Today we’d like to introduce you to Sunny Mabrey.
Hi Sunny, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
After graduating high school at 17 in my hometown, Gadsden, Alabama, I began junior college on an art scholarship. Soon after, I got a modeling agent in Atlanta and traveled here regularly with my parents, building my “book” with editorial “tear sheets” in preparation for work in a larger scale market. With a year of higher education under my belt, I left home to work as a model full-time, starting in Paris.
I spent the next year living abroad and traveling the “circuit”, gradually making my way to Miami, a mecca for German catalogue work at the time. Doing well but wanting more, I decided to return to my college education. I chose the University of Mobile, a small, Christian liberal arts school, and entered as an art major. An elective acting class taken on a whim was all the spark I needed to fall in love with the theatrical world, but thinking practically, I decided on production design as a career goal. As I advanced in my studies and won more roles, though, my passion for performing became undeniable, and I determined to make acting my occupation. After graduation, I returned to modeling for income and moved to New York City, where I soon found commercial representation at Wilhelmina. My first professional acting gig was an Oreo commercial and the next, a guest star on a TV comedy series produced by Al Franken called Lateline.
Eventually, I booked a film that brought me to Los Angeles where I immediately felt a sense of belonging — so I stayed for the next 20 years! I’ll always love my extended/chosen LA family and appreciate the career that blossomed for me there, but four years ago, when my husband (an LA native) and I began to ponder moving away, Atlanta drew us in with its creative culture, reasonable cost of living/high quality of life, and the possibility of being near my family again… something I hadn’t thought attainable. Plus, for the first time, there was another major metropolis playing host to as many (and sometimes even more) productions than LA and NYC while rapidly cultivating a community of talented filmmakers in the process. Being a part of that movement was a prospect neither of us could resist, so we pulled the trigger and bought a house here in 2018. I’ve never regretted our decision and am truly excited to be an Atlanta transplant.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Ha! Countless obstacles, really, but I’ll keep it simple. Rejection. Dealing with “no’s” in the modeling realm equipped me to handle them in film and tv, but the pain can still be intense, especially when getting close on something amazing. It’s a bit tragic because we actors must pour our souls into auditions and then amputate the character from our psyche immediately following. Of course, winning a part and the opportunity to re-inhabit her world makes it all worthwhile, and that’s why we keep going.
Also, being away from family and friends for extended periods of time has always been tough.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My other work and play branch into a few directions. I do comedy on social media and have fun creating very specific, ridiculous characters. A horror-comedy short film I wrote, produced, and starred in called Patricia Sterling is currently doing well on the festival circuit. I am developing three projects with my husband, Ethan Embry, who is also an actor: a horror film, a dramatic-thriller film, and a comedy series. I love hanging with our family, friends, and dog, Cedar. I’m super into interior decorating, home projects and can get a bit obsessive combing antique stores and thrift markets for treasures. Ethan and I also play music with our longtime friend and collaborator, Ashley Mendel. Some might say I juggle too many projects at once, but I love it.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I’m a pretty open book, but… I’m kind of a closet headbanger and could slay most people in a game of music trivia. I’m also a big horror movie fan and geek out on Halloween.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/sunnymabrey
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunnymabrey/
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/SunnyMabreyOfficial/
- Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/sunnymabrey
- Other: http://imdb.me/sunnymabrey
Image Credits
Justin Kane, Trevor Boyd
