We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Olivia Hodson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Olivia , thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I think I’ve always had an instinctual understanding of what it is that I’m meant to do. When I was little I would tirelessly sing and make up plays. I think the main driving force was curiosity and the will to follow it. As soon as I could, I worked privately with various coaches and on my own to develop a skillset in storytelling, specifically as an actor.
I take a lot of inspiration from my life.

I don’t see there being anything beneficial to “speeding up” the process, especially when it comes to acting. Of course there are many times I think about where I wish I could be however, I do not regret the choices I’ve made and understand they’ve played out that way for a reason. This is arguably the most important aset to have if you want to act. The ability to be present in your life experiences. This is the path to competence. This is what feeds your imagination and the empathy needed to communicate a story or become a character.

The biggest obstacle I’d say could be isolating yourself too much. There is a time and place to be alone, quiet and ask yourself the hard questions but remember that the purpose of telling stories is to share them, to awaken something within the whole of humanity. Big or small. Through humor or reflection. You don’t tell a story to a blank wall. So you need both.

Another obstacle could be not knowing where to look for resources or training. I’ve been in my fair share of workshops that weren’t teaching the craft at all, where I felt stunted and misguided. Listen to your gut and keep going. The true work and resources are out there; be vigilant of the saturation and maintain a humble outside perspective.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

When I was 16 years old, following years of youth theatre and individual training, I began working full-time in regional theatre professionally. I started with back to back contracts at an established resort theatre going on to meet and work alongside broadway directors, The Walk Disney Company and various other professionals in film and theatre. In 2021, I relocated east to focus solely on my craft in the Meisner Technique at The William Esper Studio in New York City. During this time, I took a break from performing.

With a heavy background as a theatre actress, I’ve developed a strong stamina and rehearsal process that I now bring into my work as a filmmaker too. As a writer/director I like to spend time with my cast and crew fleshing out the script. I value collaboration and developing a mutual understanding and passion for the story we’re telling. The sky is the limit!

This year, I’ve returned to the stage with the world-premiere of “Lake George” a new play by Dan Blick, which had it’s debut run in November with Telos Ensemble in New York City.
I’m currently in the final stretch of post-production for my short film, “Metamorphosis” set for film festivals in 2025. I’m very excited to share this story about love, letting go and inner transformation.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I remember a time when I was working for Disney, I was playing Young Anna in Frozen at the Hyperion Theatre in Disney California Adventure Park. At the top of the show myself and another actress playing Young Elsa enter through the audience for our first scene. When we were running through the isles full of families and Disney fans from all over the world I heard a little girl whisper to her mom, “Look mom it’s Anna! It’s really her!” That tiny moment stuck with me.
To be able to bring that much joy to someone, and have the ability to hold someone in such a way is the most rewarding feeling. Especially when you’re telling a story with a message you believe in. For me, it’s also an equally educational experience, I get to go for the ride too!

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

To reach worldwide audiences and to inspire and heal through my work.
I try to keep the future as open as possible as I’ve learned through my studio training in the Meisner technique and my personal study of Buddhism and Eastern Philosophy to refrain from anticipation or being too result oriented. That said, it’s essential to have those specific dreams clear in your mind but allowing them to play out better than you can imagine.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.oliviahodson.com
• Instagram: @oliviachodson
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/olivia.hodson.1/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-hodson-774089196/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7jIARt-3Yg4CaDULiHljiw
• Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/JkfMbxsLPiZzTyX2A

Image Credits

Kim Hodson
Harrison Hodson
Evan Haacke