Meet Thelma Mogensen

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Thelma Mogensen. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Thelma, thank you for being such a positive, uplifting person. We’ve noticed that so many of the successful folks we’ve had the good fortune of connecting with have high levels of optimism and so we’d love to hear about your optimism and where you think it comes from.

I would say that my optimism has developed over time as I’ve listened to various studies on training the mind to believe that good things will come—and therefore, they do. I’ve found that when I stay optimistic, I remain open to new opportunities and adventures that I might have missed if I were closed off. As an actress, I feel it’s essential to stay optimistic about the path I’ve chosen, as it’s not an easy one. I’m enjoying the journey and not letting the “no’s” get in my way. Instead, I celebrate the wins, whether it’s performing well in class or landing a role I’ve auditioned for.

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

I am an actress originally from Iceland, now living in New York City. I moved to Boston when I was 18 and studied marketing and design at Northeastern University. As part of the school program, I interned at Rebag, a luxury resale company in New York. After graduation, they hired me full-time, and I officially moved to New York. There, I met my now-fiancé, who was studying acting. I would do self-tapes with him, help him memorize lines, read hundreds of plays, and attend countless performances—and I fell in love with it.

I had been involved in musical theater as a kid but sadly grew out of it. Never in a million years did I think I would actually pursue acting, even though it had always been a secret dream of mine. My fiancé, Styrmir Eli, encouraged me to apply to schools, so I decided to take a total u-turn and do it!

I applied to several schools, but the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute was my number one choice. I was over the moon when I got the news that I was accepted and would begin in the fall. I am now finishing my two-year conservatory program at Lee Strasberg, and it’s funny to look back at how I was when I first started compared to now. I’ve learned so much during my time at Strasberg, both in acting and about myself. It has allowed me to express myself in ways I hadn’t ever done before which has been incredibly freeing. I would recommend everyone take at least one acting class in their lifetime.

While in school, I have been in five short films and one play. I’ve fallen in love with theater just as much as I love screen acting. My first play was Significant Other by Joshua Harmon. I learned so much from working on a full play and collaborating with a director. After finishing the three performances of Significant Other, I was on such a high and knew I wanted to continue doing both theater and screen acting.

I’m extremely excited to announce that last week I received the news that I will be in my first off-Broadway show, Little Women, playing Marmee. Rehearsals start tonight! There will be three performances: two on Saturday, April 5th, and one on April 6th. I can’t wait to get back on stage!

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

I think my first piece of advice would be to dream big and just go for it. Even though it may be scary and filled with uncertainty, if you’re passionate about what you’re doing, you’ll automatically be on the right path. I would also emphasize the importance of the people you surround yourself with. Find people who encourage you, teach you, and make you want to strive for more. And lastly, I would say, be yourself. I’m still working on this one, but I think I’m getting better at it every year. Not worrying about what other people think of you and doing exactly what you want to do is the best way to move forward with your dreams—because at the end of the day, you’ll never satisfy everyone.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

I get overwhelmed really easily and often end up not being able to accomplish much because I’m thinking about all the things I need to finish and do for the day instead of actually doing them. A few things that have helped me are starting the day by writing down a list of tasks in order of urgency. I separate what needs to be finished today from what’s on my mind but doesn’t need to be done if there isn’t time for it. Writing these lists down allows me to see that the tasks for the day are usually not something I can’t handle. Another thing that helps me is deep breathing, something I’ve learned in school. Putting on meditative sounds and breathing for a few minutes helps me relax and get back on track.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @thelmamog

Image Credits

The three play images: Valerie Terranova

Image of me sitting with hands up: Mete Gultiken

Black and white image: Phoebe L. Erwitt Smolan