We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jackie Dallas. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jackie below.
Jackie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Almost all entrepreneurs have had to decide whether to start now or later? There are always pros and cons for waiting and so we’d love to hear what you think about your decision in retrospect. If you could go back in time, would you have started your business sooner, later or at the exact time you started?
**Do you wish you had started your acting career sooner or later?
Great question! It’s tricky answering that because on a gut impulse, of course I wish I could’ve started acting earlier. Of course I wish I could’ve spent more of my life doing what I love! But the honest answer is, I’m glad I started when I did because I don’t know if I would have found the same kind of success if I had pursued acting earlier, or if I would have been able to handle the challenges of being an actress if I were younger and not had the life experiences that I did when I chose to pursue it professionally in 2014.
In 2014, I made the decision to quit my then-career as a doctor to become an actress. I put in my notice that I would not be renewing my contract with the hospital over Christmas 2013 and by the following summer, I had bought a car, sold off everything that wouldn’t fit in it, and drove to California to start a new life as an actress. That’s not to say that I hadn’t thought of doing it earlier. Acting was always a passion of mine since I was a child, but aside from a single open casting call that I attended in college, it never occurred to me that it was a real career that a normal person could pursue.
I wonder about where my career would be if I had the chance to start auditioning years earlier… if I would be that many more years and roles ahead from where I am now, and I’m really not sure. I credit a lot of my success to the work ethic I brought with me after years of being a doctor, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that there is a lot of luck that happens in this line of work. As an Asian American, I have been fortunate to be in a time where diversity and representation and female empowerment is a priority in Hollywood, whereas before 10 years ago, it simply wasn’t. There wasn’t as many opportunities back then for strong female roles or ethnic characters onscreen, and those that existed were often supporting characters that played into stereotypes or tropes. I’ve even seen the change during my early years, where my first few auditions were characters like ‘nail salon technician’ but now I get opportunities that a leading roles and characters where their appearance doesn’t impact the story in any way. It would have been fantastic to dream that I could’ve been one of the trailblazers like Lucy Liu, Sandra Oh or Maggie Q, but even then, I wonder if I would have been a better person for it. When I was younger, I was much more restless and reckless, always looking for ways to have fun and often finding myself in trouble for it. If I had been handed any taste of fame and success as a teen or young adult, I probably would’ve gotten in over my head fast. And if I never found success, I don’t know if my insecurities at the time would have been able to handle it. Being an actor is a constant state of vulnerability and static. You put yourself out there and hope that people will like what you do, and 99% of the time, you just never get the validation you seek. And anyone can see on social media and press, anyone who dares to be a public persona, opens themselves up to criticism, harassment and invasion of privacy. It’s not for the weak hearted. I find that I’m able to manage it, but only as an adult who has nurtured a certain confidence about myself after going through medical school and residency for so many years, and also grown to better understand the society and world evolving around me.
So to answer your question, no. I don’t think I would have wanted to start acting sooner, and I certainly am glad I didn’t wait longer. Instead, I choose to believe that I began my acting career exactly when I was meant to.
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 am now a TV and film actress, but before that, I trained to be a doctor and had finished medical school, a clinical research year, an internship in surgery and was about to enter my final year of residency in pathology when I made the decision to leave it all behind and become an actress. I’m proud to say that the risk has been rewarded and since then, I have appeared in over a dozen different shows, such as Stranger Things, 13 Reasons Why, Criminal Minds, NCIS and more. I’ve worked in films alongside Academy Award winning actors such as Morgan Freeman and Juliette Binoche. My work crosses all genres and I’ve had the chance to work all over the United States with some of the hardest working and kindest individuals I’ve ever met.
I am so grateful to all of my friends and professional peers who have taken chances on me, and especially those who I have had the pleasure to work with numerous times over the years. I’ve been fortunate to have surrounded myself with good people who inspire me. One thing I’ve learned is that in this line of work, talent is important, sure, but nothing will beat determination and kindness.
It is a competitive career with many more aspiring actors that opportunities, and when I think of the people that I’ve enjoyed working with the most, it’s the ones who are not only passionate about their career, but are able to achieve success without stepping over others. Those who are willing to share their success with those around them, so that everyone can rise a little higher together.
Everyday, I aspire to do the best I can with my work, whether it is another audition or another day on set. And whenever I get a chance to help or mentor another actor, I love it! Nothing makes me happier than hearing a friend who I read with or coached book a role! After all, celebrating on the red carpet is always more fun with friends.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
The biggest difference between creatives and non-creatives, in my opinion, isn’t creativity. It’s an irrepressible craving.
Most people who consider themselves “non-creative” crave stability and security, and will oftentimes seek out jobs that can provide that. Responsibly planning for the future is the utmost importance. And when life is good for them, they are content.
That’s not to say that “creatives” do NOT want that.. nobody wants to worry about finances or their future. But I think most creatives are willing to risk a bit of stability for something they want more… but in a lot of ways, I don’t think creatives will ever be content enough to stop wanting more.
This might sound like a bad thing. Like greed… but let me explain…
Everyone sets goals for themselves… to grow up and be a doctor, to be a teacher, to be a millionaire, to be the next president. But there are two types of people, those who stop when they reach their goal, and those who will just move the goal posts. Creatives are constantly moving the goalposts.
And it doesn’t have to be just in artistic or entertainment industries. I come from a world of medicine. Many doctors consider themselves “non-creatives”, they work hard, they show up, they make the world a better place and are happy with it. Then there are doctors who are “creatives” by nature. They crave more, maybe they subspecialize, they want to research and publish their findings, they want to trailblaze new techniques and patent new products. They want to open up their own practices and run things their way. Maybe they don’t even want to be a doctor anymore. Lol!
When I first started acting, I was just happy that I finally found a hobby that I could be passionate about. Then, when I started working on smaller projects and doing background work, I wondered what it would be like to have a speaking role. When I got my first speaking credit, I next wanted to be on a show that everyone watched and would see me. Then after a few costars, I wanted to have a guest star credit, then recurring role credits… now I want to be a series regular on a show. It’s not that I’m not happy doing what I do, I love it every day. But I recognize that if I stop moving and growing, I’ll stop challenging myself, and THAT will make me discontent. Creatives HAVE to keep moving, even if we don’t know what the next step is, or where to go next.
I think that there are a lot of people who wake up one day a find themselves locked in a life with a trajectory that grows increasingly harder to control. Whether it is a job, or a relationship, or a living situation, or whatever… and this is for both creatives and non-creatives alike, the world is tough these days. I think a non-creative will try and find contentment in the situation first and if they can’t, they will try to figure out the most sensible solution. What can they do within their skillset and means to try and get their life back on track where they are most comfortable. However, a creative knows that they won’t find contentment and when they decide it’s time for a change, they aren’t afraid to try new things, bend the rules or even risk it all and start over again.
When I made the decision to leave my residency, I encountered a lot of discouragement and disbelief, but mostly confusion. Nobody could wrap their heads around why I would choose to walk away from a financially secure and stable career, after having invested in 8+ years of post-graduate training, to pursue acting of all unlikely things. But at that point I had to.. You see, after medical school, I had originally started out doing clinical research in a general surgery department, but wanted to be a surgeon. Then, after an internship in surgery, realized that the 80+ hours a week lifestyle wasn’t right for me and transferred to pathology where the lifestyle was much lighter. But staring into microscopes all day wasn’t something I was passionate about. I had already tried to find contentment in medicine and I just knew it wasn’t there.
When I made up my mind that I was going to quit. I saved up my earnings from the last few months, and moved to California without professional experience, training or education about acting. But I was determined to figure it out, one goal post at a time.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
One of my favorite things about being an actress is it’s never boring. Some might call it chaotic, but to me, I find it exciting that every day is totally different. Every show is a different character to play. Every day is a new location, with new scenes and new dialogue. I might be filming in Los Angeles one week, Hawaii the next and then Chicago after that. Filming has taken me to states that I don’t think I ever would have otherwise visited, like Kentucky or Mississippi, and now I’ve been to Arkansas three times for work! There have been times when my agent will call me and I have to figure out how to get to Atlanta in 2 days, or I find out that what was supposed to be a 3 days stay in New Orleans has turned into a week.
It’s make-believe as an adult. You’d be surprised at how much getting dressed up and having professionals do your hair and make-up gets you into character. One day, I might be a scared girlfriend on a date night in the 80s, the next, a hazmat scientist in an alternate universe. I’ve stepped into a sound stage that has an desert planet landscape built in it, or a victorian home that has been transformed into a cult’s den.. it’s unreal.
And how many jobs are there where everyone is just as excited to be working towards the same goals as you are? I get to play opposite of so many talented individuals, and have scripted conversations with them, fight with them, fall in love with them, kill or be killed by them…
And then one of the most rewarding things is to be able to share the work that you and everyone on the production have created. On TV or in the theater, you can transport someone to another world, making them feel emotions and think of the world just a little differently when it’s over. I think that is the most magical thing, to have an impact as a storyteller and potentially provide for someone an escape or perspective that they’ve been looking for in their own life.
I travel a lot to different comic conventions around the country throughout the year, and it’s always such an incredible experience to meet fans of the shows I’ve been on, see them dressed up as their favorite characters, and talk to them about why it was so special to them. I know that many fans are grateful to get the chance to meet famous actors from their favorite shows, but they have no idea how humbling and grateful I am of them.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jackiedallas.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaxdallas
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jackiedallasactress
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/jaxdallas
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/jackiedallas
- Other: https://www.imdb.me/jackiedallas
Image Credits
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