Who is Giovanni Adams?
I am a Mississippi-born actor and playwright who moved to Melbourne for love, now making my Australian debut in the leading role of Ike Turner in TINA – The Tina Turner Musical.
What would you do differently from what you do now?
When I graduated from university I asked beloved American TV actor Sam Waterston for advice before moving to New York. Knowing how hard the path would be, Sam told me if there was anything else I loved more, I should go and do that. After many years in this business, I still haven’t found something else I love more than being an actor.
Who inspires you and why?
Tina Turner. Tina’s unlikely diamond in the rough origins in Nutbush, Tennessee to her meteoric rise as the Queen of Rock N Roll after so many challenges and setbacks speaks to her brilliance and resilience. She never gave up on herself, the belief that greatness lived inside of her and in others.
What would you do to make a difference in the world?
I try to show up for people in my immediate circle in small, meaningful ways as often as I can. I try to be of service. My partner reminds me small kindnesses can change the world. I believe that change starts with yourself.
Favourite holiday destination and why?
Home at my mother’s dining room table surrounded by my family.
When friends come to town, what attraction would you take them to, and why?
The 12 Apostles. Driving down the Great Ocean Road and seeing these massive cliffs sprouting from the water is absolutely incredible. You can’t witness something like that and not be amazed.
What are you currently reading?
As an American, living abroad amidst so much uncertainty back home, I’ve been encouraged to pick up Hope in the Dark by Rebecca Solnit.
What are you currently listening to?
My schedule, the physical and emotional demands of my job, and the world feels very loud right now. As a young boy, I grew up singing in my grandmother’s small Baptist church. And I find myself listening to a lot of old school gospel music these days to remind me of simpler, quieter times.
Happiness is?
Those fleeting moments when you realize that right now you’re enough, you have enough, that contentment is a choice not a destination.
What does the future hold for you?
God only knows.
Giovanni stars as Ike Turner in TINA – The Tina Turner Musical – currently playing at Melbourne’s Princess Theatre until 9 February 2025. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit: www.tinathemusical.com.au for details.
Image: Giovanni Adams (supplied)