Life & Work with Emma Broz

Today we’d like to introduce you to Emma Broz.

Hi Emma, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.

Hello! My name is Emma Broz and I am an actor originally from Dallas, Texas. Growing up in Texas, I played every sport you can think of with my dad as my coach. When I was a kid I had dreams of being a professional athlete. One day a friend of mine asked if I wanted to take dance classes with her, and after just one class the teacher told my mom I should move up to the advanced class. I immediately fell in love with dance and soon after I began learning other styles of dance such as ballet, jazz, and ballroom. That is really what catapulted me into the world of the arts. I ended up quitting all sports by the age of 13. Though my dad was heartbroken that he would never watch me play sports again, ultimately he was thrilled I had found something I was so passionate about.

For as long as I can remember I was obsessed with movies and television. I remember having memorized the birth dates and origin stories of every Disney Channel star as a kid. I was always researching the actors I saw on screen. I was amazed when I discovered that a person could play pretend for a living. I realized I wanted to do that too. Initially my parents were surprised by this as I was always pretty shy and never craved attention. I remember when I was little I wore this pink leopard print dress to a Christmas party and the dress got me so much attention I told my mom I would never wear it again. Something that drew me to acting was that the shy girl went away as any attention I received was shifted from me to the character I was playing. I started auditioning for school plays, theaters in my community, and eventually professional gigs. Both of my parents have always been completely supportive of my goals, and I believe their unwavering confidence in me has gotten me this far. I switched to online school at the age of 16 to have more flexibility in my schedule so as to focus on acting. It was always my dream to move to Los Angeles since I was probably about 9 years old. To me, it always seemed like a place where dreaming big is celebrated, and I also had a weird obsession with palm trees which made it even more appealing. Upon graduating high school, I moved to Los Angeles to further pursue my passion.

About a month after moving to LA I signed with a dance agency and quickly began auditioning for commercials, music videos, and live performances. The first job I booked was a dance role in a music video for a song called “In Camera” by the band, Yumi Zouma. The choreographer was inspired by some of the moves I did in my improvised audition and he even added some of them to the choreography for the video. To this day when I hear the song playing at the mall or in a coffee shop, I am instantly flooded with amazing memories. However my professional dance career did not last long as I feel like I hit the dance scene at the height of twerking which I seriously do not have the butt for. I still love to dance but I quickly realized I wanted to focus on acting.

I’ve always loved meeting new people and hearing their stories as a source of inspiration and fuel for my art. Something that has always drawn me to acting is that I’m given the challenge of inhabiting a completely new being on each and every gig. Every one puts out a version of themselves they want others to see, but as an actor you have to dive beneath the surface and explore all the little intricacies that make them unique.There is always more to learn, and I’m so excited to be a student of this art for a lifetime.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?

I feel that no part of the life of an actor is ever a smooth road, and I am okay with that. I like the excitement (and sometimes chaotic nature) of this industry and don’t feel like I’ve ever wanted to live a “comfortable” life that doesn’t feel like I’m constantly on a roller coaster. I actually really like roller coasters. I live for the moments before walking on stage or into an audition where I feel like I might pee my pants and I am grateful for all the times I have faced painful rejection as I know that only gives me more motivation. Of course with covid and the more recent actors strike, I was one of the many actors apprehensive about when I would get to work again. However, when work slowed, I was excited to further explore my creativity, because I had a break from being bogged down with the industry side of things. During the strike I started writing and have really enjoyed the challenge and the opportunity to use a different part of my brain. I feel like in the short time I have been writing it has already changed the way I approach the acting process causing me to look for an even deeper understanding of the characters and what the writer might be trying to convey.

Moving to LA from Texas was an adjustment for sure in the sense of trying to find my footing and my “squad”, but overall I couldn’t be happier to live in LA and experience all the exciting opportunities that have come with it. Living here has made me realize that I genuinely value friendships and I have had to learn that the fast paced nature of LA sometimes doesn’t lend itself to growing long-lasting relationships. I love the strong bonds that are created on set and at times it can be really tough to get myself past the loss I feel after wrapping on a project. Having to say goodbye to all the cast and crew that I grew so close to in such a short amount of time and having to face the reality of the unlikeliness that we will ever be that close again is always a hard pill to swallow. Even though I am annoyed by my own emotions sometimes, I have realized over the past few years of living here that feeling things so deeply is actually something to be celebrated and a helpful tool in my acting toolbelt.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?

I’ve been told by every acting coach I’ve ever worked with that I really excel in comedy. In class at the first acting school I ever attended in LA, the teacher had me perform countless scenes from the show, “Friends” playing as Phoebe, as she loved watching me play that character and told me I should study Lisa Kudrow’s career among other women in comedy. I definitely love to laugh and make others laugh as well and have even been working on a 5 minute comedy set that I will hopefully gain the courage to perform at an open mic one day. Definitely won’t be inviting any of my friends to see that but I am really looking forward to learning more about the world of comedy as a whole. I feel like biting the bullet and trying stand-up could help me as an actor as well and give me a new perspective on the art of performance.

Something I worked on recently that I am super proud of is an indie feature film called Big Boys directed by Corey Sherman. The reviews have been extremely positive and it has already racked up quite a few awards at film festivals around the world. It’s a coming-of-age comedy about a teenager discovering his sexuality and all of the challenges and anxiety that come along with coming to terms with who you are and finding the courage to share your truth with the world. I had a blast working on that project and am so pleased to be a part of a story that I believe is a very important one to tell.

As far as what I think sets me apart, I believe I possess a strong work ethic and kind of toughness that were achieved from my years of playing sports. I was constantly overlooked as I was always the smallest kid on the team, and so I became accustomed to having to prove myself if I wanted to get off the bench. I also learned to take direction very well and was able to make small changes to my playing style to suit the style of my opponent. This has actually come in quite handy in acting and life in general. I’ve always felt like people underestimate me based on my young looking appearance and delicate frame, but I can be feisty and do not take no for an answer when it comes to living out my dreams!

Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?

I feel like when I first moved to LA I treated every interaction with people in the industry as an audition, and I have learned that just being yourself will get you very far. People want to work with people they like and feel comfortable with and not just someone that’s good at the job. I’ve learned the importance and joy of building relationships with the people I work with beyond just having a good rapport with them on set.

Contact Info:

• Email: emmabroz02@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmabroz/
• Other: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/big-boys-review-corey-sherman-queer-1235520692/

Image Credits
Deidhra Fahey