Today we’d like to introduce you to Gina Daidone.
Hi Gina, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Born and raised in New York City, I’ve experienced life hard and fast since a young age. An only child of divorced parents, growing up, I was impishly shy and infinitely more comfortable around film and literature than with other people. Always with my chin against my chest and nose in a book or head tilted back, eyes staring up at a screen; all likely factors in my steadfast sense of independence, ridiculously active imagination, and passion for storytelling.
The events of 9/11, Hurricane Sandy, blackouts, blizzards, and the MTA, were also among major components that shaped my early life. It wasn’t until my teenage years that I blossomed and came out of my shell, gaining the confidence to become more social and exploratory. I tried the traditional route after high school by going straight to college, totally clueless about what direction I wanted for my life. That lasted about a year before my youthful exuberance and insatiable wanderlust got the better of me. I dropped out of school and decided to go solo backpacking around Australia. I did that for nearly six months, during which period I quite literally almost died several times, in a hilarity of ways, ultimately breaking my ankle in a horse-back riding accident and sulking back to the US with a cast and crutches. My return to NYC was followed by a whirlwind period during which I put myself through school by working in hospitality and customer service, earning an Associate Degree in Creative Writing & Literature, a Bachelors in International Studies and Journalism, spending an unforgettable summer in Ghana, and eventually finding myself employed at the New York Post. I began as an office assistant, a “copy kid”.
Classically bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, I ate up the initial glamour of working for one of the country’s largest news publications (embarrassingly naive to their politics at that time) and was eager for more. And I quickly got more, getting promoted to field reporter after a few months of working in the office. Being a “runner” was an entirely different world. It was chaotic and exciting, scary and infuriating, exhilarating one moment, harrowing the next. I was sent to courthouses and jails, political and cultural rallies, press conferences, churches, hospitals, and police stations, in all types of weather, often armed with just my press badge, tape recorder, and notepad. It was truly a trial-by-fire, flying by the seat of your pants situation; a total 360 from the mundane office days of filing, printing and fetching coffee.
Eventually, I was again promoted to work as an in-house crime reporter, with a desk in the press office at 1 Police Plaza, NYPD headquarters. During my time with the Post, I saw more blood and guts, both figuratively and literally, than I care to admit. Some nights I cried or drank or even vomited (sometimes all of the above) after reflecting on the things I’d seen and heard, trying to compartmentalize all of it each night, so I could do it all again the next day. It takes a lot to do that kind of work and I will always have the utmost respect for anyone who works in the news media. After nearly three years, it wasn’t for me anymore. I felt that part of my soul was dying and I needed to make it whole again. I arrived in LA the day after Thanksgiving of 2018, exactly two years to the day that I’m doing this interview. After a quintessential cross-country road trip which took me through the cold temperatures of the East, through the long stretches of dry, desert road in the South and onto the sunny, warm West coast; amidst the tail-end of wildfire season, driving through a layer of smoke and ash to get over the hills and arrive in my new home.
For the first year and a half, I supported myself by returning to my roots in hospitality, bartending and catering at high-end special events, auditioning whenever possible and progressively building my portfolio. I worked on several independent short films and web series, recently winning multiple acting awards for one project, “Meanwhile at a Cabin Somewhere Near Fairplay, CO”. During the pandemic months, I’ve been doing my best to make the most of all this newfound free time, taking virtual acting and writing classes, focusing on my overall health and wellness, and putting my energy towards making intriguing and engaging content with other creative professionals. For me, the ultimate goal is to eventually write, produce, direct, and act in my own productions. I already have quite a few projects lined up for 2021 that I’m very excited about!
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?
There have been good days and bad days of course. I try to take everything in stride whenever possible and firmly believe that you cannot appreciate the good things in life without the bad. Besides, a “smooth” road sounds pretty boring to me! The most interesting parts of us often come from our struggles. I come from a working-class family and financial stability has always been dubious. As a woman, there’s the constant struggle to be taken seriously and prove your worth. And as an LGBTQ+ person raised in a Catholic family, the struggles with my own identity are not uncommon.
Moreover, the film and entertainment industry is not exactly known for being immediately lucrative, or gentle to the individual, or for those with fragile egos. Struggle is the name of the game. Half the people in my life thought I’d genuinely lost my mind when I uprooted my whole life in New York to pursue acting and writing in Los Angeles. The other half were thrilled and incredibly encouraging. I was somewhere in the middle. I read a lot of Joan Didion and repeatedly listened to the Hamilton soundtrack during that time. There have been some struggles that I am incredibly proud of overcoming, and others, maybe not so much. But the good, the bad, and the ugly, all of it has shaped me into the person I am today, as I continue forward on my journey.
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?
Formally, I am an actor, writer, and producer. Informally, I like to call myself a storyteller, explorer, and warrior. I’m known for being of a short stature (5’3 and a half, thank you very much!), but having a big presence, which I am very proud of. What sets me apart professionally is that I am very skilled at being both creative and technically-minded. I love contributing to the creative process of conceptualizing and developing a project just as much as I enjoy collaborating on the logistical planning and execution of it. I can see the big picture while also focusing on the smaller details. My background has definitely made me into a highly adaptable person and incredibly adept at “rolling with the punches”. I’m currently focused on further honing my acting skills and writing short stories (aiming to get published in literary magazines), as well as developing scripts to be produced and/or pitched.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
I believe the most important qualities that have contributed to my successes are simple: determination and being personable. I’m from NYC, where we have an unbreakable spirit and unstoppable hustle, a hunger for more and a drive to make it happen. I’m not shy about the fact that I can be stubbornly determined and tremendously focused in my pursuit of the things I want to achieve… Being personable is perhaps also a result of my upbringing, growing up in a place where you might meet a million different types of people in the course of a single day. I am always trying my best to be emphatic towards others (I’m not always perfect at it, but I try to be transparent in this way) and to be someone who others genuinely look forward to working with and being around. I believe that the greatest accomplishments usually don’t come from one person but from team efforts. Being an honest, sincere, and reliable team member is something I continuous strive for.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.ginadaidone.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/ginadaidone
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ginadaidone
- Other: https://vimeo.com/ginadaidone
