Daily Inspiration: Meet Danielle Kendler-Rhodes

Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Kendler-Rhodes.

Hi Danielle, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today. 
It always makes me smile thinking how I felt when I’ve taken my first steps on a stage as a kid. Whether it was playing a character or a dying goat, I remember relishing and loving every moment. I grew up in London and always participated in any drama activity I could find until I was offered a place in The BRIT School for Performing Arts, which was the ‘point of no return’ to make acting a career rather than a hobby, much to my parent’s dismay. 

While working hard on my craft, I was accepted to The National Youth Theatre of Great Britain and started to make a name for myself in my hometown. But then – COVID came, and everything changed. I couldn’t believe my luck when an incredible opportunity presented itself in the form of The Stella Adler Studio of Acting in NYC. This was both a wonderful challenge but quite a big step for a young adult, I was 18 at the time. 

Three years later, and I can only say that this was the best decision I’ve made. The Studio was both demanding and rewarding and gave me the tools and the head start for my current career in NYC. 

Being an actress in NYC is exactly how I imagined it to be. I have been lucky to explore many areas of theatre and also branching into live radio shows, an immersive play, and my favorite, Shakespeare. I look forward to the exciting work yet to come. 

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?
As I’ve mentioned, the COVID pandemic took us all by surprise, but for me, also presented an opportunity. I made a life-changing decision to pursue my dreams and move to New York, many miles away from my home in London. I was 18 at the time and had never lived by myself. I would love to say that this all went swimmingly well, but surprisingly it didn’t. I had to deal with a new culture, and although I could speak English – not everything was comprehensible, try to buy an Aubergine and receive a raised eyebrow instead. 

I also had to find my own voice as I was growing both as a person and a professional, but luckily, I was surrounded by my peers, experiencing the same bumpy road as I was, and all of us coming out stronger for it. 

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
It is always difficult for artists to define themselves, and in a sense, our profession is all about being multiple characters. As an actress taking the initial steps into my career, I’m all for trying new approaches and challenges and anything that will broaden my horizons. But in answer to your question, Shakespeare is, and probably will always be, my passion. I love the writing, the language and the complexity of characters, not to mention that I have the accent to match. As I’m not the tallest person in the room and still look quite young, it gives me opportunities to play certain characters, including the role of Hermia, which I’m going to play later this year. 

Thinking of something that made a deep impression on me from my recent work, I can mention ‘information for foreigners’. This was a show I performed in early March and revolves around real people’s stories in Argentina. It explores the absurdity and brutality of oppressive systems as experienced by a group of foreign tourists, which are the audience. This was both an emotional journey and also an opportunity to take part in important social topics. 

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you.
Luck is one strange animal. How can anyone explain why we get lucky in certain times while unlucky in others? I always believed that the best route to success is hard work and persistence, and I make it a rule to always work hard in any situation that I participate in, which will drastically increase my chances of being ‘lucky.’ 

But I also think that luck and belief are one of the same. There is no harm in believing or feeling lucky – if anything, why not? 

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danielle.kendlerrho?igsh=NXQ0c2kwbmp3NWg4&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danielle.kendlerrhodes

Image Credits
Rob Blackham