Today we’d like to introduce you to Lily Shaw.
Hi Lily, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
As an LA-based actress and an award-winning motivational speaker, I’m determined to become a positive voice for change and transformation. My focus is empowerment through diversity—due to my own struggles as a woman of color in the entertainment industry.
When I was three years old, I went on a family trip: Other fellow travelers were casually walking along their path and playing drums. As it happened, I heard the drums, ran towards them, and, unprompted – started dancing to the beat – My Dad followed me, and soon enough all the travelers joined in and made it a dance party for all! As I grew up, this love for dancing morphed into a passion for acting. I grew up on a steady diet of Bollywood cinema, but once we emigrated to US– I threw myself into becoming a Hollywood actress. All I wanted to do was act, and it didn’t matter to me where it was and in what language! My JOURNEY in the real world started about ten years ago when I decided to move to LA to pursue acting. While I was always an actress in my heart and soul, I took the physical leap after college and drove out to LA a week after graduating college. Not realizing for one second, as the first woman in my family to shun tradition and pick an artistic career — I was doing something I was simply not permitted to do. And the backlash started immediately, especially from my mom’s side of the family – who treated me with absolute cruelty and shunned me. And that was just the beginning. My first agent, while appreciating my natural acting talent and skill dismissed my chances of succeeding with this succinct observation, “if only you had the right look, you could be Sandra Bullock.”
Despite this subtle racism, I had some initial successes as an actor. My acting teacher once proudly proclaimed, “we don’t know how high you’ll rise in this business.” But none of my talent and skill and hard work seemed to matter… as when it came time to create some lasting success– I hit the great white shark– and, for all intents and purposes, was eaten alive by it. But I refused to quit. I refused to believe what others have insisted time and again- that I have nothing to offer, that I didn’t matter, that I was worthless. I knew I was here for a purpose. The silent voice in my head kept me going. Against all odds. The real turning point happened during the #MeToo movement when I fully understood the depth of racial and gender discrimination that permeates our country. And it was capped by the Black Lives Matter movement this summer. And for the first time, I saw clearly in black and white (no pun intended) just how race and gender had played a bloated over-sized part in my career and my life. And that was it. I vowed to fully embrace myself (I’m an Indian immigrant woman), my story, my body, my talent, and my voice. I’m now on a mission to inspire other young women & men and help them step into their power. I’m focused on performing roles where I’m empowered; where my voice is heard; and where diverse voices are celebrated. This is the change I want to make in the world and the impact I desire to make on audiences globally.
As a first step towards this mission, I knew I needed to align myself with right people, and experts, and coaches. People who were heart-driven and had a grander vision for their own lives and also for the lives of other people. People who wanted to make a difference. I’m happy to say I’ve started to align with some like-minded individuals! I’m also a contributing writer for Backstage magazine and ThriveGlobal And am on the path to becoming a motivational speaker (I recently submitted myself for Tedx Talk in 2021) I’ve just signed with a powerful new agent/manager team, who are guiding me towards gaining new heights in my career. This is my journey so far. And I know I’ve only just begun.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The great Nelson Mandela once said, ‘It is only impossible until it’s done.’ I have, both in conscious and unconscious ways, been driven by this motto my entire life. I’ve firmly believed that if you put in the time and the effort and intention what’s destined to be yours will always come to you. But within a couple of years of being a young actress in LA, it became very apparent to me that what I wanted (to become a well-established movie/TV actress) just wasn’t available to me in the traditional way. I needed to chart out my own path forward. And this is where spirituality and law of attraction entered my life. It showed me a way of existing outside the rat race, in a way that was honest and authentic, while also showing me the way to achieve my deepest and most desired goals. It’s been a long journey. But I’ve survived many-a-setbacks and rejections and hatred and cruelty simply by being focused on my intentions and my life purpose and not letting myself get distracted by haters and naysayers. As Michelle Obama famously said, “when they go low, we go high.” This lone-wolf journey has been very challenging and at times, extremely frustrating but that ‘silent inner voice’ is now my loudest compass and my most loyal companion. It never leads me astray and it never lets me quit!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
A first-generation Indian American, the first woman in my family to step away from tradition to pursue a creative profession, I connected to the magic of cinema at the age of seven. My career began by working with acclaimed actor-director Christopher Guest. Other well-known directors include Wim Wenders, Mark Sikes, Victor Nelli Jr., and Lake Bell. My first comedic episode ‘All for Love: The Dance’ was screened at 16 Black Film Festivals across the country. The Sci-fi feature, ‘96 Souls,’ in which I play a genius scientist, is now available on Amazon. The (In)dependent Spouse was the Official Selection for SAFFA Chicago in 2019. My first Leading role was in US-Canadian production ‘Killer Punjabi’ shot in LA and Vegas, where I played opposite Bollywood star Pooja Batra and had a limited theatrical release in India, US, and Canada.
My latest project for Crypt TV’s horror show, ‘The Girl in the Woods,’ has me playing the role of Kal Penn’s wife. A series of noteworthy stage performances include playing a spirited young and an angry old woman in ‘The Alchemy of Imperfection, the 1920s headstrong daughter of a landlord in ‘The Proposal,’ and a ruthless female terrorist in ‘Female Terrorist Project.’ Playing an undercover cop, “Ms. Orange,” (brilliantly played on-screen by Tim Roth) in an All-Female adaptation of “Reservoir Dogs,” has been my most fun role to date! During the pandemic, I also discovered my writing voice, and am now writing regularly for publishers like Backstage and ThriveGlobal.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I guess I’ve always believed that luck has just automatically been on my side, even though the sleepless nights and the anxious days, through the laughter and the sadness, and through the highs and the lows. As long as you’re focused on your goals, and work in a manner that’s authentic and honest, and hopefully also make a positive contribution to the world, — sooner or later Lady Luck will smile on you 🙂
Contact Info:
- Email: lily.shaw.la@gmail.com
- Website: www.iamlilyshaw.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lily_shaw_la/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shaifalibr/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/lily_shaw_la
Image Credits
Joanna DeGeneres Photography Devin Ford Photography Principal Photography for ‘Female Terrorist Project’ at Underground Theater LA
