Meet Eva Kantor

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

Eva, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

From a very young age, I knew that I was a storyteller. I loved playing pretend, making up stories and songs, and I discovered my love of theater early. It was my grandfather, my Papa, who introduced me to the classic movie musicals like Singing in the in Rain and Meet Me in St. Louis that nurtured a deep love of both musical theater and film.

In my freshman year at NYU, we took a class called Writing the Essay and its focus was on what it means to be an artist. If only I could sit in on that class now, 20 years later! I think it takes years of living as an artist to truly understand what it means to be an artist. It took many years of me floundering. I auditioned relentlessly in New York, waking at 5am for open calls to wait for hours to then sing 16 bars. I faced rejection after rejection, along with a few successes. I even tried other avenues, hoping that maybe being an actor wasn’t the only thing I was meant to do. Maybe I could teach nursery school? But every time I stepped away from it, my artist soul called me back.

Shortly before I had my first son, I started to explore voice over and fell in love with it. And after my second son a few years later, I tried my hand at film, tv and commercials. Suddenly, there was a whole world of opportunity that I had been to blinded to see before. And becoming a mother gave me the focus I had lacked before. I now had a filter through which I could measure if something was important enough for me to put my time and energy into, something new mothers have very little of!

But as the world shut down from a global pandemic, I was isolated again from my fellow artists. And the only place to go was inside and to tell my own stories. So I began writing. I wrote a short film. And in the writing and creating of this film, my purpose started to unfurl itself. I was discovering that I had a voice! I had thoughts and opinions! I had a point of view! And most importantly, I wanted my work to be steeped in activism. I’ve always felt that art is a way to teach empathy, but now more than ever, I want my work to open conversations, to make people think and to take action.

I just released a film about the gun violence epidemic we are facing in this country in our schools, collaborating with a few other incredibly talented mom filmmakers. And I’m now writing a TV pilot that tackles the issue of health insurance and healthcare access.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I am an actor, writer, producer, and voiceover artist in the New York area.

My work can be found on Hulu (Fleishman is in Trouble), HBO (Pause with Sam Jay), and Apple TV+, as well as in numerous commercials and narrative podcasts.

I am also an accomplished writer and producer. My film, Making Room, has been screened at over 10 festivals and has garnered Outstanding Drama and Best Actress wins. Our upcoming screenings are at The Bridgeport Film Festival and the Lake Placid Film Festival as part of the “Reel Women” UPWIFT film showcase.

P.S. 377, another short film I wrote and helped produced, is available on youtube. It is a PSA tackling the issue of arming teachers in our public schools.

Currently, I am writing a TV pilot called “Please Hold,” about a single mom who works in the billing department of a children’s hospital. She becomes a Robin Hood when faced with her own daughter’s diagnosis.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

I think what had the biggest impact in my career is when I started to focus on it as a business. I am the CEO of my own business, even if the business is me! This has helped me to take things less personally. Especially being on the other side of things as a writer and producer, I have realized that the story comes above all else. If it’s not serving the story, it’s not necessary. I even cut myself out of one of my films because my role just wasn’t serving the story!

Speaking of story, I think that’s another skill that all actors, writers, and creators need. You have to understand story. This doesn’t mean that you can’t be innovative and break the rules. It just means that you have to have the big picture in mind in order to get the little details.

Lastly, my mindset has been key. I have done so much work on mindset. I have worked with incredible coaches. I have done endless meditations and visualizations. But the work is constant and never-ending. At every level, I have come across old limiting beliefs, imposter syndrome, and self doubt. But having the tools to combat this has been what keeps me motivated and moving forward.

Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?

I had to learn how to rest! I know it sounds ridiculous, but as a highly determined person who likes to accomplish things, I really had to discover what I needed to restore and rejuvenate. I think rest can be different for everyone. And what I thought I was “supposed” to be doing for rest (laying on the couch with a book or a TV show) wasn’t actually always the answer. And yes, sometimes I do rest by reading a book or watching a show, but I also discovered that taking a walk in nature can be restful. Talking to a friend over coffee. Eating a meal without distraction. There are so many forms that rest can take and it took me time to find what works for me.

I also had to learn how to celebrate things. So often, my way of acknowledging a success was to look at what the next hurdle would be. I had to force myself to slow down, to savor the moment and again, to learn what celebration meant for me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.officialevakantor.com
• Instagram: @officialevakantor, @ps377film

Image Credits

Sub/Urban Photography
Champion Hamilton