We were lucky to catch up with Haley Beauregard recently and have shared our conversation below.
Haley, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today. Can you tell us about a time that your work has been misunderstood? Why do you think it happened and did any interesting insights emerge from the experience?
insights emerge from the experience?
There’s no denying that the film and television industry is an oversaturated market (i.e. too many actors, not enough jobs) and, as a visual medium, inevitably this market gives more opportunities to the physically blessed. Wrap all this up in a society that historically places a woman’s primary value on her youth and beauty, and you have a recipe for mischaracterization. If you don’t fit the stereotypical model mold, it can be easy to be passed over for work.
I have a distinct memory of sitting in an agency interview. They didn’t know what to make of me. I was compared to a young Kate Winslet, which I took as a huge compliment, but seemed to seriously confuse them. Was I funny? (A question I was asked.) Maybe I wasn’t tall enough? Not thin enough? Maybe I needed to age a bit before my look made sense.
But the thing is, there are people with faces like mine, with bodies like mine, at the same age I am, and we make sense in the real world. And isn’t film a representation of that?
Now, of course, I’ve gone into projects where people know exactly where I belong and how to utilize my strengths as a performer, but this kind of industry-wide attitude towards women really inspired me to start creating my own work. It’s been a long road seeking out and connecting with other collaborators who share my vision and values, but has ultimately been incredibly fulfilling and self-actualizing.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I would describe myself as an actor/singer/voiceover artist/ screenwriter/sometimes party princess (see attached photos for princess evidence). Something that I’ve learned from over 15 years in the entertainment industry is that you can’t just be good at one thing. At first, that idea felt incredibly intimidating and overwhelming. With so many areas of expertise in this business, how could I become experienced or good enough at something without giving it my full attention? By being thrust into this kind of environment and mindset, I was forced to cultivate adaptability. If I had to say, I think that’s what sets me apart.
Adaptable is not my natural state. Far from it. But through the intentional cultivation of flexibility and versatility (all of the “ily’s”) I gradually broadened my skillset so that I can now contribute to and make art through multiple mediums. This process helped me realize that yes, I can be good at other things! I have value even when I’m not acting on screen with a camera pointed in my direction. And I think that is a tough lesson for a lot of performers that is often learned the hard way. But there is sweet to the bitter. There is beauty in recognizing new strengths, to contributing in ways we didn’t expect, and to finding new and innovative ways to express ourselves.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
I think one of the biggest lessons I had to unlearn is going to seem really trite and obvious, but it’s that the entertainment industry is not fair. It’s not a meritocracy and your talent and ability makes up for a very small percentage of what goes into making you a success. It can be really discouraging to receive 100 “no’s” while scrubbing a successful person’s toilet to make ends meet, waiting for that one “yes”. And how excruciating watching others around you succeed because of nepotism, connections, and just the blind luck of it all! But that’s just it. So much of succeeding in this industry is about luck and once you know that and accept it, really, truly accept it, then you can start cultivating a mindset that is both parts realistic and healing.
Because yes, I’ve had to unlearn all of those preconceived notions about my own success, and start reframing what success looks like to me. Most importantly, I had to start being gentler with myself.
My late agent would give me pep talks (he was really great at giving pep talks) and he would tell me that the most important thing I could do was to not give up. So many people quit. But we’re all just waiting on our luck to change. We can try and do everything in our power to bring opportunities into our lives, but in the end, we have to release what we can’t control back into the universe and just be ready when luck calls.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
Something that’s really inspired me as both an actor and a screenwriter comes from some rather difficult experiences; Sexual misconduct in the entertainment industry is no secret, at least not anymore, following the #MeToo movement, and I am one of countless women who have experienced sexual assault/misconduct. These experiences have really fueled my writing. I wanted to ask questions about these experiences, wanted to talk about their gray area, about the feelings they brought up in me. I wanted to connect with other people who had been through something similar by creating meaningful art.
I always loved that performance on stage or screen was a safe vehicle for an audience to feel and work through emotions from a comfortable distance. My mission going forward is to advocate for other women and quieted voices. To bring a safe space and a safe work environment to my future projects, and to cultivate holistic teams of good people, not just “the right people”. People who respect the autonomy of others. Ultimately, I want to help in whatever small way to bring this industry into a healthier and safer era.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.haleybeauregard.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/haley.beauregard/
Image Credits
Headshots by Darnell Bennett Photography.