Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelsey Toussant.
Kelsey, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
As a child, I was actually pretty quiet. I would briefly blossom whenever I was given a creative assignment from school. From then on I knew I had creative genes flowing through my body. To this day my dad has a talk show I wrote, produced and starred in on his phone. I don’t think he knew I had it in me, no one did, not even me.
When high school came around, I joined a theater class and that’s when I realized I wanted to pursue creativity for the rest of my life. At the same time, I was a full-blown Jehovah’s Witness and I knew the two couldn’t co-exist. So I decided to leave the religion and set my focus on attending California State University, Northridge.
I went through three majors; accounting, broadcast journalism, and then finally theatre (the practical math lover in me still wasn’t comfortable with going all in as a creative). After a successful play, costume designing, directing, improv, and on camera classes, I realized that I didn’t choose this dream it chose me. I would be doing myself and everyone else a disservice if I only made it a side hustle.
After graduating, acting became my life. Since then I’ve been honored to be a part of several web series’, short films, (hopefully featured in a feature film – it’s in post-production!), a commercial, and shared the creative space with some of the most talented creatives I know. In addition to acting, I also dabble in modeling and I’m starting a clothing line named TOUSSANT – coming this fall 19′.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Absolutely not!
Coming from a very strict religious background I’ve had to break out of a mentality that I’ve had for more than half my life. I was so separated from society and didn’t even realize it and I’ve had to play catch-up ever since. From rebuilding relationships with family and friends to watching movies I wasn’t able to experience. Even to this day, friends of mine will ask if I’ve seen certain movies and they can’t believe that as an actress I haven’t seen some of the most iconic films!
Then there’s just the everyday struggle like finding gigs, having a day job that encroaches on my dreams or not being able to pay for additional training to catapult my career.
There’s a lot of sacrifice that goes into being a creative because the road isn’t cookie cutter. Figuring out which road works best for me has caused a lot of downfalls, disappointments and fruitless expenses.
Despite those challenges, I can go through rain, sleet, mud, snow or hunger and get one opportunity to act, then suddenly I don’t remember how hard the journey’s been.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
My main focus is acting and earlier this year I was blessed to do an AJAX commercial, which has been one of my proudest moments thus far. One of my most consistent projects has been a web series called PrettyDudes, and we’re going into season 2!
I’m also looking forward to being a successful designer. My clothing brand TOUSSANT, which sparked from a costume class in college. I quickly learned that I could sew in my sleep. I was faster and more accurate than anyone else in the class. It rapidly grew into a passion and now I have a line coming out this fall!
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I think everyone has luck, but some people aren’t prepared for it.
I can’t remember where I heard this first but I truly believe Luck is when Preparation meets Opportunity.
Success to me is connecting dreams.
Which would involve me becoming an actress so someone else can be a director, and someone else can get their first PA job, and through this film someone else can discover their dreams while watching.
Or designing, so someone else has the opportunity to market my designs, and someone else gets to open their dream store and feature my clothing.
Even down to the random dreams I have such as opening a school/seminar for discovering your passion if you feel lost and unguided by the traditional systems in place.
My dream is to make other dreams happen through my success.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kelseytoussant.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @k.michelletoussant @_toussant_ @kella.rella
Image Credit:
Patrick Ryland @patrick_ryland, Uma @uchennamphotos, PHOTOJENIC @photojenic_artistree, Jomar @wideshut, @iammrwanderlust, Luis Burgos @luiefromtheblock, @twinfolkcreative
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