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

Gigi , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with 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.

I was born into my craft, booking my first National commercial for Chuck E. Cheese at five years old, while also singing on stage and starring in plays in front of hundreds of people. My parents split led to a halt in my child acting career, so I lived a normal life as a teen although my love for movies has always been there. As I grew up and everyone started discussing college, I knew it wasn’t for me and that what I really wanted was to pursue acting as an adult. I think something you can do to “speed up the process” is not just practice your craft, but learn how things work on the opposite side of the camera. It helps you understand people’s positions and all the things that actually go into making a movie. It’s also valuable to watch other actors work. There are so many moving parts and puzzle pieces, as everyone’s job on set is important in bringing the film to life. I often hang around on set even when I’m done for the day, just observing. Class is important, but experience is the best teacher.

Gigi , 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?

After winning $250,000 on FOX’s American Grit, I made the move across the country to Los Angeles to pursue acting whole heartedly. I have always gravitated towards horror and pretty much broke into the horror community two-three years into living here. It can take a long time to find your tribe, or “film fam” as I like to call it, so I’m blessed to know and work with the people I am working with now. I have dabbled in a little bit of everything though, from comedy (bulge bracket on Amazon prime, Sally Floss) to Action (Fast and Fierce:Death Race starring DMX) to drama (American Trash with Tom Sizemore and Robert LaSardo). However, horror remains to have my heart! This past year was a big one for me as I executive produced/starred in the short film “NITE FLIRT” which stars Bill Moseley and myself, releasing soon as part of a horror anthology “Night of the Missing” from Tremendum Pictures (Directors of The Gallows). The short also has been acquired for feature treatment.. details to come!

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I truly think acting and learning the craft has made me a better person. It encourages the study of human behavior, and allows for a lot of personal growth through discovery when doing research for a character. It has made me more understanding, learning to see life from different perspectives.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

After multiple lifetime and tv movies which were just leaving me creatively starved, I finally took my career into my own hands with Nite Flirt. I hired a writer, then hired the team, and we shot the whole thing in a day. It drained my bank account at the time, but it’s been the most rewarding project I’ve ever done. CAST YOURSELF!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @gigigustin
• Twitter: @gigigustin0

Image Credits
Magazine Cover: David Yang
Head shots: Brent Bailey
BTS: Sasha Dylan