Overcoming Obstacles
Upon meeting Amber Rivette at the DTLA Film Festival Sunday October 21st last year, the greatest mantra she cheerfully recited from her past year was "The bigger the storm in your life, the more important you are."
I've decided to monitor her year--her victories, and struggles, to encourage the masses out there who may also be going through some tough times as well vocationally.
The year started out like any typical actor. Amber was working a stable job that allowed her to audition, was getting callbacks and doing theater productions. By mid-June, she was checking off her bucket list her part as Veronica in I'm Not For Sale, a feature film addressing human trafficking in the US, also starring Judy Evans (Days of Our Lives) and Sean Faris (Pretty Little Liars).
On June 25th, she was notified of a lay-off from her job, and during that meeting her neck started to hurt to the point where she could no longer turn it. Not letting her present condition get to her, she competed in the Miss SCArizona Pageant featuring Celebrity judges from various horror films while getting a tattoo and becoming a Karaoke Jockey for other VIP horror film celebrities with her UniCarnaL costume half-open with her fresh tattoo. While she did not win, she "killed" it (see below!)
Taking it easy with her neck the following days, the pain was so great on the road trip home that she experienced dizziness, nausea/vomiting, not being able to walk, her hands numb and her throat closing up. MRI following these symptoms and an ER visit revealed a mass or possible flare-up in her right brain stem, the Medulla Oblangata. Nevertheless, Amber walked right out of the doctor's office and into the VO Booth at G'ag Productions to record a few characters for the AION video game. "My husband drove me because I was still getting dizzy spells," she laughs. Oh, our Amber.
She's not too happy about this photo, I personally think this shows her strength in going no matter what.
The going got tough, however, in August. During the last day of the shoot for I'm Not For Sale--when Director Romane A. Simon promised her a part alongside Judy and Sean for the "rescue" scene--Amber received a kidney stone blocking her uriter and had to leave the set, being in excruciating pain and vomiting bile.
"That wasn't even the worst part," Amber laments. "I was supposed to host my Co-Star India who came all the way from her hometown that day. I picked her up from LAX, then I received a parking ticket from loading in the loading zone for $68, then had to pay $20 cash to actually park, and then leave. I was paying LA to throw away my dream at that moment, essentially."
It was volunteer basis on a low budget film--so Amber was right. In addition to an enlarged kidney, the ultrasound also revealed an 8cm cyst on her left ovary. After another checkup, the Gynecologist revealed she had yet another cyst on her right ovary. "'They're kissing!' the Doctor told me," Amber laughs. Thankfully, she had those--"Cyster-Cysters on [her] Tia and Tamara Mowvaries" removed this past NYE, 12/31/18. "We celebrated in the backyard with sparklers at midnight, and then again at 2:22am when I pooped for the first time!" She divulged. TMI, Amber. T. M. I.
- Off Amber Rivette's IG 2018. Amber had bones in BG for her "Spinal Tap."
Amber's spinal tap results for her brain stem were negative. While she was bedridden for 2 weeks due to complications after the test, she was constantly the life of the party before and afterward.
While she is still getting check ups, she is also still doing plays, musicals, and Voice Over whenever she can. She even got to host the all-famous Pancakes and Booze Zombie Fashion show. Amber was also part of a short film being submitted to HBO Asian Pacific American Visionaries Short Film Competition. "Catherine Chen has been a great support to me. She got me out to the DTLA Film Festival. She includes me in on her films. She recommends me to all sorts of things I would never know about. She is a true friend in this industry."
Since then, Amber has ended the year with performing in the SAG-AFTRA Radio Play (SARP) at the Gene Autry museum with incredible voices like Bill Farmer (Disney's Goofy) and Ian James Corlett (the original Goku from Dragon Ball, Chef Remy from Vampirina), performing children's theater at The Pico, and raising $1,000 for Dressember to fight human trafficking. To say the least, she finished 2018 strong.
"What I realized this year is that--your dreams are never gone. They are only fermenting, gaining interest. And while in life bad things can happen...no one can ever replace your story or steal that away from you. The truth will always be revealed." Well said, Amber.
"Even the Radio play was a struggle," Amber informs us. "The fires kept us from doing them the year before, but the next year we were ready--no matter what."
"I never thought I'd be able to raise this much, but having your husband and friends by your side will make all the difference." -Amber Rivette
Amber is still raising funds this month to fight human trafficking. If you did not get a chance to contribute and still would like to, here is the link:
https://dressember-2018.funraise.org/fundraiser/amber-rivette
