Today we’d like to introduce you to Caitlin Frain.
Hi Caitlin, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’m from a small town outside of Pittsburgh, PA, called Freedom. There are not a ton of artsy types where I’m from (or people who look like me). Though I’ve always been creative, I never considered myself a performer because I thought you had to be a “ham.” I would write songs and put on performances for my family sometimes, but when it came to school, I wasn’t a theater kid or a class clown or one of those loud kids who just wanted to be the center of attention. No offense, Sami Jo.
Like most comedians, SNL was a big inspiration growing up. But it wasn’t until I saw The Lonely Island’s digital shorts that I thought, “Oh, I can do that.” When I was a junior in high school, this girl in my class, Putri, casually said, “Caitlin, you should make a music video for the Christmas Dance.” I was just like…okay. I wrote and recorded a song, then shot a (cringey in retrospect) music video with help from fellow band kids. I had never done that before. From then, I started to make comedic shorts for fun and show them to my friends. And sometimes Mr. KK would air them on DTV, our school’s morning broadcast that nobody paid attention to. I decided I wanted to do that for a living eventually, but I was still in denial that acting was for me, so I decided to go to film school.
I went to Temple University in Philadelphia for Film and Media Arts. The stuff I made there was similar to what I made in high school, but better quality. Each semester, they selected a couple of projects from each class and showed them in the lecture halls. Mine were shown every time, which is ironic because some film students made some really abstract and beautiful works, and mine were just like my family and friends and I being weird.
My last semester of college, I did a “Study Away” program in LA. I decided to move here permanently after graduating. My older siblings had all gotten good, dependable jobs near home after college, so getting my dad’s support to move across the country with no job and an arts degree took a lot of convincing.
It wasn’t until after a few years of living in LA, a script coverage internship, some production assistant gigs, and non-industry jobs that I finally faced the fact that I wanted to be in front of the camera. I started taking improv classes at UCB before studying at Groundlings, where I’d heard the program was more character-based. One of my teachers and now friend (and hilarious writer/performer), Jimmy Fowlie, asked if anyone wanted to submit for the CBS Diversity Showcase. I didn’t know what it was, but I said yes, and the next year I was one of 5,000+ applicants selected for the cast. We performed the live showcase in January 2020. I had many meetings with reps, signed with a manager, and started auditioning for series regular roles. I had no idea what I was doing. I remember driving to a producer’s session for a series regular role on an NBC pilot with tears in my eyes. “It’s really happening. My dreams are coming true!” That was February 2020.
The pandemic, civil unrest, the loss of a family member, and everything else that ensued led me to depression (naturally). After a lot of time and a triumphant return to LA, I’m grateful to say got better. I started performing again, signed with a new commercial agency (DPN), joined SAG after being eligible for years, and started booking commercials.
Currently, I’m performing on a UCB Maude team (come see “Lasers” every 3rd Wednesday of the month!). I’m also performing musical improv puppet shows with The Sound and the Furry every 2nd and 4th Tuesday. I’m finally able to see the odd characters that originate in my brain come to life on stage, and I’m letting my inner child take the reins. I’m shutting out that voice that says I’m not a performer or a theater kid and just fully committing to being weird.
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?
Like I mentioned, the pandemic was obviously a tremendously traumatic event. Not in how it affected the entertainment industry- though it did completely stall it- but in the emotional distress it caused, knowing that thousands of people were dying each day. And then the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement after the brutal murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery… I don’t know how anyone came out of that year mentally sound.
Going a year and a half without seeing my family really took a toll on me mentally. But it felt like if that was the worst thing that happened to me during that time, then I was lucky. My loving boyfriend (now fiancé), Michael, was a huge help, too.
Between the pandemic and the WGA and SAG strikes, it’s been a rough go for actors who were just getting started before the End Times. I am extremely blessed for my recent commercial success as well as the producing gigs I’ve had (I have yet to mention these, but I occasionally freelance produce on shows like “Celebrity Game Face”). I’m not sure how I would have survived otherwise.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I think my specialty, and what I’m most passionate about, is creating characters. I love to completely transform into fake people who talk, behave, and see the world differently. It brings me indescribable joy when real people do or say something subtly unusual or uncomfortable, and I like to imbue my characters with those idiosyncrasies. At times, people have tried to pin me as a young pretty face. But really, I feel most at home playing weirdos and dorks.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
Here are a few. My superpower is that I am uniquely me! The only way my dreams are not going to come true is if I give up or die first. And I’m not giving up… Gratitude begets more blessings!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caitlinfrain/
- Other: https://linktr.ee/caitlinfrain
Image Credits
Rob Mainord Photography Ralph Guerrero
