January 7, 2025
Shanti Lowry
SHANTI LOWRY
Ashley (Dr. Carroway – the Dentist)
Shanti came to us via Suzanne Goddard-Smythe. We were looking for a Morticia Addams type but we knew there were risks in that – Morticia-dry delivery would be fun for a little stretch, but throughout 15+ minutes of banter?
Shanti to the rescue! She gave us Morticia – with SASS! (Why didn’t WE think of that!) Now THERE was some energy we could use, energy we didn’t know we needed. Shanti plays DR CARROWAY (ASHLEY) – the substitute dentist.
Director’s Note: This script is dialogue-rich, but there were places where I was so focused on describing the dental team’s antics that I knew there were holes in the dialogue. NOT TO WORRY – Shanti and Tyler (playing BARNEY, the patient) filled in the holes with ad libs that were so in keeping with their characters, it’s hard to tell where the dialogue ends and the ad libs begin! By Day 2, Aliya (playing PENNY, the dental assistant) was ad libbing too, and my dialogue holes were history! We have wall-to-wall banter!
====================================================================
Born and raised in Boulder, Colorado, Emmy-nominated actress, producer, dancer, and singer Shanti Lowry seemed destined for the spotlight. Despite escaping a childhood of poverty and abuse, she chose to visualize a greater life for herself and found solace in pretending to be other people.
Her first shot at performing came around at the age of 10, when she auditioned and booked a role in a play after seeing a casting call in the local paper. Six years later Shanti took part in a dance competition in Boulder that saw her win the grand prize of a dance agent in Los Angeles. Seeing it as fate, she packed her bags and moved west to pursue her dream. It didn’t take long for her to find success, booking the Earth, Wind and Fire international tour at the age of 17 and Chaka Khan’s regional tour (choreographed by Debbie Allen) just a year later.
After booking various music videos with hit artists like N*SYNC and Usher, and even being one of the original members of The Pussycat Dolls, Shanti decided to take her talents to the screen and begin her journey as an actress. She found success with roles in shows such as NYPD Blue, Girlfriends, The Closer, Don’t Trust the B—in Apartment 23, The Game, School of Rock, Murder in the First, Uncle Buck, Kingdom, Code Black, Bronx SIU (Emmy-nominated for the role of Yolanda), and several others.
Shanti’s latest work is a leading role in the upcoming feature film PERSONA, a thriller about two women trapped in a house who must work together in order to escape. The project is particularly unique as it was comprised of 75% BIPOC, and 50% women for its cast and crew. Apart from starring in the film, Shanti also served as an executive producer, spearheaded casting and costume design, and worked closely with the writer find emotional layers to create complex female characters. Shanti also did the final cut of the script and served as prep and post director.
When not starring on the screen, Shanti enjoys spending time with her daughter and husband, staying in shape with CrossFit, participating in contemporary, jazz, hip-hop, or heels dance classes, and practicing self-care. She’s also an avid supporter of The Dove Project, Women for Women International, and Amnesty International.
