Today we’d like to introduce you to Liesel Hlista.
Liesel, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started my life as an army brat. When I was brought into the world, my parents were both serving in the U.S. Armed Forces in Frankfurt, Germany. We moved A LOT growing up. I loved it because I didn’t know anything different. I played hide and seek and capture the flag in the jungles of Central America in Panama. I got to explore the subways of Seoul, Korea as a pre-teen. When I was living in Korea, I was scouted by a modeling agent while I was playing softball and that is where my life in the entertainment industry began.
I started doing print and commercial work in Seoul and while a lot was lost in translation (I only knew a few words in Korean), the work ignited my passion for performing. At 13, my family moved back to America and we settled in San Antonio, Texas. I auditioned for a performing arts high school and majored in musical theater. Upon graduation, I headed to the west coast and went to Chapman University in Orange, California. I graduated with a BFA in Television and Broadcast Journalism and a minor in Spanish. While at Chapman, I was very active with theater and met my first manager after performing a rendition of ‘The Vagina Monologues’ and off to the bright lights of Hollywood I went.
I was lucky enough to book national commercials and print ad campaigns early on. And with my journalism experience from college, I found most of my success with television hosting jobs. Most notably I hosted two travel shows that still air on NatGeo People. I had the incredible privilege of traveling all over the world working, interviewing interesting and inspiring people and eating LOTS of (sometimes questionable-bugs!) food. Once, I even interviewed and orangutan in Bali. She didn’t say much but she was still very entertaining!
In between traveling for work, I met the love of my life and life changed for me that day. He loves adventuring the world just as much as I do. We have seen the world together. We have trekked the Tongariro crossing in New Zealand and yurt hopped across Mongolia. We got engaged in Capetown, South Africa, married in Assisi, Italy and settled down in Los Angeles to start our family. We have been blessed with a feisty little girl. Becoming a new mommy has by far been the most incredibly beautiful and rewarding time of my life. She changed me and woke me up the minute I held her in my arms.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I don’t think there is such a thing as a life in entertainment business without struggle. I spent most of my 20s trying to be what everyone else wanted me to be. I tried to be prettier or less pretty or look more ethnic or more ambiguous. I really allowed others to determine how I could be seen. In my thirties, and through hosting television shows, I have learned that being authentically myself and confident in who I am is the most important. It seems so simple right?! Once I just focused on being the best version of ME that I can be, then there was less struggle per se. Also, becoming a mother ignited a new found passion. I no longer go into an audition room hoping, praying and NEEDING the job. I go in, lay out my work and quickly get back home to relieve the babysitter. I leave an audition being proud that I got to make some art that day. I know that I can only control my work, the tangible things and everything else is not for me to decide. And sometimes, it does all come together and there is magic in the room (or even on a self tape) and I find that I book more work now. I think that also happens because “this one job” isn’t the MOST important thing in my life now. My husband and my daughter are my world and I am content with knowing that I can do everything I have in my power and lay it all out there and then move on.
Motherhood also has had its own struggles. Unfortunately, I had a very traumatic postpartum experience due to a complication post-delivery. With the idea of controlling what I can, both in my personal life and professional, I decided to write a one-woman show. PostPardon Me was born and journeys the struggles and highlights of what I went through early on in mommyhood . Many women carry such an unspoken weight when it comes to procreating (or not being able to) and I am passionate to share my story to make these seemingly uncomfortable conversations more normal and even provide a few laughs along the way. PostPardon Me was an official selection at Solofest, the largest solo theater festival on the west coast. I was set to debut it on March 16th, 2020. However, a global pandemic had other plans and Los Angeles had to shut down on Friday, March 13th. It was strange having all the show week energy come to a screeching halt but I am ready to pick back up where I left off as soon as I can.
Show description: “PostPardon Me,” is a one-woman seriocomedy written and performed by Liesel Hlista and directed by & developed with Jessica Lynn Johnson. It was selected to premiere at SOLOFEST 2020, the largest solo theater festival on the West Coast.
“PostPardon Me” follows a new mom, Liesel, through her surprising postpartum journey deep into the trenches of toddlerhood. Given the privilege of raising a tiny human, with less required testing than she got at the DMV. Liesel is writing her own manual that can help her brave the storm of trying to raise a child, maintain her marriage and attempt not to be a complete hot mess on the daily.
With brutal honesty, hilarity and a bit of song, “PostPardon Me, breaks down the taboos of being a new mommy and tells it like it is. This shit is crazy, like literal shit…so much shit. Through so many diapers and so few showers, Liesel Hlista is out to save the world, one vagina at a time.
This 70-minute rollercoaster ride through mommy life will be on stage as soon as Los Angeles theatres can safely open again. https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4494980
What else should our readers know?
I am an artist with a passion for sharing stories that make other women feel seen and heard. I remember growing up and thinking that 30 something olds had it all figured out. Then, I became a 30 something old and realized that NO ONE has life figured out. Life ebbs and flows in different ways as we get older and we are all just trying to live our best life in the season that we are in. And it is okay to start something brand spanking new at any age. I recently got my yoga teacher certification (virtually) because I needed to accomplish something while the world was shut down. I always saw myself teaching yoga on a resort somewhere later on in life and I figured why wait… Focusing on yoga for a month was life changing but really it was the focusing on my myself that was so empowering. But I also had not been able to focus on myself much since having a baby. I lost a bit of who I was (pre-baby) but I have realized that trying to be that younger version of myself was silly because new me has lived so much more life. There is so much value in life experience, positive or negative, especially as a performer.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success is all in the love in my life and hopefully leaving the world a bit better than I found it. The love I now have for myself and the love I have for my family and others is everything. Professionally, as long as I am proud of what I am doing right now, then I am doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing. My goal is to be inspired everyday in some way and hopefully inspire someone else. The definition of success feels different to me after living through 2020 but doesn’t it change throughout life anyway. My goal in life is to try my best to impart any of the wisdom I have gained in life thus far to my little girl. Like we all say “if only we knew then what we know now.” My hope is that it doesn’t take her 30 years to love herself and be confident in who she is and what she stands for. If my little girl grows up to be happy in her own skin and kind to everyone she meets, then I will call this life a success.
Liesel is set to perform excerpts of ‘PostPardon Me’ virtually next month. She is also adapting her one woman show into a 30 minute serio-comedy television show. Follow @lieselhlista for up to date info.
Image Credit:
Headshot– ExactDigital Andy Rooney
B&W Mommy & Me- Michael Kluch Photography,
Family photo- Kiss Me in Paris Photography
Liesel & Anara- Michael Kluch Photography
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