Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jillian Armenante. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Jillian, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
My dad was a Navy man and I believe my work ethic comes directly from him. He taught me a commitment to hard work, responsibility, discipline, and a dedication to achieving goals. He always emphasized a systematic approach in all things. To keep all fronts moving forward so to speak. The principles of a work ethic especially in an artistic career have saved me from feeling unstructured and rudderless.
He taught me to be diligent, if even a tiny bit everyday. I try to put in consistent and constant effort to move forward in all goals large and small.
I strive to constantly take responsibility for my actions and tasks and be accountable for my performance, artistic and otherwise.
Dependability is also a big principle of mine. Being trustworthy and counted on to deliver what is expected of me. Learning my lines, being there in a supportive way for my piers.
Taking initiative and seeking out opportunities to contribute and improve upon myself in a career where you are often left to your own devices helps as well.
Professional behavior, is a huge one for me including punctuality, respect for others around me. Admittedly, I do try to maintain a positive attitude although I’m not so great at this yet!
Perseverance is also a perpetual effort for me. Overcoming challenges and staying committed to goals in the face of the multitude of difficulties that life can throw at you randomly. Never say die!
Discovery and growth is also key for me. Embracing a mindset of continuous learning and improvement. Developing my skills and staying relevant despite being an aging actor in a youth oriented world.
As an actor, maintaining your integrity and ethical behavior can be challenging! Acting is the world’s second oldest profession and the line between commerce and art can be a very blurry one at times! Ha ha!
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 began my acting career in the early 1990s making dozens of theatre projects and began working as a Seattle local in various television shows and films including several appearances on shows like Northern Exposure and a multitude of indie films. Honestly, when I started out I had no idea that Hollywood was even a geographical place! I sort of thought of it as a lofty notion. Upon moving to Hollywood, it was blatantly obvious that I found my people. Film and TV sets are kind of a creative military in which large groups of people come together to make a creative endeavor. It is a huge undertaking of the group dynamic and there is nothing better in the world when it really comes together.
I have acted in some great films with amazing actors and directors including “North Country” (2005), “Bad Teacher” (2011), and “The Dark Knight Rises” (2012) and have made amazing friends along the way. I have also had the great pleasure of producing, writing and directing my own indie film projects such as “Kittens in a Cage”, “The List” and “Stuck”. I find leading a team of creatives with a common goal can be an exhilarating process.
I have been in hundreds of TV episodes in shows such as “Sex Lives of College Girls”, “Physical”, “Gray’s Anatomy”, “Better Call Saul”- the list goes on and on. Working on sets with the hardest working crews in the world is a honor and a privilege. Actors are like nomads who move from show to show and collect amazing friends at every turn. It is such an eclectic and fun life. Nice work if you can get it!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The most impactful area of knowledge that has impacted my journey came in the form of a fortune cookie message that my dad sent me decades ago. “Difficulties strengthen the mind, as labor does the body.” ― Lucius Annaeus Seneca. For some reason this struck a deep cord in me and I sought out knowledge in the Stoic Philosophy.
It has eight basic principals that have helped me be strong in difficult situations, in both life and career.
The highest good is virtue, which includes wisdom, courage, justice, and self-discipline. These principles aligned with what my Navy man father taught me.
Stoics also advocate for indifference to external circumstances, such as wealth, health, and reputation, all considered beyond one’s control. In an industry where you work with all types of people, rich, poor, young, old- this principle helps me keep it about the work and not about status.
The Stoics emphasize the dichotomy of control, distinguishing between things we can control and things we cannot control. Stuff can really go wrong when your human body is your tool of the trade. Health crisis, pandemics, union strikes! The goal is to focus on what is within our control and continue to strive.
Stoicism encourages acceptance of fate and the natural order of the universe- a rational acceptance of events beyond one’s control. Acting is a career where very often you are at the mercy of others (casting, writers, editors, producers) as it is a highly collaborative art form. This principle helps me a great deal.
Being present in the current moment is an important aspect of Stoicism. This involves avoiding unnecessary worry about the future or dwelling on the past. Hey, I am not saying I am good at it yet but it takes practice to get to Carnegie Hall, am I right?
Stoicism teaches the importance of enduring hardships with resilience. Challenges and difficulties are viewed as opportunities for personal growth and character development or in my case character actress development!
Living in accordance with rationality and nature, aligning one’s actions with reason and the natural order of the world is something I truly desire especially in these usual times.
Stoicism encourages individuals to regularly reflect on their thoughts, actions, and values. This self-examination is aimed at achieving personal improvement. Self examination is key to be able to open your mind as an actor to prep playing a different human being.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
Ryan Holiday wrote “The Daily Stoic” (2016): Co-authored with Stephen Hanselman, this book is a daily devotional of Stoic wisdom, with excerpts from the writings of ancient Stoic philosophers. Each day offers a quote, reflection, and practical application for modern living. It is a book you can pickup for five minutes a day and get inspiration from. It is very accessible and not lofty at all. I stumbled upon this book many years ago when I was going through some major challenges and I cannot recommend it highly enough. I started sending to my friends and family who were going through a rough time as well.
His approach to Stoicism is often practical and accessible, making ancient philosophical concepts relevant to contemporary challenges. He emphasizes the application of Stoic principles in areas such as resilience, decision-making, and personal growth. While staying true to the core tenets of Stoicism. He also has an amazing podcast called the Daily Stoic Podcast that I listen to when on long walks or drives. I am not affiliated with him in any way, I just found his material so very helpful, I wanted to share. I founded my company Stoic Entertainment in 2012, four years before his book was even released. I have been such a fan of the stoic philosophy for decades. It has helped me so much in this crazy, sporadic life; acting and otherwise. I could never have imagined how much a single fortune cookie my dad gave me all those years ago would have impacted my life!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jillianarmenante.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jillarmenante/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillianArm
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillianarmenante/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT-qrRHCp7jcb70FDk4li4w
Image Credits
Karl Gadjusek, Alice Dodd.
