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

Erin, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

One of the biggest risks I have ever taken was about a year ago when I left my stable 9-5 job to pursue acting full time.

Some backstory…I have always known I wanted to act. I went to Pace in New York City, earned my BFA in acting for film, TV, voiceover, and commercial, and thought I would dive right in after graduation. But I graduated around the pandemic and was also dealing with some personal and health challenges at the time, so the timing just wasn’t right for me and I set it aside for a while.

In that time, I tried different things. I got my real estate license, which I realized wasn’t for me, and eventually I landed in social media, working in content strategy and production. That turned into a full-time job as a campaign manager for an influencer marketing startup. I learned so much, truly had amazing clients, and built some really cool campaigns. I liked the people I worked with, and there was comfort in knowing exactly when and how much I was getting paid, having health insurance, and knowing I had a stable life. There was a version of me that could have stayed there, been happy enough, and lived a good life. But deep down I knew it wasn’t the life I wanted. My life didn’t look the way I wanted it to, and I couldn’t figure out why.

After months of going back and forth, I decided to give myself six to eight months to live off my savings and go all in on my acting career. So I quit my job. The very same week I booked my first big commercial and I thought, thank God, it was the right move, everything is working out. But as soon as it wrapped, nothing came in. For the next four or five months, it was quiet… just crickets. I was anxious. I doubted myself. I questioned constantly, what have I done? Honestly, part of me felt like I had hit rock bottom. No steady income, no backup plan, and nothing to fall back on except my own belief that somehow something was going to work out and the little savings I had left. But also in that time, I focused on finding the things that made me happy again. I took acting classes that brought me joy, spent time with friends, and explored creative ideas without knowing where they would lead.

By December, I was almost out of savings. I figured I had until early February before I would have to make a new plan. Then, two weeks before Christmas, I booked my first lead in a vertical drama, Unwanted True Mate. That project completely changed my life. Since then, I have worked steadily, filming around ten vertical dramas in 8 months, and I am now supporting myself fully through acting. It has given me income, creative fulfillment, and the freedom to live a creative life. Taking that leap was really terrifying, but sometimes you have to create space in your life so the things you truly want can come in. The in-between is so, so scary, but believing in yourself and trusting the process makes it all worth it.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m Erin! I’m an actor and singer based in Los Angeles. I’ve wanted to be an actor for as long as I can remember, but it wasn’t until I was an adult that I started pursuing it professionally. I went to Pace University in New York City, where I earned my BFA in Acting for Film, TV, Voiceover, and Commercial.

I’m currently working primarily in vertical dramas, but I’ve also worked in commercials, short films, and web series. At the end of the day, I love storytelling and sharing stories that resonate with people, whether that means bringing comfort, making them feel seen, or simply bringing joy. I treat every role like it matters because it does. I want to honor each story, the people involved, and the process that brings it to life.

Outside of acting, I’m a singer and currently working on releasing my first song. I trained in musical theatre voice, but these days my style leans more into the singer-songwriter genre. I am excited to see where both acting and music continue to take me!

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist has shifted recently. After starting work in vertical dramas, I began to see how the projects I’m in impact the people watching them. I’ve always done this work because I love it. It’s personally fulfilling, and I love the art of storytelling. But now there’s this new layer where I’m seeing that these stories bring real joy or meaning to people’s lives.

Vertical dramas can lean into a soap opera style, which is a very specific genre, but I get messages from women saying, “Thank you for these shows. I just lost my husband,” or “I’m going through such a hard time right now.” They share that these shows have given them a sense of escapism, a place to step into a romance or fantasy world and take their mind off things. Some have told me the projects helped them through a divorce, a loss, or a major life change.

Hearing that takes the work outside of myself. It’s not about me anymore. I’m just a small part of something bigger. And when that bigger thing can bring joy, comfort, or whatever someone needs in that moment, that’s when it clicks for me and feels truly rewarding.

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

I think one of the biggest lessons I’ve had to unlearn is the idea that it’s embarrassing to take risks. We’re taught to avoid being cringey or putting ourselves out there in a way that might make us look silly. But being a creative person means constantly taking risks, and sometimes those risks feel big, weird, and embarrassing. But honestly, life is inherently embarrassing and being weird and making big choices is so much more fun.

When I left my 9-to-5 to pursue acting full-time, it felt scary and definitely a little embarrassing. What if it didn’t work out? What if people were judging everything I was doing or posting on social media? But taking that leap, and sitting with myself in those quiet moments in between, is what led to some of the most rewarding growth and work I’ve ever experienced.

Truly the most important relationship you have is the one with yourself, and when you believe in what you’re doing, you stop needing outside approval to validate it. So make the TikTok, write the short film, take a class that scares you because that’s where the good stuff happens.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @erin.orcutt // https://www.instagram.com/erin.orcutt/?hl=en
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=6hvgBN3BFZc
• Other: IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9912469/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk

Image Credits

Dasha Gladkov – @dashagladd
Theo & Juliet – @theoandjuliet
@916productions_verticalshows