Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ashwini Ganpule. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Ashwini, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

Growing up, I wanted to be just like my uncle: my dad’s brother was 11 years older than my father and was everything I wanted to be – retired, happy, able to fall asleep at any time, cozy, and most importantly free to do whatever he pleased. Because was a family tradition to have a cup of coffee with a loving dose of cream and sugar and watch the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, I grew up imagining myself as one of the glamourous guests: hearing the announcer read my name, strolling across the stage to the armchair where tales of my work would charm audiences in-person and at home. I thought to myself that once I was retired I could pursue my dream.

I knew I wanted to be an entertainer, but I was always so shy and self-conscious that I never revealed that part of myself to anyone outside of my family and close friends. I have always loved making people laugh and have been known to have quick wit and a goofy sense of humor. As a child I entertained my family with impressions of themselves and people we had encountered as well as characters I would make up. But, I also had the aptitude for math and science, skills that lend themselves well to engineering.

But, after experiencing a period of intense burnout and apathy during my undergraduate Mechanical Engineering studies at Carnegie Mellon University, I found that acting was the thing that made me feel alive and get the motivation to get out of bed. It gave me purpose and energy and allowed me to let go and play.

I realized that performing was a need, not a want. As hard as I tried to run from it, going so far as getting a Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering and working in consulting, my life felt empty without it. Thanks to the immense privilege, love, and support in my life, I am able to follow my passion now – no retirement needed. (But I still am following my uncle’s footsteps; I wear sweat pants and slippers often, drink lots of sugary coffee, watch late night television, and fall asleep often.)

Ashwini, 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 am an LA-based storyteller, actor, and newly-minted comic. I would describe myself (and have been described by friends) as “delightfully awkward” and “unironically nerdy.” I believe that life is an adventure, so we might as well make it fun and exciting. While my main focus is on television and film, I also love the art of live performance.There is something special and irreplaceable about live performance, especially when it comes to comedy. I love acquiring new skills and live by my mom’s principle that, “no education is ever wasted.” Most recently I have taken up Stand-Up Comedy and have started performing at venues across LA. I have been doing acting training (comedy and drama) professionally since 2020 and have been acting full-time since 2021.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

With social media and the nature of the entertainment industry, it can feel like everything is a competition and that someone else succeeding necessarily means that you are failing. I am currently in the process of unlearning this. I have struggled with professional jealousy and frustration, thinking of other actors “taking” opportunities away from me. It can feel like the audition process can pit actors against one another, like the “best” one “wins” the role.

That narrow view of the business of acting made it seem like a lonely, toxic world. I was so caught up in what other people were doing that it started to feel restrictive and too high-pressure to be fun. Learning that there is room at the top and that our journeys to success (and even what that means) are as unique and personal as each individual is has helped restore that joy and wonder of discovery in my creative endeavors.

It is also so freeing to be genuinely happy for someone else. I have a great network of talented, hard-working creatives, and it feels so much better to be proud and cheer them on than to harbor resentment. Although unlearning this competitive mindset is still work in progress, I try to remind myself every day that I am enough and that each day is an opportunity to do the best I can with what I have (resources, emotional capacity, etc.).

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I like to think I’m pretty good representation of the “everywoman.” I want to represent humanity as it is, not an idealized version of it. I want to show that embracing what you are instead of punishing yourself for what you’re not is how we find success. We don’t all have to look or act or behave in a particular way to call ourselves creatives.

More broadly, I think participating in or watching a show, live or on TV, is a very important way of bonding that brings people together in such a beautiful way. I want to focus my craft on the joy and wonder that life has to offer. My goal is to, even if for a moment, transport audiences to a place outside of themselves where they can just come along for the character’s journey. I think that is the power of acting and what I want to bring to the people who see my work is understanding. If we can relate to lines on a page, how can we not relate to a person standing right in front of us?

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashwiniacts?igsh=YTQwZjQ0NmI0OA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@ashwiniganpule?si=VK_SyetWdUpT197g

Image Credits

PC: Dorothy Jackson, Taylor Russ, Smita Ganpule, Jodi Miller, Alyssa Tortomasi, Catalina Parra, Velisa Li, Nicolas Wendl, Yongyi Zhao