Caterina Imbro’s Stories, Lessons & Insights

We recently had the chance to connect with Caterina Imbro and have shared our conversation below.

Caterina, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What is a normal day like for you right now?
Honestly, a “normal” day for me is organised chaos, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world—I love it. I’m juggling my job in TV with auditions, developing my debut album and carving out every spare moment to write, and somewhere in between there’s always time for a good gossip session. No matter how hectic things get, I always find time each day for my deep love of pole dancing—it’s how I unwind and come back to myself.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a Sicilian-Australian writer and storyteller, and right now my world is orbiting around my upcoming novel, The Vanishing of Ethel Stirling. It’s a historical fiction mystery set in 1920s Hollywood, unfolding across the chaotic transition from silent reels to talkies. The story follows a brilliant, volatile actress who disappears, told through the people who loved her, used her, and tried to save her.

I’m fascinated by that moment where the industry was reinventing itself overnight—when a single voice test could end a career—and I use that silent-to-sound shift to explore how fame, addiction, ambition and technology collide, especially for women. My work is cinematic and character-driven, obsessed with complicated women and the cost of being “difficult” in a world that would rather erase you. With The Vanishing of Ethel Stirling, I’m reclaiming a certain kind of forgotten star: dazzling, unruly, and unwilling to go quietly.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
The part of me that’s served its purpose and needs to be released is the version of myself that felt like standing out was dangerous. I’ve always stood out—I used to feel like I had a target on my back because of it, so I tried to soften the edges, make myself smaller, more digestible. That kept me safe for a while, but it also kept me scared and second-guessing everything.

Now I’m not ashamed of it anymore. I’m unapologetically myself, and that confidence has stripped away so much of the fear of judgement. Instead of worrying about who I might offend or unsettle, I focus on what I’m here to do—and I get my sh*t done.

What’s something you changed your mind about after failing hard?
I used to think that if I failed at something, it meant I wasn’t good enough—that it was safer not to try than to try and fall flat on my face. After a few really hard failures, I changed my mind completely.

Now I’d rather know I went for it, even if it didn’t go perfectly. No one can ever say I “didn’t do it” just because I didn’t do it well. I showed up, I tried, I learned—and that feels so much better than sitting on the sidelines wondering “what if?”

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I’m completely committed to ‘The Vanishing of Ethel Stirling’ and the larger trilogy it belongs to, no matter how long it takes to fully realise it. The three books are all linked by my fictional studio, Triumph Productions, and circle the same obsession: what happens to an industry—and the people inside it—when change comes knocking at the door and refuses to leave?

Once ‘The Vanishing of Ethel Stirling’ is released to the public I’ll be going straight into writing the screen adaptation. I believe in this world so deeply that I’m prepared to live in it for years—on the page, on screen, and in whatever other form it needs to take to tell the story properly.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I’m absolutely doing what I was born to do. I’ve always been wired to be creative and to sink my teeth into lots of different projects at once—writing books, developing scripts, playing with new ideas. I’m not satisfied unless I’m working on at least two things at the same time; that’s when I feel most alive and most myself. No one told me to build a life like this—it’s just the only way I know how to be.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @caterinaimbro