May 13, 2019

Conversations with the Inspiring Ellen Schoeters

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ellen Schoeters.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Ellen. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.

I didn’t have any big career dreams when I was a kid. I loved watching comforting and cute tv shows and I thought watching those shows was happiness, they distracted me from the life that was appearing to me. I remember being sad when the shows ended and I wanted to be part of those characters’ lives.

I was afraid to express myself, not always comfortable to be a girl, afraid to upset anyone, afraid to speak too loud, afraid to form an opinion about anything. That fear was so limiting, and it was hurting so I decided to face it by enrolling in an acting class. Not long after the first classes, I booked a recurring role in one of my dads favorite tv shows which came as a big surprise to them ( I have two dads who got in a relationship with each other since I was in first grade), they didn’t even know I had the intention to be an actress. After that a series regular appeared for me in my mom’s favorite show. But I was still shy and scared. I felt not good enough as an actress and as a girl. I came to LA to study at Lee Strasberg for a year and then took a three year Meisner/Esper training. Every class was a revelation, I opened up, could really express myself in every role and started being more and more comfortable in my skin. I was confronted with myself over and over again and thanks to Meisner/Esper, I started feeling more and more compassion for everyone. In the meantime, I also discovered Reiki and got more insights, then two years ago Kadampa Buddhism came on my path and I realized that I met the biggest healer of all, Buddha’s wonderful teachings.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
There have been smooth times but struggle is definitely a part of it too. The biggest struggle is when you find your passion, you start loving it so much that you get attached to that magical feeling of creating life on set and then, it hurts when you don’t get consistent work. And for most actors that’s unfortunately part of the journey. You start doubting and you create new fears. And that’s where Buddha’s teachings help me a lot. There is a lot of freedom in acceptance. We constantly try to change our externalities but it’s not until we change our mind, that we find peace, happiness, and contentment. Look for yourself, what do you struggle with and how do you try to change it? Usually we try to change it by manipulating our externalities. But have you tried to change your mind yet? We are so attached to externalities, to wanting things to be a certain way and this mind of attachment will never be fulfilled. The more we feed it, the more it will want to be fed. After testing the teachings, I realized that to overcome my struggles, the only way was to train my mind and to learn to meditate and then magic shifts started happening both inside and out.

Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
Acting:
Ellen’s most recent work was the leading role of the vegan, glutenfree insecure Stephanie who has the wish to save the world in the feature film “Stuck” alongside Steve Guttenberg.

Other credits include a series regular in the Belgian tv show, “Familie” playing the sweet but abused girl next door, a leading role as the lifestyle photographer who is constantly looking for the love her life in the feature film “High Heels, Low Tide” and recurring roles in the telenovela “Ella”, the dark comedy “Crimi Clowns” and the Children’s show Mega Mindy.

Ellen’s acting type would best be described as the sportive North European, kind-hearted lifetime, romantic type, the sweet mom, the emotionally hurt girlfriend/wife, hard-working nurse, spiritual healer, the awkward naive type or social worker and casual best friend.

Meditation:
Ellen is a student of Buddha’s teachings and she recently started teaching meditation classes at the Tushita Kadampa meditation center in Westlake Village.

Reiki:
About eight years ago, Ellen got her master reiki degree and she regularly shares this healing energy with friends and at reiki shares.

What do you feel are the biggest barriers today to female leadership, in your industry or generally?
I believe the biggest barriers to female leadership lie in our own mind. What do we project with our thoughts? It depends on our mind. How do we see the world and how do we feel in it, it depends on our mind.

Some women may experience lots of success and respect in a leading position, whereas others may have a hard time. Everyone has a personal experience depending on their mindset. And until we each change that mindset we will live the same experience over and over just like in the film Groundhog Day. But once we change our mind and consequently our actions, a different scenario may be written for us.

Compared to 100 years ago, the world went through a huge shift and women have become more respected and valued. How wonderful.

Contact Info:

Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1825037/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/schoetersellen/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ellen.schoeters

Image Credit:
Photographer Juan Wyns

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