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

Hi Lindsay, thanks for joining us today. Can you take us back in time to the first dollar you earned as a creative – how did it happen? What’s the story?

My first job as a professional actress was when I worked as a background actor on the Nickelodeon series “Zoey 101.” I had recently moved to Los Angeles, and I was very excited to be on a set. It was a great show to work on, and I had fun! Although I have moved on from background work and I only work as a principal actress now, I do feel that it is a good experience to be on a set, understand and apply film terminology.

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.

Everyone has a different path entering the entertainment industry, but I first started working in the business as a baby print model. I modeled as a toddler for a children’s clothing catalog in Chicago called “Weathertamer.” I am originally from Chicago, Illinois, and I was fortunate to be close enough to a wonderful theater scene. I really enjoyed being in front of a camera, and I pleaded with my parents to sign me up for acting classes. I took classes at the Lake Forest Community Children’s Theater. I was also in a production of my first play, “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown.” I was hooked, and I did not want to do anything else with my life.
I trained in New York through taking independent acting classes from different acting studios, and then I moved to Los Angeles. I work privately with Warner Loughlin and her team of amazing coaches to prepare for projects.
I lived in New York and Los Angeles. Since moving to Los Angeles, I have worked on a variety of different projects. I originated the role of Tracy in a theatrical production of, “The Houseguest of Xinjiang.” Additionally, I have worked on numerous independent films, most notably in the upcoming feature film “First String II.”

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Being able to do what I love everyday is what I find to be rewarding. It is important to follow what is in your heart, and pursue your passion fully.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Yes. During the pandemic, the entertainment industry shutdown and it was a very scary time. I had to find another job to support myself, so I became a flight attendant. While I was working as a flight attendant, I had two serious injuries. The first one was a traumatic brain injury after I hit my really hard at a weird angle against an airline door. I was in agony for several months, and I could not move my head to drive. I worked with an acupuncturist, and I was able to heal from the injury. The second injury was a back injury after a hard landing. I worked with a physical therapist to stop the spasms. But after the second injury, I had to stop flying. My obstacles resulted in the culmination of my first short film, “The Champion Tree.” It is loosely based on my healing process from my journey as a flight attendant. I believe it is important to take bad things that happen to you and see the light at the end of the tunnel. Whenever something bad happens to me, I find a way to fix it and turn it into a positive learning experience.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://filmfreeway.com/TheChampionTree
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/linds_arends/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LindsArends/

Image Credits
Photographs by Lori Dorn, Collin Stark and Joshua Shelton.