We were lucky to catch up with Autumn Ivy recently and have shared our conversation below.

Autumn, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

At my high school graduation party everyone asked me what my plan was for college. Naturally I said, “theater and dance.” They looked at me with those eyes. You know, the eyes that any adult with a stable career and consistent income says to someone who wants to pursue the arts for their whole life… eyes. I stayed strong. I continued down this route of “lights, camera, action!” or if you’re more of a theater nerd like myself, the route of “what’s your objective when you say that line? Is it impacting your partner the way you want it to?” Either way, I was in love. This is what I wanted to do and I was not going to waiver. However, after getting the proper training and becoming a professional actor, the hustle is quite painful. No one will talk to you about the year of silence after you poor your heart and soul into hundreds of auditions and know in you heart that you’ll book it just to find that its been 6 months and still you’ve heard…nothing. All the false promises other creatives make to you after a show that have “such a great part for you in their movie, we are just waiting for the money to come in, I’ll give you a call!” Or it’s getting a callback or being pinned for a project over and over and over again just to still hear…silence. So, in a way, I understand why everyone at my graduation party gave me those “eyes”. And yes, I think about how financially stable I would be if I chose to be a therapist, doctor, or teacher….trust me I have. The thing that I find truly interesting, that keeps me from throwing the towel in everyday is when I picture my life with any other job, no matter the digits on the check, I am incredibility, horribly and completely miserable. That’s why I show up everyday with a huge smile on my face to do another audition, callback and believe it or not, to do another project. When I get cast it’s because I stick around and I love what I do. I have so much faith in the process and the relentless amount of work I put into my craft. If I’m being completely honest, I couldn’t be happier. This is my one true love. And if you’re in the same boat as me just remember that this is a marathon not a sprint. There is so much work to be given to everyone in this industry as long as you stay in the game. So join in and play!

Autumn, 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?

Growing up in a primarily entertainment family, I was bitten by the performance bug. My father (being the BIG BUG) is a fantastic magician and comedian who has performed on the Vegas strip for about 15 years,traveled the world, starred on Broadway and now has his own magic theater in La Qunita, CA that he runs with my super star mother alongside. Seeing all of this play out as well as getting to travel occasionally with my dad for shows became something I knew I needed to pursue myself. However, magic was never the goal for me.

I started doing small plays all throughout grade school that built up my confidence and passion enough that I wanted to continue past high school. I applied to Wayne State University in Detroit for a major in theater and a minor in jazz dance. After one year in school my parents mentioned the idea of their magic theater being built in CA and thought that I’d rather pursue acting in LA instead. I immediately started googling top acting schools in LA. I came across The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in West Hollywood. After a very nerve racking audition in Las Vegas and receiving a couple scholarships, I was in! My time at The Academy helped me grow into a professional actor with a tool kit that you can’t get anywhere else. I stood out in my classes that soon gave me great credibility as an alum. After graduating with a degree in Acting and Advanced Acting for my completion of the 3rd company, I was done! Finally a professional actor.

While continuing to audition, I found that a great way to use my extra energy for creating was through music, writing and directing. I have a love for jazz singing and have pursued it in between my acting career as well as writing and directing. I have several short films in my archive that I can’t wait to make and share with the world! As long as their are outlets for artists like myself, we will always be around.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

“You need to be as good as the best”. The truth : you need to be YOUR best. Whoever you are, no matter your training or natural talent, you will never be the next Anthony Hopkins, Meryl Streep, Daniel Day Lewis, Florence Pugh or whoever you believe to be “the best” at acting. Because there is no “best”. There is only you and them. Everyone will approach a role differently and uniquely. No one will do it the same way. There are so many amazing actors in the world right now that are constantly auditioning that haven’t been seen by the right person yet or haven’t made the right connections to be considered by anyone to be “the best”. Your favorite celebrities are subjectively good just like art on a wall. Not everyone will like the Mona Lisa even though it’s considered one of the most popular paintings. Your absolute best is just as good as anyone else’s, you just haven’t had your moment to shine yet on the stage or on the screen. I promise your time will come, just keep at it and do YOUR best.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

What I have noticed from being around other actors or musicians is that we all have one thing in common; empathy. We have so much empathy pouring out of our pores that we have to have somewhere to put it. We want to fully understand what another person is going through just to become that person ourselves. It makes our heart sore to be able to captivate an audience with the layers and depth we put into a character and creating their whole life story from scratch just to be able to perform a scene or monologue so truthfully that you can’t see where I begin and the character ends; we are one in the same. It’s almost like a drug. Obsessed with trying on some else’s clothes, hair style, likes, dislikes, humor, pain, or trauma. We love to tell stories, that’s what we do.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.theivyshow.com
• Instagram: @the_autumnivy_show

Image Credits
Dana Patrick AADA company Jeff Hobson Fabrizio Danielle