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

April, appreciate you joining us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

How did you learn to do what you do?
I’ve always loved passing on knowledge, so the teaching and coaching part of what I do has come pretty naturally. But when it comes to acting, there are so many things I wish I’d known earlier. One of the biggest lessons was realizing that not all training is created equal. When I was younger, I tended to take classes based on convenience—what was nearby, what fit my schedule—instead of seeking out the best possible teachers. If I could go back, I’d be much more intentional about learning from people who had either done what I hoped to do or had trained actors whose work I really admired.

Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process?
I wish I had understood how much the quantity of time you spend really matters. I heard Tony Robbins say something once that stuck with me, which to paraphrase is that people who seem “naturally talented” often just have a ton more reps under their belt. For example if you wanted to learn tennis—if you practice one hour a week, you’ll get about 50 hours practice in a year. But you could also get those same 50 hours in two weeks if you trained 25 hours a week.

What skills do you think were most essential?
Confidence, a willingness to take risks, and the ability to keep going even when things don’t go your way. One quote that really stuck with me comes from Jamie Kern Lima (founder of IT Cosmetics): “Stack your proof, not your doubt.” That mindset shift—focusing on the evidence that you’re capable rather than the fear that you’re not—has made a big difference.

What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?
Perfectionism, for sure. I spent a long time trying to “get it right” instead of allowing myself to just be in process. Another big one was learning how to ask for feedback—and actually take it in—without letting it shake my self-worth. That is a skill in itself and one that is so important if you truly want to excel and get better at anything!

April, 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 an actress and acting coach based in Atlanta, with a passion for helping lift other actors and creatives up. I teach a class called Emotional Access at Drama Inc., where we focus on expanding emotional range in a healthy and repeatable ways—so actors can go deep without losing themselves in the process. I also lead workshops on the topic and am partnering with Kurt Yue (yes, the one from YouTube) on some recorded classes for actors that aren’t able or ready for an in person class on the subject.

As an actress, I’ve had roles on The Walking Dead, The Vampire Diaries, and Will Trent among others, and I’ve starred in multiple indie films. As a teacher, I love helping actors not just get into those darker, more complex emotions—but learn how to get out of them, regulate their nervous system, and build confidence.

For the nerds reading this, I’ll be doing an “Intro to Emotional Access” workshop at Dragon Con this year and would love to see you there!

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

I’m a read-a-holic!

Some of the books that have really influenced my mindset around both creativity and entrepreneurship are Atomic Habits by James Clear, Traction by Gino Wickman, The War of Art by Steven Pressfield, Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert, and Positive Intelligence by Shirzad Chamine. I also really enjoyed The Tipping Point and Blink by Malcolm Gladwell.

One concept that’s stuck with me this year—I wish I could remember where I read it—is about completing bridges, even if they’re not perfect. You can build a gorgeous, intricate bridge, but if it stops halfway across the river, it’s useless. Sometimes it’s better to build a simpler bridge that actually gets people to the other side. That idea has helped me shift out of perfectionism and into action, which has made a huge difference in my productivity and peace of mind.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I used to be very attached to the idea of what my life was supposed to look like. I was sure I’d be married with two kids and a thriving acting career—I had the whole picture in my head. And for a while, it seemed to be tracking. I got married, but kids didn’t just come. Eventually, we found out that we might still be able to have them, but the cost—financial, emotional, and physical—would be astronomical, with no guarantees. Whether we pursued biological children or adoption, it was going to be an uphill climb.

It took a long time—and a good chunk of our savings—for me to let go of forcing my life into the shape I thought it should be. But once I stopped pushing and started accepting life as it actually was, things started to open up. Without children, I had the space to refocus on my acting career and return to teaching, which I had stepped away from. I began to love the life I was living—not the one I planned, but the one I had.

And then—just a couple of months after that shift—something incredible happened. A family reached out to me through 23andMe. Turns out, what I’d been told was a failed egg donation from years ago had actually worked. I now have a biological daughter I get to know, and it’s been one of the most surprising and meaningful things to come into my life. I’m not a parent in the way I once envisioned, but I do get to experience a version of that connection—and it’s amazing. I’m even writing a screenplay about it that I hope to make and get to act in!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.aprilbillingsley.com
• Instagram: @april_billingsley
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theaprilbillingsley/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprilbillingsley/