Originally posted Monday, August 19, 2019 by RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog
Racquel Bailey's $2,000 investment in two billboards to catch Tyler Perry's attention bore fruit: she was cast in a recurring role in his new drama "Sistas."
Bailey, 32, spent last week in Atlanta at Tyler Perry Studios, which was where she strategically placed her billboards in May.
TMZ broke the news. Bailey, who is on a cruise ship with her family today and unavailable for a phone interview, texted me to confirm that TMZ's information was accurate. "I have been dreaming of this since I was a little girl," she texted me today. "I feel like my dreams are coming true. And it's because I believed."
Back in May, as a result of the billboard, Bailey quickly landed an audition with Perry and received a public statement from Perry himself, who implored others not to copy her strategy. Anybody can audition, he said, and a billboard isn’t necessary.
In fact, Perry said he was already familiar with her prior work, which included a recurring role in HBO’s “The Night Of.”
The New Jersey resident has been a stay-at-home mom of two and had spent the past few years taking acting classes, doing stage work and awaiting her big break.
Bailey said there are a couple of other roles forthcoming she can’t speak of on top of playing a cop in “Sistas.” The TMZ story said she has had many auditions as a result of the billboard and more are forthcoming. “I feel blessed,” she wrote.
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