Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Kelley.
Hi Stephanie, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My story started when I was five years old – in kindergarten in North Carolina – and was cast as the “acrobat” in our school play, “The Circus”. From then on, I knew I wanted to be an actor and haven’t stopped pursuing that career! I started acting in commercials when I was 15 and did my first film/tv role when I was 19. I joined SAG when I was 21 and Actors Equity Assoc. when I was 24. During college, I started and ran a nonprofit theatre and film production company and began to learn to love producing almost as much as acting. I took Yellow House, the nonprofit, to New York when I moved there after college and kept running it until 2014. In 2015, I moved to LA and continued to work as an actor and producer.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Ha! A smooth ride? Ohhhhh, no! But, then again, I say that everything in life that you really want is worth fighting for and I’ve never (and will never) give up the fight. Working as an actor and producer in any city has its ups and downs but even more so in both NY and LA – the two places I’ve called home for the past 14 years. Part of working in this industry, in my opinion, is learning to deal with the ebbs and flows. There are years where I have done very well (both financially and with great roles/projects) and years where I’ve had to lean on side jobs to help pay the bills. As I continue to trudge forward in my path, I’m happy to say there are less and less times where the “side hustle” takes up most of my time and earns me most of my money – but I am also at peace that may not always be the case (although I hope it is!!). Everyone struggles with the industry they choose, the career they choose, with friendships, family and relationships. I think the most important thing I remind myself is that it’s all a CHOICE. And I choose to continue working in this industry and learning and growing with it.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’ve always wanted to be an actor (and later in life realized I also loved producing). I feel very blessed to have had that knowledge at such a young age. And I’ve also had family and friends that have supported me through all the good & hard times. When I lived on the east coast (NC, VA, Washington DC and NY), I mostly did commercials and theatre. In LA, I have focused more on film/tv and print work…..both for my acting and producing sides. I actually haven’t done a play the entire eight years I’ve lived in LA and while I do miss it from time to time, I am also content with the amazing work I was able to do living as a full-time actor in New York for seven years.
Overall I am proud of myself for never giving up. There have been opportunities and times in my life that I could’ve hung up my creative hat and taken on a full-time career in another industry (finance) but I have always stuck to my guns and never given up. And I never will!
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success, to me, is knowing that you can and will continue to learn and grow in your career for the rest of your life. Success is when you KNOW you’re doing the thing that you want and you won’t let anything else get in the way of that. Sure, success can be measured by how much money you make or how many people have “seen” you in things or know who you are – but to me, it’s much more than that. Success lies within your heart and your head. You can be an A-list celebrity and still feel as though you haven’t succeeded. You can have throngs of friends and people who want to be around you and still feel like a failure. I believe that you have succeeded in life and your career when those extraneous things (people, money, fame, etc.) aren’t at the forefront of your thought but that, instead, you feel content with the people you choose to surround yourself with, you feel whole and you feel loved as much as the love you give (to people and work/projects).
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephanienkelley/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Actress.Stephanie.Kelley/
- Other: TikTok – @stephaniekelley99
Image Credits
Cocohaus Photography, Joe Carabeo & Leah Huebner
