Life & Work with Ellodee Carpenter

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ellodee Carpenter

Hi Ellodee, 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?
Hi my name is Ellodee Carpenter. I’m a Los Angeles native pursuing a career in the creative spaces as an actress, model, content creator, and artist. I started acting at an early age in my parent’s footsteps. Acting has always been my main identity, but within the last few years, I stepped into modeling. Most recently, I’ve also exercised my budding passion for content creation and ceramics! I love all of these hobbies because they give me the freedom to express myself creatively in such different ways.

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?
The road is in fact not smooth! There are theoretical potholes and detours at every curve, but we prevail.

The most challenging obstacles that come to mind are COVID – which shut down dozens of productions, having a major effect on our industry – followed very closely by the SAG-AFTRA strike. In both instances, filmmakers were denied access to their work. This disrupted many people, even pushing them to quit jobs and leave California. Seeing this hurt me as I had to say goodbye to close friends. As a performer, I felt lucky to have the privilege of growing up in Los Angeles with my family close by.

Personally, these roadblocks gave me lots of time to reflect on my passions and other interests. While taking time away from show business, I was able to cultivate meaningful relationships and travel much more. This year I had time to reconnect with family and had the chance to tackle a cross country road-trip with my boyfriend. The idea was daunting as we hit the road is his 1977 VW bus, but we had the most magical time. It was definitely a highlight of my year and an experience of a lifetime! I also stepped into modeling, began creating social media content, and had the opportunity to nurture a budding hobby of ceramics. As someone who naturally captures every moment, making videos was the missing piece I was searching for. I particularly love sharing baking videos and cooking recipes. . Ceramics has alway been something I’ve had interest in and now I’m happily a member at a beautiful studio. I look forward to selling some of my pieces soon, so stay tuned for that 🙂

Although the obstacles slowed down some aspects of my creativity, they gave me equal opportunity to expand my horizons and discover new interests.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’ve always felt most fulfilled through storytelling. I grew up in a beautifully creative home that nurtured self expression from an early age. I started acting when I was 5 years old and am still passionate about it two decades later. I’m most proud of a feature film I had the opportunity to bring to life last year. It’s a coming-of-age high school comedy called “Almost Popular.” Filmed in a time-crunch right before the strike, it was a labor of love packed with countless memories.
After celebrating a successful run in the festival circuit, “Almost Popular” will soon be on platforms for everyone to enjoy. Being able to support a project that I worked this closely on has been extremely fulfilling. This particular film was also exciting because our cast and crew is predominately female, starting with our talented writer, Pamela Duffy, and one of our powerhouse producers, Grace Santos. I’m so grateful to that experience for giving me the voice to contribute to an impactful story. That is something that has become very important to me as I’ve gotten older, especially in a time where media is becoming more and more influential.

Outside of work, 2024 was a peacful year of healing and self reflection. I’m proud that I took the time to allow myself access to new outlets and said more “yes’s” than “no’s” <3

What matters most to you? Why?
I find importance in surrounding myself with likeminded, positive people. I believe that if one person wins, we all win. In my experience it’s easy to slip into a negative mindset as a young woman navigating a career in these industries. I think it’s also important to cultivate a true understanding of self-identify. Living in a city as chaotic as Los Angeles, it’s easy to get pulled in countless directions, so having a true sense of self is crucial. The revolving feelings that come with rejection, comparison, and random obstacles are always disheartening, but as long as you continue believing in your own talents and maintaining an encouraging network, the journey is much more fulfilling.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellodeecarpenter/?hl=en
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@ellodee?lang=en

Image Credits
Nastasia Dusapin
Chase Yi
Jentrie Bentley
Sheri Angeles
Wildcardphoto