Meet Danny De Lillo

We recently connected with Danny De Lillo and have shared our conversation below.

Danny, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?

I feel my resilience comes from watching my Mum growing up. Watching her work three jobs, being a single Mum and coming through every battle, hurdle. heartache, health issue and trauma and still standing strong. She is a statue of resilience and why I can never give up. She has always wanted me to pursue my dreams even though they may seem too high and supported me through the good, the bad and the ugly. We talk on the phone almost everyday and her resilience is what has kept me strong.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

My journey has been expansive. Originally from England, I grew up in a small, conservative village. While the village was beautiful, it was challenging to grow up as a kind-hearted person, which often led to people taking advantage of me. This, in turn, led to bullying and made discovering my sexuality even more difficult. However, I learned that kindness and sincerity are powerful forces, and performing arts saved me.

Acting allowed me to escape from myself by playing other characters. I could explore all the emotions I felt without having the direct focus on me and the flaws and traumas that seemed to shine from within. After years of activism and being an ally, I decided to move into positions where support and be part of the movements for everyone to be free in who they are.

Fast forward to today: I created the company Sweet Humans set launch officially in the coming months. As a leader, I am passionate about creating safe environments and spaces where everyone, including myself, can be their beautiful, authentic selves. I love forming families of creative individuals and providing mentorship and brand development, as well as building film, television, and media projects for global storytellers. I hope that, from what you know about me,
it’s clear what I want to attract with the company: Sweet Humans.

I also serve as the chair of the board for NewFilmmakers Los Angeles, program film festivals, and participate in juries. I am an activist in the LGBTQ+ entertainment space and advocate for any community that is underserved or underrepresented, always with heart and genuine care.

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

I believe the three qualities that have impacted me on my journey and for which I am grateful are:

Empathy. I have interviewed over 5,000 people in my career, whether on camera, on stage, live on television, or on the red carpet. I don’t need a script because I genuinely love to learn, listen, and empathize with others’ stories. My advice: listen.

Overcoming Trauma. (A Work in Progress) I have experienced intense trauma from a young age and within the industry I wanted to be a part of. Coming to terms with who I am has also been a challenge. However, I decided that these experiences would be the making of me, not the breaking of me. We can make that choice. Let your vulnerability be your power.

Finding Your Home, Tribe, and Vibrations. (Again, A Work in Progress) Don’t give up on your dreams, even if you haven’t yet found these aspects in your life. I guarantee that once you do find them, everything else will fall into place. Home, tribe, and vibrations are key to your creativity.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

Sweet Humans is collective of a creative family. Whether you need mentorship, want creative brand development, guidance, project or want to join a family that creates natural safe spaces get in touch. You can discover my services at www.sweethumans.com and can find me on instagram @dannydelillo

Contact Info:

Image Credits

For the one with glasses … RJ Tolson

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