We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Suzanne Von Schaack. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Suzanne below.

Suzanne, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

I wasn’t getting anywhere with my acting career when I first started so I decided to try background work to learn. By being on set, I was upgraded from working as an extra to a role with lines in the film “Tootsie” which is today a classic.

If I had not done background work, I would not have gotten this big break!!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am the Queen or reinventing myself which has pushed me to grow as a creative person. I began my journey hailing from a small farm town in Wisconsin. I had a dream of becoming A fashion model and living in a big city. I accomplished that by first moving to Florida with 2 girlfriends. There I enrolled in a modeling school. They took me to a convention in NYC and the rest is history. I stayed in NY and began what became an illustrious career both in the US as well as Paris and Milan. Later, I studied acting in NY and my first movie was Tootsie working opposite Dabney Coleman and Dustin Hoffman and from there I began an acting career. I eventually made my way to Los Angeles where I continued to model and act. As I became older I stepped behind the scenes as a Fashion Show Producer. I still produce several shows a year. Along the way young people with dreams of becoming a model seek me out and I coach them and help them find an agent. I am now coaching young actors as well. But my newest endeavor has been Filmmaking. I write, produce and star in my own short films. The first film “ The Chains That Bind” won many awards at film festivals as well as a Silver Telly Award.

The second film of my trilogy “The Wonder of Love” also won awards at Film Festivals and won a Gold Telly Award. I am now in preproduction on the third film of my trilogy “Extraordinary Joe”. My intention is to merge the three together into a feature film. My entire career has been based on creativity. I have made my living as a creative my entire career. I can’t imagine working in any other way.

It has been a journey. Out of necessity to grow I transitioned into other facets of the entertainment industry. And because of the constant drive to conquer each new aspect of the business I have continued to grow my brand. I also wrote a book “Modeling Success” a handbook for models. It is a best seller available on Amazon. This was something I wanted to do for a long time to share all of my knowledge with others who had a dream like I had as a young girl. COVID downtime gave me the time to complete this goal.
My motto is to never stop growing, learning, or pursuing your dreams. You will never find me curled up with a book on the coach. I am always too busy preparing to conquer my next endeavor while I keep all of my past endeavors alive and on track.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

The goal of the creative is to never give up. Once you find your place in the business continue to build upon it. Do it all. Take singing classes, various acting classes, writing, directing, learn about behind the scenes. This will lead you as a creative to new opportunities for work

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

When I was modeling and on location for a photo shoot I was asked to anti up $100 by the other models for drugs. I refused because I told them that I don’t do that sort of thing. That evening the client and model group ditched me for dinner. When we got back to NYC, this client which was a catalogue house never booked me again because I stood up and said “NO” . I guess they thought I might expose all of them. In the meantime, this was a huge financial loss to me. I had to struggle and find other ways to make up that money and to survive in NYC. So, I decided to go to Europe and work there as a model. Givenchy had asked me to do his shows so off I went. This proved to be my silver lining as I became an International Model working with the Elite Designers. Standing on your values is important!!!
I hold in esteem the great gift of health that God gifted me at birth.

Contact Info:

• Website: Suzannevonschaack.com
• Instagram: @sschaack07
• Facebook: Suzanne Von Schasck
• Linkedin: Suzanne Von Schaack
• Other: Email: [email protected]

Image Credits
Headshot: Danika Singfield