INTERVIEW BY DENISE MALLABO

What’s keeping the beauty queen turned actress nowadays?

The stunning Emelina Adams was elated when she walked her first red carpet for the premiere of the all-star cast movie Bullet Train. She worked on the film with industry heavyweights such as Brad Pitt, Sandra Bullock, Joey King, and Brian Tyree Henry, to name a few. When asked how she felt when the film was finally released in theaters, she said it was nothing short of amazing. “Such a whirlwind. I feel like I’ve been working towards this goal for such a long time, and it’s so rewarding to see all of my hard work finally paying off,” shares the second generation Italian beauté.

Emelina used her big win as Miss Nevada USA 2016 as a springboard to further her modeling and acting careers. She has graced billboards, print ads, and campaigns for Marciano by Guess, and she is more than just a pretty face and body. She received a scholarship to the University of Arizona and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology with a pre-law thematic minor. But Emelina has always been interested in the arts; she studied piano for five years and sang in her school choir. It’s no surprise that amidst her degree, she opted to pursue her love for acting and now, other than Bullet Train, she has other featured films coming out. A Book Of had a quick chat with Emelina and asked her more about the star-studded movie and her upcoming projects.

Hi Emelina, how are you?

Hi! I’m doing great, thank you so much for having me! 

What’s been keeping you busy nowadays?

This year has been so busy! Every year I feel like it has been getting busier and busier. I just had one of my films premiere worldwide that I shot in 2020, called Bullet Train, and I’ve been waiting on several other projects to come out. This year I had my second global Marciano by Guess Spring campaign come out, and I got to walk in the Guess fashion show in Lugano, Switzerland. I recently finished filming a dark comedy called Mort in Sherman Oaks starring Lucy Hale. 

Talk about the challenges and the highs that you experienced during filming.

I’m so grateful to have been part of this project with such a talented crew and cast. They were so kind and welcoming toward me, and I felt really comfortable being on set with everyone. When I got this audition, I didn’t receive any dialogue or script. They asked me to improvise a scene, so I really had to get creative, and I ended up booking the audition from my self-tape. When it came time for filming, all of my lines were improvised, which ended up being really fun. 

How did you manage to rise above the challenges? 

You never know what they’re going to throw at you when you get to set, so you just have to stay positive and be open-minded. Since my dialogue was improvised, I felt like I was going in there not really knowing what was going to happen, which made me nervous, but David (Leitch), the director, was so fun and easy to work with and totally made me feel comfortable. We got to joke around and be creative. 

With many more projects in the pipeline set to release soon for you, what has it been like to be a part of so many projects and watch them finally release? What can we expect from you in each role? 

It’s been a dream! I can’t believe everything I’ve been working for is finally coming out. It’s been very rewarding, to say the least, especially working alongside such star-studded casts. I have several other feature films being released soon. American Murderer will be released theatrically on October 21st, with a digital release on all major platforms to follow on October 28th. I’m so excited because after that, Back on The Strip and Mort in Sherman Oaks will be coming out, and these are my two largest roles. It won’t be stopping there, so keep an eye out for me!

What is the proudest moment in your career?

This is hard to narrow down. I have a few! The night I won Miss Nevada USA 2016, booking my first global Marciano by Guess campaign and walking the red carpet of Bullet Train. These are all very special moments for me because I’ve worked so hard for each and every one of them. I’ve prepared so much for the last 12 years of being in this industry, and it’s paying off. It feels good going after my goals and not giving up on my dreams.

How do you fuse modeling, pageant, and acting together and make it work?

After winning the title of Miss Nevada USA 2016, I went on to compete in Miss USA. Once you win a state title, you aren’t allowed to compete again. That was a great stepping stone before moving to LA and pursuing modeling and acting full-time. When I’m not working on set as an actress, I’m modeling. I model every month for Guess, and I am so grateful for them. They really are a family to me, and I’ve been so blessed to have grown with the brand. The co-founder of Guess, Paul Marciano, is the one who really gave me my start and a chance when no one else did. I’ve been very fortunate to have been able to make modeling and acting both work! 

Who and what inspires you?

I have a very strong work ethic, and I get that from my dad. He’s always been someone I’ve looked up to. He’s an entrepreneur and a self-made businessman, and he’s someone who’s inspired me to do the same. I came into the entertainment industry not knowing anyone, and I’ve made it this far by putting in the work. 

What scares you?

This is an industry of the unknown, which is scary itself. There is so much rejection, but you just have to keep going. I was so scared to make the move to LA and pursue acting and modeling full time, but I’m so happy I did. I wouldn’t be where I am today if I didn’t make the move. 

What’s the biggest discovery that you’ve made about yourself in the last few years? What’s your dream project?

Even when I thought giving up was an option, I kept on pushing through, and it landed me where I am today. My dream project would be a period piece in the sci-fi genre, something like Game of Thrones!

Aside from acting, what else keeps you busy?

Modeling keeps me very busy as well. I model every month for Guess when I’m not auditioning or filming. This is such a dream come true for me. I always wanted to be a Guess girl. I’ve been working with them for 2.5 years now and have had the honor to be a part of two global campaigns. 

What’s a valuable lesson that you’ve learned that you always carry with you?

I can accomplish anything I set my mind to. I’m a very positive person, and my father has instilled this in me from a young age. I love working hard and going after my goals. If you have a positive mindset and believe in yourself, you can achieve anything!

If you were a book, what book would you be and why?

I would be one of the Harry Potter books. That’s my favorite book series, and I love all things, Harry Potter. I read all of the books when I was young, and I would dress up as Hermione for Halloween. I love fantasy and adventure, and it would be so much fun to be in the magical world and attend Hogwarts. I would be in Slytherin.