“It was after an experience on an Indie film that I got the opportunity to go from the beginning right up to the end — the premiere and screening — and it really planted the seed for me. I said, wow this is it, I can actually do it. That became the catalyst for the journey that I’m on now”, said actor Romaine Waite.
Romaine Waite It’s evident that this Jamaican-Canadian was born to be an actor. The passion and sincerity in his voice was unquestionable as he spoke to Caribbean Today about his craft.
But, did he always want to be an actor? Waite confessed that as a child he always had an outgoing personality that would sometimes get him into trouble. So, in hindsight, he always had a natural knack for acting. But, as he pointed out, like most Caribbean parents, his parents had other plans for his future — lawyer or doctor perhaps, which is where he thought he was headed. He did a bit of theatre in high school, but it still never crossed his mind as a career option, until he got cast in the independent film that awakened the natural performer in him.
But, he is a realist.
“One thing I understood early is that you pursue it, but nothing is for certain. My Mom would always say to me ‘don’t leave certainty for uncertainty’. That’s the one thing I kinda kept in mind as I pursued acting”.
In fact, the Toronto-based Waite studied Computer Science technology in school while actively carving out a career in entertainment industry, and it is paying off.
“I’m at the point now where the scales are starting to tip in favour of my passion, and that has allowed me to fully commit to it. Early in my career, someone said don’t spend your energy climbing the wrong mountain only to get to the top and have a clear view of where you should have been”.
The Moment for Me
Two projects stand out as important landmarks in his early career. In a theatrical production of a play called Nuts, Waite played a lawyer in the two-hour long production that garnered positive reviews.
“It was kind of a confirmation for me and my ability. It gave me the confidence to continue doing this”, he said.
Waite’s first major onscreen role in the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) drama series called Murdoch Mysteries was his introduction to the Canadian entertainment industry.
Romaine Waite
“That was the moment for me, where I was stepping into this new realm and introducing myself and my talents to Canada”.
There is no looking back for the actor who was born in Montego Bay and migrated to Canada with his parents at the tender age of 7. He is constantly soaking up as much as he can about the film and entertainment industry, keeping abreast of trends, roles, and the nuances that makes one a better actor. Asked about the difference between acting live or on film, he is eager to explain.
“When you’re doing theatre, you’re working with the cast, you’re developing your character, you’re working on your lines. And once you get to that performance you’re almost like a wind-up toy, all the energy gets outputted at once. And then you wind up again for the next show. Whereas, with film and television, it’s a little more of an ebb and flow. You’ll have a rush of energy, then you have to stop as the crew resets the camera, or you try a different take or a different angle and then you go again. It’s about control with theatre performance so that you can make it through the two-hour show. And film and television is about reserving that energy knowing that you will have multiple takes, multiple locations and so on”.
No Longer Siloed
One thing is for sure, Waite believes his role as an actor carries great responsibility. That is why he approaches each project with the intention to be truthful in the role and hopefully inspire viewers to start conversations about our commonality as humans. As a black actor in an industry not always known for diversity he shares his feelings about balance onscreen.
“At this point in my career I don’t feel as though I haven’t been granted any other opportunity that other actors have had. I don’t feel like I haven’t been given a chance to be successful or to pursue this avenue wholeheartedly. What I can say pertaining specifically to the Canadian industry is that I haven’t seen many roles or projects that specifically speak on the minority narrative or the black narrative. We’ve definitely come a long way, I’ve seen a handful of projects that have had that narrative. But, I would like to see more, not just for African-Americans, but for every minority group”.
“I think that cinema has that ability to open those conversations so that we’re no longer siloed in our different communities, but we are assembled as one and can see the different nuances, and more importantly, the things that make us the same”.
And in that vein, Waite noted that there is a long list of actors and directors/producers he would like to work with, among them Jamaican actor Oliver Samuels, Denzel Washington, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Tyler Perry, Martin Scorsese. For now, he continues to grow in the industry and revel in the field he has embraced as his ‘voice’.
Waite has amassed a significant body of work on screen and television in productions such as The Girlfriend Experience, Star Trek Discovery, and Private Eyes to name a few. He is currently working on a CBC show called The Detectives and can be seen on the Hallmark Channel in the series Crossword Mysteries as well as the CBC TV drama Frankie Drake Mysteries. One could say that Waite is a successful actor, but he remains humble.
“I’m definitely still growing, still learning. The way a carpenter builds and works on his craft is the same way that we have to work on our craft. When you work on your craft you not only become familiar with your tools and how you work and how you want to present yourself, but it also builds the confidence to deliver the character or do the work when you get called upon. And, from that point on it’s just patience”.
