Allison Nordahl shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Allison, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
I think the importance of community and creating a comfortable environment is often overlooked. I’ll admit I’ve been guilty of it, because it can get so easy to see it as an independent job, where you might feel inclined to only interact with your established ‘team’ because after all, it’s just you in the audition room. But, I think the reality is having a community of actors and other creative people is so important, even if you never end up working with them. I feel like I learned this the hard way, because as I got older I began to neglect group acting training and opted for one-on-one coaching, since I wanted to focus on improving my craft. But in all honesty, I learn just as much, if not more, from other actors and crew members than I do when trying to improve on my own accord. While it might just be you behind the camera at the end of the day, it’s important to have a community that will support you and help you get there.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Allison Nordahl! I am a SAG-AFTRA actress, my most popular role being ‘Holly Voit’ on Criminal Minds: Evolution for two seasons (so far). I’ve been a SAG member for over 10 years, and I’ve worked on commercials for brands like Chevrolet and Verizon and other projects like the Nickelodeon’s Kids Choice Awards and Little Big Shots with Steve Harvey. I love posting content about my lifestyle and my career on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Outside of my work, I’m a 2nd degree black belt in Taekwondo, a pretty good guitar player, a makeup enthusiast, and a geography and music nerd.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who taught you the most about work?
Definitely my parents. I think that because they both have such different experiences working yet were able to manage work while raising my sister and I, I look up to them when balancing activities gets difficult. Neither of them are actors or work in the industry at all, yet they taught me work ethic that has served as a firm foundation for everything else I’ve learned about work from teachers, fellow actors, and my community. My dad has always emphasized the importance of being reliable and responsible, so even though being on set is my happy place, I know I have a job to do and I can’t let the cast and crew down. Meanwhile, my mom’s life story to me is a testament to the importance of humility, gratitude, and taking advantage of opportunities, so I continue to push myself, even when it gets hard. While these traits aren’t specific to the entertainment industry, I think they have served me the most in my acting journey.
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
I can actually pinpoint the moment I felt the power behind my pain and feelings most powerfully. I have always felt emotions very strongly; while it keeps me passionate about my work, it has been my weakness growing up. My biggest fear was letting people around me know when I was sad or frustrated, so the fact that I couldn’t hide my feelings because you could read my face bothered me so much. But the day of my Criminal Minds audition it all came to a head; I was having a rough day already, and getting a same-day audition to do was the last thing I needed. I tried to go into it with good spirits, but my mom, who I was taping with, would accidentally read one of my lines or the stage directions, meaning I would have to restart the entire tape over again. This led to bickering with my mom which only made me more frustrated; ironically though, this was a scene where I was supposed to be frustrated and arguing with my parents, so I began to draw parallels and really use the emotions I was feeling and deliver a more authentic performance. I remember feeling really satisfied with my performance and how I was able to apply my frustration to enhance my performance- I was really glad the casting could see that too and that I booked the role because of it.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
Definitely not; but I think its a good thing. Don’t get me wrong, I would love to be able to be the real me all the time, but sometimes you need to ‘fake it ’til you make it’. Like everyone else, there are days that I wake up and I feel discouraged or low-spirited. But I’ve learned that the world doesn’t wait for you and you have to be ready to put your best foot forward even if it’s not what the ‘real you’ wants to do. As someone who always tries to spread positivity and present the best version of me, I remember I have the ability to make a difference in other people’s lives and I never want that opportunity to go to waste, even if that means upselling myself sometimes.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Are you tap dancing to work? Have you been that level of excited at any point in your career? If so, please tell us about those days.
I don’t think there’s been a day where I’ve stepped onto a set and wasn’t smiling ear to ear. It’s so hard to because every experience I’ve had as an actor feels so surreal as a teenage girl with too much screen time. Getting to work on a show that I was actually a fan of prior to working on it was definitely a highlight, but to be honest, every acting job I’ve had has been really exciting. I’m reminded that I’m so privileged to have a job like mine where I get to work with amazing experienced actors and learn from them.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: ally.nordahl
- Other: Tiktok: ally.nordahl
