Check Out Stacy Beckly’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Stacy Beckly.

Stacy, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I have known since I was a little girl that I wanted to be an actress and model. I spent time during my teen years modeling, but knowing how much the odds were stacked against me I was convinced to go to college and get an education rather than to New York.

So I went to school and got a bachelor’s degree in biology and a bachelor’s in nursing and also a master’s in nursing. I spent years working as a nurse practitioner and in nursing leadership. I don’t regret my decision because I love helping people and making a difference in the world.

However, after becoming an avid runner and running my first half-marathon in San Francisco I found out that I had a congenital heart defect. I was having intermittent chest pain and shortness of breath. It was after having open heart surgery to have it fixed that I realized just how short life is. During my healing time, I decided I was going to chase after my dream of acting and modeling.

I started out working as an extra in major TV shows such as Ballers and Sharp Objects as well as in films such as Ant-Man and the Wasp. I learned as much as I could on set and I also was training in theater at Z/A studios. I landed my first lead role in a theater production, Queen, which toured. I also started getting small speaking roles in independent films and then I landed my first starring role in the feature film, A Killer Rising, which has been seen millions of times all over the world.

Throughout the years I have continued my acting training in the film with Margie Haber and Howard Fine. My talent ranges from drama to comedy and I enjoy both. My lead role in the comedic film Sum of Your Luv earned me three Best Actress awards. With the intent of wanting to tell my own stories my way, I started my production company, Odelia Beck Productions.

We were about to start the production phase of my newest comedy film Operation: Out of Office, but I came down with Covid severely and everything had to be postponed until 2023. Due to my illness severity and asthma, I ended up with respiratory failure and was in the intensive care unit for a week a total of two weeks in the hospital. I almost died. It was terrifying. A month later I suffered from pericarditis, inflammation of the sac around the heart, which landed me in the hospital for yet another week.

I was on such a high dose of steroids and the inability to walk around without getting short of breath for months caused me to gain a significant amount of weight. Not being able to do what I love and being away from my family was incredibly hard and I had to do conscious things such as waking up at sunrise and meditating reading and writing, to keep myself from falling into a depression.

Then after a procedure, I developed a blood clot in my artery which made it so that I’m not able to use my dominant hand/arm freely as I want for approximately 4 months. This has been incredibly challenging and I have a newfound respect and empathy for people with physical disabilities. I have had to find new ways to do things. I have learned as far as exercising to do what I can instead of focusing on what I am not able to do yet.

This has been challenging because I train in mixed martial arts and am currently an orange belt working towards my black belt. For now, contact sports will have to wait. At this time I’m trying to focus on gratuity, living in the present, and yet being very excited about the future. I have two films scheduled for 2023, both comedic action. I am so grateful to be alive.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My road has most certainly not been smooth. I have had to deal with and overcome significant life events such as financial hardships, divorces and illnesses I am also a domestic violence survivor. These life challenges don’t just take a toll physically but mentally as well. I have learned to overcome my hardships by journaling, meditating, and becoming physically active.

My love for kickboxing was a way for me to get out my aggression, gain physical and mental strength, and be able to defend myself. I became a kickboxing coach and motivate and inspired others. I train in Mixed Martial Arts (Muay Thai, Escrima, and Jiu Jitsu) and am working towards my black belt. I believe I’ve gone through the hardships that I have to help and inspire others.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I love acting; for a moment in time putting myself in someone else’s shoes and performing in such a way that the viewer gets taken to another place and has empathy for the people they are watching. I am most proud of my desire to succeed in my continual drive to keep going despite adversity and hardships that get in my way at times.

I don’t sit and wait for opportunities to come to me, I create my opportunities. I co-write and write my films, put together the crew, and cast and film my project. I seem to be a natural at marketing which is exert helpful in the film industry. I’m a mom and nurse as well. I teach my boys as well as others that you really can do anything you set your mind you and I am an example of that.

I fell seven times I get up at eight and I never let anything stop me from reaching my goals and achieving my dreams. I appreciate every single opportunity I get acting and model no matter how small it may be. I just love the work.

How do you define success?
My definition of success is reaching a level of happiness in the career a person has chosen. I don’t tie success to reaching a certain goal because for myself I will always continue to have more and more goals to reach and I see the journey as being more important and fulfilling. Success to me is being happy along my life journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.stacybeckly.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thestacybeckly/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thestacybeckly/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/thestacybeckly/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdgt771LE-IxLl13Q_cGUBA
• Other: http://www.imdb.me/stacybeckly

Image Credits
Bella Saville, Sam Bates, Janet (@bellezzabyJanet), and Leopoldo Macaya