Meet Alicia Kelley | Actress, Youth Acting Coach and Aspiring Filmmaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alicia Kelley and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alicia, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I am from a small, one stoplight town in Indiana called Upland. Growing up in such a small town instilled simplicity in my heart. I spent much of my childhood playing outdoors, barefoot, reading books, playing piano, and doing chores around the house and my in my family’s garden (my mom had one of the biggest green thumbs of the town).

Small town life also taught me hard work, genuine connections with people and the beauty of dreams. From a young age my parents taught me the value of hard work and delayed gratification. They had no idea I would end up pursuing a career in acting, but the work ethic they nurtured me has become invaluable to me. As an actor, the ability to stay diligent with your work ethic audition after audition after audition after audition is crucial. There is never a guaranteed “fast” path to success as an actor, and it can become a discouraging trap for actors to think they should have immediate results.

My simple childhood taught me to be content in the small stuff, which is something I become more and more grateful as I get older. Yes, I have big dreams as an actor and storyteller, and I love traveling and doing new things; but at the end of a day that may seem “simple”, I have come to realize there is still so much joy to be found. To me, finding true contentment in the journey, even on the days that aren’t big or epic, is essential. I know if I can have true joy in the seemingly “simple” things of life, then there is no desperate searching for something to MAKE ME HAPPY, instead I can trust and relax on my own, unique journey through life — wherever God leads me.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I love stories. Since I was a little girl I have always loved the power of stories, whether I was playing dress-up and pretending to be a princess or a doctor or a lawyer, to reading books and watching movies that inspired me.

I feel incredibly grateful to be able say that my career revolves around storytelling. I have been a working actor in Atlanta for about 8 years and I am also an acting coach, specifically for youth. I also have produced a few short films and I enjoy producing my own films when time allows as my main focus is acting.

Getting to the point in my career where I can say I am a working actor, meaning I regularly audition and book acting gigs when I’m right for a story be it TV/Film or Commercial, has not been an immediate process for me. I have put in countless hours in both undergrad and grad school honing my craft and I still stay enrolled in acting class to this day. Acting is a balance between working hard and then TRUSTING the work that you DID put in, letting go and surrendering to the story.

I am a constant work in progress, both as a human being and as an artist and the main thing I am learning in my acting journey right now is I can’t skip the WORK and expect to see the results. If I do the HARD WORK then I truly can relax into that work and trust that I AM ENOUGH for whatever story I am bringing to life, whether that is an audition or I am on set. If I am right for the story- awesome! – if not, then another actor is better for that particular story and that’s awesome too!

I don’t view myself as any more special or significant than any other actor, artist or human being for that matter. I am a small town girl, with a very simple background and some big dreams. I am unique because I am already enough, like ANY of us. I also have found tremendous peace knowing I am a child of God and I know with all my heart He has a perfect plan for my life. I don’t have to over-strive or over achieve or control or stress about that plan. God’s plans will happen in His timing.

One of the main things I have been working on in myself recently is to be content in who I am regardless of ANY external validation. That means no booking, no job, no person, no amount of social media followers or likes, no other person, no accomplishment – NOTHING can fulfill me if I am not already fulfilled.

I am enough not because of what I do but because of who God created me to be.

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?
Some of my favorite places to explore in Atlanta include the Beltline, Little Five Points, Inman Park and ANY of the hiking trails along the Chattahoochee River. I live in an area of Atlanta where I daily find myself on some sort of outdoor trail exploring. I recently discovered the Bamboo Forest and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys doing things outdoors!

One thing I love about living in Atlanta is there are still SO many places and things I want to explore that I haven’t had a chance to even though I have lived here for 8 years. Museums, theatres, art galleries, restaurants, night life…Atlanta does not have a shortage of options for trying new things and exploring which is exciting.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I owe the journey of my life to the Lord. I have personally found Him to be steadfast in my life and He has gotten me through some of my darkest days, many of which were results of my own poor choices. His loving grace has been unconditional in my life in ways that become more and more beautiful to me as I get older and realize just HOW MUCH I need that grace daily.

Then I believe everyone I have encountered in my life has played a role in shaping who I am, from my parents and my sister, who have embraced the dramatic little performer in me and have supported me as I pursue an acting career that doesn’t always make sense; to each friendship, each teacher, each mentor, each employer, each client, each director, each producer, each agent, each conversation in the grocery store, each simple hello from a stranger in a new city. I owe gratitude to so many people.

I want to thank every professor I had in my academic journey studying acting at both Huntington University where I received my BA in Theatre Performance and at Regent University where I received my MFA in Acting. Professionally, I have been pursuing an acting career mainly in Atlanta for about 8 years now. Thanking each person who has poured into my acting career in these 8 years would make for a novel; but I do want to say thank you to all of you…you know who you are. I currently train with Carol Hickey and Kim Davis through the Carol Hickey Acting Studio and I so grateful for the ways they continue push me to elevate my craft as an actor.

I do want to “shoutout” Mark Paladini. He was a screen acting professor I had during my MFA program and he has continued to be a significant mentor for me. He has screened so many of my important auditions and has always given me HONEST feedback, even if it means I need to re-tape. He has also fielded so many of my questions and concerns, even when I am overthinking. Mark has been an artistic anchor for me in what can be a chaotic industry at times and I am grateful for his constant support.

Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3474018/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_0_nm_8_q_Alicia%2520Kelley

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