Biography
Princess Monique, also known as Princess Monique Filmz, has come a long way from growing up in the inner city of Cleveland. From humble beginnings, she has used her life experiences to fuel her creativity and ignite her passion of storytelling embodied in her robust career. Princess Monique is an accomplished TV/film producer, director, writer, and author. Princess Monique Filmz is an alumni of the Disney/ABC Directing Program: Class of 2020, which helped launch and cultivate her career as a television director. She released her autobiography, Hood to Hollywood, How to Stop Waiting to Be Discovered & Discover Yourself! in the summer of 2022. Her personal life experiences, journey, and triumphs ignited her desire to help others navigate through their own personal discovery and realize their true potential.
"My life's purpose is to use my God-given gifts and talents to leave a positive impact on the world, by educating, entertaining, and inspiring others to do the same." ~ Princess Monique Filmz
To learn more, and to order Hood to Hollywood, please visit: www.stopwaitingtobediscovered.com.
She was honored to receive a proclamation from the city of Warrensville Heights, Ohio, which declared October 24th to be Princess Monique Day, for being a role model and a positive example of what the city stands for. She attended Kent State University in Ohio, for business management and information systems. And then, in true form, Princess set her sights on Hollywood. After traveling the world as a high-fashion runway and print model for Ebony and Jet magazines, Ms. Monique made several national television appearances, including guest starring as an actress on the hit sitcoms Clueless, The Steve Harvey Show, and The Parkers. She also has years of experience in radio and behind-the-camera producing and directing in many genres, including television, film, commercials, PSAs, and music videos. After working with Earvin "Magic" Johnson's Magic Hallway Pictures, Princess went on to graduate, at the top of her class, from Los Angeles City Community College, with an associate degree in cinema production. Her first film, The Call, won nine awards from film festivals in San Francisco, Hollywood, Los Angeles, New York, Cleveland, Denver, and Atlanta. Her most prestigious award was presented at the San Francisco Black Film Festival, where she not only won 1st place for best short, but she also received the top honor, the Melvin Van Peebles Award, for best overall film and best director. The Call's message about HIV/AIDS has been so successful, impactful, and profound that it has been viewed more than any other film while featured on BET J's Best Short Film Competition. Princess Monique made her directorial TV and feature film debut with Seasons of Love, starring Gladys Knight, Method Man, and LeToya Luckett. She had the privilege of associate producing this film alongside executive producer Taraji P. Henson. Seasons of Love can be seen during the holiday season, on A&E Lifetime. She has produced various showcases highlighting talent from all walks of the entertainment industry. Princess also directed behind the scenes footage for Steve Harvey's inner-city award show, known as the Hoodie Awards, in Las Vegas, NV, and Kevin Hart's Hartbeat Weekend, in Atlantic City, NJ. The culmination of her dedication to her craft, and her exemplary reputation, led to Princess Monique directing the online promotion and docuseries, Nerdist's The Impact of Black Panther, for the most successful box office film ever, Marvel's Black Panther. This production went on to win a Webby Award, which is the leading international award, honoring excellence on the Internet.
Princess Monique is a strong believer in mentoring today's youth, because she knows the value of mentorship. She has personally received mentorship from such greats as: director Chip Fields-Hurd (The Parkers, Girlfriends, and Meet the Browns); director Daren Grant (Diary of a Mad Black Woman, The Wendy Williams Story); producer, director, and actor Bill Duke (Predator, Get Rich or Die Trying); producer, actor, writer, and author Steve Harvey (The Steve Harvey Show); former professional basketball player, former president of basketball operations of the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA), and producer, Earvin "Magic" Johnson (Obsessed, Hair Show); producer and TV and film director Jeff W. Byrd (Stolen by My Mother: The Kamiyah Mobley Story, The Originals, Black Lightning); executive producer and director Pamela Fryman (How I Met Your Mother, Just Shoot Me); and manager of Current Series at Disney Channel, Jacqueline "Jackie" Younce (Grey's Anatomy, Fear Factor, Dog Whisperer). In the spirit of sharing her talent to help others, Princess Monique is also an acting coach. Her classes are always filled, as they are limited and only available when she is between projects. Be on the lookout for when these are offered! You will be in for a special treat.
Using her experiences, tenacious spirit, and captivating storytelling, Princess Monique is often sought after as a motivational speaker. She loves to share with others how to re-frame and pivot and capitalize on their own uniqueness. She subscribes to living by one of her favorite Dr. Maya Angelou quotes: "When you learn, teach!"
With excellence as her standard in her work, and with help from advisers, she has come into her own as founder and CEO of Princess Filmz Productions, LLC(TM). This production company focuses on education and entertainment, with a determination to present more positive but realistic images of African Americans, while bringing attention to the systemic divide in the world.
For more information about Princess Filmz Productions, LLC(TM), available acting workshops and coaching, motivational speaking engagements, and to connect with and follow Princess Monique Filmz, please visit www.princessfilmz.com, and you can also subscribe to our website at www.princessfilmzproductions.com.
Adding to already remarkable credits, her transition into TV directing is a notable feat that came about when she directed Lynn Whitfield, Keith David, Merle Dandridge, and the cast of Greenleaf, a TV drama series created by award-winning writer/producer Craig Wright, and executive produced by Oprah Winfrey and Lionsgate Television, in its final season. Princess Monique Filmz was tapped as a director for the award-winning comedy series Black-ish, created by Kenya Barris, and starring Anthony Anderson, Tracee Ellis Ross, Jenifer Lewis, Laurence Fishburn, Marcus Scribner, and a multitude of talent.
"African American Female Directors Do Exist!" This is the message Princess Monique Filmz wants to share with the world. In so aspiring, Princess Monique formed Real Black Unicorns, a non-profit organization that provides a safe space dedicated to bridging the gap between employers and hirable African American female directors. The main mission of the organization is to dismantle the systemic racial divide between them and us, as we educate, support, and mentor the next generation of emerging talent. For more information about Real Black Unicorns, go to www.RealBlackUnicorns.com.
As if all that isn't enough... In her spare time, Princess Monique loves traveling and enjoying amazing food. Hey, a girl has to have outlets! She has always been fond of journeying and has found a creative way of combining her foodie heart, wanderlust, and love of writing by starting her own food blog. More coming soon!
