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

Louise, 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?

Great question! Being creative and persuing it professionally has been a gradual ever changing path for me. Although I originally started as a model walking a fashion runway as a favour for a friend, it was later on that I realised acting had stolen my heart. I think the moment I fell for it was when I realised actors have the power to move people. I love trying all sorts of creative roles but my passion lies in projects that really can help tell other people’s stories and inspire, transform and impact audiences watching film. I am currently involved in the early development of a new thriller Film about a woman who becomes ensnared by the man she loves. The events that unfold are based on a few different women’s personal accounts of escaping intimate partner violence. It’s a message but also a movement to help bring awareness and create a world where more people live with less fear. So I would love to see this film inspire others who are struggling in ways that often not as simple to solve as people might think. I hope it gives hope to them. Because Hope is what has guided my own extraordinary journey and is the spark needed to help create a world where more people take risks letting go of more fears. For me that is my why for acting. To share stories that help move audiences to think differently. Movies that have a message of transformation and may bring about different levels of impact.

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 grew up in Australia, a shy kid living with her Dad and estranged from my biological Mother. I was also creative ar heart and loved to draw, write, take photos, sing and play dress ups. However it wasn’t until after high school that I professionally began my career as an actor, model, writer and presenter. Initially, I started as a model walking a fashion runway as a favour for a friend, and this lead to being signed with an agency. I eventually had a film and TV agent approached me later on. The more I go on film sets and attend acting classes with some incredible coaches, the more I realise acting has stolen my heart. I particularly like that acting is a way I can help people. While I love trying all sorts of creative roles, my passion lies in projects that really shine a light on different perspectives. Stories from all walks of life that inspire, transform and impact audiences. Some of my next film projects will explore this. One is a thriller raising awareness of coercive control and intimate partner violence. Another is a smile maker. It’s a romantic comedy. It’s expected to be a lot of fun and hopefully people everywhere can relate and not feel so hopeless when it comes to traditional dating! I have also been lucky to get cast in two other feature films as well, I am so excited to have the opportunity to portray each of these characters. It’s exciting times, and I am looking forward to sharing more when I can soon. For now though a lot of it is under wraps and confidential so I can’t say more. But stay tuned.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

In recent years, I’ve experienced significant personal growth. Growth manifests in various ways, but today, I want to focus on one particular area in the hope it might inspire others to grow too.

To truly grow, it’s been essential to reflect on my past and recognize any misalignments. For too long, I allowed #perfectionism to stand in my way. Rightly or wrongly, I hesitated to reveal my true self for a mix of reasons. I found myself hounded. Burdened by negative beliefs-ideas I had either misunderstood or adopted but were not true.

My job, which often involves facing
rejection, further fueled my perfectionist tendencies. I felt the need to set impossibly high standards to stand out, all while grappling with the uncertainty of why I received a “no” or missed out on opportunities. Though I know casting has nothing to do with this, at the time this created self-imposed hurdles. The pressure to constantly change myself. Additionally, a tumultuous teenage relationship left me feeling confused and unsafe. Such intimacy stripped away clarity and logic, complicating my understanding of self-worth. When fear takes hold, we often hide behind masks, feeling shame and coping in ways that feel uncontrollable. To live in fear involves an insidious relationship between protection, sense of self and perfectionism.

Despite this, I’ve made conscious choices to be honest, reveal my true self, and define my own terms. Always growing, I am putting the hounds to sleep. I recently heard a quote by Tony Robbins who said “perfectionism lowest standard you can have.” This resonated deeply with me, and I hope it strikes a chord with you as well. We all face perfectionism in some form, and we each have our own hounds that challenge us. But remember, #growth and transformation are personal journeys. I encourage you to embrace who you truly are. Growth is #freedom, and freedom is where life, love and truth flourish. So fear not – be yourself, be extraordinary, be imperfect, and truly live.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

Hard to narrow down to just one, so I will give you these:

Entrepreneurship:
Book – “The 48 Laws of Power” by Robert Greene

Philosophy:
– Essays – The Art of Breathing (This writer stays anonymous and profoundly understands pain. She speaks to carrying both the light and the dark within us and through pain we learn what it is to be human and how to truly connect with eachother)
– Podcast – Simon Sinek (IYKYK, Simon is a legend!)

Acting:
– Podcast – Filmmakersandfans (Imparts invaluable film making knowledge as shared by Hollywood Director Steven Bernstein)
– Podcast – Mogul Live (Mogul Productions is revolutionising the way feature films are made and how people, like actors, can get involved)
– Podcast – School of Hollywood (with the amazingly talented Film and Music Exec Steven Owens)

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www louisechild.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisechild_official
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louise-child-8398b82b9?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=android_app

Image Credits

Getty Images
Rolling Stone Australia
Australian Press Agency
Australian Fashion
Brag Media
Rachel Canale
Nicole Cleary
Bryan Aguilar
Kieran McNamara