Conversations with Natalee Linez

Today we’d like to introduce you to Natalee Linez

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’m an actor, with a podcast, and a business called MAGIC. I moved to LA at 20 years old after working as a bagger at Albertson’s in Ladera Ranch, CA. I had the dream of being an actor for TV/Film since I was 6 years old when I wrote a letter to Jim Carrey asking him if I could be in Ace Ventura. I told my mom at 6 years old that I wanted to be on TV. Although she supported my dream, she wasn’t a stage mom. She wasn’t going to drive me to LA for a 5 minute audition. When I could finally start driving myself to LA at 17 is when I really started to figure out ways to get myself auditions, meetings, etc etc. It was a LOT of trial and error, weird meetings, embarrassing headshot sessions, getting dropped, not booking. I persisted and graduated high school a year early as a junior to get my GED. I finally moved to LA and began to really pursue it while working as a hostess at BOA steakhouse. I started auditioning for non-union commercials, music videos and even did some modeling. I never wanted to model as a career but made $25 an hour doing e-commerce jobs so it felt worth it. After 6 years of steadily auditioning for roles in TV & Film I eventually booked my first TV role at 23. While I was in Vancouver shooting the show (Siren) I had so much down time. I was recurring on the show which meant I was still auditioning for other shows as a series regulars. With so much down time my mind began to get curious about so much. I had an immense curiosity about health, wellness, high performance habits and read books on Stoicism, Meditation, Philosophy and some autobiographies too. I started listening to podcasts and watching Ted Talks. I stumbled upon the idea of a life with more mindfulness leading to my infatuation with this idea of morning routines. The science behind them just kept piling up as I read more and more articles. I decided to create a magical morning routine of my own. I developed my own journaling method called M.A.G.I.C (Mediation, Affirmations, Gratitude, Intentions, and Coffee). After sharing it with friends I realized there were a lot of people who needed this structure in their own life. This led me to create the Magic Mornings brand selling the MAGIC journal. All of my curiosity funneled into the idea of a podcast. I am so intrigued with how people got to where they are today. What are the habits they’ve built? What were their trials and tribulations? I launched my podcast “Ground Up with Natalee” in 2023 where I interview actors, entrepreneurs, and wellness experts on their ground up stories. I love sparking inspiration in people to take action on their dreams, small or big. I truly believe my purpose I life lies along the lines of motivating others to execute their ground up story.

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 journey in acting was far from easy. It took me 300 auditions to land my first role. When I moved to LA, I had $3,000, but it vanished in a month, mostly on parking tickets. Welcome to LA, right? I got dropped by my first manager, and I had to part ways with my first agent because they never communicated with me. I’ve had my share of cringe-worthy auditions, too.

Despite all this, I made sure to surround myself with the right people and cultivate healthy habits while chasing my dreams in LA. I aimed to perform at my best every single day, whether I was waiting tables at BOA, auditioning, or in acting class. The key to that was self-care. I got good sleep, avoided partying—especially before auditions—kept good friends close, and took care of my body. Not every day was perfect, and I faced my own struggles, but I focused on controlling what I could: taking care of myself to set up for success.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
When someone asks me about my “work” the first thing that comes to my head is that I am an actor known for my roles in Raising Kanan on Starz and Hulu’s Tell Me Lies as well as my role on Freeform’s Siren. However i have found it to be so important, as an actor, to have other outlets that fulfill me. If I put all of my eggs into the actor basket, I would be miserable. The entertainment industry is one we (Actors) have little to zero control over. This is not to say I don’t work my ass of and have incredible work ethic when It comes to my opportunities as an actor whether that means an audition, a meeting, or working on set. But after pursuing this career for over a decade I have learned that in order to become successful you must be a whole human with other facets to your life. A casting director, agent/manager, producer, and director don’t want to hire an “Actor” they want to hire a real human being with likes/dislikes, hobbies, and quirks. So develop and nurture them.

I have a podcast called Ground Up with Natalee where I interview actors, entrepreneurs and wellness experts on their Ground Up stories. This scratches my creative itch of wanted to create meaningful content and of course keeps me busy when I am not on set.

I am passionate about all things health and wellness which is why I developed the MAGIC Morning’s journal. MAGIC is a buy-one-give-one company and for every journal purchased we donate one to high school student focusing on under resourced communities. My goal is to be one of the catalyst into integrating mental health/wellness tools into schools everywhere.

I am also a huge believer in vision boarding and manifestation. I have created a vision board every single year for the last 7 years and almost everything I have put on my boards has come to fruition. With that being said one of my latest endeavors has been producing vision boarding events in Los Angeles. So far I host them once a year but I am currently expanding these Vision Boarding Events. It is a day full of creativity, manifesting, and connecting within as well as with others. These Vision Boarding events ignite people with inspiration and opens a creative outlet for them to manifest and explore their deepest desires! It has truly been so much fun and I love seeing everyone’s boards at the end of the events.

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
This is such a frequently asked question, especially as an actor. I mentor actors on the business side of acting—how to get an agent or manager, craft effective pitch emails, navigate the uncertainty of the industry, and so on. One of the first questions every actor asks is, “Should I be networking?” My answer? No. The following advice pertains to booking roles in SAG TV and film productions.

Sure, in some cases, networking might not hurt. But let’s break it down: what does networking really mean? When I hear “networking” for an actor, I think of attending parties, dinners, and events to meet industry people; reaching out to casting directors to thank them for audition opportunities; and asking producers or directors to coffee. But here’s the reality: booking a role in TV or film typically involves around 15 people signing off on the decision. So unless you’ve schmoozed with all 15, the chances of booking a role just by meeting a producer are slim. Plus, there are thousands of talented actors out there. If you meet someone, what makes them want to hand you an opportunity?

My advice: focus on nurturing your relationships with your representation—your agent or manager. They are the key to getting you into audition rooms with top casting directors. Once you’re there, you can then build a relationship with the casting director. Building a relationship with a casting director means doing a great job in auditions, making strong acting choices, being prepared, and being a kind and professional human being. Beyond that, there’s no need to stress about “networking” in my opinion.

This advice is specifically for actors. I have no doubt that writers, producers, ADs, and directors can benefit greatly from making connections. But for actors, your representation and your work in the audition room are what truly matter.

Pricing:

• Mentorship with Nat 295
• Magic Journal 30

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.nataleelinez.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nataleelinez/
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@nataleelinezz?si=A_t4_jaQoS0r6nl9
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/show/0UsPCJW1yxSYsHRgC4JByh?si=50c1adc62c244b78

Image Credits
Ground Up Cover: Jonny Marlow
White top and blue jeans: Jonny Marlow

Close up face with gold earrings: Paula Neves
Magic Journal: Paula Neves