Interview: Ruby Dee Dove II (Soft Matter)

“Ruby Lee Dove II is a trained, Houston based actress that has worked across theatre and film. Although a fresh face to the industry, Ruby has already secured roles in films across the likes of BernNadette Stanis, Irma P. Hall, Jon Freda, Yousuf Azami, and Tony Longo. She knows that her purpose in life is to inspire large amounts of people, and God has allowed her to use her talents as an actor in order to gradually make that happen. Ruby is a very hard worker who is not afraid to let others know that she started out as a very mediocre actor. However, she has strived to grow and her hard work shows in her most recent projects such as 13 Minutes, Base, and even a handful of commercials. Because of this she does not hesitate make people aware that “hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard”.”

Ruby Lee Dove II is absolutely amazing. She is a veteran, a mom, wife and one of the most talented actors. She stars in “Soft Matter” so check out the interview for Horrornews.net in which Ruby took time to talk with me.

Hi Ruby, Please tell us how you got involved with the film, “Soft Matter” because you did such an amazing performance.

Ruby- Oh my God, Thank you so much. They found me. I was living in Houston at the time. I live in California now but I was living in Houston and we filmed it in Austin. They found me through my agency and I went out and auditioned. It was a very normal audition process. It was the filming aspect that got interesting.

Oh no, did you face any challenges while filming?

Ruby- All good challenges. It was definitely a challenge. We filmed in a very old run down place and it was like flooded and it was hot. There were challenges but it was worth it especially seeing the end project. It is something that I can truly be proud of.

Did you do anything special to prepare to play Kish in “Soft Matter?”

Ruby- I’ve always been very active but I got in the gym a little more because she is a very active, physically tough character. But to be honest there are parts of me that really are Kish at the core. I am a goofy person that likes to have fun but at the same time I am a veteran and in the military as a military police soldier so it’s everything that makes me up. I was able to find parts of Kish in myself.

God bless you and your sister for being in the military. Thank you for sharing that. My family is also military so thank you.

Ruby- Thank you.

I guess, without giving away any spoilers. Do you have a favorite scene from “Soft Matter?”

Ruby- Anytime you see Kish with writing on her fingers. Those are my favorite because it is like when did you write this and what is going on? I love those moments. It kind of gives the audience a break. I love it. It is so unorthodox in that way. Jim did such a good job.

I did notice that also. As a writer sometimes you tend to write on everything and anything. Was that something natural or did you and Jim come up with that together?

Ruby- Yes. But once again definitely a shout out to Jim. It was him. But it was just kind of like, Kish just randomly has stuff. She randomly has the perfect words written on her hand. She randomly has the perfect thing to pull out of the back pack.

Now what was it like working with the director Jim Hickcox?

Ruby- One of the best directors that I’ve ever worked with and that is pretty big being that this was his directorial debut. He knew what he wanted and that’s always something, especially as an actor working on a set that you want from your director. At the same time it felt like family on the set. I felt like I was walking on-set with my family. My brothers and my sister’s every day and he made that environment that way because of how great his energy was. Which always makes for a wonderful set. I am very grateful for his team and just for him and his energy.

What was it like working with the cast?

Ruby- You know what, it was amazing. Everybody brought something different. I think that is why I say we were like a little family for those days on-set. From Devyn who plays Haircut, we bonded and we realized we knew some of the same people. They all brought something different. We were just all kind of funky in our right and it made for the perfect production.

Now when you were growing up, did you always know you wanted to be an actress?

Ruby- No, I knew in high school. I had an amazing theatre teacher and I started theatre in my senior year of high school so I was very late to the game. It comparison to other people but as soon as I got a taste of theatre and just the production aspect and how it all comes together. I knew there was just nothing else I could do with my life and I haven’t turned back.

Do you remember what your very first play was?

Ruby- I definitely remember. I was in a musical called, “The Pajama Gang.” I didn’t have a big role at all. I was just one of the dancers and one of the singers in the different scenes. The very first play where I had a speaking role, I was in “The Helen Keller Project.” I played one of the young girls that played with another one of the children that Helen Keller knew as a child. I can’t picture myself doing anything else with my life other than using my voice to create characters that make people feel certain emotions.

I saw parts of an amazing short film called, “Angela” that you wrote and directed with Alex West. Do you think you will ever write and direct again?

Ruby- Yes that is my husband. (Alex West is Ruby’s Husband) most definitely. My husband and I have our own production company. It is called Life after Life Films. He wrote and directed “Blood and Water” and it has currently won eleven awards. I am currently writing a web series called “Suds” and it is a quirky one. “Angela” was my very first project that I directed and I wrote. I am currently in production with “Suds” but what I am most excited about is a play that I am almost done writing that will go up this summer and I am going to find a venue here in California to put it up so that is really my next big project.

What do you want the audiences and the fans to know?

Ruby- First I just want to say thank you. If anything, I want to say if my presence in the film inspires you in any way to do anything let it be to follow whatever dream or passion it is that you have. Because, just me creating Kish was the result of a lot of hard work, a lot of denial, a lot of rejection and a lot of bad projects. A lot of people see a finished product and think oh she is so amazing but many people don’t share their story. I had to become the actor that I was in that project and even since then I’ve grown. I want to tell people to continue to grow. Grow fearlessly with no boxes, no strings attached. There is no better way to follow your dreams than to operate as if you cannot fail.

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6345369/
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http://www.rubyleedove.com/