Meet Jill Zmolek

We recently connected with Jill Zmolek and have shared our conversation below.

Jill, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.

I was well into undergrad when I finally started admitting to myself that I wanted to be an actor. And for the record, I went to college on a musical theater scholarship, but I didn’t study acting or go to a performing arts school. Even once I could admit to myself that I wanted this as a career, I was deeply concerned that I was delusional. My thinking was, “Yes, people in my life whose opinions I value believe in me, but they’re biased because they like me and also none of them are in the industry so I don’t think they know what they’re talking about.”

As the idea germinated, so did the idea that if I said out loud that I wanted to be an actor, then I’d have to do it. And if I publicly tried to do it and failed, it would suck. But during this time it was also very clear to me that I didn’t care about this a normal amount. Movies were nearly all I thought about. I went to ‘Phantom Thread’ instead of the E.R. I watched ‘A Serious Man’ on my laptop and thought it was so good that it ruined my week. I took friends to see ‘Donnie Darko,’ and then for Halloween, we all went as Jake Gyllenhaal in different scenes of the movie (I was Halloween Donnie).

My confidence started to build when I acknowledged that I loved something enough to fail at it.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I am a whole-hearted creative. Being a big reader and a good student growing up seems to have translated into my adult life as a steady hunger for projects, both privately and as a performer. As a theater and film actor, I love script analysis and finding my way into the world of a story. In life, I think I’ve become a tinkerer. I’ve been rewiring vintage lamps, teaching myself to use a sewing machine, and despite knowing nothing about cameras, took apart an old Minolta Zoom until at least the shutter now works (the photos turn out better than they have any right to). One of my favorite things about the work I do, is that, looking back every year, I’m completely surprised by what I made and got to be part of.

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?

1. Strong sense of humor.
My north star. If it lands, great, but I’m doing things to make ME laugh.

2. Make friends I admire.
It doesn’t matter what field they’re in. They make your life better.

3. Placing value on consistency.
If left to my own devices, I like to burn the candle at both ends. In building a career out of something I’m passionate about, I’ve had to intentionally de-value what I can “pull off” and place that worth onto what I can do with regularity, no matter how small.

Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?

They always loved me for who I was. I was lucky enough to have parents who spent time with me and never made me feel I needed to change or prove myself in some way. Part of me still can’t believe no one ever tried to pressure me into going to med school. No one tried to talk me out of acting. That’s crazy.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jillzmolek.com
• Instagram: @jillzmolek
• Other: Letterboxd: Jill Zmolek
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Image Credits

Luísa Dalé, Jonathan B. Wright