Today we’d like to introduce you to Paige Baskin.
Hi Paige, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
After years of listening to me singing songs from The Little Mermaid, my mom got me out of the house by signing me up for local community theater at age 10 in the suburbs of Chicago.
By the time I aged out of the local children’s theater, my family moved across the country to the Bay Area. By then, I was pretty set on becoming a professional actor. I performed in plays and musicals through high school. Tired of perfect weather and good vibes, I then moved to rural Ohio for college.
At Oberlin, I studied theater and also discovered an academic interest in Russian and Eastern European studies, eventually leading me to study abroad at the Moscow Art Theatre School in 2018. There, we studied Stanislavsky, Chekhov, Russian Film, Droznin movement, and other Russian theater history. It was one of the most enriching and beautiful experiences of my life.
My plan after college was to move to Chicago and hone my chops in the incredible local theater scene before heading to LA to do screen acting. But then! I was offered a summer internship in the LA office of Odenkirk-Provissiero Entertainment, and while there, I decided to skip the whole Chicago step.
In the years since moving to LA, despite a pandemic and a strike, I’ve found a scrappy, hungry, creative community. I’ve auditioned, worked, and expanded my vision of what a creative life can be.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road has not been entirely smooth. The thing(s) that are always challenging about beginning an acting career is the amount of upfront investment required. Collecting materials, taking headshots, and signing up for so many different acting classes! So much work and all of it necessary!!! And you have to be discerning. There are lots of pay-to-play traps in this city and none of it is cheap. It can feel like you’re throwing your entire bank account at the wall and watching nothing stick. Haha! Ha!
So, what have I learned? One of the biggest lessons from this period of my life was understanding that, while it feels like there’s a million possible ways to move my career forward and there’s no guidelines for which ways to take, the most important thing is to pick a few things to focus on, to create a timeline, and then to actually do the things I told myself I was going to do. “Follow-through” is the mantra that helped me finalize an acting package I was genuinely proud of, find representation, and eventually to write and self-produce a short film, something I never would have imagined doing just a few years ago when I first moved to LA.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am dramatic, and I like dramatic roles, but I’ve also enjoyed the occasional comedy or horror gig. I like parts that have a “Hedda Gabler” edge, or in other words, repressed but self-possessed young women act out- either in menacing and toxic ways or pushing the envelope in some other capacity. That said, I am always looking to take a risk and stretch my acting muscles.
I have been dabbling in writing and producing. Most recently, my comedy short film “Cool Girl” (dir. Brandon Dougherty, produced/written/starred in by me) premiered at the LA Shorts International Film Festival in June 2023 and released online via Film Shortage in December. While acting is my primary focus, I am continuing to write and develop a creative voice and continue collaborating with my wonderful and ever-expanding creative community.
My time in LA has been about film acting, but I won’t lie! I miss the theater. It was my first love! Moving into 2024 and beyond, I am beginning to prioritize that work in my life again and hope to be back on stage soon.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I constantly strive to be a risk-taker. They say don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good and, as a not (yet) perfect person, I agree! Fear of failure is poison to an artist. Even though it is super scary, you have to put yourself out there!
How have I been risky? I studied abroad in Russia! I moved to LA to pursue a career in acting in the most competitive market there is! Sometimes, I run a half-marathon with a tummy ache (well, one time, anyway)! Still, especially over the pandemic, I found myself struggling to be a “risk taker.” People kept telling me to “start writing!” and “make your own stuff!” and “get out there and meet people!” and I couldn’t get myself to do these things.
I realized that something holding me back was how judgmental I’d become of people who were putting themselves out there. I love to be critical, but that inner critic was making me extremely fearful of doing anything myself. In fact, I was envious of these fearless people. It takes trial and error, risk and failure, and risking again. People are going to judge, and not everyone is going to vibe with your creative vision.
Letting this go (thanks, therapy!) while still valuing my critical lens, I was able to change my mindset. A big part of that was the support I got when making my short film. An important person was my mentor, acting teacher, and coach, Alex Ross. The filmmaking process was full of challenges. Alongside director and cinematographer Brandon Dougherty, we raised over $18,000 dollars, hired and paid our crew and cast, and produced a finished project. Creating this film taught me that I have the ability to create my own place in this industry.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9132986/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk
- Instagram: @paige_baskin
- Other: resumes.actorsaccess.com/paigebaskin
Image Credits
Matt Kallish
