Today we’d like to introduce you to Molly McIntyre.
Hi Molly, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
If you open my fifth-grade yearbook, one of the questions it asks is, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” My response, “an actress.” It started way before that, though. I specifically remember sitting in front of my mirror at the ripe age of six with the Disney channel on in the background repeating lines to myself like a weirdo. Acting lit my soul on fire. Acting became my one true passion. I started doing theatre in middle school and continued through my college years, hopelessly dreaming about moving to LA one day. I actually went to community college with the intention of finding a more “realistic” path for myself because acting seemed entirely out of reach. However, I ended up taking a theatre course anyway, auditioned for the play, booked the lead role, and met one of my best friends to this day. He saw my passion for acting and introduced me to a talent network that offered a program for aspiring actors to find representation and ultimately, make the move to Los Angeles. That door I had closed on myself swung back open so hard it nearly knocked me out. I, of course, collected myself, as well as my belongings, and got the hell out of Texas and never looked back.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
In 2013, I hopped on a plane to LA to move into a two-bedroom apartment with four dudes only to end up stranded at LAX because none of them could pick me up from the dang airport. So…no. It was not smooth. I spent my first nine years slaving away in the restaurant industry to make ends meet while dealing with minor success but mainly countless rejections, especially from agents and managers. I kept getting the same note over and over again: You need to lose weight. Mind you, I was not extremely overweight, but I definitely did not have the figure of your standard “Hollywood leading lady”.
Because of this, I decided to get serious about getting fit. In 2015, I hired a personal trainer to help me figure out how to change my habits and keep me accountable so that I could eliminate the problem that I thought was holding me back in my career. That experience…was also not smooth. In fact, I hated working out for the first 3 years of my fitness journey, but I was dedicated to making it work. After all, my career was on the line! By the fourth year, it clicked. I realized I had been showing up consistently 5-6 days a week, I learned how to cook healthier meals, and then I started to see real changes in my body. Only, I wasn’t Hollywood skinny…I was now athletic and muscular. Great. Another box to be put in and not the one I had in mind. During this time, random people in my life kept suggesting that I should be a personal trainer. I couldn’t fathom why anyone would think that! It took me so long to figure it out, and I still didn’t have all of the answers. Besides, I was dead set on acting. Training was already taking up too much of my time.
However, through these trial and error, I ultimately fell in love with fitness. I was more confident than ever, I loved how strong and healthy I was, and suddenly, I was walking into auditions with a new air about me. I no longer reeked of desperation. I was a walking example of hard work. In 2020, I decided to get my certification in personal training, NOT TO BECOME A TRAINER, but because I wanted the knowledge of one.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Surprise! I’m now a personal trainer. I was approaching my 10th year in the restaurant industry and I was DONE.
I understand the pandemic was hard for millions of people, but It was honestly the break I desperately needed in my life. At that point, I was forced to break away from the restaurant. I put all of my focus into working out and testing my newfound knowledge. I came to realize that for the first time in my life, I had a new passion other than just acting. At the beginning of 2022, with my 10-year LA-versary being just one year away, I decided that I wanted to enter this new decade putting ALL of myself toward what I love doing: acting and training and getting the hell out of the restaurant. I manifested this into existence, and not even a month later, the opportunity for a personal training gig fell into my lap. It was way sooner than I expected, but I also knew I was never going to feel 100% ready. So, I leapt.
I now work at a big box gym that serves people from all walks of life. It’s not only a great place to people watch and do character studies (yes, I’m still an actor), but I’m finally seeing people through a more positive and vulnerable lens. Hearing people’s stories and their personal reasons for wanting to get healthy has single-handedly restored my connection and love for humans. I live every day getting to be my full and complete self while feeling like I’m actually making a difference. Something the restaurant industry could never provide. While personal training doesn’t offer me the same financial freedom as serving/bartending, it has afforded me a newfound happiness and a greater sense of fulfillment.
I strive to help others find solace in health and wellness, as well as increase their quality of life through functional fitness. I mainly specialize in functional fitness training because I believe in exercise that supports and enhances your everyday life. However, I’ve crossed train myself over the last 8 years and am also certified to help with general weight loss, hypertrophy (muscle gain), and I’m currently working towards my corrective exercise certification. The thing I’m most proud of is my ability and openness to follow my heart, no matter how big my dreams are. I have found a way to merge both passions into one. I’m not just an actor or a personal trainer but a fitness model as well. I’ve been blessed to work on several commercial/print projects for companies such as LA Fitness, Sweet Sweat, etc. Other accomplishments include competing in a handful of obstacle course races and completing the Conquer LA Challenge in 2021 (10k, Half Marathon, and Full LA Marathon). Most importantly, my side hustle is no longer a headache, it elevates my acting career in more ways than just one.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Currently, I work at a gym based in North Hollywood, but I’m also taking private clients on the side. Anyone who’s interested in personal training, or collaborating on a creative project, can contact me via email or Instagram.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.imdb.me/mollymcintyre
- Instagram: @mollymfit and @mollynmcintyre
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MollyNicoleMcIntyre
Image Credits
Steve Ellis, Leah Huebner, William Shepherd, Liz Ehlers, Giulio Meliani.
