Venus DeMilo Thomas

The question is why, director/producer/writer Venus DeMilo Thomas isn't the slightest bit intimidated at the idea of tackling her next short film. The answer is Venus DeMilo, actress. "I've been in front of the camera since I was four," laughs Venus, "so even before I became a filmmaker, I was able to study the craft very closely. "After starring in the Nickelodeon series, "Salute Your Shorts," Venus moved onto recurring roles on shows including "The Bold & the Beautiful", "Family Matters", "My So-Called Life", and "Sister, Sister". She was featured in the hit film "Life", starring Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence. It was while attending Loyola Marymount University and concurrently working at the family owned Thomas Talent Agency that Venus began to contemplate stepping behind the camera. A film production major with a minor in Africana studies, Venus felt that becoming a Trailer Producer and writing were natural extensions of her interest in acting. "Being in this business and assisting my mother at the The Thomas Talent Agency, "she explains, "I began to understand every aspect of filmmaking. I started breaking down the scripts I was given, analyzing the directors' stylistic choices on the set." The result of her studies is her acclaimed short film "Did I Wake You?", and acting as Digital Intermediate Producer for "Machine Gun Preacher". Her short "Did I Wake You?" (Sundance 2001) is an ambitious unflinching look at the lives of African-American teenagers, the success of this film convinced Venus she was moving in the right direction. As a trailer producer "Working with directors like Michael Bay, JJ Abrams, and Gore Verbinski' was wonderful," she says, "because I experienced for the first time the full power of storytelling, of crafting words and images into something meaningful. It hooked me." Now with both her acting and directing/producing careers in full swing, and with the experience of working at The Thomas Talent Agency, Venus prepares to combine these talents with the direction of her next film. But can she handle the demands of both acting and directing? "I'm the kind of person who isn't happy doing one thing," laughs Venus.