems there is a lot more to come. What brought you to London? When I moved to London, I had a one-way ticket. I knew I could sing and having previously done voice over work in Los Angeles all I needed to do was get an agent and a gig. I sent out 25 samples of my voice, I received 24 rejections, the 25th which was Speak Easy said yes! I was with Speak Easy for a couple of years, I will always be indebted to that agency. When a voice over actress whom I greatly admired told me about a brilliant agent that was leaving a world-renowned agency and starting a new one called Just Voices, she urged me to check them out. Well, I was lucky enough to speak to Leigh Matty herself. She asked me to send her a voice sample, which I didn’t have, so I changed my outgoing message on my phone and asked her to ring me. She immediately put me in touch with a company that sorted me out a voice reel. Leigh continues to represent today me along with all the amazing staff at Just Voices. Side note Leigh represented me without meeting me. I eventually did meet her.... 5 years later! How did you get into the acting business? Completely and utterly by accident. Two friends were in a play at The Hackney Empire, The Wiz. It was actually the last show at The Hackney Empire before the huge refurbishment. My friends thought it would be a great idea if all the witches were American and pushed me to audition, and I got the role as “Evilene”.
62 BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2021
Let me state for the record... I never wanted to act. I had recently moved from Los Angeles to London, to get more of a British sound to my electro acoustic blues. Acting was nowhere on my radar, as I was a singer songwriter! I had made a wonderful new friend, who decided to come along and support me in the show. Afterwards she suggested that maybe, just maybe I give acting a go. I laughed in her face.... rude! But she persisted.... she saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself. That amazing human is Jacquie Drewe, even before she started the acting and presenter’s department at Curtis Brown. Johnnie with Danny Devito
So, from there you have not stopped? I have to laugh out loud because for the last twenty years I’ve been an actor doing stage, TV, and filming, along with voice over work. Everything from Chuggington, Tinga Tinga Tales, Telly Tubbies and the Three Muses for The Disney soundtrack of Hercules. At the time I was living in Wales and flying all over the world doing House music. Jacquie called me one day to tell me I had an audition.... I said for what? She replied.... You need a job? I auditioned and got my first West End show 125th Street, which was the musical story of the night the Apollo theatre in New York. The story was that they had closed with a theatre full of people while a riot was ensuing outside. However, the show had to go on, so it came down to the stagehands to step up and perform. It was my first musical and it was also Pete Dalton’s first show... he’s better known today as MistaJam. That same cast also included the multi-talented Giles Terera, who recently won the Oliver for his role in Hamilton. Do pick up his book Hamilton and Me for inspiration. So, your career has now gone from strength to strength. Tell us about some of your roles? Well, I originated the role of Motormouth Maybelle in Hairspray, directed by Jack O’Brien
