We were lucky to catch up with Lauren Elizabeth Harris recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Lauren Elizabeth, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
I think imposter syndrome is often something that’s associated with women because women have been conditioned to believe they don’t belong in certain places. I hope to flip the narrative that women belong in any seat that they wish to have, so that no one has to feel imposter syndrome. I come from a line of strong women, my mom was a first generation college student, and put herself through college and her PhD. She then became a Fulbright scholar and ran for congress. Her career has really shown me that the only limitations are the ones we set for ourselves.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Lauren Elizabeth Harris, a Philadelphia native, graduated with honors from the University of Southern California with a double major in Dramatic Arts (emphasis on Acting) and Spanish, and is pursuing her MFA in Creative Producing in Film from Columbia University. She has studied at The British American Dramatic Academy in London, England, The Berridge Conservatory in Normandy, France, and The Pig Iron Theatre Company in Philadelphia, PA. In Los Angeles, she has studied with Margie Haber, Judy Kain, Annie Grindlay, Ivana Chubbuck Studios, Lesly Kahn and is currently in the Writer’s Lab of Groundlings.
Lauren has portrayed numerous roles both on the stage and in film and television. She also wrote, produced, and co-starred in a feminist web-series titled It’s A Girl Thing, that was highly regarded in over 14 international film festivals. Her film Defining Dodo won the LGBTQ Voices Award at the HBO Sponsored Latino Film Festival. Most recently, she directed a coming of age story set in Quaker School that she also wrote, acted, and produced, starring Jodi Benson (The Little Mermaid). She is honored to be a board member of SheNYC, a member of Women in Film, associate member of WIP, former New York Events Leader for Film Fatales and Founder of Pathway Pictures. She is currently in development on SXSW director Carol Brandt’s next feature, and received the Indian Paintbrush Grant for Cece Wheeler’s upcoming short film. Her company has 4 other features and two series in development, three of which she wrote. Additionally, she co-hosts the podcast, Damsels in the DMs, focusing on come up stories from creatives.
Personally, Lauren has traveled to over 40 countries and studied in 5. She is an avid hiker & skier, a certified scuba diver, a self-proclaimed foodie and a dog mom to a rescue named Ernest “Ernie” Worthing.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Persistence, Curiosity, and Kindness. A career in entertainment is not for the faint of heart, and I think it entails an enormous amount of endurance. I think it’s important to commit that if it is what you really want, that you will not give up on it. Allowing the “nos” to wash over you and keep going until you receive the one “yes”, makes all the difference. Curiosity is important because there is always something new to learn and I think it’s vital to keep an open mind. Industry trends constantly change and allowing yourself to remain curious and hungry to learn will keep you at the top of your game. Lastly, kindness because I think it’s important to always lead with empathy. The industry is smaller than you realize, and the best thing someone can say about you is that you’re kind.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when wearing multiple hats, so I like to try to get ahead of it early. I meditate, journal and exercise everyday, even when on set, and I find by committing to these habits it allows me to avoid feeling overwhelmed by getting out of my own thoughts. Everyone is different, but by committing to habits that make you feel calm, you can maintain a calm attitude no matter what chaos is happening in your life.
Contact Info:
- Website: laurenelizabethharris.com
- Instagram: @laurenelizabetharris
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-elizabeth-harris-699217b8/
Image Credits
Jenny Anderson (headshots) Alamy (red carpet) Daniel Quirarte (poster)
