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

Susan, appreciate you joining us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

When I first came to Los Angeles to be an actress, I was told by agents that I had “raw talent” and needed to study my craft with a good acting coach. “What is raw talent?’ I asked. I mean wasn’t talent enough? Raw talent is a good thing as it turned out but it is talent that needs to be tamed. Raw talent is your natural ability for your craft but it needs structure, control, subtleness, dynamics, rhythms, connections, techniques and so much more! Just like a musical instrument, YOU are your instrument in acting. I didn’t realize how much work it goes into being a really good actress!
There were also different types of acting, film acting and stage acting are two different ways of acting! Stage acting projects so much more in front of a live audience. There are many techniques, acting schools and teachers. I started working with Floyd Levine, Howard Fine, Janet Alhanti and Margie Habor for cold reading for auditions. I worked with Janet Alhanti for many years and still with her daughter, Iris Klein. The beauty of acting is you never stop learning! After studying acting for a long while, I combined all that I’ve learned and came up with this technique, the Susan technique and it is working for me!

Susan, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am from West Monroe, Louisiana. I grew up in ballet, gymnastics, community theatre and pageants. My mother was a school teacher and my father was in sales. My father also fought in the Vietnam War and received a Purple Heart. I attended Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It is at college that I feel in love with my acting classes and rarely made it to my other classes! While modeling and doing commercials in Baton Rouge and New Orleans, a fluke opportunity was offered to me to pursue my dreams of modeling and acting in Los Angeles! And I ran with it!

Some of my credits include:

Dear Mother-feature film, 2023, now on Amazon Prime and Tubi. I play the Starring role, Adriana. Director- Andoni Zorbas The Mother in ” Whatever It Takes” , director- Damien Bianco, lead actor;
Kate in the short film, Invisible Flags, written/ directed by Meitar Paz.
Diamond Heist- Charlotte, award winning comedy at short film festivals. Simple Plan- Charlotte (prequel short film to Diamond Heist). Thelma and Weazy – Charlotte/Weazy ( sequel short film to Diamond Heist).
Lost but Found- Tanya, drama short film, winner and finalist at film festivals. No Name and Dynamite Davenport-feature film, saloon girl.

I received a Best Supporting Actress Award at the Mercurio Short film festival for her work in the comedy short film, Diamond Heist, directed by Dianna Ippolito. Best Supporting Actress, Hydro winner, 2021. Susan also co-starred in the film ” Under Crystal Lake” and “Jeremy’s Egg” on Amazon Prime Video. “The Birthmark Killer”, also on Prime Video.

I am also on the cover of the “World Stars Magazine “, November 2022. I also received “the highest woman achievement award” given by Director and owner of the magazine, Joss Gomez, at the World Stars Magazine launch event.

I will be filming the movie “Transference ” as the ” Therapist ” by Vanilla Palm Films in July, 2023. After being cast, I was asked to join Vanilla Palm Films as Director of Acquisitions. I am excited to be working with such a fabulous team!

I am an accomplished equestrian. Horses being a passion. A known animal activist, I have had a pitbull rescue and a horse rescue. I believe if we don’t step out of ourselves and fight for justice for something we are passionate about, then who are we really? Animals have saved me more than I have saved them.

I am a happy person who laughs a lot and spends my off time with my animals, fabulous kids, Haley, Sawyer, Scarlett and Hunter and my dear friends.

Faith and Fate is my motto.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is to bring characters to life that move the audience, makes them cry, laugh, see a different perspective….I think it’s such a gift to be able to do this. This is my goal as an actress and making movies. There is a certain compassion that comes from an actors performance or a great story in a movie that people can relate to in their struggles. There are so many broken people out there recovering from the effects of covid or other personal issues and if my performance can make them smile or help them not feel so alone, then I’m doing my job.
It’s more than a job for me, it truly comes from my heart. I think that’s true with most actors.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

There was this very famous director I knew years ago. I really liked him a lot and he was very insightful on a lot of things in the acting business. He told me something that played in my head then and as much as I respected him, I had to learn not to buy into other people’s ideas and opinions, no matter who they were, including his. Here is what he told me, “Susan, if an actress hasn’t made it by the time she turns 27, she is not going to make it in this business” This statement haunted me and I began to panic! I went to my acting teacher, Janet Alhanti, and discussed it with her. She just smiled with her beautiful red lipstick, with that all knowing confidence and calmly started naming off famous actors/actresses that didn’t make it until long after 27 years old.
I’m sure my director friend meant no harm and it may have been how he saw things. But it doesn’t have to be how I see it.
You really have to believe in yourself in this business and define what “make it” is to you. There is no age limit especially now! Acting welcomes everyone of all sizes, genres, looks, genders and ages! There is something for everyone! My acting career has taken off now than it ever did at 27! And the acting roles are so much more interesting!
I always say now, “Be like a racehorse! Put your blinders on and cotton in your ears and run your own race!”

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.susanlavelle.com/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/susanlavelle_actress?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susanashleylavelle?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-lavelle-b81041a7?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F
• Other: Imdb.me/susanlavelle/ Google-Susan Lavelle actress

Image Credits
Photographers: Dan Kennedy William Kidston Photography Albert L. Ortega Sheri Determan