Written in Partnership with Tedfuel
Photographer: Daniel Morales / Makeup credit: Irene Kim / Clothing: Another Girl/ Hair: Alexis Rhoden owner of Chanel’s Hair Boutique
“Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Is one of the many quips made by Hollywood Correspondent, Antoinette Love Ransom; known for her sultry style and energetic demeanor. Over the years, Antoinette has developed an impeccable work ethic, and has finally found her niche in Hollywood. Working hard is not foreign to Antoinette; she developed a great work ethic as a child. Attending the prestigious Actors Training Studio, educated Antoinette on the discipline of stage production, and acting. Like all struggling artists, she’s made more sacrifices than you could count. Leaving her hometown of Kansas City, Missouri to moving to Los Angeles in the early 2000s. This was not only intimidating but a culture shock. LA is the home of the most talented and eclectic artists from around the world, and the opportunities were slim.
To be a Black woman in Hollywood is to be committed in the pursuit of your dreams, in search of just the basic opportunities. There were limited roles at the time when Antoinette moved to Los Angeles. She found herself hustling to find an agent, auditioning for any work she could find, and understanding the bureaucracy of the entertainment industry. To this day, Hollywood has become more diverse and accepting of different cultures, but there is still work to do. It wasn’t easy over the years accepting rejection after rejection, but she hung in there. The first nine years in Los Angeles, Antoinette developed her craft and put in the work. Taking acting classes, dance classes, and going back to school and finishing her BFA in Fine Arts.
In 2008, the housing market crashed, and the Great Recession hit. At that time, Antoinette was a couture fashion designer making clothes for celebrities and the elite. This was something she developed as she continued to focus on other creative endeavors. When the recession hit, Antoinette’s phone didn’t ring for months. In early 2009, she moved from Los Angeles to San Diego making the shift to reinvent herself and take a break from Hollywood. Based on her previous actions, that didn’t last long, and she found herself married to the industry again.
In 2010, she developed her own production company, Exhibit Ambush and started producing art, music, and fashion show productions. In 2016, she started to shift her focus and wanted to learn more about developing and producing tv projects and movies. Her goal was to create a unique talk show on the road, that would highlight celebs, artists, and unique individuals that are Eco-Focused and pushing sustainability efforts both domestic and internationally. But first she needed content and establish herself as a media correspondent. This wasn’t an easy transition, but she found her path and figured it out. After interviewing countless celebrities in press junkets, red carpets, and private interviews she knew she needed to reexamine her purpose. It’s not about ego, how many projects she’s completed, how much she’s accomplished, or how many people she’s encountered. What it all boils down to is how she applied her entrepreneurial experience and talent to create a route for others. She found the most joy in assisting and developing other artists and entrepreneurs.
Photographer: Daniel Morales / Makeup credit: Irene Kim / Clothing: Another Girl/ Hair: Alexis Rhoden owner of Chanel’s Hair Boutique
She had an epiphany around the time the pandemic hit the world in 2020. At this time, Antoinette was at the top of her game and sponsored by some of the biggest brands out there. But what she truly found was the magic that happens when you help others shine. That’s what a producer is!!! She’s been a producer her entire life and manifested it through her challenges in Hollywood. Antoinette is a Hollywood Correspondent making that shift to becoming a Hollywood Producer. Her niche will be tv/film projects that are premised around health, education, the environment, and philanthropy.
She recently received her first Executive Producer credit for “Fuller Farmer’s Memorable Meals”, with chef Nancy Fuller from the Food Network. In early 2023, Antoinette made a cameo appearance in “Land of Wolves” directed by Raul Urreola from Bullet Catch Films (www.bulletcatchfilms.com). She’s in the middle of production on an TV series called, “Promiseland” (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12356992/) created by Gerren Hall, directed by Fred Ashman, and featuring Emmy Award winner James Reynolds. The character she’s portraying is Dr. Dawn Rizzo. She’s reconnecting with her love of acting, while simultaneously working behind the camera to better understand production and what goes into it. Antoinette states, “I’m thrilled I’ve been asked to produce two lucrative projects one for CBS and the other for Netflix. We’ll see what happens. In the past few years, I’ve pushed myself beyond my comfort zone, and I’m grateful that I’m getting the opportunities now I couldn’t get years ago. Honestly, I’m ready now.”
In recent years we’ve seen an increase of Black women operating as show runners, producers, and directors. There are so many women Antoinette admires that opened doors for women of color such as: Cicely Tyson, Halle Berry, Angela Basset, Lena Waithe, Shonda Rhimes, and many more. The actions these women took to make their mark on the cinematic realm; could lead you to think about our future in a new positive perspective. Hopefully, amplifying the voices of Black talent and other creatives of color can counteract the racial inequality in Hollywood. Antoinette Love Ransom moves in silence, and this will not be the last we’ve heard about this resilient woman. She doesn’t know how to quit.
You can find her on IMDB Pro, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Twitter. Her new website is www.aloveransom.com | IG:@antoinette_love_ransom
Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.