Meet Jae Coutrier | Actress & Creative

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

Hi Jae, why did you pursue a creative career?
I chose to pursue an artistic or creative career because I DID NOT want to live my life with regrets. I also did not want to look back on my life and wonder: what if? I have been acting and singing since I was 9 years old. All the schools I have attended (elementary, middle, high school and college) have been for performing arts. Ironically, my whole life I wanted to be a veterinarian. When it was time for me to select the college I wanted to attend, I had a choice to go to one college for Veterinary Sciences or another for a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting. I was at a crossroad that would determine the trajectory of my life. In the end, I chose to pursue the BFA in Acting. I came to this decision because out of those two, I felt like I would regret not pursuing my acting career the most.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My whole life I have been involved in singing, writing, plays and musicals. I transitioned into film acting my junior year of college and that is my main focus right now. What sets me apart from others is my ability to easily adapt, my drive, confidence, insane work ethic and my compassion to name a few. I am extremely confident in my skills and abilities. I will not stop until I get where I want to be in my acting career. Whether that takes me a year or ten plus years I will not give up until I achieve my dreams. My work ethic and desire to reach my goals is insane, sometimes to the detriment of myself. One thing I am working on is my work/life balance and learning when I need to take a step back and have some “Me” time. Currently, I am most proud of myself for moving to a new state without knowing anyone and having to start from scratch. I have some things in the works that I can not speak about yet but am super excited about! It has not been easy to get to where I am today. By no means am I where I want to be professionally. I overcome challenges by never giving up. As an actress you may do hundreds, in some cases, thousands of auditions before you book something. The key is to keep going and not give up. A lesson I have learned is to not be too hard on myself, which is easier said than done. Recently, I had four auditions in one week and had to learn lines for each of them. I was sick and was only able to do three of the four auditions. I beat myself up for not being able to do all of the auditions and was so upset that I was unable to get over my sickness quickly. I had to stop and realize how dumb and self deprecating I sounded. I can’t control a sickness! All that mattered was that I did the best I could and I had to focus on the accomplishment of being able to do those three auditions. When I make it in this industry, I want the world to know that I never gave up on my dreams and always remembered the people who helped me along the way.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Since I am new to ATL I am still learning the city. However, in my limited experience we would definitely do a couple touristy things first. I would take my best friend to Ponce City Market, The High Museum of Art and the Trap Music Museum. I would take them to Brooklyn Tea for casual vibes. A hole in the wall Spanish cuisine and bar called Eclipse Di Luna would be a great place for a late dinner and drinks. If we wanted to do brunch, I would take them to Toast On Lenox. For some southern cooking we would go to Old Lady Gang, This Is It and Belinda’s Southern Cuisine. I would definitely take her to Rooftop LOA to catch a vibe. Some fun nighttime activities I would recommend would be Impulse Lounge & Karaoke and Painting With A Twist. In my short time in ATL, these are some of the places I have enjoyed the most.

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?
My family and closest friends deserve the most recognition in my story! My family has been with me since before I could even form memories. They are the ones who keep me grounded and lift me up when I am down. They have supported my acting dreams physically, financially and emotionally. I would not be the woman I am today without them. My faith in God deserves TONS of recognition as well. Having a belief system has provided me the drive to keep going even if things do not go my way. I truly believe what God has for me will be for me! I would also like to give a shoutout to Acting out Studios in Atlanta, GA. They gave me the tools and connections I needed when I made the transition from Miami, FL to Atlanta, GA.

Website:  www.jaecoutrier.com       

Instagram: @iamjaecoutrier

Youtube: The Life of Jae Bae

Other: Tiktok= @iamjaecoutrier

Image Credits
Acting Out Studios- Red Carpet photo & main photo