Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Liz Vassey. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Liz, we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?
I was in the hospital for a long time when I was 2-years-old. I came out a bit shellshocked and, quite frankly, scared of people. When I was 9, I saw my sister in a play and announced to my mother that I wanted to audition for the next one. She was a nervous wreck about it because I was the kid least likely to want to stand on stage with all eyes on me. Or at least so she thought. I ended up getting the role of Oliver in the musical of the same name. And on that stage, while playing someone else, I basically found myself. Or at least the perfect way to express myself. So my professional confidence was something I acquired when I was very young. The challenge then was learning how to not define myself solely by what I did. This business is cyclical: sometimes you’re on top and many times you’re not. I had to learn how to develop a sense of confidence that was not based on what the outside world was telling me about myself. I think age helped, I know therapy helped, and taking the focus off of myself and working with charities was definitely a big part of it, as well. I now know I have value in this world regardless of whether or not I have a good acting or writing job.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I have been acting professionally for over thirty five years. Ten years ago, while I was on a series, I was asked to write and episode. I did and I fell in love with the process. Since then I’ve been focused more on the writing side of things. I sold my eighth TV pilot last year and am in negotiations to hopefully start shooting in the near future. In addition to this, I also found I love directing. I made a documentary a few years back; a labor of love called The Human Race. In a nutshell, it was focused on following six runners, all over the age of 50, as they prepared and then ran the race of their lives. I am a passionate athlete and I wanted to show that, while bodies do change, we are all capable of more than we might think for longer than we might think. I had a wonderful time doing this and am weighing different options as far as what I want to make next.
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?
The three qualities I think were most important to be were commitment to preparation, patience, and resilience. In the entertainment industry all three are important but I think the last quality might be the most important of all. You have to learn how to hear the word “no” because you’ll be hearing it a lot. As far as advice, I would advise anyone to try to make projects of their own on the side, whether it be a short film or putting together play readings. I think the act of creating something without permission gives us a sense of control that is sorely needed in such a volatile line of work.
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
My mother saw that I had a passion for acting when I was 9 and spent a lot of her time helping me foster that. One thing she told me since day one was that if it stopped being fun that I should stop doing it. She also made it very clear that a rejection in this business wasn’t as personal as it felt. She would tell me that I might have done a great job but if I wasn’t the right piece of the puzzle then I wasn’t going to get it. By telling me something so simple she ended up saving me from a world of hurt. I was able to depersonalize the whole process of auditioning (and now pitching ideas for shows and movies) and know that even if the answer is no it doesn’t have bearing on my worth as a human.
Contact Info:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.vassey.54
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/LizVassey
Image Credits
Vince Trupsin CSI/CBS A Million Little Things/ABC The Tick/FOX Two And A Half Men/CBS
