Meet Arianna Wellmoney: Actress

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

Hi Arianna, how do you define success?
I think “success” is a combination of small and big things that fill up what your life is. I find that many people describe success as the absolute, final completion of your wildest expectations and dreams. Some people only see the end goal, while I have learned to appreciate every step of the process in my journey. It is very common to end up comparing yourself with others, and in the acting industry, being overwhelmed and scared by the amount of work that needs to be put behind your career is so easy. My biggest example of my thought process is Jennifer Lawrence’s career – she won the Academy Award for Best Actress at the young age of 22 – which is an outstanding accomplishment. As actors, the first thing that we may think about when we read an achievement like that might be “Wow, at the age of 22, I was/am nowhere near that amount of success”. When we start comparing ourselves to others, we put ourselves down. Someone might think that, in order to receive such prestige, Jennifer Lawrence probably had to give up having a normal adolescence for her career. Even if she did not, she reached the highest recognition an actor could aspire for at the young age of 22. What else could she strive for? I would rather have to take 50 years of career to reach that goal, while enjoying every step of the process: my first feature, my first big paycheck, my first Off Broadway show,etc and at the same time enjoying the small joys in life outside of the industry. That is what success is for me. Living in the city of my dreams, being happy with who I am, having friends and family I adore, being able to travel, having free time to explore my passions and yes, being able to pursue acting as a career. As long as I stay true to myself and follow my heart, I am successful in my eyes.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Something I appreciate about the projects that I have taken part of recently, was how specific they are to who I am as a person. In 2019 I wrote and was part of a play called “Extraordinary Aliens” – which was based on true events. It was an honor to be able to tell my story as an immigrant in the US and to perform it as well. In the summer of 2019 I was also part of two Tinder Ads about members of the LGBTQIA+ community. As much as I love doing research and digging deep into a role, there is something special about being part of a project that is related to who I am as a human. When you work in the entertainment industry, you realize that you just cannot get far without the help from others. I was lucky enough to have two wonderful parents who have been my rock since the beginning of this journey; and for my friends who have showed up for me in many ways. I am also very grateful for my hard work and perseverance who have guided me when things were not as easy. As an artist, it is easy to lose your mind over things you cannot control, so taking care of yourself and remembering who you are can be a way of keeping up good spirits when things are not going your way. One thing that I have learned is that I should stay true to myself – if a project, a role or a direction does not feel right or does not align with my values, I try to to find another way that better lines up with who I am and what I want in my career. I want the world to know that, no matter how ‘weird” or “different” people find you, you can always find a place in the world with people who are just as passionate as you or where your creativity can thrive. Growing up in Italy, I always felt like a fish out of water. In New York City, I was able to pursue my dreams and find my people. No matter how hard it gets, you should never stop being yourself to please others – you will find your crew!

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?
I love this question because Gloria, my best friend from Italy, has been wanting to visit me in New York for so long and we have been brainstorming about her possible itinerary! I definitely would want to take her to the spots in the city where I have the best memories – my old school, Broadway theatres and my favorite parks. I would take her to eat at the Stardust Diner in Manhattan, where you can enjoy live entertainment while you eat great food. I would take her Bowling in Woodside and introduce her to my New York friends. Another thing I love doing in New York is Karaoke in Koreatown – that would definitely be the next spot I would take my best friend.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to dedicate my Shoutout to my parents. They have supported me from a young age when I decided to take acting classes, they gave me the possibility to move and study in the US and they still support me to this day. They are the first I call when I get a role, an audition or I simply want to share my experiences with. Not only they are some of the best people on this earth, but they are also wonderful parents. I am super lucky to have them in my life!

Website: www.ariannawellmoney.com

Instagram: Www.instagram.com/ariannawellmoney

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ariwellmoney

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ariannawellmoneyactor

Other: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm8333604/

Image Credits
Jeremy Crocker Giuseppe De Lauri Zombie Sandwich Productions Pranav Kothary