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

Adi, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

I believe it takes strength, resilience, unshakable self-belief, and a willingness to fail. Simply put—never stop.

I’ve failed. Many times.

I moved to LA in 2015 to pursue acting. I dropped out of college, worked a sales job, and saved enough money to make the move. When I got here, I had no idea what I was doing. There’s no clear, step-by-step path to becoming an actor. Unlike other careers, where you follow a set education and training path, acting requires you to learn as you go.

So, I spent years fumbling—trying everything, not knowing what would work. I failed along the way.

I took every class—scene study, commercial, improv. Some helped, some didn’t. I spent thousands on headshots that led nowhere. I’ve had bad performances caught on camera. I even wrote and produced a web series that makes me cringe today—a story about a girl searching for love.

A top agent once told me he’d never sign me because I wasn’t “competitive.” An acting teacher said I wasn’t attractive enough and would only ever book “co-star” roles. Eventually, I gave up. I quit. I moved to Phoenix for a couple of years.

But I realized something— as I worked my day job, and tried to build a new life in a new city- I realized I was existing and not living. Being an artist is the only way I can truly live this life. So, I came back.

I’ve failed countless times on this journey, and here’s the thing—I’m ecstatic that I get to keep failing. Because every failure has led me to a place of momentum, trust, and freedom. Each rejection has built a resilience in me. I know now that I’m meant to create art for the rest of my life.

No one and nothing can stop me. I trust my path. I trust that everything is working out for me. All I have to do is keep going.

Adi, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m Adi—an actor, writer, and storyteller.

I’ve been drawn to storytelling since I was young. I remember a 7th-grade English assignment where we had to write short stories, and only the best one would be submitted to a contest. I don’t remember all the details now, but I wrote about a young girl struggling to connect with her distant mother—very dramatic. A week later, my teacher pulled me aside and told me to never stop writing. He chose my story out of the entire class and submitted it to the competition. I think that’s when the spark was lit.

That same year, my family had moved to a new city, a new house, and I started at a new school. I didn’t have many friends, so I did what felt natural—I stayed in my room, watching movies and TV shows. I became obsessed with film, Hollywood, actors, and the entire filmmaking process. I couldn’t shake it. I studied performances, memorized scenes, and admired actors I hoped to one day be like. But I wasn’t confident enough to admit I wanted to be an actor, so I kept it to myself.

In high school, I took drama and performed in school productions, but it wasn’t until college that I seriously considered acting as a career. College felt aimless. My first semester, I barely went to class and ended with a 1.0 GPA. I had no idea why I was there—I went because it was expected. Every time I looked at a list of majors, I went blank. I knew I couldn’t choose English, Theater, or anything artsy—my family wouldn’t understand—but nothing else interested me. So, I dropped out and kept it a secret.

That’s when I finally admitted to myself what I had always known—I wanted to be an actor. I wanted to give my dreams a real shot.

I got a sales job, moved in with my then-boyfriend’s family, and worked for two years, saving up to move to LA. At 22, I made the move. That’s when my life truly began.

I think what sets me apart is that I know who I am. I believe in integrity. I won’t cut corners, use people, or manipulate my way to the top. This is a lifelong journey, and I’m here for the ride. I’ve struggled—financially, emotionally, spiritually—but I’ve always found my way back to myself. Every loss, setback, and hardship has given me more depth, more love for the human experience, and a greater sense of purpose. That’s what I bring to my art. That’s what connects people to my work.

I love people. And I know that the only way to keep going is through community and fostering the right relationships.

I’ve written several TV pilots and short films. I recently finished a dramedy pilot—possibly my most vulnerable work yet. I wrote and produced a short film that’s currently making its festival run, with our world premiere in April at the LA Black Film Festival. I’m constantly writing and now producing shorts with friends.

I haven’t gotten my “big break” yet—but that doesn’t worry me anymore. I’m already living the artistic life I was meant to. I’m already doing the thing. And that’s enough for me.

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

I had to unlearn the belief that I was unworthy and not enough.

Growing up, I wasn’t considered a “beautiful girl.” I have a lazy eye and was called “cross-eyed” my entire childhood. My two front teeth had a massive gap, and I avoided smiling out of fear of being made fun of. My mom would tell me that in Nigeria, a gap is a sign of beauty. I would always respond, “Well, we’re not in Nigeria… and I don’t feel beautiful.”

I had crushes on boys who didn’t like me back. I wasn’t a cool kid, though I secretly wanted to be liked. I always felt misunderstood and out of place, never quite knowing how to fit in.

I’ll never forget sixth grade. A new boy started at my school—automatically popular, even though he was kind of mean, always talking back to teachers and getting in trouble. One day, I was walking down the hallway to the restroom when he stepped out of a classroom and started walking toward me. It was the first time we’d ever been alone together. I intended to just walk past him, maybe say hi.

As he passed, he looked me straight in the eye and said, “You ugly girl.”

I was 11. And I never forgot that moment.

For a long time, I believed him.

But it wasn’t just about beauty. I grew up feeling like I wasn’t good enough, like I would always be rejected and unwanted. That belief followed me into adulthood. I dated men who didn’t value me, who used me and discarded me. I chased people who ran. I surrounded myself with fake friends who didn’t truly like me. My inability to see my own worth made me attract and settle for people who couldn’t see it either.

I spiraled into a deep depression that lasted about seven years. I hit rock bottom multiple times. I even considered ending my life. And when you reach a place where you don’t want to be in this world anymore, you realize something—no one’s coming.

I had a choice: die or choose to live.

If I chose to live, I would have to really live. I would have to love myself. To see that I am worthy of this beautiful life. To find gratitude in the experiences that shaped me and recognize the people in my past as teachers, not tormentors. I would have to build resilience and have faith that I am on the right path, that I was given everything I need to become the person I am meant to be.

I know I’m beautiful—not because of anything external, but because of what I’ve survived. The rock-bottom moments have molded me into a resilient, vulnerable, and hopeful person.

I know my worth now.

And I wouldn’t change a thing about the path that got me here.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

When I moved back to LA from Phoenix, I was essentially starting my acting career from scratch. I took a course called Hollywood Winner’s Circle with coach Wendy Alane Wright, and it was a game-changer. It provided structure to an actor’s journey—something most actors don’t have.

The course laid out a step-by-step process for putting together a professional package, building skills, and assembling a team of managers and agents to help with submissions. Looking back, I wish I had taken it when I first moved to LA.

Every actor needs guidance. The art is important, but learning how to treat your career as a business is even more crucial. Hollywood Winner’s Circle helped me do exactly that.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/Itsadiyoung
• Instagram: @itsadiyoung
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itsadiyoung/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Itsadiyoung
• Other: IMDB: https://m.imdb.com/name/nm7190957/?ref_=fn_al_nm_0

Image Credits

Katherine at FRESH LOOK PHOTOGRAPHY

Abbas Suliman