We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Julie Paige a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Julie, appreciate you joining us today. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?

Growing up, I wasn’t exactly a star student- I wasn’t great at test taking and math was literally my arch-nemesis. Whenever school felt tough or especially when I’d get my report card, my mom would always remind me of how amazing my creativity was. She’d make it sound like it was an incredible superpower to be creative- I wholeheartedly embraced this. I NEVER felt bad about not being the best at math or any other subjects. Instead, I just felt like I had my own special kind of magic. This later changed in college where I went on to be a star student haha- but this encouragement my mom gave me as a child has truly shaped and carried me through life in the best way possible.

Julie, 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?

I grew up in a small town just outside Rochester, NY- so small that if you blink while driving through, you’d probably miss it. Ever since I was a little girl, I have always loved telling stories and finding creative ways to express myself.

My first love was dance. Growing up, I practically lived at my dance studio. I lived down the street from it and would often show up before the owner did to open up- patiently waiting outside the building eager to start class. My very first audition was for the Rochester Flower City Ballet’s, Nutcracker, when I was 14. I went up against and older age group of dancers for a duet on pointe as one of the Wind-Up Dolls…and landed the part! I also danced as a flower and a snowflake- which made me feel like a tiny, graceful force of nature. That experience taught me an important life lesson: if you believe in yourself and work hard, you can achieve anything you set your heart on.

In high school, I started modeling. While I had no idea what I was doing, I was unreasonably determined and signed with my first agent on my own… AND somehow got my parents on board with this idea. My first paid modeling job was for Eastman Kodak- a brand that I not only love SO much but was also founded in Rochester. I keep a special collection of vintage Kodak cameras with me that belonged to my dear Grandmother- Kodak will always hold a special place in my heart. From there, I went on to book local commercials and print jobs.

After graduating high school, I moved to New York City to study fashion at college. I earned my Bachelor of Business Administration in Fashion Merchandising and Design while balancing internships at Ralph Lauren, Bergdorf Goodman, Tiffany & Co. and Madison Square Garden- during this time I continued to model and also competed in the Miss NY USA Pageant. I booked parts in various music videos, print ads, and NYC based morning shows.

My love for storytelling finally felt fully realized after a I graduated college and began to study acting. I would even say that my love of New-York-Based films like “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” (truly!) subconsciously pushed me toward moving to New York to become an actor. I started cocktail waitressing at an incredible little blues club called, Terra Blues (right next door to the iconic Bitter End), in the West Village to pay for scene study classes- I immediately fell in love with the craft.

Fast forward to today- I’ve been in LA for a decade building a career I love. My most recent and notable role is, Young Nora, in Lifetime TV’s- “Secret Society of Lies”. Although, I am most proud of the stories I’ve co-written and produced with my production partner. We’ve now made 3 short films- most notably, “The House Call’, which I also starred in. It made a full festival run during covid and picked up multiple festival awards and recognitions. We’ve since optioned a feature-spec to Sypher Studios and are consistently pitching other stories.

I’ve also appeared in several national commercials with brands like NFL Shop, Proactiv, and Third Love to name a few- and have also appeared on the cover of countless New York Times and USA Today best-selling romance novels.

Through it all, I’m endlessly grateful for every twist and turn along the way. Life may not always follow a straight path, but that’s what makes the story so fun.

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

Los Angeles has a way of testing you. This city is beautiful and relentless all at once- a place where dreams feel close enough to grab while also being as distant as the stars in the sky. When I first moved here, I believed I was ready for the journey- and I was, but what I didn’t fully grasp was how much resilience it would demand from me- not just once, but over and over again.

There have been unpleasant meetings with agents, managers, and unsavory producers. There have been reps I’ve had to part ways with or dealing with constantly being told “no”… I always joke that I’m not sure if it demonstrates resilience or insanity on my end haha BUT, here’s the thing: when a door closes, you learn to build your own. I truly believe that a ‘no’ or any kind of rejection is simply a small push in the right direction. There’s no one singular way to do this- we’re all on our own unique journeys.

I have always refused to let the industry or anyone for that matter define my worth. I know what I’m capable of. I know the literal fire I carry inside me- the stories I want to tell, the characters I want to bring to life. Someone recently referred to me as “Snow White with machetes” and I really lean into that haha. When auditions are slow, I write my own scripts. When roles don’t come, I create them… and that’s where the magic happens.

“The House Call”, was born from that determination in a lot of ways. The film went on to win multiple festival awards and I earned a Best Leading Actress recognition. Though, it wasn’t about the accolades. It was about proving to myself that I could create opportunities when the world was telling me “no”.

Regardless of how far along you come, the challenges never truly stop. I still have moments when doubt creeps in. Moments when well-meaning, but misguided people, have made ill comments or have said discouraging things to me. But if I ever start to feel defeated, I remind myself of why I started. Acting and storytelling isn’t just a dream- it’s one of my callings.

The truth is, the path isn’t easy, and the wins don’t always come quickly. But resilience isn’t about the speed of success; it’s about the strength to keep going even when the world seems determined to stop you. Every rejection, every setback, every “no” is just part of the story. Those things don’t define me. What does define me is my ability to keep showing up and to keep believing in myself…even when others don’t. And that belief? That’s what turns dreams into reality.

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

From a young age I had been given the advice- “say yes to everything”.

Take every audition. Work every job. Smile at every opportunity, no matter how small or unrelated to your dream it seemed. And for a while, I did exactly that. Especially in the beginning- I said yes to auditions for roles I didn’t connect with and yes to projects that I didn’t connect with.

In those early days, every “yes” felt like a tiny step forward- another chance to prove myself, to be seen. But over time, I’ve learned it is sometimes actually more powerful to say, “no”.

The first time I said no to anything was definitely the scariest. What if saying no meant missing out? What if I closed a door that could have led to something bigger? Or what if I seem ungrateful? But I was realizing something: every yes to the wrong thing was a no to something that mattered to me more.

So, I said, “no”.

That small, powerful no marked a turning point for me. It wasn’t just about declining one audition or project- it was about reclaiming control over my time, my energy, and my goals.

Saying no isn’t a sign of failure or a missed chance. It’s a boundary set to protect your dream, your passion, and yourself.
Sometimes, the greatest strength isn’t in saying yes- it’s in knowing when to say no.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.juliepaigeofficial.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejuliepaige/
• Twitter: https://x.com/TheJuliePaige
• Other: IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5981726/
  TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@thejuliepaige

Image Credits

Paul Smith Photography