When Denise Boutte left her hometown of Maurice, Louisiana, a small town with less than 700 residents, she had no clue she would land in the TV and film industry. Performing on stage in theatre and working side by side with media mogul Tyler Perry, Boutte states, “I like to say that acting found me. While watching and enjoying movies back in Louisiana, I never once said to myself. One day I am going to be just like her–an actress.†So it’s funny that I watched Tempestt Bledsoe on the Cosby show and years later we actually worked together. I had more of a practical dream that I would do something great for myself that would take me out of the backwoods of Louisiana. Little did I know, I would come to have an amazing appreciation for how I was raised.”
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On the heels of Boutte’s latest movie “For the Love of Ruth†airing on May 9, on TV One, BlackEnterprise.com caught up with her to learn more about her journey from advertising to acting.
BlackEnterprise: Tell us how you transitioned from the advertising world to the entertainment industry.
Boutte: I was working in Dallas, TX with several different advertising agencies and several of my clients wanted me to be in front of the camera. I kept getting these on camera opportunities. Finally my boss at the time, said to me, “You’re getting a lot of work on camera and you needed to figure this out.†So I took a leap of faith into acting.
You’ve landed really good roles in theatre, films like “Why Did I Get Married,†and the now syndicated TV series, “Meet the Browns, “and you’re currently preparing for the release of “For the Love of Ruth.†Can you share some wise words about manifesting your ideal career?
When you’re working in the entertainment industry as soon as you finish your gig, you’re searching for your second opportunity. For me, getting comfortable with acting had to come from working on stage. I was very fortunate to work with Fran Bascom. She did casting work for Days of Our Lives and was one of the first people to give me a job. She was casting for a play, so I began as an understudy at a small theatre in Pasadena, CA. I was able to hone my skills and get up in front of an audience and perform. The play was an amazing experience. AÂ little over a year later I found myself in front of Tyler Perry, auditioning for Why Did I Get Married and later Meet the Browns.
You have to get up everyday as if you have a destination.  Although I was very fortunate in that I didn’t plan this for myself–opportunities just kept appearing. I listened to the voice inside that kept saying “Why not? Try it.†So I got on set, it felt very natural and I was intrigued. At times it was uncomfortable. But I always say, even if you’re fearful of something; if it gives you that excitement and awakens something inside of you, see what that’s about.
Don’t wait for things to happen. Regardless if you have a 9-5 job or not, get up everyday as if you already have one and make sure you’re pounding the payment for opportunities.
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How was it working with Tyler Perry?
There are not too many Tyler Perry’s out there who can give you a job opportunity based on a hunch. He saw presence and believed in me. Even when I wasn’t working on set, he gave me a place to learn the technical side and see what he was seeing from the production side because working in front of the camera is very different from working behind the scenes–you get a very different perception.
He was an amazing mentor and motivator.
The number one lesson I learned from Tyler Perry is to create your own opportunities. This is one of the reasons why whenever I am in between jobs, I am not in panic or desperation mode. He told me, “Don’t wait for someone to give you a job, you’re a smart girl, you come from a business background, create your own work.â€
So overtime, I developed an arsenal of opportunities in comedy, drama, reality shows, etc. I’ve aligned myself with people who are passionate about writing, creating dialogue and scripts. I paint a picture for them and come up with amazing presentation documents.  I’ve been very fortunate to have people placed in my path who need help bringing their ideas to life. Even when I have a job, I’m creating my next one.
What is the most difficult challenge you’ve faced so far?
Staying motivated is the biggest challenge especially when you don’t see the next job on the horizon.  But you have to  remain faithful that you’re doing the right thing, you’re in the right place and the opportunity will manifest itself into great things. Sometimes it doesn’t come when you want it to. For years I felt like I could do something beyond comedy and I had this visualization on my vision board.
You’re preparing for the TV One premier “For the Love of Ruth,†a film inspired by the Biblical story of Ruth where you play Ruth Sommerling, woman who was orphaned as a child and currently residing in a women’s shelter, she has lived a life filled with pain and disappointment. Unlike your other roles you bring a lot of emotion to this character. What can we expect? How did you get into such an emotional space?
Filming this movie was an amazing experience. This type of role was on my vision board. So when it landed in my lap I knew it was something I could do.
I really had a Denzel “Glory†moment because a tear came out of nowhere. I’ve never had to cry on cue so this is one of the most character driven roles I’ve had to play because it’s raw and real. Also, my mom fought her own battle with Cancer (I’m blessed to say she beat it), so I also drew from this experience.
The cast and TV One, was like coming home to family. They’ve been very positive. With that kind of support system you can’t fail.
Watch “For the Love of Ruth” on May 9th, airing on TV One.