Meet Elena Lozonschi

We were lucky to catch up with Elena Lozonschi recently and have shared our conversation below.

Elena, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.

Honestly, I’m not sure performers are wired to ever completely overcome it—it’s something you learn to live with, haha! Over time, I think it loosens its grip a little bit, you know, as you grow more satisfied with the effort and preparation you put into your work.

Accepting that you’ve done your best is a huge step, followed by the toughest part, in my opinion, which is: letting go. That means no overanalyzing, no obsessing, no stressing over your performance —just releasing and trusting that you got it, no matter what! Easy, right? If anyone out there has managed to fully do it, hit me up, I’d love to chat!

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 and producer, born and raised in Romania. Some would call me a vampire (no idea why). I’m hitting my eighth anniversary here in New York soon, and I couldn’t be happier. These years have been the best and most formative years of my life, and I am now finally “relaxing” and reaping the fruits of my labor. I’m saying “relaxing” because I truly don’t know the definition of that word. The best I can describe it is a mixture of chaos, adrenaline, and caffeine—but that’s where I thrive.

I can’t do the easy thing for the life of me. I’m restless and need a constant task. Who knows, maybe it’s undiagnosed ADHD, but who cares? I love challenges, and the harder and scarier the task, the better. I recently started producing to self-soothe that part of me that can’t just wait to be offered a role, and it has been a completely different journey than I expected. Half the time, I have no idea what I’m doing, but maybe that’s for the best. I lead with my passion, and sometimes, that’s better than brains—hahaha.

But jokes aside, I’ve discovered that I also enjoy the business side of things. Partly because it gives me a sense of control over my future, and partly because of the excitement of seeing how far I can take it. Together with my partner in all stage shenanigans, Hraban Luyat, I’ve developed a theater company meant to bring forward some truly interesting theater. We named it Béton Brut, which is French for “raw concrete,” and I think that imagery perfectly describes where we want to go with this.

The idea is to create a tightly knit company of actors that perform together more frequently, stripping away the glitz and glamour to focus mostly on storytelling. We’re looking to reignite the almost-lost purpose of theater: to teach lessons we aren’t ready to hear yet but are open to seeing.

We’re thrilled to be producing our second show next Spring, a refreshing, new and edgy translation of Ionesco’s Rhinoceros. A little theater of the absurd feels perfect for the wild days we’re living in. I’m very excited to share this project with the world. We’re working with a brilliant director, Rebecca Frank, who is not only passionate about the play but also has a fascinating vision for making it relevant to today. It will be controversial, chaotic, and fun—exactly as Ionesco intended it.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Networking, discipline, being pleasant to work with—and I’ll add a fourth one: madness. Now, for two of these, I’ve been pretty bad at them for the longest time. You’d say the word “networking” to me, and I would have a visceral reaction to it. For a shy person, fighting a bear sounds more appealing than going around chatting with people, especially about themselves. But I had to do it, and I discovered some interesting facts: you get better at it the more you do it (like any skill), and you really get good at it when you have something to show or talk about that you’re proud of.

That gives you plenty of room to draw people in and spark interest in what you’re doing. I encourage everyone to self-produce, especially during slower times of the year when there aren’t many projects around. You don’t need to do something huge—just do something to get your work out there. It’s like a public audition where you showcase yourself the way you want, putting your best foot forward and shining on your own terms. It keeps you in the loop, gives you something to talk about, and you never know who might end up in the audience. This industry is massive and tiny at the same time—you never know who will see your show.

Discipline is another area where, to be fair, I still struggle. You’d think that a background in classical piano would have taught me something, but it’s a tough lesson that I have to keep studying every single day. You get better at it, but it takes a certain kind of ambition to keep showing up and doing the work even when no one is watching, even when you feel unmotivated, even when you want to give up.

Like fitness, motivation alone won’t take you far because it’s so dependent on emotions—and we all know how fickle emotions are. Discipline is what carries you through the days when all you want to do is hide in your room and pretend the world doesn’t exist. It’s knowing you have a target to hit and showing up every single day, no matter how you feel. Now, I’m not saying to neglect your mental health. Please take care of yourself and stay healthy. But there’s a difference between needing a break because you’re burned out and putting something off because you think you can do it tomorrow or next week. It’s a hard balance—I know! But, just like fitness, if you want to build muscle, you have to lift weights, go to the gym, eat right, and stick to a routine. You have to show up for yourself the same way.

It might be easier when you’re on a schedule you can’t refuse, but the same principle applies when you’re your own boss. Just remember to be kind to yourself—there’s already too much hatred and rage out there. Be your own kind and loving friend.

Being pleasant to work with is pretty self-explanatory. And madness? Well, we all need a little madness to get through, haha.

What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?

My parents understood early on that I needed my independence and had to do things my own way, even though it seemed scary to them. I’m lucky to have always had their full support and trust—they’ve been my biggest cheerleaders, especially this year.
This year has been particularly challenging, with a lot of obstacles and hard work, and to be honest, I got through it only because of their love and support. My parents, along with my friends, played a huge role in helping me stay balanced during this time, and I’m incredibly grateful for them. Even though I can be hardheaded and stubborn at times, their persistence, patience, and advice were key to my success.
Because of all that they’ve done, I’m able to end 2024 on a high note and start 2025 even stronger than I imagined. I feel beyond blessed to have them in my life and to count on such an unwavering support system. Now you’ve gone and made me emotional with all this talk about my loved ones—see? Emotions, yuck! Hahaha, just kidding. I’m glad you gave me the chance to give them a shoutout. They’ve been absolute warriors this year, fighting my battles alongside me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.elenalozonschi.com
• Instagram: @elenalozonschi

Image Credits

@romero.portraits
Hayley Pace