Life & Work with Danielle Maddox of Burbank

Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Maddox.

Hi Danielle, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I like to say my career found me when I was a teenager—but technically, it started much earlier. I did some kid modeling for our local Gyro King and entered a pageant at age six. From what I’m told, I came in last place mostly because I was so shy and inexperienced. After the trophies and crowns were handed out, I cried I guess… until one of the older girls gave me one of her two crowns. I do have a trophy somewhere too—for “The Prettiest” aka you got last place and you’re 6 prize. I’m glad I have no actual memory of this experience.

So naturally—stage fright, zero confidence, and a quiet rebellion brewing—I decided, “You know what I should be? A model.”

Which is a slightly unhinged choice when you grow up in a town of 1,400 people in the middle of Illinois, surrounded by cornfields, where you know the same kids from kindergarten through senior year—and some of them (who you consider “friends”) bully you. But maybe that’s exactly why it made sense. Doing something different, something bigger than the small, often unkind world I grew up in… that was incredibly appealing.

I was always “the ham,” always told I was pretty by family and strangers—ironically, I never really felt pretty. Not in any way that mattered. But I didn’t love anything else, and I didn’t feel like I fit anywhere, so I thought… why not try modeling?

Looking back, it’s funny—I chose an industry built on confidence to try to find mine.

I started modeling seriously around 15. I had a background in dance, but I knew that wasn’t going to be my career. There was something about being in front of the camera that made me feel like I mattered. Like I was seen. Which was a feeling I didn’t grow up with.

I moved to Chicago as soon as I could and dove into modeling. Eventually, that path led me to acting—which is ironic, because I had debilitating stage fright. Public speaking felt like the enemy. And yet, my entire childhood I was writing sketches with friends, making home videos, creating little plays and runway shows for my cousins and brother. It was always in me—I just didn’t have the language or the permission to see it.

Where I come from, no one was an actor. The only “theater kids” I knew didn’t exactly inspire me. So I never dreamed of this life, because I didn’t even know it was an option. I didn’t grow up thinking I was an artist—but I think I always was.

From Chicago, I spent some time in Nashville between 2017 and 2018, continuing to figure things out, before eventually making my way to Los Angeles—where, for the first time, I really feel at home creatively.

Of course, like so many people in this industry, the past few years haven’t been without their challenges. Between Covid and the strikes, there’s been a lot of uncertainty, a lot of recalibrating, a lot of finding my footing again and again. But in that pause, something unexpected happened—I found my way back to my first love: writing.

I’ve been developing my first feature film and have completed two short films, which has opened up an entirely new layer of storytelling for me. And honestly, it feels like everything I’ve done—every detour, every odd job, every moment of doubt—has led me here.

I’ve worn a lot of hats over the years—from tradeshow model to Special Accounts Manager at a band saw blade company, to personal trainer (a role I genuinely loved and still miss at times). But no matter where life takes me, I always find my way back to acting, to storytelling, to creating.

It’s where I feel most alive.
It’s where I feel at home.

And now, I’m excited not just to be in front of the camera—but to help shape what happens behind it too.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s never really been a smooth road—but it’s always been an interesting one.

There have been phases in my career where I felt a little… in between. Honestly, I feel that way again now. I didn’t hit my stride in modeling until my mid-to-late 20s, and when I did, it felt incredible. But like any career in this industry, there are always ups and downs.

Right now, I’m in that gray area—too old to play college-aged, too young to be cast as the “mom.” It can make things feel a little more challenging.

Body image has also been a journey. Growing up, I was constantly told I was too skinny. Then I entered an industry that told me I wasn’t tall enough, or that my hips were too wide, or my skin wasn’t perfect. At some point, it becomes hard to know what’s actually real.

The truth is, I was just an active dancer with a fast metabolism. My family used to call me the “garbage disposal” because I ate everything. I was the kid finishing everyone else’s leftovers at lunch because I was always hungry. not because I didn’t have my own food! I was just naturally tall and lanky—but that didn’t stop people, even teachers, from making comments.

I remember my first New York Fashion Week, when a designer pointed out that I had more curve in my hips and that a certain dress would suit me because of it. That was the first time I started to see my body differently—that maybe the things I’d been insecure about were actually strengths. Those same “dancer legs” ended up booking me fit modeling work and waist-down campaigns for brands like Kohl’s and Harley Davidson.

Still, for a long time, I felt like I was never quite “it.” In New York, I worked, but standing next to 5’11” runway girls, I always felt just a little too short, a little off from the standard. And for a while, it felt like I didn’t have a team that fully believed in me.

But eventually, that changed. I found my people, found my footing—and that’s when everything really started to click.

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?
That’s always a hard question to answer because I wear a lot of hats.

At my core, I’m an actor and hand model—very George Costanza of me. I’m also a writer, social media manager, and photographer on the side. I’d say I’m probably best known for my hand modeling and comedic acting, but I often find myself stepping into producer-type roles as well, which I really connect to.

Acting has been my main focus for the past decade. I’m naturally very animated, so I tend to book quirky moms or the villain you don’t see coming—which is always fun.

One of my favorite recent moments was shooting a commercial for Hilton in the Dominican Republic. It was honestly a dream job. Like an all expenses paid vacation, at an all inclusive resort, where you sometimes have to “work” on set, and hang out with some of the most incredible humans. 10|10 Recommend

What sets me apart is that I’m multi-faceted. I understand so many aspects of production, which allows me to bring a more well-rounded perspective to projects. I’m not just there to say lines—I genuinely love being part of the creative process and collaborating to build something from the ground up.

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I was a ham through and through. There’s a story my parents love to tell—when I was little, I got in trouble, and they found me crying in front of a mirror… watching myself cry. Which honestly feels very on-brand for the path I chose.

I’ve always been goofy and loved making people laugh, especially around family and close friends. I was that kid making sketches, taking photos of nature, and writing poetry. I was also really drawn to music early on—especially metal and heavy rock—and started going to concerts constantly. At one point, I think I’d been to over 200 by the time I was 20. I even made a list somewhere.

I loved dancing too—I was on my high school dance team, and even though I wasn’t exactly part of the “in” crowd, dance gave me a real sense of purpose.

Music, dance, performing—I loved it all then, and I still do now.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.daniellemaddox.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danisuewho/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanielleSMaddox/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/daniellemaddoxsp?themeRefresh=1

Image Credits
Jean Sweet Photography
Billy Rood
Mike Pierce
Todd Hughlett