Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Westlake.
Hi Amanda, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I started in Hong Kong, where I was born and raised to a Filipina accountant mother and English journalist father. At 4 years old I got into ballet and tap dance for many years, then added in choir and singing lessons, and eventually plays and musical theater in school and with the HK Youth Arts Foundation. At home, my parents and I were watching a movie and/or tv show every night, and I ended up falling in love with the kind of acting I witnessed in film and TV. By the age of 9, I decided I would become a movie star, and started practicing an American accent because I thought you had to sound American to be on screen!
I got into modeling as a teenager and signed with one of Hong Kong’s top modeling agencies – having the same reps as Maggie Q was a big confidence booster that I could have a future in this profession. They were, hands down, the best agency I’ve ever worked with in terms of care, support and communication, and I feel so fortunate to have experienced that when I was starting out. At 16, I went to an Acting for Film summer camp at the New York Film Academy in LA. That experience was all I needed to know that I had to move here to pursue acting, because to me, Hollywood had the best of the best in filmmaking. Since then, I have been in multiple TV shows, national commercials, web series, print ads, pilot presentations and short films. Now, I’m starting to explore writing and producing.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I’m not sure a smooth road into Hollywood is possible! There have absolutely been struggles – convincing my parents that this unpredictable career path far, far away was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life (my dad was on board with me following my passions, but mum took a lot longer); immigrating to a foreign country; the loneliness of living on the other side of the world from all my family; the constant rejections and subsequent self-doubt; dealing with so many untrustworthy people in the business; finding friends who were willing to read lines for last minute auditions; living sans car in a city with rudimentary public transport (being passenger in a car crash within a year of moving here scared me off driving); the industry fallout from Covid and the writers/actors strike; finding other ways to afford living in an increasingly expensive city; and adapting to the massive shifts in the way Hollywood operates, which appear to be leading to its own destruction. And yet, I have always held on to hope, and found that most things eventually work out for the better.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m an actress, primarily known for my work in TV shows, commercials and short films. I also do print, e-commerce, hair and fit modeling. I’m most proud that I got to live my childhood dream of being a full time Hollywood actress who’s worked with some of the best in this business. And what sets me apart from others is my perspective. I’d have to guess that’s due to my background and/or upbringing, since I’ve heard half Filipina, half Brits from Hong Kong are rare around here!
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I’m an only child and was pretty shy, quiet and introverted for a while. When I first started doing ballet shows at a young age, I found being on stage both a terrifying and exhilarating experience, because it forced me out of my shell. And thus, my love for the performing arts began! I loved to read books, listen to music, dance, sing, watch movies, sketch dresses. I could dance for hours by myself in the living room, and with friends when we hung out, even choreographing dance performances for our school fairs and musicals. I was obsessed with Britney Spears (who wasn’t?) and wanted to be a pop star for a moment, but despite being in choirs, taking singing lessons, and dancing everywhere I could, I never felt confident enough in those abilities to take them that far. Eventually, I realized the intimacy of acting was more my vibe.
I was also an athlete – I played tennis, did gymnastics and taekwondo, was on all the school teams: swimming, netball, basketball, volleyball, track and field, and very briefly, even rugby (weirdly enough, I enjoyed tackling, but had just started modeling so couldn’t risk breaking my face). I guess I had a lot of physical energy to get out and am very lucky to have parents who were able and willing to let me try out so many hobbies. I was very close to them growing up, and still am.
As a teen, I felt the need to make myself learn how to be more sociable and outgoing. I’d always felt average compared to other girls in school, until I was 13, when one of the popular pretty girls complimented my eyes one day. I remember it so clearly because I was taken aback by the flattery from one of the “cool kids”, and soon after I noticed a dramatic change in how differently I was being perceived, which eventually led to feeling confident enough to try modeling. At that age, I made the mistake of thinking my value was now in how others appreciated my newly gained looks, but I’m glad to have since learned otherwise. This was also when I started to become more rebellious, wanting to miss school for modeling jobs and fighting for independence from my parents.
I had been a straight A student in primary school, but upon entering secondary school, I frequently did not feel on par with my classmates. After a bad experience with my year 1 school teacher, and tough ballet and singing teachers, I felt a lot of shame around being incorrect or imperfect. It seemed everything I did could only be right or wrong. I was afraid of authority figures and too embarrassed to ask questions in class, which held me back as school got harder. Having my mind made up to be an actress in Hollywood also made doing the work to complete my education more difficult, and it pulled my attention away from school. But I still made it to graduation!
When I finally moved to LA for acting school, I went back to the New York Film Academy, as they had the conservatory style classes I’d been searching for. I had teachers who finally made me feel safe to try and fail, to embrace imperfection in search of truth, because those are necessary to creative processes. They provided a supportive space to be vulnerable and open up in a way I had never felt allowed to before, and it was exactly what I needed as an actor and as a person. It was the first time I truly loved being at school, because every day I got to do Shakespeare, Acting for Film, scene study, Meisner technique, the business of acting and more. It was a life changing experience and I grew up a lot there, all thanks to those teachers who lovingly pushed me out of my comfort zone and showed me that I was capable of more than I realized.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.amandawestlake.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/akwestlake
Image Credits
David Moxness, Jesse Grant, Nathalie Gordon
