THE ART OF RESILIENCE

THE ART OF RESILIENCE
'Turning Adversity Into Art & Vision Into Policy'
Exclusive Interview with Roxanne Messina Captor
Featured in 'Innerviews'
Hosted by Allié McGuire

​In a world that often confuses power with permanence, Roxanne Messina Captor reminds us that true influence is measured in impact, not applause. An Emmy-nominated writer, director, and producer—and a three-time breast cancer survivor—she has spent her life turning challenge into creation, and policy into possibility. From mentoring under Francis Ford Coppola to leading California’s arts movement as Chair of the California Arts Council, Roxanne continues to prove that when creativity meets courage, culture changes.

ALLIÉ: You've influenced California's creative landscape in ways few others have, bridging art, policy, and storytelling. Roxanne, when you think about what fuels your creative drive after decades in this industry, what remains your why?

ROXANNE: Well, I think you said it—storytelling. Above and beyond, every project has a story that needs to be told. I tend to always be attracted to what's underneath, because we see things on the surface, and what is on the surface is not always what lies beneath. Thematically, I think most of my projects search for that. What is really going on? What is underneath what we see on the red carpet? What is in somebody's soul? I'm very character-driven.

​I was talking to somebody about M3GAN, and I said, yeah, I'd love to do a sci-fi kind of thing but character-driven like that was. You had these two AI characters, but they were real characters—they had arcs, highs, and lows. That's what drives me. Then the project finds its home. Certain projects should be theater, others film, others television. Now, fortunately, we have this great medium of streaming—a cross between TV and film—which is why we see so many actors making that shift. It’s fantastic because it's all art. When I was head of the San Francisco International Film Festival, we did an exchange with the Cuban Film Festival. What was amazing there was Fernando Birri, the father of Latin American film. He's well-known as a filmmaker, but he had a gallery opening of his artwork and paintings. In the United States, we tend to put people in little boxes. It was so rich to see that he’s just an artist—not just a filmmaker, not just a painter, but an artist. At different times in your life, you want to explore your creativity in different mediums. That’s the exciting part—constantly creating and letting that mind-body experience out.

​ALLIÉ: That's so beautiful—the way you speak about creativity as an evolving ecosystem where expression isn’t confined to a single channel. As chair of the California Arts Council, you’ve helped shape how creativity sustains the state’s identity and economy. What do you believe policymakers often overlook about the real power of the arts, and how are you working to change that narrative?

ROXANNE: Great question. I’ll start with a slogan I’ve used many times: Let’s put art in the hands of children, not guns. I used that in a series I did called The Salon, which was set in a hair salon full of great characters. Harry, one of the characters, was a ghost who comes back to the salon and causes havoc—but the show also carried a theme of gun legislation. So it had this balance of lightheartedness and depth—what some call dramedy—with a deeper message. Again, I’m always looking for what’s underneath. We’re fortunate to have an amazing governor, who appointed me to the Arts Council, and he is passionate about art. He believes, as I do, that art is the great equalizer—that it serves and unites communities. I can give two examples. First, one of my films premiering at the Newport Beach Film Festival, Rhythm and Harmony, studies famed jazz musician Stanley Clarke and his three-year residency at Santa Monica College. I was able to include some of my students in the production. In the film, Stanley says, Art is a great equalizer. I believe that completely. When I was dancing and in theater, we used to go into underserved communities to do performances and workshops. We’d get all the students up to dance or play theater games. Teachers would tell us, “You did more in 40 minutes to break down barriers than we’ve done all year.” That’s the power of art. It transcends everything… borders, politics, even war. If more Washington politicians understood that, we might have fewer wars. There’s too much ego.

ALLIÉ: I completely agree. Let’s shift gears to something more personal. You’ve faced breast cancer three times, yet your creative output never stopped. You once told your doctor, “I don’t have time for cancer.” What did those moments teach you about purpose, perspective, and the urgency of art?

ROXANNE: When you face breast cancer—especially more than once—you realize that passion, resilience, and perseverance, the same qualities that make you an artist, are the ones that get you through it. And I used humor a lot. When I got it the second time, I said, “If this were a TV series, it would’ve been canceled years ago.” My doctors and nurses knew me as the no time for cancer lady. I had a green light on a CBS movie and was writing a series I had sold to ABC—I didn’t have time! I’d be working from the hospital with my computer and papers everywhere. The nurses would come in and say, “Are we disturbing you?” I’d say, “Yeah, you were supposed to take care of me an hour ago. I’m busy now.” My doctor told me later, “Your attitude got you through it.”

I had an amazing oncologist, Dr. John Link—world-renowned, a researcher, and a compassionate listener. When I told him I wanted a holistic approach, he said, “Okay, I have an acupuncturist and homeopath on staff.” He didn’t dismiss me—he worked with me. I told him from the beginning, “I’ve had a great life. If you tell me I’m dying tomorrow, I’ll deal with it.” One night, the chemo cocktail had me hallucinating. At 3 a.m., I was shaking my husband, yelling, “How much money do we have? I want my half now! I’m moving to France to drink wine and eat great food.” He’d calmly say, “Okay, honey, can you wait until morning when the banks open?” (Laughs.) That’s how I coped—humor and gratitude.

I’ve since helped other women navigate treatment and insurance. Once, I met a woman in tears because her insurance wouldn’t cover more chemo. I told her about legal advocates for breast cancer patients, called for her, and got her connected. You have to advocate for yourself—and for others when they can’t.

ALLIÉ: Such a powerful reminder—sometimes advocacy for others becomes part of our own healing.

ROXANNE: Exactly. And I have to give my husband credit. When I was running the San Francisco International Film Festival, we used to go to Cannes. One year, he surprised me with a trip through southern France—Lyon, the wine regions—all my chemo dreams come true. (laughs) And I didn’t have to wake him up at 3 a.m. that time!

ALLIÉ: You could toast him until 3 a.m. instead. I love that.

​​ALLIÉ: You were mentored by Francis Ford Coppola, one of the greatest storytellers of our time. What was the most valuable lesson you took from that mentorship, and how has it shaped the way you mentor the next generation?

ROXANNE: He taught me that filmmaking, like dance, is a mentorship art—you learn from masters. He’d always say, Plays are words. Film is moving pictures. That stuck with me. As a dancer, I was already visual. When I read a script, I see it. When I listen to music, I see it. So his advice to tell the story through images became foundational for me.

He also taught me perseverance and resilience—two things essential in this industry. The path isn’t linear. It’s full of highs and lows. Passion is what sustains you. I tell my students, the résumé might look impressive, but what’s behind it hasn’t been easy. You have to love it enough to endure the journey. I was honored to receive the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the French government for my work in the arts—because that’s what I am, an artist. And when you’re an artist, you have to keep creating. It’s like popcorn—it brews inside you until it bursts out.

ALLIÉ: I love that metaphor—the art that’s waiting to pop. And you’re right, passion can’t be substituted. You either have it or you don’t.

ROXANNE: Exactly. There’s a great line from Peter O'Toole: “I’m not an actor, I’m a movie star.” Some people are obsessed with the red carpet and forget what it takes to get there—all the unseen work underneath it.

ALLIÉ: That brings us full circle—back to what’s beneath the surface. Speaking of which, one of your new films, Rhythm and Harmony, explores rhythm, legacy, and the language of music. How do you personally define harmony—in life, leadership, and art—especially in these chaotic times?

ROXANNE: Gene Kelly once told me, Always balance your personal life with your work life. It’s not easy—especially when you’re passionate—but I try to keep that advice in mind. To me, that’s harmony. And Stanley Clarke says in the film, Art is a great equalizer. I’ve always believed that. Whether through music, dance, theater, or film, art brings people together. It dissolves barriers. When I was dancing, I could walk into any class anywhere in the world and feel at home. We all spoke the same language. That’s harmony—no borders, no divisions. I wish Washington would figure that out. (laughs)

ALLIÉ: They all need to get into a dance class together!

ROXANNE: Maybe! Though the visuals might be terrifying. (laughs)

ALLIÉ: Last question—having survived, led, and created through so many chapters of your life, what does beauty mean to you now—not as something seen, but something lived?

ROXANNE: Wow, that’s a great question. I think beauty is when you let your soul out. When your soul shines through, it shows in your face, in your movement, in your presence. Dance embodies that mind-body connection—and when your soul is fully expressed, you can feel it and others can too.

That connection between artist and audience… that’s beauty. ∎

Find & follow Roxanne on Instagram:
​@rmcfilms