(AllHipHop News) Media personality Conscious has announced a casting call for her film Getting Unstuck, based on her 2002 memoir detailing her struggles with drug addiction, sexual abuse, and living HIV positive.
A Harlem native, Conscious (Merle Soden) began her entertainment career as a bodyguard for artists such as DMX, Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes, and the late Aaliyah.
She parlayed that position into music manager duties for the Queen Latifah Show, and later production and hosting duties for Oxygen Network’s She-Commerce talk show.
Before her success, Conscious had to cleanse herself from drug addiction through intense rehabilitation. Her problems intensified when she learned she had contracted HIV from another female.
These experiences were chronicled in her auto-biography, which she hoped would educate the lesbian community on the dangers they equally face with their straight counterparts.
“I think it helps lesbians who really need to wake up, and number two it will help lesbians to stop thinking that they are exempt,” Conscious explained in an interview on her website (www.prettytomboys.com).
“If you have ever had sex with a man whether you are actively involved in a heterosexual or homosexual relationship, you will not be categorized as a lesbian. So if you become a case of HIV while being with a woman, but have previously had sex with a man, or go out and have sex with a man, then you will fall into the heterosexual column.”
“So those are large numbers that we’re losing because of the way we are being categorized. These numbers help to make lesbians remain unaware of how prevalent this issue is within our own community.”
The book has been optioned repeatedly for movie deals over the past several years. In 2005, rapper Eve had signed on to play Conscious through a Showtime network deal.
However, the project was not completed for the option timeline expired. Currently, Lady Gaga manager Troy Carter is in preliminary talks with the author.
The casting call for Getting Unstuck will be for a short film version. The producers are seeking 4 men, ages 18-25, and 2 women 20-40 years of age.
The audition takes place February 17 at 2:30PM on 2520 W. 78th Street in Hialeah, Florida. Headshots and inquiries can be emailed to Threeforces@gmail.com
