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

Hi Xanthe, thanks for joining us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

I feel incredibly fortunate to have found myself in a place where I’m fully supported by my creative work! This is where I’m super grateful for my skills and experience in voice over. Something in me has always known that VO would be my rock – something that I would have to support me throughout my entire life. I’ve always had such a deep love for the voice, and as a kid I would even sit annual exams about the theory of the voice and its production (nerd alert)! So I guess it makes sense that I’ve found myself here.
I really have audio description to thank for much of this – I was introduced to this niche VO world back in Sydney, and then that work followed me to NYC. It quickly became my steady work when I moved to LA in 2019, and has pretty much remained that since then! It’s what enabled me to join the union in 2020, and to feel like a really essential part of this industry. It’s such an important service, and I’m super proud to be part of providing it, and making more media accessible.
I’ve also been fortunate enough to have found a good deal of work in the world of audio books, which is reliable with hours and has really helped bridge the gap when other industry work has slowed down.

Which leads me to say, as with any creative career, it’s not always been steady – particularly contending with things like the pandemic and then the industry strikes – and I’ve definitely had to take on part time work here and there. I think if I could tell my early-LA Xanthe anything, it would be to diversify! Pursue other creative avenues that feel enriching, be it streaming or creating YouTube videos or making more of my visual art.

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’m an actor and voice over artist (and sometimes model). I’ve been performing on stage since I was 6 years old, and have been in love with this world since then. I’ve performed on stages all around Australia, as well as in NYC, from Shakespeare (my love!) to immersive contemporary works. On screen I’ve appeared in feature films, award-winning shorts, TV shows, web series and music videos. I’m pretty silly and lighthearted in my everyday life, but what I pride myself on is my deep emotional well as an actor. I love to dig deep and really *go there*.

The other facet of my career that I am super proud of is voice over. I’ve not actively pursued VO representation here in LA (though I’m finally beginning that process now), and despite that, I have been able to fully support myself with my voice work for the better part of the last 5 years.
I think of course it comes down to being professional and versatile and demanding a high quality from myself, but more than that, I just try to be a normal, kind person! I really can’t overstate how much a good attitude is worth in this industry. And hey, I think a little of that Aussie charm doesn’t hurt!

Actually, speaking of being an Aussie, I work almost exclusively in an American accent over here. I’m really proud of the fact that I can do this confidently and consistently – most of my work involves cold reading big chunks of text in a foreign accent, and I bloody love it.

I’m a bit (/lot) of a perfectionist, so I’m constantly pushing myself to learn more, dig deeper, expand my abilities and leave nothing on the table, and I know that that’s something that is noticed and appreciated by the people I work with. And I’ll do it all with a smile on my face, because what a treat it is to get to do what we do.

I think what also helps me be an easy and well-rounded person is having other interests. I love painting and bird watching, I’ve been an avid rock climber for years now, I also love to hike and trail run. Last year I climbed Mt. Whitney (the tallest mountain in the contiguous US), and earlier this year I ran a trail half marathon! There’s nothing like nature to get you out of your head and help reframe the craziness of this industry.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Something I have been actively unlearning of late is this notion of “fitting in” within the industry. Especially in my Australian-ness.
Deeply, in my core, I am an Aussie. Even as I talk about easily working in an American accent, there is a degree of *me* that is removed from my work when I do so, or a degree of *other* placed on top of it. Something I’ve been asking myself lately is how I might bring that *me* back to my work. What avenues can I explore that allow me to be fully myself, in my natural voice that I love and feel so deeply connected to? I’m still exploring, but I think finding those things will help me feel more in touch with myself and, ultimately, more satisfied in my work and in my life.

Also, we are not just one thing! And my title doesn’t define me! I am so many things in my life and in my career. There is so much that brings me joy. I love to hike, I love to do my funny little bird paintings, I love to play video games. It is not just my marketable work that makes me valuable as a human on this earth, and this is a lesson I continue to learn every day.

I recently came across a quote from America Ferrera’s Ted Talk where she says, “My identity is a superpower – not an obstacle”, and that really resonated with me. I think the new mission is not to fit in with my looks or my sound, or try to guess at what I think someone wants from me and deliver that, but to bring my unique authentic self to my life and my work. Because that will always be my best work.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding part of being a creative is other creatives! When others share the passion, AND understand the struggle, it can be really magical. My mind jumps immediately to a casual play reading group that I’m part of. Some of the greatest joy in my acting comes from just being in that room with other actors and/or artists, and sharing our craft. Zero expectations, no obvious “career advancement”, just the joy of doing what we love, and feeling seen and supported in this community.
And of COURSE, there are gonna be assholes in any industry, that’s just kinda human nature. But I think creatives are, largely, a warm and curious type of human, and I invariably find myself drawn to these people in life.

Oh, and crafty. Crafty is always rewarding.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://xanthepaige.com
• Instagram: @xanthepaige
• Other: IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7127083/

Image Credits

Dana Patrick Photography, Emma Leid, Paksit Photos, Robert Youngblood