Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Ahlquist.
Hi Ashley, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
After receiving my degree in Political Science and working on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, I decided to drop everything and become an actress in Los Angeles. It’s almost as random as it sounds. I grew up in a big, artistic family in suburban Minnesota. I’m the second oldest of six kids, and we were always putting on home musical performances and making movies with the 10-pound video camera. I had studied theater, choir, ballet, oil painting and the flute and nothing made me happier than performing and entertaining people. I’ve always wanted to make a positive impact in the world, but after realizing politics was not the path I wanted to pursue, I decided to follow my passion – acting. I still hope to have a positive influence through acting and performing, to work with other talented people to portray the truth, beauty, and goodness in the world.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road to becoming a working actress has been as smooth as a cactus. I first found out acting on the stage is completely different from acting on camera, so here I was thinking I had all this experience and talent from the theater, and I basically had to re-learn how to act. The audition process sometimes feels like a full-time job that I don’t get paid for. The constant rejection was a harsh reality check. (Surprise! Just because I think I’m great doesn’t mean the rest of the world does, lol). I’ve had to learn to build resilience and not take rejections personally. Booking the role is not just based on talent and hard work alone – it also has to do with your look, height, age, the sound of your voice, etc. – all things outside of my control. But I’ve learned to focus on the things I can control, which has taught me to enjoy the creative process of auditions and have acceptance when I don’t book the job.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Well, I’m an actress! Most recently, I’ve been in several episodes of the YouTube Series Dhar Mann where I’ve played my most favorite role as….the villain! I promise I’m very nice in person, but I sure do love playing the bad guy on camera!
I also love comedy. I recently filmed a Rom-Com feature film, Eat Your Heart Out, which is still in post-production. I played the sassy best friend, and it was hilariously fun.
One of my most exciting days on set was acting opposite Grant Bowler in The Asylum’s Super Volcano. For such a seasoned, experienced actor, he was so kind and encouraging and I learned a lot from him, which was ironic because I was playing his therapist!
My dream is to be a series regular in a sitcom!
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
It is incredibly important to find your tribe who supports you, especially in your representation. It’s also important to have boundaries – what you will and will not do – and that your reps understand and support them. I’m very grateful I have finally found a manager who backs me up 100% – but I had to go through many reps who were not in alignment with my values, and needless to say it made for a frustrating and discouraging experience. It’s also crucial to find acting schools/teachers who support you for exactly who you are while also teaching you to become the best version of your actor-self. I’ve had acting teachers make me cry and tell me to basically change who I am, while other teachers encouraged the uniqueness that is me and only me. (This is true for friends and partners too!)
Find other things completely unrelated to acting that makes you happy. Yes, get a hobby. For me, I go rollerblading at the beach every single weekend and I finish each day reading a good book. Because if I put all my worth and happiness into the success of my acting career alone, I would be very unhappy. Acting jobs aren’t consistent for most people (including me), so it’s been extremely helpful to have different things in my life that bring me joy.
My last piece of advice is – don’t compare and despair! Easier said than done – I have to remind myself of this every day. This is a competitive industry, but the only person you should compare yourself to is YOU. If I compared my career to Angelina Jolie, then ok, I’m a failure, I guess I should quit. But when I compare myself to where I was 2, 5, and ten years ago – I’ve come a long way and have grown so much, am a much better actress, and have worked on a significant number of better projects. I am grateful for each and every opportunity I’m given.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.imdb.me/ashleyahlquist
- Instagram: instagram.com/ashleyahlquist
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ashleyahlquist/playlists
Image Credits
Nogen Beck
