JESSVAL ORTIZ
Hi Jessica - How are you? What’s been keeping you busy lately?
Hi there! I have been traveling so much lately I’m like a chicken with their head cut off. I usually go in a square- from New York to LA to DC to Pittsburgh! Just a couple months ago experience my very first red carpet, and that was at the VMAs! I’ve been incredibly fortunate enough to attend so many more red carpets, and super fun Hollywood events, since then! Other than that, I’ve been making so much fun content lately, and I’m very excited to start diving into the makeup/beauty world with my content!
Your Instagram bio says, Relatable Queen-how do you maintain your relatability as a public figure?
It’s so funny because every single time I experience something very small that I realize everyone goes through, I write it down and think of a funny TikTok trending audio that would go with it! I really don’t know how I think of so many, but usually hast to be in the moment of when I experienced it.
Speaking of being a relatable person in media and as an influencer with over 8 million followers on Tik Tok and 300K followers on Instagram, what’s the best part about everything that you do?
I would have to say that the best part about what I do is getting to meet all of these incredible creators that I have looked up to for several years now, and I get to collaborate with them and make some really fun content! I’ve also met some of my lifelong friends through social media, and I couldn’t be more grateful to now now have these people in my life.
What’s the most memorable experience you had so far in your career? (Could be with fans/comments/career highlights etc)
My all-time favorite experience up-to-date was going to the Video Music Awards (VMAs) this year. I was invited to go with Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and they even styled me on the red carpet! It was also extremely special because my older sister accompanied me!
How did you manage to rise above the challenges?
Most challenging part about what I do is the burn out that I experience when I don’t feel like I’m creating my best contact. I could have three really cool ideas on Monday, and then Tuesday hits and I could hit a mental block. It’s really easy to get in your head when it comes to numbers, and seeing low views, but I try to not let that get me down. It’s important for me to keep in mind that I have such a loving, and supportive group of people cheering me on, and they look forward to watching my videos every day, no matter how bad I could think one of my videos may be that day.
How’s your creative process? How do you create content and where do you get your inspirations from?
Are usually some a lot of my videos in my apartment, or in a hotel room! I’ve been traveling so much lately, but I’ve been starting to think about documenting some of my trips-maybe some might find it interesting? I also get a lot of inspiration from my family. They understand my humor, so perfectly, and they will sometimes help me brain storm some fun content ideas!
As a Latinx creator, how important is visibility and representation for you?
It makes so beyond proud to see so many Latinx creators thriving and seeing their dreams come true! I love getting on my platforms today and seeing so many different races/genders/etc being represented in so many different fields. I can’t wait to see the next milestone that our Latinx community will conquer!
What’s the biggest discovery that you’ve made about yourself in the last few years?
Believe it or not, I really didn’t find my big, goofy, wild personality until I started using TikTok! I always knew I had a lot of rambunctiousness to me (since I did theater for 20 years) but I never really did comedies growing up. Only super serious dramatic plays. I feel like making content online has really helped me blossom into who I truly am.
What’s your dream project?
I would love to be a movie or TV show one day. I love all kinds of acting so I don’t even have a particular show in mind! Oh, also to meet Will Ferrell and Jim Carey. Maybe be in a film with them? They are my all time favorite comedians!
What’s a valuable lesson that you’ve learned that you always carry with you?Stay true to who you are and never let anyone ever tell you that you’re not good enough. There is space for everyone to achieve their dream, you just gotta make it happen for yourself! You are NOT a question, you are the answer!
If you were a book, what book would you be and why? (Open question. Could be a title/a genre/a made-up book/ your own book, etc)
Hmm…I would probably name it either “Messy Jessy” OR “5,6,7, SLAY” !
