Actress, audiobook narrator, and social justice advocate Marissa Chanel Hampton stars as the lovingly honest character Gail in a new modern family drama series titled “It’s Not Like That.” She is also currently narrating the Farah Rochon’s Bayou Dreams series. Beyond storytelling, Hampton is an active social justice advocate, supporting organizations like the American Library Association, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the Sister Song of Color Reproductive Justice Collective. To learn more about Marissa Chanel Hampton and her storytelling, read on.

Where are you based?
I split my time between Orange County, California and Atlanta, Georgia.

What inspired you to start acting?
I started acting very young in children’s theater programs in Southern California. As a kid with a big imagination, theater nurtured my early creative impulses. It was something that no matter what other extracurriculars I picked up, that love of acting was always present.

Who are some of your inspirations?
Diane Nash, my parents, Bell Hooks, Nora Ephron, Ava Duvernay, Tessa Thompson to name a few in no particular order.

You are starring as Gail in the new series “It’s Not Like That.” What are some things we can expect to see from your character?
A healthy dose of honesty, a little meddling, and a lot of love. She’s a no BS kinda gal, who will push with her friend’s best interest at heart and be there whenever you need her.

What drew you to this project? What spoke to you about your character?
The show has a lot of heart, and it centers on family. I love a good family drama; I was a Parenthood fan and a fan of other shows of that nature. Gail was appealing to me because she’s honest in a loving way. We all need that friend in our life. The person who will be both the voice of reason and a rock if you need them.

You’re also an audiobook narrator. How did you fall into that industry?
A friend referred me to a casting director, who then asked me to audition for a few titles. From there I hit the ground running and have been narrating ever since. Twenty plus titles later I am eternally grateful for that first introduction!

Why is romance your genre of choice when it comes to narrating audiobooks?
Initially it wasn’t! I love thrillers and fantasy titles when it comes to what I pick up as an audiobook listener. I’ve stuck with romance as my genre of choice as a narrator, because it has allowed me to explore the genre in a way that I haven’t often had the chance to on screen. I also think that Romance as a genre is incredibly validating and empowering as a woman, it’s a genre where women get to openly talk about their desires, their dreams, their wants in a partner and they dominate the space.

How does your creative process for acting differ from your process for audiobook narration?
They are quite similar; both art forms call for the artist to be a detective and examine the world in which your character or characters inhabit, the way they are perceived by those around them, and their choices throughout the story. When I am acting the biggest difference is the need to build a character’s physicality, how the person walks, how they carry themselves in different situations. Then finally, my favorite part is building the external part of the character, their wardrobe and literally walking in their shoes.

In your opinion, how does storytelling play a vital role in shaping empathy and driving social change? How does it help preserve history?
Storytelling is uniquely positioned in that it can hold up a mirror for society; it can also provide a peek into another human being’s existence that one may never have had the chance to experience if they didn’t see it on screen. It entertains; it can challenge. Maybe even challenging your world views in a way that is less adversarial than debate, opening the door for greater change and tolerance all while boosting people’s EQ. Brave storytelling that unflinchingly looks at our past, can preserve history or unearth stories that the powers that be have swept under the rug.

You have a strong passion for social justice and advocacy work. How has advocacy work shaped your life?
I think it increases intentionality, it shapes where I shop, what entertainment I choose to consume, the lens through which I view life, and my daily efforts to hold empathy and compassion for my fellow human beings even when I’m not feeling like my best self. I don’t think it requires perfection or being 100% correct all the time, just a continuous desire to learn and to keep trying. It’s a constant battle of not letting cynicism take over, having the courage to keep hoping for better for all and keep trying.

How does your advocacy influence the roles you choose to play and the stories you choose to tell?
At this point in my career, I am just now getting a taste of being able to be more selective in my work, not totally quite yet, but just beginning to see that. My advocacy and what I truly care about informs what work has become the most interesting to me. Stories that move me, are not always the deep painful dramas, but often are whip smart comedy that slyly comments on society. It also helps define what doesn’t interest me as an artist; punching down, works that are afraid or unwilling to confront painful historical truths etc.

Access to education and libraries are particularly important to you. You’ve supported institutions and organizations such as the Los Angeles Public Library, Fulton County Library, The Book Truck, and the American Library Association. Can you tell us a bit about your involvement with these organizations?
When I can, financially supporting all these organizations is important to me. In addition to that non stop talking about them in every room I can, increasing awareness is another thing that's a high priority. Additionally political action, I stay closely attuned to the committees behind libraries when calls to actions are supplied, I am first on the phone to call my elected officials or doing whatever is asked, and I volunteer physically with literacy initiatives through my public libraries.

Why is access to education and libraries so important to you?
I firmly believe education is an equalizer, there’s a reason there are sustained attacks on scholarships, and initiatives to make education more accessible for all. My ancestors faced segregated education, and before that a world where teaching slaves to read was illegal.

Higher levels of education can foster more tolerant societies due to increased critical thinking, and greater exposure to diverse people and perspectives. Challenging prejudices and stereotypes.

Then when you look at libraries, they offer the world to everyone. They are one of the few remaining third spaces. Resources at your local public library can range from sewing machine rental to resume building assistance. That kind of community care from a space that also houses limitless free knowledge is a precious resource that not enough of us take advantage of and advocate for. I traveled the world between the pages of a book before I ever set foot on my first international flight. Books opened so many doors for me before I could even conceive who or what I wanted to be in this world. The library and librarians are priceless.

You have a platform titled Ink and Paper Soul. How does this platform connect your love for literature with your advocacy for access to education and libraries?
Talking about books, talking about “Library Hauls”, talking about library resources like Hoopla and Libby keeping those things alive in our cultural zeitgeist is important. Platforming and making those resources a part of my daily life, while building community with other folks who do the same strengthens what I call the “cultural muscle” that we as a society value. If we value the library, encourage intellectual curiosity, and indirectly, education as a society we keep moving forward and growing and that’s the type of society I want to live in, so that’s what I’ll keep encouraging.

You are also focused on progressive political engagement involving voting rights, fair elections, reproductive freedom, and civil rights. What are some related organizations that you volunteer for and support? What are some of the ways in which you are involved with these organizations?
Political engagement has long been a cornerstone value for me; I am never satisfied with my involvement. I always think there is something more I can be doing, when I know the reality is and I tell people this all the time every little bit helps. I’ve worked the polls, been a Senate Intern, volunteered for politicians who I’ve felt would enact positive change on progressive issues, you will find me writing postcards to voters, precinct walking talking to other voters as a volunteer, I try to amplify online, and donate where I can again to organizations on the ground. Showing up to local meetings, volunteering at the foodbank having a vested interest in what’s happening around me not just during major electoral cycles. The ACLU, Sister Song Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective, Yellow Hammer Fund, and the Innocence Project are all organizations whose work I admire.

What inspired you to become more engaged with progressive politics?
I was signing Greenpeace petitions and environmental pledges at ten years old. I took writing your congressional representatives seriously from the very first day I realized that constituents had a voice and that we could and should be using it. That early interest in politics just meant an early vested interest in my community and for me that meant an early alignment with progressive politics.

Are there any upcoming projects you are currently working on that we should be on the lookout for?
I am currently narrating my way through Farah Rochon’s Bayou Dreams series, and you can read or listen to the newly released editions of books 1-3 with more to come!

It has been a crazy few years, and we expect at least three more. How have you been staying positive?
Taking everything one step at a time, we live in such an information dense time. I attempt to keep my doom scrolling to a minimum and focus on actions I can take to effect change in the areas I care most about while also still pursuing my dreams and my joy. At the end of the day the goal is to inundate and disillusion, and I focus on resisting both of those things as much as I can by controlling my intake and keeping on dreaming.

What is your motto in life?
Don’t live life in the waiting room! Waiting for that next big thing steals your present moment joy from you. Use the fancy lipstick, get your nails done, un -stick the dang sticker! Stop saving your joy, your special things, your excitement for when you think you’ve finally arrived. Start living fully now, the rest will come in time.

To learn more about Marissa Chanel Hampton, please check out the links below:
Instagram: @marissachanelhampton
Website
TikTok: @marissachampton

Marissa Chanel Hampton: Storytelling Drives Social Change