Today we’d like to introduce you to Cindy Busby.
Hi Cindy, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I grew up in the suburbs of Montreal, Quebec, Canada and as long as I can remember, I wanted to be an actress. I played a lot of make-believe as a child, whether it was with costumes, stories, barbies, and dolls. I grew up in a family that loved watching movies with a big VHS collection (haha, VHS shows my age). I remember watching the movies over and over again to memorize the dialogue and emulate the voices, wishing I could be on the screen. My parents weren’t in a place to help me get an agent or anything, so I auditioned for the grade 5 school play called “Alice in Oz” and booked a supporting part. From the moment I stepped on stage for the first time and felt the audience watching, I was hooked. In my last year of high school, I auditioned for the Professional Theatre Program at Dawson College, and among hundreds of applicants, I was chosen to join the 3-year rigorous program and graduated with honors in 2003. As fate would have it, while completing an assignment in my second year of theatre school, I met an agent in Montreal who took a chance on me and sent me to my very first professional audition for a television series. Needless to say, I had no idea what I was doing, but somehow, I got a callback and booked the role! At the time, my classes were still in session, and my theatre program was very strict about taking days off, so I had to turn it down. Low and behold, a week later, they called me back and offered me a different role, and luckily my semester had just finished, and so I said, “HECK YES”. At this point, I had only ever been on a real set once as a background performer, so it was quite the learning curve for me. The cast and crew were so lovely, and I even had my first on-screen kiss too. Yikes! I learned a lot and got my first ACTRA (the Canadian Acting Union) credit, which was a big deal. I also signed on with that agent too, but waited until my theatre program was done before I auditioned again. As it turns out, the entertainment industry is not as simple as it seemed. Haha! I had a streak of small parts until 2005 when I booked a lead in a mini-series about the life of Dr. Norman Bethune, which I shot mostly in China.
In 2006, I booked the role of Ashley Stanton in the new CBC pilot called HEARTLAND, which, unbeknownst to me, was the role that would change my life forever. In Summer 2007, we got picked up for season one, and I got to work with some of the most incredible people, who I still call friends. Throughout the years, I shot over 50 episodes, and HEARTLAND is the most popular Canadian television show ever produced, syndicated in over 81 countries around the world, and a fan favorite on NETFLIX.
I’ve worked with Hollywood heavy hitters like Steve Martin in THE BIG YEAR, Lea Thompson in A LIFE INTERRUPTED, triple threat Ashanti in HONEY GIRLS, Ashley Tisdale in PICTURE THIS, and Kathie Lee Gifford in A GODWINK CHRISTMAS.
Throughout my career, I’ve been a lead in over 25 television movies, most notably starring in Hallmark Channel’s UNLEASHING MR DARCY, premiering with over 3 million viewers and breaking the network’s social media record, as well as ROYAL HEARTS, which was filmed in Romania with James Brolin. I’ve also guest starred in cult classic television shows such as SUPERNATURAL, VAMPIRE DIARIES, LA COMPLEX, and PSYCH. In 2021, I was nominated for a LEO Award for my work in Lifetime’s WEB OF DREAMS by V.C. Andrews.
It hasn’t always been an easy road, but it’s always been worth it. I’ve gone through lots of ups and downs, self-doubt, and heartbreak, but one thing I know for sure, is I wouldn’t trade my journey for anything.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
First of all, I’d like to say that no smooth road is worth the travel. Growth and expansion always happens with bumps along the way. As an actor, part of my job is auditioning, and most of the time, I audition and never hear back. I’ve put a lot of time, passion, and energy into hundreds if not thousands, of opportunities throughout my career, and most of the time, it doesn’t work out. It can be heartbreaking, especially if you get really close to booking a dream job that can be life-changing. At times, it feels like you can almost grasp your dream, and then, in the blink of an eye, it’s gone. Then there are moments when I’ve been successful and financially independent and thought, this was it, I’ve made it, and then suddenly the well dries up, and I can’t seem to book a job. At times, I’ve even put my life on hold, canceled trips, and sacrificed friend and family time just in the hopes of booking that one job. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions and not for the faint of heart. When the doubt, sadness, and judgment came up, I use to question everything, but now, after over 2 decades in the industry, I know these trials and tribulations have been an important part of my journey. It’s made me resilient, compassionate, and fundamentally a better actor. It’s all happened for me, not to me, and I find that empowering. Now, I choose to believe in myself and have faith despite the outcome.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m most proud of my consistency, professionalism, and reputation. It’s been very important to me, throughout my career, to always show up authentically and treat everyone, no matter their role on set, with kindness and respect. This mindset has created longevity for me and opportunities I could only dream of. This mindset all started years ago while working on a show where the main cast didn’t so much as look, talk, or welcome me. It’s a very vulnerable thing to come on any set as a “day player” where you’re the new kid, and to have fellow actors treat you in such a way left me feeling awful, but it taught me a valuable lesson. From that moment on, I would do everything in my power to make sure everyone always felt seen in any project I’m a part of, and I’ve been true to my word.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
My top 5 things to know (in no particular order)
1- Keep being a student. Learn on set and learn in class. Just keep learning. It will make you more confident and more prepared.
2- Always keep a percentage of your pay for taxes. Trust me!
3- One minute your number 1 on the call sheet and the next minute your number 24, but no matter what, remember to stay kind and give it your all.
4- Surround yourself with people that want you to succeed, and that will have your back through the ups and the downs.
5- See the moments in between booking the jobs as your training. The experience you acquire in life is what makes you a better actor. So, live your life, don’t just wait around for the job to come along and when you’re not waiting for it, you’ll be amazed at how much quicker it comes.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.cindybusby.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/cindy_busby
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cindybusbycindybusby
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/cindy_busby
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/Thecindybusby
Image Credits
Abigail Gorden
