Alumna Crystal-Lee Naomi is making a name for herself in her dream career — acting. She’s worked on Tyler Perry’s “Sistas” as well as “Criminal Minds”. Most recently, Naomi starred in the hit thriller “Twisted House Sitter” (THS) on the streaming platform Tubi. The film was such a success that the platform released a sequel — “Twisted House Sitter 2″ — featuring acclaimed actor Vivica A. Fox.
“I’m excited for the success of THS on Tubi,” Naomi said. “Alicia is my first lead role so I’m honestly beside myself at how well she’s been received by audiences. I’m obsessed with anti-heroes and pleasantly surprised at how people have embraced her anti-hero story!”
Naomi was encouraged to act from an early age by her mom, but didn’t begin taking classes until she was older. During her time at FIU, she studied journalism at the College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts’ Lee Caplin School Journalism & Media. That’s’ where she gained a deep understanding of the power of storytelling and how gathering facts can be used to create compelling narratives.
“Moviemaking is also storytelling,” Naomi said. “So, to play a character, you gather the facts of the character, then build from there, adding on the emotional layers to the character, like why a particular fact bruises the character’s ego, or how another fact sends the character into a depressed state. In an indirect and unique way, my time studying to be a journalist at FIU has helped me to also become a performer.”
FIU News recently connected with Naomi to learn more about her work on the movie and her journey at FIU.
How has your role on Twisted House Sitter and Twisted House Sitter 2 shaped your career?
I play Alicia in THS and THS2 and she shaped me immensely. I have more compassion for a wounded, unseen soul now because that’s who Alicia is. I guess we can call her a “villain,” but she wants the same things that a person who wouldn’t be considered a villain wants. She just goes about getting what she wants in a way that’s destructive. I see her, and seeing her helps me see others, as well as even heal the parts of myself that want to be destructive at times too.
Another thing that’s exciting about THS2 is [that] my very own women’s empowerment and hustle brand, SheHustler By CLN™, will be featured in it! My character, Alicia, is a go-getter so it makes sense to merge her hustling spirit with my hustle brand. Alicia is already a force to be reckoned with, but now we get to see Alicia going after everything she wants while donning my brand SheHustler By CLN™. I love that THS2 has pieces of me sprinkled throughout it and I’m excited for others to see it too!
What’s been the coolest thing about your career so far?
The coolest thing about my career is how it has empowered me. The rejection. The losses. The times I was wrong. The missed opportunities. The list goes on. What those experiences that are considered “negative” [seem] to teach us is to aim lower, be smaller, speak less, stop trying, etc. Those experiences tend to teach us fear. But on my journey, I have learned to instead, embrace and overcome those temporary feelings. [This has] empowered me.
Were there any classes or professors that influenced where you are today?
A professor who influenced me at FIU was Professor of Journalism Neil Reisner. I don’t think there was anyone who didn’t love Professor Reisner! He made everything fun! It was always so fun to be in his class. He made me feel more confident about my work in his class, which boosted my confidence in all my classes. He definitely made me feel seen.
Were you involved in any campus activities that helped you in your career today?
I was in SPC [Student Programming Council] when I was at FIU, and I loved it! You learn how to curate and throw events, and it was so fun. If I wasn’t acting, I would probably work somewhere in the realm of event curation, event planning and maybe in PR. I did a little of all of that during my time in SPC!
What advice do you have for students interested in a career in your field?
It takes more than talent to succeed in entertainment. It takes intentional effort and focused work. And once you do begin, enjoy the journey and let it empower you!