Kiki Layne felt like an "idiot" when she first moved to Los Angeles.
The 27-year-old actress relocated to the city in order to follow her dreams of becoming a Hollywood star, but after she initially struggled to find work, Kiki started to question the wisdom of making the switch.
The ‘If Beale Street Could Talk’ star – who is from Cincinnati, Ohio – shared: "I felt so discouraged being in LA that I was wondering whether to go home.
"I felt like an idiot moving without money or representation."
Despite her talent, Kiki would also frequently question her own acting ability.
She told Marie Claire: "Thankfully, everyone was patient, even when I was nervous. I knew there would be things I didn’t understand, and that I may have to do something three times, while someone else only did it once."
Kiki revealed that in spite of her recent success, she’s trying her best to remain grounded.
In fact, the actress insisted she still doesn’t see herself as being a star.
She said: "My friends are always messing with me like, ‘KiKi you’re famous now’, but I don’t feel it.
"It’s interesting to slowly see my life shifting, and I’m thankful that, yes, it’s happening fast, but not so fast that I’m getting lost. I’m still able to find my footing on each level. I’m soaking it all up while I can."
Meanwhile, KiKi recently sparked a mini-controversy when she discussed her dream of playing the weather-controlling superhero Storm in an ‘X-Men’ movie.
Alexandra Shipp, who played Storm in the last ‘X-Men’ movie, opted to sidestep the comments, and Kiki was surprised by the controversy.
Reflecting on the incident, she shared: "I was like: ‘Whoa. OK, that escalated quickly.’
"But playing Storm is something I’ve wanted to do since I was a little girl. I’m not going to ever feel bad about sharing what my dreams are."
Kiki Layne felt like an ‘idiot’ in Los Angeles
