The Good Doctor Star Summer Brown Shares Swimsuit Photo of “Birthday Blessing”

1. She Wants To Reach People

Brown wants to use her fame for good. “When I was working on By the Way, Meet Vera Stark for Sky Fest, Black female entertainers of the past were sitting strongly with me: Hattie McDaniel, Theresa Harris, Pearl Bailey, Eartha Kitt,” she says. “It’s always so incredible to me—because it’s 2020—and look at the challenges that Black entertainers and actors are still facing today. So to think about what that meant, back in the early and mid-20th century, how radical that was to say, ‘I want to be a performer. I want to reach people. I want to have a voice that is heard and felt by this country, by this world.’ It’s inspiring to me.”

2. Early Ambitions

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Brown knew she wanted to perform at an early age, and was supported by her family in pursuing her dreams. “Artistic expression grew in lockstep with human cultural development and has long played an integral part in how we teach, learn, communicate and heal,” says the World Health Organization. “Since our earliest ancestors began telling stories to make sense of the world, we have evolved to learn from narrative, be it through visual media, song or performance. The arts are uniquely suited to help us understand and communicate concepts and emotions by drawing on all our senses and capacity for empathy.”

3. Theater Background

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Brown comes from a theater background, which gave her the best foundation for acting. “Drama can also have numerous therapeutic benefits for those suffering from mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression,” says Krish Tangella MD, MBA, FCAP. “Participating in drama can provide a sense of accomplishment and purpose, and the social aspect of being part of a team can help reduce feelings of isolation.”

4. Fighting Stereotypes

Brown is passionate about changing the stereotypes surrounding storytelling for the Black community. “I want Black people to be able to dream more in the work that’s being created about them. Our stories don’t have to be deeply rooted in trauma and oppression to feel worthy to be told. They can be magical and sexy and goofy and dark and weird and otherworldly. All of that. I think it’s happening and will continue to happen more. The Black imagination is just so huge and it’s such a disservice to everyone when that’s minimized or ignored. So I hope more and more that I provoke that in myself and help bring it to life with other artists. I want to see us exist in all types of capacities.”

5. Her Advice

Brown has good advice for anyone who wants to succeed in the entertainment business. “The work is very difficult,” she says. “It’s mental, physical, all-consuming. Know that this is something that you will be working at as long as you’re doing it. You’ll be growing and evolving. That’s something that draws me to it. There’s always something new that you haven’t done, or a way that you haven’t approached something. If that’s something that interests you, you’ll have longevity with it.”