Today we’d like to introduce you to Jacqueline East
Hi Jacqueline, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Hi! My name is Jacqueline East and I was born in raised in California specifically both the Inland Empire and Orange County. Growing up I was really shy and always wanted to express myself but didn’t know how. I remember watching a lot of movies and TV shows and being so drawn to how actors and actresses got to take on so many different roles. Seeing them become different characters and making me feel so many different emotions really inspired me. Especially watching The Wizard of OZ on repeat because I loved how much that movie had so many different layers to it. As much as I wanted to pursue acting, I could not get over my fear of public speaking or making myself look like a fool in front of so many people.
It wasn’t until I graduated from Community College when I decided to step out of my comfort zone and try acting for real this time. I had tried acting classes in High School and a little bit in College but didn’t feel like I could do it until it was a decision to what to do after Community College. I got into two Cal State Universities but my mom said she knew my heart wasn’t sold into continuing college so it wasn’t smart to spend all this money unless it was fully something I loved. I am very grateful for my mom seeing that in me because that’s the fire I needed to believe in myself. So with her approval I decided to start making my way out to Los Angeles.
The first step I made was signing up for a Scene Study class in Los Angeles. That class really got me to step out of my comfort zone and start to feel comfortable in my own skin. I felt like since I was so new to this industry I decided to try out as many scene study classes as possible. A few years into classes this helped not only improve my acting but my social skills. I learned I wasn’t as shy as I used to be. One thing I felt was missing was improv which was terrifying to me, Not gonna lie it still scares me but I’m so glad I got to train at Second City in Hollywood while it was around because this definitely helped me as an actress play into more comedic roles and make more choices in my scenes as well.
Through my years of training I was able to book a few short films, commercials and some web series. As of today I’m in the process of wrapping my first short film, “Among the Dandelions” which I wrote, produced and star in. This film is based on my experience with an eating disorder and is my most personal and biggest project yet. I am so grateful to have worked with not only one of my closest friends Jen on this but met the most amazing cast and crew along the way. Being in front and behind the camera on this film has taught me a new love and respect for the film industry in which I decided to create my own Production Company “Backseat Left Productions” This is only the beginning of filmmaking journey! My goal is to make more movies that feel real but also make you laugh at times. I’ve also felt like the underdog growing up so I hope to help inspire others and also make people not feel so alone at times.
While I’m not working on my acting career I’ve been diving into other creative outlets such as photography, in the process of getting my Pilates Certification and I just launched my Pilates Sock Business, “Teal Loves Gold” this past October! My family and friends always laugh that I can’t sit still but I wouldn’t have it any other way! I’m so grateful to live in LA and work with so many talented creatives!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not always been a smooth road. As much as I love the business it can take a toll on my mental health at times. I remember two of the hardest moments earlier in my career was being downsized to background after I had booked a role and a few comments were made about my looks by a higher up. Also while interviewing with a Talent Agency one of the agents said there weren’t roles for people like me. I remember walking back to my car crying thinking I would never be good for this career. Those two situations happened within a year of each other so I decided to take some time off because I felt so isolated and unwanted. I am pretty open about my struggle with Body Image, Depression and Anxiety and if I’m ever feeling off I always allow myself to take some time to regroup before throwing myself into auditioning again.
I am so happy to say I have thrown myself back into this career full force for the past 3 years and have signed with amazing reps since then! The road is not easy but there is always a different route you can take!
We’ve been impressed with Teal Loves Gold , but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Teal Loves Gold is my Pilates Sock company I released in October 2024! Before I knew I wanted to become an actress I was interested in fashion design. I used to have a fashion blog called Teal Loves Gold where I would share my outfit details but kind of lost interest in blogging. It wasn’t until I became super invested in Pilates where I had the idea to come up with a sock brand. I wasn’t finding too many sock brands in the market that I loved so I remember telling my husband, “Would it sound crazy if I made a Pilates Sock business?” He is super business oriented so it was a no brainier and he had the idea to bring back Teal Loves Gold as my business name!
Teal Loves Gold has such a deep meaning to me too. Teal and Gold are my favorite colors and I saw it as putting a spin on the saying “green with envy” but instead of feeling envious, Teal would be a more graduated green shade, a more confident shade if you feel. I felt like it was a step of growth for me in feeling more comfortable in my skin and I always felt like Gold was such a powerful color. The goal for my brand is to not only eventually teach Pilates but also style girls in Pilates wear that helps them feel confident. I spent many years being so hard on myself so Teal Loves Gold is a reminder of how far I’ve come in my health journey and helping others along the way!
I currently sell a few different sock styles, keychains and tote bags! You can find them on my website www.teallovesgold.com
I will also be releasing more styles in the next coming months too!
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My favorite childhood memory is a making plays in my backyard with my sister Jill. We had such a creative imagination and would put on random shows for our dog. We also were obsessed with the Nickelodeon show “Guts” and would pretend to be on the show jumping off random things in the house. Mom was not too happy about that one but we were!
Fun fact my mom named us after “Jack and Jill” I used to hate it but I love it now!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.teallovesgold.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejacquelineeast/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@backseatleftproductions?si=_3BtN50kF5WgN6Cb
- Other: https://instagram.com/amongthedandelions
Image Credits
Headshots by David Muller
