Today we’d like to introduce you to Julienne Irons.
Julienne, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’ve always known I wanted to perform. There was always something extremely special to me about creating a moment and witnessing how people responded to it. When I was younger my Dad and I use to break into sudden improv and create 10 minutes to day-long stories, sometimes changing the characters we were while other times we would full heartedly commit to the person (or thing) we first began with. Needless to say, with my Dad around I was never the lone artist in my family. There was always someone to create with. I remember the moment I knew for sure that acting was not only something I wanted to do but something that was an actual career path. My church went on a trip to see Mama I Want To Sing at the Heckscher Theatre in Harlem and I absolutely fell in love with the stage.
At the end of the show I looked up at my Mom, pointed to the stage and said, “Mommy, I want to do that.” She looked at me with a smile on her face and said, “I know. But you have to go to college.” With the seed planted and the spark lit I set off on the path of being a creator and I’ve never looked back. My first bit of acting training was in High School. When I first became a student at West Orange High there was only musical theatre and since I don’t sing there wasn’t much room for me to be a part of those productions. Thankfully, a drama teacher was hired and with her guidance, we were able to produce shows that were fit for the vocally challenged like me. We also created a drama team that competed in and won various drama competitions.
After high school, I attended Tisch School of the Arts at NYU where I received my BFA in theatre arts. My main focus over the past few years has been content creating and I have acted in and produced various independent projects a few of which have won awards. I am also an instructor and acting coach at Acting Pros which is run by Love Is star Wendy Davis. My most recent bookings have been roles on FX’s Atlanta, ABC’s For The People, Fox’s The Orville and Epix’s Get Shorty. I’ve also booked a national network commercial this year.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. Over the years I’ve struggled with anorexia, depression, and lack of self-worth which all hindered me from really moving forward in my career and life. I’ve always been a bit of a late bloomer and my career has taken its sweet time in bearing the fruit I’ve always worked so hard to see.
Please tell us about Julienne Irons.
I am an actress, teacher and acting coach. As an actress, I’m most proud of my tenacity and never give up attitude. There have been so many times that I wanted to quit. So many times when I’ve felt inadequate or hopeless but I still decided to press on. I’m proud of the moments when I’ve been so afraid but felt the fear and did it anyway and now that “I got this” attitude is finally starting to pay off. I teach an audition technique and close up class at Acting Pros a studio in Glendale, CA run by Wendy Davis and I absolutely love it.
As an acting coach and teacher, I’m most proud of helping my students expand. I get high off seeing that ah-ha moment light up an actor’s face. I love being a part of the process that helps actors get out of their own way because they start to see that auditions are way easier once they know what to do. I’m proud that I’m a part of an acting studio that is run by actors for actors.
We aren’t just teachers that never see an audition room or a set. We live and breath the work and that in and of itself is the key to helping other actors be the best artist they can be. What sets me apart as an artist and a teacher is that I am unapologetically getting more and more comfortable just being me. No filter. No excuses. Just me.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Learn how to handle money better but other than that nothing. All my experiences have gotten me to where I am and it’s a pretty damn good place to be.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ActingPros.com
- Instagram: @julienne_irons
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/julienneirons?ref=bookmarks
- Twitter: @JulienneIrons8
Image Credit:
Exact Digital/Andy Rooney
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