For Jasmine Sargent, stepping onto the set of Doing Life was more than a career milestone. It was a moment of recognition: a chance to see herself not just as an aspiring actress, but as a woman growing into her own light.

Written and directed by Tyler Perry, the BET film follows a hardworking single mother and a rehabilitated former convict as they find hope, redemption, and the possibility of a new beginning. Sargent’s journey echoes that spirit. With each role, she’s moving closer to the future she once imagined—and learning to trust that she belongs there.

Audiences may know her as Keisha in ALLBLK’s *G.R.I.T.S.*, or from appearances in Beauty in Black and House of Payne. In Doing Life, she plays Lisa, the fiercely protective older sister of Anika, portrayed by Naomi Baker. The part asked Sargent to step beyond her own experience: she’s the youngest sibling in her family, not the big sister. But as she got to know Lisa, she found a familiar strength beneath the character’s protective nature.

Doing Life. (L-R) Jasmine Sargent as Lisa and Karen Obilom as Trina in Doing Life. Cr. Quantrell Colbert/Perry Well Films 2/Netflix

“Lisa is very protective and compassionate,” Sargent explained. “Those are qualities I see in my own family, especially in my older sister. I connected with her in a lot of ways.”

That connection helped Sargent discover how much of Lisa—and how much of herself—she already understood. She was more prepared for the opportunity than she had first believed. The production moved quickly: the film was shot in just four

days. Sargent expected a demanding schedule, but not the closeness that formed among the cast.

“I didn’t expect to have any type of bond with the cast,” she recalled. “We bonded in ways I didn’t expect. We still keep in touch through group chats, celebrate each other’s birthdays, and get together whenever we’re in the same city.”

That lasting sisterhood became one of the experience’s most meaningful gifts. In an industry where people are often brought together briefly and then sent in different directions, the cast found a connection that endured beyond the set. For Sargent, another unforgettable moment came when she walked into Tyler Perry Studios for the first time.

“Just being in the studio was so inspiring,” she said. “Seeing everything he has accomplished is incredible. The location, the people, everything you need is there. It’s like the Neverland of Atlanta.”

She also laughs about meeting Perry in person. “I never expected Tyler Perry to be so tall, and I’m so short,” she joked.

But the studio meant more than its scale. It represented what can happen when someone dares to imagine a different future—and keeps going until that vision becomes real. Perry’s journey from humble beginnings to building a major production studio resonated with Sargent, who grew up in Newport News, Virginia.

“If Tyler Perry could do it, why couldn’t I?” she remembered thinking.

That question helped lead her to Atlanta, where opportunities began to open. Taking that leap required faith in the possibility of a life she couldn’t yet see

clearly. Now, with each new role, Sargent is learning to claim her place in it. She describes Perry as meticulous, encouraging, and grounded. She remembers him slipping into Madea’s iconic voice between takes to entertain the cast and appreciates his practice of beginning filming days with prayer. For an actress who grew up watching his productions at home, working alongside him still feels surreal.

Yet Sargent’s dreams reach far beyond any one set. She wants to take part in every side of the entertainment industry—and, one day, create a sitcom of her own. Inspired by Moesha and The Parkers, she hopes to bring back the family-centered comedies that made audiences feel connected week after week.

“There are so many things that I want to do,” she said. “I want to be in all aspects of the industry.”

And when she finally creates her own sitcom? “I’ll feel like I’ve accomplished what I set out to do. I’d love to bring back shows like that.”

For now, Doing Life is another step on a path Sargent is shaping for herself. Its message of redemption and second chances mirror her own growing belief that the next opportunity may arrive in an unexpected form.

“You can miss your blessing that way,” she said. “Don’t be so quick to say no.”

Jasmine Sargent is not waiting for someone else to tell her she belongs. She’s finding the courage to take up space, honor the people and experiences that shaped her, and trust the light she’s been carrying all along. With talent, determination, and a growing body of work, she’s not just stepping into the spotlight, she’s making it her own.

Photo Credit Brian Jones.