Meet Tara Kaye Burgh | Actor & Writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tara Kaye Burgh and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tara Kaye, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
For a long time, all I ever thought about was work. I thought the harder I worked, the further I’d be in my career– and the happier I’d be. I would dread every day I had to waitress until I was acting full time. Then, a pandemic went down, and I had a back injury. As crazy as it sounds, it may have been the best thing to happen to me. I realized I couldn’t physically waitress anymore, and to be honest–I was mentally drained from it, too. After having an injury like that, you realize how important the small things are: your health, your friends, travelling, art.

I started to wonder–if I’d ever be where I wanted in my career and even if I did, would I finally be happy? I needed to find something else to do for work. And I was hoping it was something I didn’t loath. One day, I noticed one of my actor friends traveling the world, so I reached out to him and was like, “Dude, what are you doing?” He told me he had been copywriting. That was it. That was what I was going to do. And I did.

I didn’t stop working hard…I am still a Capicorn, but it didn’t feel like hard work. I found something that fulfilled me creatively,and gave me the flexibility to continue pursuing acting (Let’s be honest I’ve spent way too much money to give that up.)

But I started to let go of the idea that ‘work’ was everything. The more I started to trust the process and allowed myself to live in the moment, the better my art became. The less I clung to this idea of what it “should” be, the more special it became.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I was eight when I first watched Spy Kids and decided I wanted to be an actor. It wasn’t necessarily from the idea of filmmaking. I remember watching the behind-the-scenes features and seeing the kids were real friends. It was from the idea of playing make-believe with your friends. I always loved storytelling. I was actually very shy as a kid and would usually keep to myself writing stories. My mom thought I was insane when I said I wanted to be an actor. But here we are. As a kid, I hated the fact that I was shy; I thought that if I could do this, eventually, it would go away. I’ve definitely come out of my shell more, but deep down, I’m still that shy kid. I don’t hate it anymore. I’ve learned to accept that’s what makes me me. When I think back to everything I’ve done over the years, I don’t see it as hard. I think about how unscared I was. I try to hold onto that now, living in the moment and trusting that if I do the work, something will happen. I might not know what, but something.

Speaking of! I wrote a pilot during covid, and it’s finally happening. Check out ‘Birdies’ on the gram for a sneak peek!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If I said I was a girl who didn’t like to shop or gossip, I’d be lying. My bestie (you know who you are) is actually coming to town, and I’m ready to take her to all the thrift stores and coffee shops while yapping about the latest drama. I will start the day with a yoga class at ‘Iso Yoga’ or ‘Bring it Om.’ Then we’ll grab my favorite ‘Vanilla Bourbon Oat Cold Brew’ from Chrome Yellow and hit up Rag-o-Rama in little five points to find an outfit for the night. Next, we’ll refuel with a sammie and smoothie from Lotta Frutta and walk the beltline. After a refreshing giggle sesh in the AC, we’ll get dressed up and go to Palo Santo Rooftop for a cute cocktail and a little dancing. If we’re up for more, we’ll shimmy over to Johnny’s hideaway.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My friends, especially other artists. It can be lonely moving to new cities for a career. I have always been very independent and hated asking for help, but as I inch closer to 30, I realize how much I need good people in my life, people who understand me and will be there like family when family isn’t around. Living in NY and LA, I never questioned my life as an artist. It wasn’t until I moved to ATL that I felt the weight of it. It seemed everyone had stable jobs, husbands, babies. Wow. I wondered if I was doing it wrong? I realized I had been surrounded by artists all my life and suddenly wasn’t. It was the first time I had to seek them out. Not that I don’t love my corporate friends, but there’s a connection between artists I can’t explain.

Website: https://www.instagram.com/tkaye96

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/birdies_series

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tara-kaye-burgh/

Image Credits
Brandon Clifton, Danin Drahos