We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Molly Gibson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Molly, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?
My approach was to take about 80,000 classes and then about 80,000 more. Although growing up the middle of five kids and vying for attention was probably the best teacher as I had to get pretty creative to break through the noise sometimes, whether that was singing Phantom of the Opera at the top of my lungs right to the chandelier (get it) or pretending my “recent tattoo was infected” at age 12 within convenient parental earshot. Never understood why Mom called me melodramatic.
I grew up doing theatre, and apparently as a child I was humming and singing before I could even form full sentences, but when I really decided to pursue acting professionally, I went all in. I started learning everything I could get my hands on, starting with local classes in Detroit, commuting to Chicago for workshops, Zoom coaching and classes from LA, books, podcasts, and eventually in-person training in Los Angeles. Honestly, I wouldn’t change anything looking back besides maybe moving to LA sooner. I think you have to study and train a lot to learn what does NOT work for you, which then helps reveal what does. Crafting your own process and honing your skillset really takes lots of time, dedication, grit and frustration (bars) and it took me a long time and lots of feedback to learn what my strengths are, and that there isn’t one correct technique for everyone.
I think Improv is an essential skill, and Meisner training really set a solid foundation for me.
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 am an actor first and foremost, but I also love comedy, music, and podcasting. I’ve had some great experiences diving into standup comedy and performing at places like Flappers, The Federal, and The World Famous Comedy Store. I would have never envisioned myself doing standup years ago, but I need a constant challenge and that has taken me to places I never could have dreamt up on my own. Before I moved to LA from Michigan, I found myself at a residency in Boston putting my love of singing (and Taylor Swift) to work as a Taylor Swift Tribute Artist/Impersonator alongside Garth Brooks, Tim McGraw, and Shania Twain (all said in quotations, though they were all so good you could barely tell they weren’t the real thing). On a completely different side, I have an almost decade-long successful Virtual Assistant business that I literally fell into by just saying yes to a request for help from someone who became my first client. All of these things came simply from seeking out the next challenge and saying yes to things – and subsequently working my ass off to be even halfway decent at whatever it is I’m doing. It also helps to stay ready so you don’t have to get ready when the opportunity comes.
What I’ve learned recently is how to let creativity flow instead of forcing it. Don’t try to write a novel when you feel like painting. I’m working on a pop R&B EP right now, but as I started to write some song ideas to bring to the studio, what came out was a much darker iteration of a one-woman show that has been on the back burner for a year. So I’ve been letting what wants to be expressed just come out on the page, piano, or waterproof notepad in my shower. Usually at 3am, but that’s a separate issue.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
For me it’s twofold. Getting to create all the time and do what I love is a gift, whether I’m on set or not. Every time I get an audition it’s like receiving a present wrapped in sparkly wrapping paper just for me. Whether it’s a juicy role on a hit show or a dog food commercial, I get to create a piece of life and act that day. I get to take creative liberties and bring my own take on things. As Michael Kostroff says in “Audition Psych 101” (the #1 book I recommend to all actors) “It’s a chance to act on a Thursday”.
And then on set, or pretty much anywhere, constantly meeting other creatives, being inspired by them, forming community and making incredible friendships is tied as my favorite thing about this business.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
There are so many, but off the top, 3 great ones are “Everything is Figureoutable” by Marie Forleo, “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie, and “I Will Teach You To Be Rich” by Ramit Sethi.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themollygibson/
Image Credits
Dana Patrick, Image Resources, ShoWorks Entertainment