Conversations with Valory Pierce

Today we’d like to introduce you to Valory Pierce

Hi Valory, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My acting journey started in college when I took theatre and film acting classes. I was curious about the art of acting so I thought I’d give it a try. One summer while studying film acting, my class had decided to collaborate with the film production class department, they saw us perform and I was the only one that booked all 4 projects which felt pretty cool! After that I didn’t think much about pursuing acting since breaking into the entertainment industry felt impossible as I didn’t feel like I had a place there (growing up I’ve only seen a handful of successful Asian American actors) so I simply laid my hopes of being an actress to rest.

Fast forward to 2016, I was making content on YouTube and was contacted by the project coordinator who was working on the English dub of Skip Beat! to help create PR buzz on YouTube — which coincidentally was the anime/manga that got me interested in acting and performing! So of course I said yes. While I was there listening to voice acting veterans work their magic in the booth, I still had no inkling or interest in acting or voiceover. Until during a session break, me and the director Taliesin Jaffe (from Critical Role) were simply chatting away. I had no idea who he was nor did I care too as he just seemed like a cool laidback dude to me who happened to work on a cool project.

He asked what I did for a living and I told him I made comic dubs on YouTube and I fan voiced this mean girl character named Chloé Bourgeois in those comics, he asked me to perform something, I kindly obliged, he laughed and he asked if I wanted to be in a scene in the anime! That was my first ever voiceover role and once I stepped inside the booth, I knew by instinct not to touch ANYTHING and let the engineer to adjust the mic due to my height, I still have the video of me jumping inside the booth for the very first time and that’s when I truly fell in love with voiceover and found passion for acting again. VERY serendipitous!

But I didn’t start pursing and studying the craft again until late 2020 during the pandemic that I went full dive onto this journey. I practiced, studied and really focused on growing as an actress. Fast forward to present day, I’ve worked on some really cool projects, had fun roles and found my characters that were meant for me. Every project I’m in, it’s a blessing. Audition is the job, booking is just the bonus! I am never satisfied in my current skill level, I always have a hunger to improve, learn and grow.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I honestly don’t think there’s such a thing as a smooth road when you’re an artist haha! My dad and brother were the most supportive in my interest and pursuit in the arts. Whether it be drawing, modeling and or acting, I always had their support and that meant the world. I still kept the note my dad wrote to help remind me to never give up, because this industry is not for the faint of heart.

My biggest struggle is learning to go easy on myself and be more kind and gentle. I’m very strict and harsh in terms of my goals and achievements, I often set bars too high and I would beat myself up for not reaching it. It’s honestly a cycle of how I was brought up, which I’m working on doing better because perfectionism is the death to creativity.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am an actress, artist and content creator. I found more success in voiceover especially in animation and videogames! I have the most fun doing animation work, there’s a sense of freedom in it that I’m quite drawn too. When I’m not acting or anything artistically creative, I really enjoy branding and marketing ideas and concepts. I’m an avid believer that branding it’s important especially when working with clients who reach out to you in regards to possibly promote their products and or services…maybe even a collaboration!

Some may call it pristine image branding but I truly believe no matter how many followers or social media prowess you may have, you can definitely work with brands if you know how to market yourself! Setting yourself up for branding opportunities is important especially when you want brands to reach out to you and talk business. There’s a right time and place, social media should be used to build an empire (yes, YouTube has certainly taught me well in that regard) and brands and even clients will see what you post on your timeline. It’s always best to proceed with a dash of professionalism and mindfulness while showcasing who you are as an artist and brand.

What makes you happy?
What brings me joy and happiness is snuggling my dog, surrounded by loved ones and eating Korean fried chicken while enjoying a scenic view with clear blue skies! I love seeing wild flowers and feeling the gentle breeze, I feels like I’m in a Ghibli film haha my favorite seasons are autumn and winter. I enjoy staying in or going to a cafe, sitting down and reading a book or watching a movie while it’s raining and or snowing.

Whenever I have the time, I enjoy shiny hunting Pokémon or playing FFXIV online. Of course I like watching movies and TV series so if there’s a film or series I’m excited for, I try to clear my schedule and binge or take a day and go to the movies. The older I get the more I enjoy an easy and quieter life, acting has given me a lot of opportunities to play and live in different worlds. Large cities and constant events is not my thing unless it’s work related and I try to avoid becoming a workaholic. Work life balance is super important!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://valorypierce.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valorypierce
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/valory