Today we’d like to introduce you to Alyssa Mann.
Hi Alyssa, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
“Do I contradict myself? Very well then, I contradict myself, I am large, I contain multitudes” -Walt Whitman.
Born and raised in central New Jersey, I knew early on that my dreams were different than those around me. After attending the Fine and Performing Arts program at Howell High School, I got accepted to Tisch at NYU where I received a BFA in Acting. Once I graduated, I was completely lost. I had a very expensive degree and a sh*t ton of ambition but no idea how to make what I wanted a reality. At the same time, I was incredibly unhealthy, unhappy, and scared.
It was mid-2000s and I was bartending and performing in a lot of independent theatre productions when I decided that I needed a big change in order to gain more traction in my life. Enrolling in massage school seemed like a weird next step, so why not? During my second semester there, a classmate suggested I get a job as a personal trainer. Honestly, the idea was bonkers because I had never excelled at anything athletic, but apparently, rent in New York isn’t free. I took a chance and by some miracle got hired at the New York Sports Club on 76th and 1st Ave. I then convinced a bunch of people to let me train them while I also went on my own personal fitness journey. Some of those people are still very close friends of mine. I continued to work as a trainer for a few years and started doing more and more film and TV and fell in love with the subtlety of being on camera. At that point it became clear that I was on the wrong coast for what I wanted so in 2013 I moved to LA.
After signing with an agent, I went back to bartending while I built my personal training business on the West Coast. Yet again, I quickly realized that restaurant work wasn’t for me and signed up for the teacher training program at YAS in Silverlake where I became a spin instructor. Shortly thereafter, I got my 200 hr yoga teaching certification at Yoga Vibe in Los Feliz and continued teaching, training, and acting.
I was lucky enough to book an arc on Days of Our Lives and was also featured on shows Dear White People and Unprisioned, among others. Over Covid I discovered writing also scratched my creative itch and I completed a screenplay and a pilot. Oh, and I started a candle business as well because apparently, I can’t sit still.
Recently I signed with a producer to start pre-production on my screenplay and have a full personal training and teaching roster. I teach 12 classes a week at both Yoga Vibe and Hype Silverlake and on the weekends I make candles for my small business ReWicks.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Getting in shape was one of the hardest things I ever did. Finding my version of healthy and learning that feeling strong and comfortable in my body had everything to do with me and nothing to do with what society deemed appropriate has been one of my greatest life lessons. It felt deeply important and personal to me to help as many people as I could find their version of fit and teach them that working out is so much more important for your mental health than having a tight ass ever will be. Plus, I wanted to show others that fitness could be f*cking fun.
My career in entertainment has been similar. I had to find my voice in this business and finishing my screenplay was huge because it was an extremely personal story to tell. It’s about a woman trying to decide whether or not to have children. It’s something I personally struggled with and I don’t think is talked about as often as it should be. While I’ve been lucky enough to have some incredible opportunities, only recently have I committed to creating my own work and finding my version of things, which is key for me moving forward.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As far as acting goes, I do film and TV and gravitate toward stronger female roles. I’m big East Coast energy and as a personal trainer and fitness instructor, I’m strong and look it. Additionally, I’ve been training in motion capture because it allows me to bring my physical work to my acting. The film and TV industry is playing catch up in terms of creating well-rounded and fully realized roles for women and I want to be a part of that with my acting and writing.
As far as fitness goes, my classes are full of joy and inclusivity. They are hard, they push you, but they never make you feel bad about yourself. All levels are welcome and I encourage people to do what they can and leave the rest behind. I try to make each class different and I am obsessed with incredible playlists to help motivate my students.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Grit. I refuse to give up. I refuse to settle. I refuse to be told I can only be one thing. We have one precious life and I’m going to make the most of it.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.alyssa-mann.com, www.badasswellness.com, www.rewicks.com
- Instagram: @ampersandoctopus @rewickscandles
Image Credits
Peter Konerko (first shot with me in the green tank)
