Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristina Cohen.
Hi Kristina, 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?
Absolutely. It all began when I caught the acting bug at the age of 10. My mom and I were in downtown Atlanta, delivering groceries with a Christian mission group called Blood & Fire. During one of our visits, a member had a video camera, and I seized the opportunity, jumping in front of the camera, imagining myself as the host of a TV show. That member suggested to my mom that I should pursue acting. At first, she was hesitant, but then my mom prayed about it and later felt that it was a calling from God.
From there, I secured representation with Joy Pervis, whose agency, Hot Shots, was thriving at the time. Soon after, I started booking commercials and print jobs. I pretty quickly ventured out for pilot season in LA and booked my first pilot for Fox, although it ultimately wasn’t picked up. Strangely, this turned out to be a blessing in disguise. As an 11-year-old who was homeschooled, all I craved at that point was a taste of a normal childhood filled with school dances, locker combinations, and pep rallies.
At 18, I moved back to LA to pursue acting more passionately. Over the next few years, I booked bit parts in independent films and TV shows. I also delved into stand-up comedy and joined an all-women’s improv troupe. This eventually led me to start writing a digital short comedy series exploring the awkward perils of being an actress in LA. This project was picked up by a comedy platform, which ordered six more shorts. Unfortunately, the platform folded before we could film the fifth episode, so I decided to complete it independently.
After finishing the series, I began writing the pilot. Although we created a proof of concept to shop around, nothing seemed to stick. So, I decided to shift my focus to another feature film project that had been simmering on the back burner.
I spent a transformative summer in Thailand dedicated to this project. Despite only completing half of the rewrites, I decided to return to Atlanta, where the story is set. After weathering the pandemic for two years, and once we could start filming again, we shot the proof of concept for the feature in April 2022. It was accepted into a few smaller film festivals, won Best Dark Drama at the Austin Micro Film Festival and screened at a Women in Film & Television Atlanta event.
After multiple rewrites, I’m still in the development stage for the feature script. It turns out the subject matter is quite delicate, and my soul desire to do the story justice means taking the time needed. I’m committed to bringing this vision to life and filming it in Atlanta.
My overall mission is to make impactful and meaningful art for all walks of life.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s safe to say it has not been a smooth road. I come from a dysfunctional and broken home. My parents divorced when I was three, and my mom remarried soon after. This dynamic made me feel like an outsider from a young age. Moving to LA felt like it was my chance to build my own life away from the chaos at home.
In LA, it was hard juggling jobs and finding my identity, and found myself again, not really fitting into a mold and not being the type that was too comfortable with overtly sexualizing myself. It was hard to face rejection day in and day out and to overcome comparison and bad friends.
I learned to embrace my uniqueness and become my own best friend during the lonely and challenging times. It’s not that suddenly, I arrived in this perfect place of self-love. The truth is, it’s an ongoing practice. Having a set of morning rituals helps to keep the practice in place.
In the world of acting, there’s this notion that you go to LA, struggle, maybe even sleep in your car, and then one day, you get “the call” that you’ve landed the lead role in a TV series or movie, and suddenly, your life changes forever.
For me, I feel like I had to get real about embracing other supplementary day jobs and skill sets that actors can have without feeling like a sell-out. I get that being an actor takes commitment, but the reality is everybody has to pay the bills, and I think we have to start normalizing having other skill sets to sustain a life in the industry.
It took me a long time to finally pursue getting my real estate license. I’m still in school, and I’m eager to hang my license up with my broker and hit the ground running. I had to reframe my mind and overcome limiting beliefs that told me doing something else means I’m giving up. I’m not giving up; I’m just getting started.
And I’m expanding. As a human, an artist, and as a creative.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I wear multiple hats – I’m an actor, writer, producer, director, and soon-to-be-real estate agent. I also work with a media group to help their businesses grow.
What sets me apart is my ability to adapt and assimilate in completely new environments. As an El Salvadorian Jew that was raised in the bible belt of Woodstock, Georgia, but also spent a good chunk of life in the vibrant community of Silverlake in Los Angeles, I’ve had the privilege of experiencing a wide range of cultures and perspectives. I’m not saying that “I’ve seen it all” but I have seen a lot. With that being said, I can find common ground with individuals from many walks of life and that has influenced my work immensely.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
My favorite childhood memory was when my dad snuck me and my two friends into the premiere of Snow Day at Paramount Studios. Miraculously, we were gifted just the right number of extra tickets, landing us in the last seats in the packed theatre. You can imagine what it was like to be a kid at a Nickelodeon movie premiere and at the afterparty on the lot where they imported fake snow for sledding. It was stepping into a childhood fantasy dream come true! I also met the current boy band singers of that era and the cast of All That. I was beaming ear to ear and couldn’t help talking about how epic it was to my friends at gymnastics for weeks. I think they got pretty sick of it. Haha.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2938249/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_0_nm_8_q_kristina%2520cohen
- Instagram: @kristinamariecohen
Image Credits
Cory Blake Brooke Sonenreich
Emily Weir
