Meet Kaitlin Moews | Actress/Performer

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

Hi Kaitlin, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
It is so important to take some risks. Always staying in your comfort zone rarely leads to growth. Growing up in small town Iowa, I was so blessed to have parents and family that supported my goals of becoming a professional actress/performer. However, there was not a lot of resources of knowledge to figure out exactly how to do that. I knew it was important to me to continue my education and study my craft, and I decided to get an acting degree at Oklahoma City University.

After graduation, I didn’t have much instruction on what to do next or how to get started. All I knew was that I needed to be in a location with a large film industry so I could start finding auditions and making connections. I packed everything I could fit into my car and drove to Atlanta with no job, no friends, no family, and no place to live. To this day, this was the big risk I am most proud of.

I hopped Airbnb’s for a while until I made friends to live with. I’ve worked in restaurants and part-time as a character/princess and face painter at children’s parties. I googled local productions that were accepting submissions. I showed up to any and every networking event I could find and auditioned as much as possible. I did student films and music videos for small local artists, almost always for free. Through these productions, I was able to start making friends, learned what websites I needed to be on, what photographers were best for headshots.

Being bold, taking up space, and walking into every room like you deserve to be there is the best risk I encourage everyone to learn how to take.

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.
Starting out, I thought graduating with a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in acting was going to be my most challenging and successful first step. This could not be farther from the truth. I learned a lot there and developed a strong base in acting techniques, but this was the easy part.

There’s no road map or instruction manual on how to get started. Once I got to Atlanta, I started taking workshops, volunteering on student films, and making as many friends in the industry as possible. I didn’t know what I was doing all the time, but it didn’t stop me from getting started.

Through research, practice, and a lot of support from new friends, I learned how to have a quality audition set up in my home. My auditions got better, my confidence grew, and I was starting to book more roles on local projects.

I submitted to several talent agencies and never heard back. The first agent that showed interest in me eventually said no. I even had a referral from another actor. The rejection was tough and made me feel so small like I was too boring and inexperienced to deserve a chance. This feeling was something I had to learn to manage and adjust. If I’m going to get anywhere, rejection needed to become my motivator instead of my obstacle.

I continued to work, stay in class at my acting studio, and audition as much as possible. Eventually I signed with the lovely Carol Shaginaw, my agent to this day.

My background in dance has given me a unique skill set that lends itself to any acting challenges that require movement. Not just with classic dance, but in physical comedy, interpretive storytelling, and fight choreography.

I danced competitively for almost 18 years. I studied hip hop, ballet, tap, jazz, and a bit of clog. I even have a handful of national championships under my belt. I feel especially in my element when presented with the challenge of goofy/outrageous scripts. I’ve managed to include trips and falls, dance moves, temper tantrums, and dramatic make-outs into several scenes!

Another moment I was particularly proud of was when I booked a comedic web video production and proceeded to suggest a rap song I had written to the director, they loved it! They enjoyed my work and good attitude so much on set that they immediately booked me for a second web video series that was twice as long. There is no greater compliment than being asked to work on a production without needing an audition.

Lastly I bring my own unique sense of vulnerability to my dramatic scenes. I do well with characters written to have the audience sympathize with. After years of training, I’m able to dive deep into heavy scenes very quickly. This is a particularly useful skill when you’re on set and only have a short amount of time to film these scenes.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
-See a baseball game at Truist Park stadium. Make sure to check out The Battery in it’s entirety! I recommend El Super Pan for some of the best authentic Latin food and Sports & Social for the perfect atmosphere of sports, music, and entertainment.

-See a puppet show at the Center for Puppetry Arts. They have family friendly shows along with adult puppet shows that perform in the evenings. Don’t forget to check out their museum, as well! Displays include everything from popular tv shows, film, shadow puppets, and entertainment artifacts from around the world.

-Take a tour of the Botanical Gardens, even better if they’re having a special display during different holidays throughout the year. My favorite visit was during Christmas time!

-Take a walk or scooter along the beltline and stop at New Realm Brewing for their fabulous rooftop bar.

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’d like to shout out the Anthony Meindl Actors Workshop studio in Atlanta and my teacher, Katelin Chesna. This group not only improved my skills and range as an actor, but also provided a well-rounded, passionate community of other artists that are constantly creating and growing. A group of teachers and students that are all eager to learn and celebrate each other’s successes every day. When taking on a challenging/creative profession such as the acting industry, it is so important to surround yourself with people that will push you to keep moving. This studio’s influence has been one of my biggest blessings. Thank you, AMAW, this friendship will last a lifetime.

Website: https://resumes.actorsaccess.com/kaitlinmoews

Instagram: @kaitlinmoews

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raYHY4CM5ng

Image Credits
Collective Energy Photography