Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Rose DePinho.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I grew up in New Jersey in a Portuguese family. I always wanted to be an actress (ever since I was six years old) so after high school, I moved to New York City to attend an acting conservatory called American Musical and Dramatic Academy. It was a two year program, and when I finished, I stayed in NYC to keep auditioning. I wasn’t very focused about it though, I felt very lost and torn, like there were possibly other avenues I wanted to explore other than acting, but didn’t have the opportunity to. So, after three years in New York, I went back to college. I was able to do an internship in Disney World and study abroad in China. I really love learning and traveling, so college was definitely one of the best experiences for me. However, I was studying journalism at the time, and during my junior year (at Indiana University) I started getting really honest with myself about what it was I actually wanted versus what I thought my parents wanted me to do. I spent a summer in LA as an intern in film and television and quickly realized this is where I needed to be. I transferred from IU and spent my senior year at The New School in NYC, where I saved up to move to LA. After college, I felt ready to fully commit to acting again and took the plunge. I officially moved here in January 2019 and have been fiercely pursuing acting. Within a month, I signed with a talent manager and booked an indie film. Since I’ve been here, I’ve done a handful of short films, internet videos, and got my first TV credit on an Oxygen show. I’m so grateful for all of the experiences I’ve had leading up to this move, but I finally have a clear vision for myself and my future and I’m not stopping anytime soon.
Has it been a smooth road?
It definitely has not been a smooth road! During my journey, I developed a stomach disorder and went through a 65-pound weight loss. I also moved around a lot (NJ-NY-FL-NJ-IN-CA-NY-CA) and I really struggled with deciding whether it was worth it to go for my dream (acting) or if I would be happier in a more stable career that wouldn’t force me to struggle as much (journalism.) I really had no clue what to do. My advice for other young women starting their journey is that you have to trust your intuition. Sometimes, it’s really hard to decide what it is you want to do, but if there’s something constantly weighing in the back of your mind and there’s someone that you look up to that you’re envious of that’s doing that exact thing, you have to just get honest with yourself. You’ll realize that the difficulty in making a decision about what your goals/dreams/destiny are, is coming from an external place. It’s your subconscious telling you “you can’t do that” either because of where you come from, how you were raised, what your parents ingrained in you, society, etc. It’s really hard to unlearn all of the thoughts we’ve been programmed to think when we consider going after our dreams. “That’ll never happen,” “it’s a one in a million shot,” “I don’t have what it takes,” etc., are all excuses that we’ve been fed by society that we adopt as our own because we’re too scared to go for what it is we truly know what we want. Listen to your gut. It will never steer you wrong.
What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
In my film work, I usually play comedic roles (best friend types.) But since I’ve been in LA, I’ve actually had the opportunity to branch out and play roles I normally don’t get cast in. I’ve played a wealthy businesswoman, a cocaine addict, a sexual abuse survivor. The cool thing about working on short films is that I can explore characters that I might not be considered for on a network TV show. I can’t say what I’m most proud of as an actress, because I identify with some part of any role I play and I bring the same amount of attention, care, and detail to it, whether I have two lines or 200 lines in the script. What sets me apart from others as an actress – I’m told that I have a quality of effortlessness. But in general, I think it’s my work ethic. Directors and producers usually applaud my professionalism and I pride myself on that.
Do you have any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general? What has worked well for you?
Just show up. I’d say 80% of the work is showing up and the other 20% is talent, work ethic, etc. Join Facebook groups and keep your notifications on. Go to every networking event that you can, even if it’s just mildly related to the field you’re interested in. You’re not going to get your name or your brand out there from your couch. It’s just not going to happen. You have to be willing to collaborate with other people and do a lot of free work. Help others out, so they will be there when you need them. Don’t say no to anything at first (within reason.) But you have to get out of your comfort zone in order for anything to happen. What’s worked for me is just going to as many casting director panels or industry mixer events as possible. Even if nothing comes of it, hey, there’s still 10 more people who know your name that didn’t before.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.laurarosedepinho.com
- Phone: 7328506554
- Email: laurarosedepinho@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauradepinho/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laura.depinho?ref=bookmarks
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/depinholaura
- Other: imdb.me/laurarosedepinho
Image Credit:
Alex Dash, Kimo Hill, Alex Vaccino, Ron Brown Jr., Enygma Photography
Suggest a story: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
