Meet Celestina Harris, a child actress taking on the entertainment industry in shows such as “Dr. Death.” Despite her youth, Celestina is making waves in the industry with her big dreams and an even bigger heart. Beyond her roles on screen, she embodies the spirit of Christmas during the holidays, spreading holiday cheer by providing gifts to families in need. Balancing school and screen life with grace, Celestina proves that age is no barrier to making a big impact. To learn more about Celestina, continue reading.

Where are you based?
I’m based in Central Texas.

What inspired you to begin your acting career at a young age?
I was inspired by my big sister Deja who I grew up watching act on stage. I joined her in a stage play at school as ensemble playing a singing flower in Alice in Wonderland at the age of four. Then three years later I went into commercial acting which lead to movies and TV when I was eight.

Has anyone specifically influenced your career and inspired your work?
My big sister was my first acting coach and it was so awesome because she was in college learning Theatre Education and acting at the time I started my journey. I also started movie/TV acting right after pandemic so it was nice to have her coaching in person instead of always on Zoom.

Congratulations on the release of season 2 of “Dr. Death.” What can fans expect to see in this new season?
Fans will see a man living two lives and my mom (Mandy Moore) and I will be finding out some things about Mr. Paolo.

You have played diverse roles across various shows. How did playing Lizzi differ from your previous roles?
Lizzi was very fun to play. She is like me because I love fun clothes and mixing and matching outfits. But she is a bit sassier than me in real life though; so, that was a different character trait for me, but her scenes were so grounded which I loved. I enjoy grounded acting.

Acting is no easy job, and balancing work, school, and personal life while acting is quite challenging. How do you handle it all?
I love traveling and seeing new places. My school switches me to “digital learning” when I’m away; so, my teachers will send my set teacher my work to complete. That way, I never miss anything and when I come back, I’m not behind. I enjoy playing Soccer, Volleyball and Basketball and am on a swim team, and they all work with my travel schedule. I really enjoy being able to go to school in person when I’m not working.

How do you feel your age has impacted your job as an actor?
Being a smaller preteen has allowed me to play a couple years younger, but still play my age on screen which has been great. I love this season I am in.

What advice would you offer to budding actors?
If you really see yourself acting for a long time, know that it will be hard and you will get a lot of “No’s”, but the “you booked it” makes it all worth it.

Do you have any dream roles you aspire to play in the future?
I really hope to land a lead role in a movie or series regular role in a TV show.

We admire your involvement with San Antonio Family Services beyond your acting career. Can you share insights into your work with them? Can you tell us a little bit about how they work?
I love blessing people and San Antonio Family Services allows me to help families with children like me during the Christmas season. This past Christmas I adopted a family with two children who I enjoyed shopping for. They gave me a few ideas of things they liked and then I just added things I thought they might enjoy.

What motivated you to start the “adopt a family” holiday tradition, offering gifts to those in need? Can you tell us about how this year went?
2023 was an odd year and as a family we don’t get gifts on odd years. Instead, we bless others. Each of my family members adopts a family that we shop for. This year we chose Target and each of us got a cart and with our printed lists of sizes and things they like, we just went around the store for several hours shopping for our families. Shopping for the kids’ toys is my favorite part!

How has your participation influenced your perception of the holiday spirit?
Instead of opening our own gifts and playing with them, we focus on making it a great holiday for others. That feeling of sharing the happiness of receiving things you need or want is such a great thing I hope others will be inspired to do.

Do you have any hopes for 2024?
I would love to book a lead role or a series regular role this year.

It has been a crazy past few years, how have you been staying positive?
God’s got me. =) I know God will never give me more than I can handle and that His blessings for me are coming at the perfect time. I am very happy to have my family and friends who I’m always making new memories with. It’s like the Inside Out movie, we just keep making core memory balls.

What is your motto in life?
Smile, someone is watching.

To learn more about Celestina, please follow the links below.
Instagram: @curlycelly
IMDb

Celestina Harris - A Rising Star Capturing Hearts From Afar