Story & Lesson Highlights with Seth Thielges of Hollywood

We recently had the chance to connect with Seth Thielges and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Seth, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
I love exploring, taking the train to a new place and finding local shops or cafes to read at or browse. Just something to get me away from everything.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Seth. I am an actor, singer, dancer, and director. I most recently graduated from The Art of Acting Studio’s 2.5 year Professional Conservatory. I ended my time there with a production of Angels in America, in which I played the neurotic and verbose Louis Ironson. I’ve also been working on my original stage show Trapped in the Triangle, based off the story of Joseff Kohout as told in The Men with the Pink Triangles.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who taught you the most about work?
My father taught me that “the more you do now, the less you have to do later”. And that’s just him really, to the point and sarcastic.
Working ahead is basically a gift to your future self. I think we get so bogged down with the short term gratifications of social media that long term goals seem unreachable and I myself am really struggling with that right now. It’s hard for me to commit to long term goals and make sacrifices, but reminding myself of that simple, sarcastic, comment helps to keep my eyes on a fulfilling future.

When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
I think as actors, this is our superpower. We expose those parts of humanity that we don’t want to look at or are afraid to. That’s what makes a movie or play like “Titanic” or “The Glass Menagerie” timeless. But in order to expose those parts in a character, I’ve had to confront those parts of myself, make peace with them, and learn to love them. Finding ways to love my whole self is very difficult, yet, the more I do it, the more success I find in my personal and professional life.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What do you believe is true but cannot prove?
Karma. One hundred percent. I really do think that the energy you put out into the world is exactly what will come back to you. If you treat people kindly and carry yourself with joy, that’s the energy that people will return to you. Nobody wants to hang out or be nice to someone whose a bummer. Whether Karma is an actually force or just a sociological…thing…I haven’t decided yet.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What will you regret not doing? 
Traveling more. I’ve always been very curious so throwing myself into a new place to figure it out and explore is my happy place. I also find long car, train, plane rides very relaxing and a little meditative. I love watching the country side pass me by, watching the trees morph and change, the hills and valleys, going camping in them all. I love it.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @sethielges
• Youtube: @SethThielges