We were lucky to catch up with Linnea Ingesson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Linnea, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

As long as I can remember I have been drawn to film and theater, and the ways stories have been told through these mediums. One single story can look so differently, depending on the perspective, and I have always enjoyed exploring these perspectives. However, it took me some time to realize that it was possible for me to work as an actor. For some reason, I felt like it was for other people, and not something that was possible for me. However, when I was 12 years old my mother found an ad in the paper speaking about an acting group for youths that Kulturcentrum in Umeå were organizing. That was the first time I felt it; that feeling that something was right, and that something had to happen. We submitted my request to join immediately, but I got scared. What if I did not get in? I had not approached acting at all before, and this felt like my only chance. Because of my worry, we ended upp calling them together, and they confirmed it. I got in. And that feeling came back. The feeling of being electric.

At this point I was not confident enough to know if I could pursue this artistic path professionally. Nevertheless, throughout my six years at Kulturcentrum, I became more confident in myself. Because every Wednesday night, sparks were pouring out of my heart. As the years went by, my acting group became more and more involved with the stories we wanted to tell and what we wanted to communicate. Eventually we were performing plays that had more personal meaning and touched all of us. That was when it happened. After an opening night, we were not the only ones touched. Our audience were touched in a way I had not seen before. I was so grateful. That something I had cared for so much, was received so well by people I did not know. I realized that as an actor, you get to unveil the truths of others, creating more understanding between people.

That was when I knew I had to work with this. I was not sure how, but I knew I could not go through life without feeling electric again.

Linnea, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Linnea Ingesson, and I am an actress from northern Sweden. With a dream close to my heart, I spent the first 18 years of my life in Umeå, the City of Birches. My acting journey began there, in a theater group when I was 12 years old, and continued when I participated in my first short film a couple of years later. This inspired me to take the leap to move to Los Angeles to study. So I flew from birch trees to angles, across the Atlantic Ocean. A couple of years later, after receiving a BFA in Acting for Film, and I felt more excited than ever to pursue my dreams. After graduating I have spent my time working in short films, TV and theater, and have been getting more and more inspired by the day.

Pretty early on in my work, I got inspired by identifying and communicating what I believe to be a person’s truth, when taking on a role. I remember talking a lot about “going deeper” at the time. As if every human was their own ocean, and I would always want to know what the bottom of it looked like. However, on my way to the ocean floor, I would surpass layers which might’ve been changing, and colors that might’ve been shifting, since people are unpredictable, even to themselves. I have never gotten to the bottom of the ocean, but I know that I will search for it again in the next role. And I probably will never reach it. But on the journey there, you can discover so much about a person. That is what is truly inspiring.

Through my curiosity and excitement I have been able to keep a positive outlook on my work, which I am very proud of. By working, I receive a lot of energy, which always ignites me. I want everyone who work with me to know, that I am dedicated and that I give my all.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me, as a creative, there is so much reward in the art itself. When working on your craft, you also automatically develop as a person. Being able to then look back and see your own growth is a very moving reward. Sometimes, when I am hard on myself, I like to question what I would have thought about my work if I showed it to myself 10 years ago. Most times I come to the conclusion that I would have appreciated the work and all the time I put into it. It is so easy to be hard on yourself, but acknowledging your own development, I believe is the best way to notice the reward in front of you.

Furthermore, to me the most rewarding aspect of the work is when you get the opportunity to make a difference. To make someone feel heard and tell an untold story. As an actor, I want to communicate my role’s experience truthfully so that it resonates with real life and makes people feel seen.

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

The work is wonderful, but the environment can be harsh. There is resilience in choosing to not get discouraged by lost opportunities and rejections. It happens to everyone. I believe my biggest struggle over the years has been the stress of not doing enough. I have found the best way to handle those thoughts is being present, along with not second-guessing myself. When you work so personally, it is easy for harmful self-criticism to become personal as well. If anything, learning to lose your harmful self-criticism illustrates resilience.

In my last semester of college, the Covid-19 pandemic hit. The pandemic affected everyone, and I admire so many people and their resilience throughout such a difficult time. Being so far away from my family at the time was very difficult, especially since I was not sure what the future was going to look like. I thought about leaving Los Angeles many times, but ended up staying, following guidelines and trying to adjust accordingly in order to get to work in the industry I had been hoping to work in throughout my years in college.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: instagram.com/linneaingesson/
• Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7829049/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_1_tt_1_nm_7_q_linnea%2520ing

Image Credits
Chris Jon Photography, Yves Arispe, Armand Muchhala.