Faune A. Chambers: Jack of all Trades, Master of Herself

Actress, dancer, Faune Chambers, is a woman of many talents. Over the course of her career you’ve seen her on hit TV shows, House M.D., Psych and The Game. You might recognize her from the big screen where she’s starred in the Wayans Brother comedy, White Chicks or the Oscar-award winning drama, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Or you might remember her as Ne-Yo’s love interest in the music video for “Mad”. So why don’t we know more about the stunning actress with the superbly dressed boyfriend and big dreams and even bigger talent? With her latest project, the independent film crews wrapped up, we at Clutch thought it was time to learn more about the mysterious beauty.

The first thing you should know is that Faune loves to perform. No matter what it is, singing, dancing, acting, you name it she can do it. (Fun Faune fact: She was an assistant choreographer for Michael Jackson). When she first began pursuing a career in entertainment, she was slated to appear in the original Broadway version of Aida, but chose to pursue film and television roles instead. While she might consider strutting her stuff on the Great White Way in the next five to ten years, right now it’s all about TV and movies. “The ideal thing would be to be on a television show six months out of the year and then do film the other six months,” Chambers says. “What would be the ideal film for me? I love it all, hard drama, romantic comedies, I would just interchange between them.”

“My approach has to be what God has for me is for me. He has brought me through classes and training and the whole process of auditioning and getting my name out there for a purpose. So I have to stay true to Him.”

The next thing you should know is that she’s not a diva when it comes to choosing roles or dealing with competition. Hollywood is a tough industry for established actors and actresses to get steady work, but when you’re an actor of color, the fight is even more difficult. And with an increasing amount of singers and rappers trying their hand at acting the pool of projects shrinks that much more, Faune chooses to take it all in stride. When it comes to choosing roles, she has the same zen-like focus and determination. She looks for strong characters with a story arc that she can relate to and portray realistically, which is what drew her to the indie crime drama Krews where all the different levels of the drug game converge in her house.

“It was a great dramatic leading role,” she said. “She’s the only female in the film. The way she was written – her character, the arc of her struggle, her journey really drew me to her.” By now you must be thinking, “can she really be this down to earth?” Yes she can. From her life with boyfriend Fonzworth Bentley (“I don’t see him as a celebrity, he’s Derek.”) to her take on singers-turned-actors (“I appreciate the fact that Beyonce is creating projects and getting them greenlight.”), Faune is just that cool. Besides her passion for the industry and her continual work ethic, her biggest strength is probably her faith. Surrounding herself with people that hold the same belief system and sticking to her beliefs has been a big part of helping Faune chart her course. “I just have faith in God and what God says I can have in His word. As far as projects and things that don’t line up with what I personally feel comfortable with in my conviction, it’s not difficult because I was prepared for that when I started. With situations like that you, make it what you want it to be.”

“I’m also creating, producing, and writing in order to create more opportunities, not just for myself, but for other black actresses as well. “Because there are a lot of different stories that we have and I think we have a truth that is universal that goes beyond the color of our skin.”

So what’s next for this rising star? Don’t be surprised to see her name as producer in the end credits of a movie. She’s already cut her teeth producing boyfriend Bentley’s music video, “Everybody” with Kanye and Andre 3000. She’s also working on producing a documentary. “I have a desire to be in front of the camera and behind it. I’m in love with the whole process.” Keep an eye for Faune A. Chambers, she’s got a story to tell – yours.