Today we’d like to introduce you to Courtney Klein.
Hi Courtney, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Acting has always been a part of me, but it wasn’t until a few years ago that I decided to take it seriously and pursue it as a career. Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve always been drawn to the spotlight and have had a big imagination. I would always love to dress up and create plays to act in or dream up elaborate stories in my mind and have my dolls act them out. However, it wasn’t until my mandatory 8th-grade play, where I was the lead, that I decided I wanted to try out theater. I remember how fun it was to be on stage and how freeing it felt to not worry about what others thought of me. So, when I entered high school, I decided to audition for the fall play, and to my surprise, got a pretty good part. High school was when my passion for theater began. I participated in every play that my school put on and even joined the thespian society. I’ll never forget the moment I realized that acting was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life; I was on stage performing a monologue in a sold-out theater, and a wave of euphoria washed over me, and a voice in my head told me that this was what I was meant for. However, after graduating high school, I wasn’t sure how to pursue acting as a career; I was filled with self-doubt. So, I decided to take a gap year, take some marketing classes online, and work full-time. During this time, though, my mental health plummeted. I wasn’t happy and wasn’t doing what made me passionate. I finally hit a breaking point and decided that I needed to make a change. I wanted to get back into acting, specifically on-camera acting. So, I decided to move to Los Angeles and attend acting school. I applied and was accepted into the New York Film Academy’s One Year Acting for Film program. During my time at school, I learned so much about acting, specifically on-camera acting, and grew in my acting abilities. I graduated in August 2023 and have been on the beginning of my acting career journey since. As of today, I am a working background actor, currently taking improv classes at the Groundlings Theatre, and have just signed with an agent. I am optimistic about my career and am so excited to see what the future holds for me.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Breaking into the entertainment industry is not an easy thing, and there have been many bumps along the way. I moved from a small town in Minnesota to Los Angeles all by myself at the age of 20, leaving all my family and friends behind. It has been difficult navigating young adulthood as well as the early stages of my career by myself, and I have made many mistakes along the way. However, I have grown and learned from my mistakes, and I keep trying to do better every day. There have been moments when I questioned what I’m doing and have wanted to give up. Thankfully, I have amazing support from my family and friends, and am so thankful, especially to my parents, for encouraging me to pursue my dreams. I am also so grateful for the friends I’ve made here in LA who have helped me as an actor and as a person. Without the amazing people in my life, I don’t think I would be able to overcome some of the hardships that being a new actor presents. Being in an industry where you’re constantly being rejected, and you don’t always know the reasons why, can be very difficult. However, I’ve learned to not take things personally and keep believing in myself and my talent.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in comedic acting, and it’s my absolute favorite. As much as I love dramatic acting, nothing beats making an audience laugh and seeing people smile. I love to play characters who are upbeat, bubbly, and funny but also have complexities and something deeper inside them. It’s so fun and challenging getting to the bottom of those characters and exploring their true wants and intentions while bringing them to life. Taking improv classes, as well as studying the art of comedy, has helped me grow in my abilities as a comedic actor.
I am most proud of my passion, determination, and hard work. Before moving to Los Angeles, I thought that being an actor would only happen in my wildest dreams; however, I decided to take a leap of faith and make my dreams into a reality. I am proud of myself for not giving up and working hard every day at my craft to make the life I always wanted a reality.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I acknowledge that I am extremely lucky to be where I am today and able to make pursuing my dreams my priority. I have had a lot of amazing opportunities come my way and I definitely feel lucky to be able to take advantage of them. That being said, I have worked very hard and have sacrificed a lot to get to where I am today. I will always be grateful for the lucky hand I was dealt, but will also keep working hard to pursue my goals.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/__courtneyk__1/
- Other: https://resumes.actorsaccess.com/2177779-6098688
Image Credits
Steph Girard
