Ericka Atwell-Cardona – Hollywood Supernova Comes Home

You could call Ericka Atwell-Cardona a supernova. Astronomers describe them as stars that create an explosion billions of times brighter than our sun, with enough energy to outshine its own galaxy for weeks. That’s the kind of impact she has on people in the first five minutes of meeting her. 

The 38-year-old vibrates at a breath-takingly high frequency. It’s no wonder she’s been able to run the gamut in Hollywood for more than 10 years – from acting, casting, producing, consulting, media coaching, writing, PR, social media, marketing and red carpet reporting. 

Among her TV and film credits are production assistant on “Bullet Train” (2022); associate line producer and actress on “Miss Arizona” (2018); and stand-in for Wendi McClendon-Covey on the TV sitcom “The Goldbergs” (Seasons 7-10, 2018).

She compares herself to a Swiss army knife – “You name it, I’ve done it.” 

Atwell-Cardona earned her B.A. in communication, with a concentration in mass media, at RIC in 2009. Two years later she left for L.A. and practically wrote the playbook on what it means to hustle in Hollywood. 

In 2023 she returned to Rhode Island and one of the first things she did was visit her alma mater. She guest taught a class by RIC Professor of Theatre Bill Wilson, who allowed her to critique the monologues of his graduating seniors. She would later help cast nine RIC students as extras in two Lifetime movies.

In 2024 she founded EJOYA Productions, which provides services to aspiring actors and other creatives. “It’s the culmination of all the lessons, hard work and skill sets I acquired in Hollywood,” she says. “Now I get to take the fire inside me and pass it on to other people and inspire them to chase their dreams.”

In 2024 the Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF) appointed her director of community engagement and development. The RIIFF is one of only 10 festivals in the world that is an Academy Award,  BAFTA and Canadian Screen Awards qualifier. RIIFF showcases new voices in independent filmmaking and serves as a platform to launch their careers. Thirteen films that premiered at RIIFF have won Academy Awards, and over 85 have been Oscar nominees. Many have gained distribution with the likes of HBO, Showtime, PBS, Netflix and IFC (owner of AMC network).

Atwell-Cardona’s job is to get RIIFF media coverage and lift the festival’s visibility to a global level. To that end, she was able to land RIIFF a coveted write up in The Hollywood Reporter, read by the most powerful people in the entertainment industry and the most influential consumers who follow it. Her vision, she says, is for Rhode Island’s festival to become the Sundance of the east coast.

Let’s start from the beginning. What was your goal in going to L.A.?

I wanted to be a red carpet host in Hollywood. I didn’t know how to get to that goal, but I was committed to figuring it out. And that’s what I did for 13 years. I figured it out. When I arrived in LA., I rented someone’s couch for $200 a month and had only $800 left to my name, but I was free. For the first time in my 20s, I was free. I wanted to learn who I was, what made me happy and what lit my soul on fire. 

What was your big break once you got to L.A.?

I started out taking any job I could get. For the first eight weeks, I worked at a yogurt shop and Starbucks – very humble beginnings. Then I was offered a job as a cocktail waitress at a star-studded restaurant in Beverly Hills. It was for only one night but it was a great opportunity. I bought a $15 dress on clearance and earned $16 in tips the entire night. As far as tips, the night was a bust, but I wound up befriending the manager and begged him to hire me full time. He started me as a hostess. But when he realized I had a college degree, he made me PR manager.

My job was to pack the restaurant with customers. I had to wheel and deal with concierges from the fanciest hotels in the world. Each night, the atmosphere at the restaurant was electric. If you were in the entertainment industry, it was a place to have your meetings, and many famous actors were regulars – Jamie Foxx would roll in and play the piano, Carol Burnett would dine with her longtime manager and friend. Every night there would be someone from the business.

One day I got a call from The Hollywood Reporter who wanted to do a write up about the restaurant. I invited him to lunch and told him my dream job is to be a red-carpet reporter for The Hollywood Reporter. The following week the editor calls and I start freelancing, doing a lot of different carpets around town. It was awesome because it was getting me in front of people and my network was growing.

What was your first experience on a movie set?

Twentieth Century Fox came to the restaurant to shoot an episode of “New Girl” and, as site representative, I met the whole crew. Through that connection, I landed a gig as a regular, nonunion, background extra on “The Crazy Ones,” a TV sitcom starring Robin Williams. That opened the door for continuous union work on various networks.

How did you get into casting?

I wanted to know what people behind the camera were thinking when they hired an actor. I ended up getting a job as a casting associate. Again, this is something I lobbied for. But once they let me in the room, I started talking to all the other casting directors who were in need of associates. I wound up working at two of the hottest casting offices in L.A. That was when my network blew up. I had direct access to actors, to casting directors, to agents, to every facet of the business.

Of all the hats you’ve worn, what is your favorite?

There’s two. My most invaluable experience was the work I did on “The Goldbergs.” It was like earning your master’s degree in filmmaking. My second most invaluable experience was the consulting work I did for film producers Ron Howard, Brian Grazer and Tyler Mitchell. They’re co-founders of a tech startup. They had created a platform that was a cross between LinkedIn and IMDbPro. It gives you the ability to hire a film crew. They needed someone who could pitch their platform to people in the industry – from studio executives to production assistants. I had to be able to explain the platform, gain their interest and have them join it. I went through four rounds of interviews before I was hired. On the fourth interview, I got a call from the head of operations. He says, “There’s one thing we all agree upon. You’re a hustler and we want you on our team.” 

What drew you back to Rhode Island?

I came back because my husband and I wanted to be closer to our families. Time is the one thing you can’t buy. I never want to live with the regret that I didn’t get to have enough coffees with my mom or didn’t give my dad enough hugs. The irony is I had to go almost 3,000 miles away to learn that.

After I married in 2023, we bought a 100-year-old house on over two acres that we’re renovating in West Warwick. We share a rock wall with my parents. I could literally zipline to my mom’s back door. I cherish and love my family, and I feel blessed that I get to work from home, from Rhode Island.

In 2024 you formed EJOYA Productions. What service does your company provide?

I provide many services for clients throughout the U.S. For actors, I teach a range of classes and help them create a demo reel, which you have to have if you want a job in the film industry. I write, produce, cast and direct their reel for them. They’re able to study the business side of acting with me. I’ll show them what to do with their reel.

In addition, I cast projects, I’m a locations liaison and I’m a producer, so I’m continually searching for ideas and reading scripts. My goal is to make movies in Rhode Island with my amazing Hollywood network and bring productions right here in our own backyard.

What advice can you give aspiring actors and other creatives?

The journey to becoming is often a dance with fear because there’s so much that’s unknown when you’re chasing a passion, chasing a dream. There’s no guarantees. But that old saying is true: if it’s for you, it can’t miss you. 

It’s also important to remember you aren’t just your pursuit. You’re someone’s child. You’re someone’s sibling. You’re someone’s friend. You’re more than your pursuit. I’ve journaled during the 13 years I was in Hollywood. I’ll re-read my journal when I’m going through a really dark time. I’ll go, “Pfff, this is just another date on the books. I got through that. I can get through this. Yeah. I got this.”

See Ericka Atwell-Cardona’s IMDb and demo reel.