Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Paige Cummings. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Paige, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

Forever Hold Your Peace has been the most meaningful project I’ve worked on because it was the very first film created under my new production company, Sapphic Star Films. On the surface, it tells the story of a bride on her wedding day whose maid of honor confesses she’s still in love with her. But at its core, the film is about Queer joy, friendship, and the messy, tender ways love persists, even when it’s complicated. I wanted to create a story that centered Queer people in love and connection without falling into the familiar trap of tragedy.

What made this project especially meaningful was the response. From the very beginning, people rallied around it — friends, collaborators, and community members who simply believed in what we were trying to do. Seeing the way people supported it, and then how deeply it resonated with those who watched, gave me this profound sense of completeness. It felt like proof that starting Sapphic Star Films was not only the right choice, but also the beginning of something bigger than me: a space for authentic, joyful Queer storytelling to thrive.

Because of that, Forever Hold Your Peace isn’t just a film, it’s a milestone. It affirmed my voice as a filmmaker, the mission of my company, and the kind of community I want to build through art.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m Paige Cummings — an actor, writer, and director with a BFA in Acting from Baldwin Wallace University and the co-founder of Sapphic Star Films, a Buffalo-based Queer production company. Storytelling has always been at the center of my life. I came to acting first, drawn to the way performance can make people feel seen and connected. Over time, that love of performance naturally expanded into writing and directing, where I realized I could shape not only characters but entire worlds that reflect the depth, humor, and joy of Queer lives.

Through Sapphic Star Films, I create films that center Queer stories with honesty, tenderness, and celebration. Our work spans short films, adaptations, and original projects, always with an emphasis on character-driven narratives that resist harmful tropes. Instead of repeating cycles of trauma or tragedy, I’m committed to making art that highlights Queer joy, love, and resilience. I believe there’s immense power in representation that affirms life rather than diminishes it, and I want audiences to walk away from my work feeling both moved and understood.

As an actor, I bring the same values to my performances: authenticity, empathy, and a deep care for the humanity of every character. As a writer, I blend historical accuracy with imaginative storytelling, often revisiting classic texts or real figures through a Queer lens. As a director, I focus on creating safe, collaborative sets where performers and crew feel supported to take risks and be vulnerable.

What sets me apart is this intersection: I don’t just want to tell Queer stories. I want to tell them with joy, historical integrity, and with a refusal to reduce characters to stereotypes. My work often bridges the past and present, whether through reimagined Shakespearean adaptations, films grounded in Queer history, or contemporary stories about friendship and love.

At the end of the day, what I want potential collaborators, clients, and audiences to know is that my brand of storytelling is rooted in care, community, and courage. I want to create work that sparks empathy, makes people think more deeply about the world, and above all, reminds Queer people of the joy and beauty in their own stories.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Yes — my creative journey is driven by a clear mission: to tell Queer stories that center joy, resilience, and love. For so long, Queer characters in film and theater were defined by tragedy, trauma, or invisibility. I want my work to push against that narrative and instead highlight the richness of Queer life. The humor, the tenderness, the perseverance, and the community that make our stories worth celebrating.

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

A lesson I had to unlearn was the belief that I couldn’t be a creative beyond acting. For so long, I thought my place was solely on stage or in front of the camera. I love acting with my whole being. It’s where my heart is. But I also love creating, directing, and writing. It was hard to see myself in those spaces because, as a female-presenting Queer person, representation in mainstream media is so limited. The industry often centers straight, cisgender male voices, making it feel like there’s no room for people like me. But I’ve had to unlearn that limitation and claim my space. We are here, we are creating, we are putting in our dues, and we are working hard to be seen, not just fill a quota.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://paigecummings.org
• Instagram: @paijay_ , @sapphicstarfilms

Image Credits

Mia Isabella Aguirre, Adam Steigert, Jeff Tracy