While Donshea Hopkins is certainly a sweet 16 year old, she is also incredibly creative, confident, and fierce. She’s more than made her mark on the entertainment industry bringing a quadruple threat of talent as model, actress, singer, and dancer – which she says “all work in unison.” Hopkins doesn’t have a favorite discipline, stating ever so wisely: “I could never picture myself choosing one over the other. If I didn’t have knowledge in other skills, I probably would’ve missed out on a lot of great experiences and job opportunities.”
Where does a young woman like this come up with such sage insight? Her mother of course, whom Hopkins says is her greatest inspiration. At just nine months old, Hopkins recalls pointing at the television and telling her mom she wanted to “do that.” Mind you, this is all pre-toddler. Impressive, yes. Unlikely for Donshea Hopkins, no. Her mother recognized early that her daughter was more than just “a little kid who wanted to try everything. She took note of (her) dream, downsized her business, did research on the entertainment industry and child actors.” When she was three years old, Hopkins nailed her first audition and – spoiler alert – has been climbing upwards and onwards since.
After that crucial audition, Hopkins burst onto the scene like the shooting star that she is. She began acting in a series of hit television shows such as Orange is the New Black, Nurse Jackie, and Law & Order SVU. It wasn’t long before people took notice and she was being interviewed by Carson Daly & Alyson Hannigan on TRL, as well as appearing on The David Letterman Show.
Hopkins’ breakout role was playing Raina St. Patrick in the hit Starz series Power, where she worked alongside big names like 50 Cent and Lala Anthony. After taking home five awards and 13 nominations, the show gained acclaim in its five seasons, as did Hopkins. In Power’s fifth season, Hopkins was selected to play the pivotal role of Bobbi Kristina in BET’s The Bobby Brown Story, an opportunity she says she was “honored” to receive. Professional as always, Hopkins took the part very seriously:
“I did as much research as possible; everything and anything I could find that was accurate. I analyzed her Instagram everyday while filming to get a sense of her style and personality. I watched interviews, home videos, and episodes of Being Bobby Brown to make sure I spoke like her, walked like her, and understood the life she lived. I also found similarities between the two of us. Like how our birthdays are a day apart; her birthday was March 4th, mine is March 2nd. She was so passionate about creating her own path in life with her music and acting career, without being in her parents’ shadow. I related on such a personal and emotional level from being in the shadow of such a hit show.”
In conjunction with a budding acting career, Hopkins spread her entertainment wings further, venturing into modeling and music. Scrolling her Instagram page, you’ll see she’s anything but oblivious to fashion, sporting a style that’s both on-trend and uniquely her own. Her clothing icons are diverse:
“Rihanna, Beyoncé, Zendaya, Gigi Hadid, Bella Hadid, Elsa Hosk, Ariana Grande, Millie Bobby Brown, Audrey Hepburn, Aretha Franklin, Naomi Campbell, and the list goes on…”
As far as music, she’s appeared in videos and most recently came out with her first single, Can’t Tell Me Nothing. One listen and you can tell she is not just a talented songstress, but a lyrical force. Her words are bold, empowering, and personal. She says:
“The inspiration came from the misconceptions people have about me; always comparing me to the fictional characters I’ve portrayed on-screen so far. But the biggest inspiration was coming to the realization that I don’t owe people an explanation for everything I do in my life. However the original concept for the song came from fellow musician Real-Estate Smoke, he approached me with the song about a year ago and I wasn’t really feeling it. I came back to the drawing board this year and decided I wanted to revamp my sound. I figured the best way to do it was to put out a universal anthem that everyone can relate to, especially young girls.”
Though music is part of her work, it’s also a way that Hopkins finds calmness in her hectic schedule. She loves reading and listening to music:
“I carry books and my headphones around with me everywhere. Anytime I need to relax, I just find a good spot to sit, plop on my headphones, and open up a book.”
Another trick of the trade to tame a busy lifestyle? BALANCE. Hopkins keeps her sanity by going to school online and “utilizing free time to catch up on unfinished assignments, especially when traveling.” When she’s not working, she dedicates her time to family and friends, stating that “even if we don’t get a chance to see each other all the time, we try to check in on each other weekly.”
When asked, what’s next for her already bright future, Hopkins is sworn to secrecy, only revealing that we should “keep your eyes glued to the TV in 2019!”
Could it be a partnership with her dream collab artist Beyoncé? Or maybe a role alongside Raven-Symoné, the celeb that still gets her starstruck?
We can’t say for sure, but we’re certain big things are written in the stars for Donshea Hopkins.
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