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Rising Stars: Meet Karen Connell of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Karen Connell.

Karen, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I studied Dietetics in University, and was even more committed to pursuing acting after I graduated. I did a Masters in Drama soon after my degree and that was the start of it really. I spent a year or so doing a one woman show all around Ireland, and that eventually brought me to London. Things began to take off in London for me after this, booking roles in Ireland and abroad, while continuing to write and create my own work, which brings me so much fulfillment. Now I’m in LA, I have so much access to inspiration – I’m ready to screen my first comedy sketch “Breaking Blood” and heading into preproduction on my first feature.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Absolutely not! I struggled with getting my foot in the door, and learning how to audition properly, especially on self tapes. Confidence took quite a while to build. It took me a long time to feel self assured in what I had to offer. The practical aspects of pursuing acting while working all sorts of jobs to make it possible can’t be underestimated either – it felt impossible at times to remain inspired and positive.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m really proud of the roles I’ve played, and the impact some of them have had. The Angel of Death and Ceelia from Half Bad are two of the characters I get the most feedback on, even years later. The Angel of Death (Vikings) is my personal favorite, and seems to be a fan favorite of others too. My speciality is bringing a powerful, otherworldly physical presence to characters – my height and physique really lend themselves to this. I also resonate personally the strongest with characters like this. I’m excited to share my writing and stories with the world as the next step in my creative life – I’ve got so many ideas and really want to focus more on comedy. The world needs it now, more than ever.

What matters most to you? Why?
It’s hard to whittle it down to just one – but if I had to, I’d say being committed to inspiration, which lends itself to creativity. I’m happiest when I’m creating and feeling inspired, and find it the most fun part of the whole process, even more than the physical materialization of the project.

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Image Credits
Edo Brugee

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