Today we’d like to introduce you to Kaitlin Moews.
Hi Kaitlin, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve always wanted to be a performer. Growing up in Iowa, I started in dance, then children’s theater, high school drama, summer camps, and got my bachelor’s in fine arts at Oklahoma City University. Senior year in high school, I was one of those people that no one asked what I was going to study in college. They already knew. My passion for acting/performing was never hidden. I worked for Disney in Orlando for a short while. I worked in entertainment and service, and I loved my job.
A moment hit me when I realized I hadn’t read a script or auditioned for anything in months. I looked around and realized I wanted more and I wouldn’t find it in Orlando. 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. 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. There was no instruction manual on how to get started. 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.
Another big milestone was finding the acting studio I now train at, Anthony Meindl’s Actor Workshop (AMAW). They not only took my acting skills to the next level, but they gave me a community. I found more joy in the work. Actors supporting other actors and coming together to create something beautiful. The next big leap was signing with my agent, Carol Shaginaw. She saw talent and potential in me that has eventually lead me to the work I’ve been able to do today. Through practice, workshops, coaching, and reading, my auditions improved and I am able to tackle bigger and more challenging characters that I would never dreamed of attempting five years ago.
Today, I’ve booked web series, commercials, independent films, and film festivals. I am more brave and confident in making creative choices. I’ve added trips and falls into my characters and even wrote a short rap song I pitched to my director that was added into a recent project. I now regularly audition for network TV and large feature films. I’ve booked roles without auditioning because the directors already loved my work. I am living my dream and I have so much further to grow. This journey is exciting and my story is long, but I know it’s still only the beginning.
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?
When I first moved to Atlanta, some of the places I had to live were not great. There was a mattress on a dirty floor with cockroaches and spoiled food in the oven most days. But, when an audition would come in, I’d “borrow” the floor lamp from the bedroom of the lady I was renting a room from and lean it on a stack of pillows so that I would have decent lighting for my self-taped submission. Thank goodness, now I have professional lighting and backdrops in a room entirely dedicated as a studio.
The first agent I submitted to said no. This was a successful, well-known agent and 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.
My university acting program I studied at was the biggest lesson in tough love. I would regularly not receive any callbacks. I almost never got casted in any school productions. Most of my professors, I could tell, did not believe in me. This taught me to find my own opportunities and have the ambition to search elsewhere to work. Because of this, I booked a commercial, music video, the lead female in an independent film being shot off campus, and the lead in several professional summer theater productions. College taught me not to be dependent on others for growing my skills and career. And more importantly, not to be dependent on others for my sense of worth and validation.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
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. This comes in handy for all types of acting that require movement. It’s helped me to excel in learning fight choreography and physical comedy. 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!
This translates into a moment I was particularly proud of. I booked a comedic web video production and proceeded to suggest a rap song I had written to the director, who 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 like to think I bring my own unique sense of vulnerability to my dramatic scenes. I do well with characters written to have the audience sympathize and feel sorry for. After years of training, I’m able to dive deep into heavy scenes very quickly.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
I am a person first. This may sound silly or too simple, but the best actors are the best because they let themselves experience as much as possible, which makes them vulnerable, well-read, well-traveled, emotional, and genuinely interesting people. I can’t suddenly cry while filming a sad scene if I don’t let myself cry in my normal, day-to-day life. Scripts are written about all the different kinds of human relationships. I am a more intelligent actor because I take care and take time for the ones that I love. Sometimes I need to book that expensive flight to watch my best friend get married. Sometimes I need to film a big audition in my parent’s living room in Iowa so that I can be at my sibling’s graduation. And sometimes it’s important to take time to travel and experience a new culture.
It matters to me to love fiercely, take risks, and be a person first. I feel this helps me stay a well-rounded actor and keep the joy in my career I’ve fallen in love with.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://resumes.actorsaccess.com/kaitlinmoews
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaitlinmoews/
Image Credits
CollectiveEnergyPhotography
