"Halima brings originality, humor, love and a deep and honest sense of humanity to everything she performs. Someone to watch and root for. A gem."
-José Rivera, Oscar-Nominee
About Me
I am a NYC based actor who grew up in Bay City, Michigan. My hometown is famous for the birth of Madonna (the popstar not the Virgin Mary) and sugar beets.
Growing up an only child that only responded to my middle name 'Shani', I relied heavily on my vivid imagination to keep myself entertained. My Mom realized my strong attraction to anything creative and artistic and immediately encouraged my involvement in the arts (ie get me out of her hair). I attended my first dance class at the age of two, played an angelic (yet slightly bossy) angel at 5, and “booked” my first lead role as an actor in Mrs. Rambo's 4th grade production of Adventures in Fairytale-land. I spent summers in youth theater programs crafting props out of macaroni and honing my creative writing skills.
As I began to think about college, I feigned amnesia about my love for performing and began to focus on entertainment journalism. I was excited that this career would meld both my creative writing skills and personality. I happily completed internships and positions in the field from pop radio to the news department at MTV. Upon completion of a yearlong study abroad program at La Universidad de Sevilla in Spain, I received my dual BA degree (Spanish Literature/ Communications) from The University of Michigan. (Go Blue!)
I entered the real world and landed a job producing and co-hosting a show for a PBS affiliate. Alas, it quickly dawned on me that even though there were cameras and microphones in journalism, it ain’t acting. So, I went back to my roots! I am excited about building a career in theater, tv/film and I continue to train in NYC. I love performing Shakespeare in parking lots, creating comedic characters in 99 seat theaters and I look forward to spending time on small and big screens.
When I'm not performing, you'll find me in the front of the classroom chanting OM with yogis all across the City as a certified yoga teacher and leading improv based acting workshops as a teaching artist. I'm a newbie runner and my not so guilty pleasures include my yorkie 'Finnigan', Hallmark Holiday movies (and all the decor that goes with it), Vernor’s Ginger Ale, and long walks on the beach. ;)
Theater
Karen
Company
Various
Special Skills
Fluent Spanish (neutral Pan-Hispanic accent), valid US passport, driver's license (automatic) certified yoga instructor, coordinated confetti and people for Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Various
Various
Rosa Parks
Training
The Bats Theater Co |The Flea Theater
Jim Simpson
The Freeman Studio | Scene Study
Scott Freeman
The PIT | Sketch & Scripted Comedy
Chris Aurillio
Upright Citizens Brigade | Improv 101
Dave Siegel
Fiasco Theater | Classical Training Intensive
Noah Brody, Jessie Austrian
Shakespeare & Co. | Shakespeare Intensive
Dennis Krausnick
NY Conservatory for Dramatic Arts:
On-Camera/Private Coaching | Neal Lerner
Improv 1-3 and Performance | Judith Searcy
On-Camera Commercials | Mary Ann Conk
Meisner Technique | Steve Perlmutter
The University of Michigan | Dual B.A.
Spanish Literature, Communication Studies
Dead Fish | Here Arts Center| writer Rachael Holder
Denied from New York |The Peoples Improv Theater | dir Amanda Peck
#serials@the Flea | The Flea Theater | dir Mark Duncan/Brian Smith
The Bride Project | Theaterlab | dir Sina Heiss
Midsummer Night's Dream | Shakespeare in the Parking Lot | dir Kathy Curtiss
Hero | Adirondack Theater Festival | dir Brenny Rabine
Television/Film/New Media
Sorry | dir Rachael Holder *Post-Production
Lead
Self-Care PSA | Denied from New York Video
Office Worker
Soul Issue | PBS
Co-Host
Readings/Workshops
American Myth | The Public Theater | dir Michael Goldfried
Narrator/Ensemble
foxtown highlights | The Peoples Improv Theater
Company
Racist Kid | Space on White | dir Arjun Gupta
Ella