Life & Work with Candace N Lee of Atlanta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Candace N Lee.

Hi Candace N, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
It happened on a quiet stretch of beach, before I had any idea that my life was about to change. I was simply dancing with the water moving instinctively, letting the waves pull me forward and back like a partner who knew the rhythm better than I did. Unbeknownst to me, the director I was traveling with watched from a distance, camera in hand. What I thought was a private moment with the ocean became the opening frame of someone else’s story.

Later, they sat me down and showed me what they saw. Step by step, cut by cut, they revealed the process from raw footage to a completed film scene. As I watched, something inside me clicked into place. It was as if they had taken the way I’d always seen the world, in fragments of light, in movement, in moments that felt like tiny stories, and projected it back to me in a language I suddenly understood.

That day shifted the direction of my life.

In the years that followed, gratitude became my compass. I met individuals who shared their time, their craft, and their curiosity, giving me the space to grow into my own. I trained. I asked questions. I took risks. I failed, learned, then tried again. I took on jobs that weren’t glamorous, because I knew the only way to become great at my work was to understand every gear that kept the machine running.

That willingness to learn from the ground up carried me everywhere, from acting to editing, from photography to modeling, and eventually to directing a film festival. Each role revealed another part of the world behind the lens.

What started on that beach as a dance with the waves became the beginning of a lifelong dance with storytelling itself, one that continues to shape who I am and how I move through the world.

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?
My path has been anything but smooth. The fears I’ve faced over the years have been real, and learning to look through them toward the future I wanted took time, it still does. Every time I move past one fear, another shows up in a different form.

I’ve experienced the loss of jobs, the loss of family, the loss of work opportunities, and the quiet, persistent fear of not being enough. Those moments have tested me in ways I never expected. But they’ve also shaped me.

I don’t think I’m so different from anyone else trying to accomplish their goals and create a place for themselves while we’re here. I don’t claim to know it all. I just take things day by day, in stride, and do the best I can with what I have.

What has kept me going is the ability to adapt. I’ve learned to use everything, even the pain, even the hurt, as fuel, as perspective, as something that can inform my work rather than derail it. Every setback has taught me something. Every fear has made me a little more resilient. It’s far from perfect but I try to be honest with myself as I go.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As an actress, with a little modeling woven into my work, and as the Director of Partnerships for an international film festival, I’ve built a career that stretches across several creative lanes. Earlier this year, a short film born from a vulnerability exercise – VISAGE – won Best Inspirational in London. I’ve put in a lot of training, celebrated a feature screening in select theaters, and helped lead a very successful 10th-anniversary festival event that came together with the support of a large, dedicated team. It’s momentum I’ve worked hard for, and something I continue to build with intention.

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Finding a mentor was less about searching for the “right” person and more about learning to listen to what moved me. I paid attention to the voices, methods, and environments that stirred something in me and then I tested what I heard. I went to many different types of training, not to stay in multiple places forever, but to understand where I grew the most.

That exploration led me into an intensive seven-month training period with several mentors, including Anatomy of Acting and RADA. It was demanding, eye-opening, and exactly what I needed. Through that process, I found the place that felt like home with training that challenged me, grounded me, and expanded me. I’m still there today, training every week, three years later.

It taught me that mentorship isn’t about luck. It’s about curiosity, openness, and the willingness to move toward what makes you better.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: candacenlee_official
• Facebook: https://Facebook.com/candacenicolelee

Image Credits
Jessica Jones
Brian Jones