We were lucky to catch up with Brittany Vadnais recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Brittany thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I tell this story all the time. I was just a little kid, six years old and I asked my mom if I could audition for Barney. She said no because we didn’t live in Texas where Barney was filming, and I joke to this day that I still haven’t forgiven her…it’s just a joke though. I have. I just find it so fascinating that at the age of six I didn’t say “I want to be on Barney”, which I did, I used the word ‘audition’. What six year asks to audition for a TV show? My mom did let me do plays at school and church, and eventually I got cast in roles in the community theatre. I was excited. I got to work with grown-ups.

So basically, I grew up doing theatre. I went to New York Film Academy for musical theatre. While my time there was fun, I soon learned it was my acting that set me apart. So I set my sights on film, and I fell in love with the camera. That’s when I found Wendy. When I found Wendy and Hollywood Winners Circle, I had cheap headshots (trying to get the best deal), little confidence, and really bad footage. It’s hard to believe I haven’t even been there a year, but I’ve learned so much I now know how to navigate the business part of show business. It’s not easy, and nothing happens overnight.

You have to constantly keep learning, and not just learn the craft of acting-but learn to love auditioning. If you don’t love every chance you get to act you won’t do well in this business. I think back to that day I asked if I could audition for Barney and I smile every time because six year old me knew. I just knew. I now have, multiple shorts, and independent films under my belt. Amazing agents on both coasts and a book written about the shenanigans I got myself into over the years.

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?

I wanted to be an actress, so I asked my mom. I started young, some people do and some don’t. I got into this business because I have an amazing mom who wants her children to be happy. I could go on and on about how supportive and amazing she is. My whole family really. I have a great support system, before my grandma passed she would come to every night of every show I was in. Shirley Temple was my biggest inspiration. I remember wanting to be just like her. I strived to tap like her, to be as entertaining as her-she was a true performer. So was I-until I was twelve. I had to take a break. I think the fact I was able to perform and I hate to use the word “normal”, but I’m “normal” now is amazing. Time to be vulnerable. There was a time in my life I couldn’t perform.

I just started puberty and spent the night at a friends house, my mom came to pick me up and I stood up to leave and had a seizure. I hit my head on her iron fish tank and also got a concussion. They thought it was exhaustion so I was sent home where I had two more, they admitted me to the hospital…long story short. I had a long fight with Epilepsy. You can’t even tell now, but I couldn’t be onstage for a long time, almost two years while they got my medication sorted out. They thought I’d never perform again. I love proving people wrong. Whenever someone says I can’t do something, I find a way to do it.

I knew the business part of show business, I kept studying the craft and getting better. I never thought I was above anyone or any class. I forced myself to do the work and invest in myself. Today, I’m still getting work. I’m still doing what I love. It was a setback, and I’m stronger because of it. I’m still living life and I’m living it to it’s fullest. I’m proud of what I accomplished. I’m proud I don’t let my disease control me, and that I can be open about it. I’m proud of the roles I’ve recently booked. I’m proud of how good an aunt I am to my niece and nephew. I’m proud of everything I write and I’m happy. I am so happy, and that’s important in life.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Hollywood Winners Circle, and Actors Access. Wendy and Sean are amazing, and I until I had an agent I didn’t know we could Self-Submit too! It’s your career. I didn’t know I was allowed to submit to things. I just had a stack of headshots and the internet, praying I wasn’t being scammed or preyed upon. Thankfully, I learned how things work.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

I think they’ll struggle to understand why we chose this career path. The conventional route, revolves around achieving good grades for admission into prestigious colleges, securing a promising career, buying a home, building a family , and working a 9-5 lifestyle until retirement. However, that’s where we differ significantly. We are actors, artists, or writers—careers that defy the norm. Our lives are characterized by uncertainty, lacking the stability of a predictable income, often shared with multiple roommates in modest accommodations. Employment is sporadic, at times scarce.

The question naturally comes to mind then: Why opt for this unpredictable path? Personally, it’s about the thrill of embracing uncertainty. We aren’t just working; we’re shouldering multiple responsibilities. Why exert ourselves so relentlessly? This choice isn’t merely about seeking financial security or simply not conforming to societal norms. It’s about pursuing a passion that electrifies our spirits, propelling us forward against the odds, and crafting a life adorned with the fulfillment derived from wholeheartedly pursuing what we love.

“The gratification comes in the doing, not in the results.”

-James Dean

Contact Info:

• Website: www.brittanyvadnais.com
• Instagram: @brittany_vadnais

Image Credits
Ethan Clay (First Image) Ricky Bell Jr (2nd and 4th Image) New York Film Academy (3rd Image)