By Léa Ringeval, reporter
Former Vashonite India Everett has proven that with a lot of work, perseverance and determination, realizing one’s wildest dreams is possible for anyone.
When Everett talks about her impressive career, it sounds as though she has already lived more than one life. In reality, she only graduated from VHS in 2010.
“My life in high school was great,” Everett said. She was very active in high school, managing musical theater, four years of varsity volleyball, a strenuous class load and a position on the Riptide staff. Her time with the Riptide ignited what would become a defining interest of hers in journalism.
Motivated to improve her skills, Everett attended a top-ranked journalism school, the University of Missouri. She quickly stood out, obtaining her first news anchor position in her first year and later transitioning into a stint as a reporter for KOMU 8 in Columbia, Missouri. At the time, Everett was still only 19, and jointly pursuing her degree.
In 2014, she graduated with honors and a degree in broadcast journalism, as well as a minor in leadership and public service.. While the school counted more than 4,000 entrants in the journalism program, Everett was one of only 36 who graduated with that impressive degree.
New and exciting projects appeared shortly after her graduation, and her hard work in college paid off.
“I received a contract offer to build Fox News’s newest morning show, ‘Fox in the Morning,’ and also be the lead anchor and producer on the show,” Everett said. “I moved to Minnesota to take the position. The show started promisingly.”
So promisingly, in fact, that her first interview was with Ryan Seacrest, television personality and host of “American Idol.”
Everett also had her own cooking show called “Cooking With India” during her time at Fox.
“It [was] a cooking show with guest chefs highlighting recipes and different types of delicious cuisine,” she said.
Her life took another direction when her shows were canceled, which led her to resign and end her contract with Fox. She decided to take a break from journalism.
“That was a trying time for me, and I was exhausted by the idea of going immediately back into television,” she explained. “So I took a job as a flight attendant for Delta Airlines at the start of 2015.”
Having taken Japanese at VHS, Everett had a leg up on other applicants in the competitive world of flying. Her new job provided an opportunity for her to travel all around the world. The list of the places she spent time in is breathtaking: Tokyo, where she lived, but also Paris, Singapore, London, Amsterdam, and Bogota, Colombia. She even went to Ghana to teach second grade.
“It was a much needed period of healing and rest for me,” Everett said.
During this time, Everett also won third runner-up in the Miss Washington USA pageant.
After a turbulence incident onboard a flight injured her shoulder in 2016, Everett quit flying and returned to her main passion: television and film production.
She moved to Los Angeles, the city where dreams come true. Once there, she quickly booked a speaking role on a Netflix Originals production, a few commercials, modeling jobs and a lead role in an independant film, “Behind Closed Hearts.” The film premiered in select theaters in April.
“This film was a very eye-opening experience,” Everett said. “The cast was great to work with, and even though I was the victim of some violence in it, I never felt unsafe and it’s actually the first time I’ve ever died on screen! Playing the lead actress was phenomenal, and the red carpets have been a blast. I can’t wait to do more.”
Everett has already achieved so much, but she is far from done. She already has some projects in the works, such as a lead role in the upcoming feature film “I Am Not for Sale,” about human trafficking, in which Everett will play Szarlota, a young polish woman who gets kidnapped. She will also share the screen with some well known actors.
“I also am heavily involved in producing the screenplay,” she said. “I wrote and intend to play one of the main characters.”
After having a wider range of careers in the past eight years than many people have in a lifetime, India Everett has no doubt: being an actress and screenwriter is her favorite one.
“I have always described myself as a storyteller,” she said. “Even growing up, I would sit around with friends and tell stories of crazy things that happened over the weekend, relishing the details and the suspense and the performance, and [it has] always been who I am. I was a storyteller as a journalist, as a writer and now as an actress. It’s the most enjoyable and rewarding thing I’ve ever done.”
For any students curious about her success, Everett says the key is simply bravery — although she was quick to add that her answer was inspired by a response Warren Buffet once gave to a similar question.
“My favorite compliment that I ever receive is how brave I am,” she said. “I have jumped into the abyss, so to speak, multiple times with no idea what’s waiting for me on the other side. Risk-taking is terrifying but rewarding beyond all measure. I went to a college where I knew no one, and no one else from our small island was going. I moved to Minnesota, again, completely alone, to chase a dream. Same thing with LA. To succeed you must work hard and be unrelentingly brave. I have failed plenty of times, but I have also succeeded immensely.”
Followed by almost 10,300 fans on her Instagram account, India Everett expressed her gratitude towards Vashon on one recent post. No matter her popularity, India has her feet on the ground and her head on her shoulders, and is thankful for how Vashon helped her to spread her wings, and become the person she is today.
“Growing up on Vashon and attending VHS definitely influenced my career,” Everett said. “Growing up somewhere where the arts are so encouraged was phenomenal. I fell in love with performing on Vashon. I am so grateful for all the opportunities on that beautiful island.”
For those looking for a career in the performing arts, Everett does have one word of caution, however.
“To be a woman in Hollywood and in the TV and film industry in general you have to be as tough as nails,” the actress said. “I don’t say that lightly. If you’re not ready to stand up for yourself and fight for yourself you will be chewed up and spit out by this world before you even get two feet on the ground. Sexual harassment is rampant in this industry, so it’s about setting your own boundaries not being afraid to call someone out or walk away from a toxic environment.”
While Everett believes that advice wholeheartedly, she was keen to temper its negativity.
“Don’t enter into this world lightly, but if you come ready to fight, this is an exciting and gratifying world to be a part of,” she said.
“Be brave. Don’t be afraid to experience life.”