My mom introduced me to the entertainment industry when I was 3 where I grew up working on several print ads and commercials. As a kid, instead of getting dropped off at soccer practice after school, my mom drove me to auditions. This worked in my favor of course, because growing up I was never able to play sports because of my arthritis. I met friends on the weekends in acting classes or on set and I absolutely loved it. But once I entered high school in 2012, I stepped away from acting to focus on my studies…and cheerleading! Because for the first time in my life I was a part of an actual “team”! This all came to a crashing halt 4 months later when I experienced one of my biggest arthritis flares. I was bedridden for weeks with swollen joints and immense pain. After missing a month of school, I ultimately chose to leave school and focus on my health.
After a couple months of recovery and starting a new medication, I re-enrolled in school, but this time in an independent study program which gave me the ability to work on schoolwork at my own pace in the comfort of my own home. I ended up really thriving in a work-at-your-own-pace environment and graduated high school a year and a half early! With all that extra time on my hands, I decided to get back in acting class and dedicated my time to working on my craft. This may sound crazy, but in aroundabout way, I have my chronic illness to thank for leading me in a path that allowed me to further pursue my interest in acting.
My First Television Credits
Sometime in 2015, I started classes with a brilliant teacher/coach Amy Lyndon who truly shifted things for me. After Amy’s classes, I booked some of my first television credits: MTV’s ‘Sweet Vicious’, Disney Channel’s ‘Bizaardvark’, and ABC’s ‘American Housewife’. I truly felt like all my hard work was paying off! I also met some of my best friends in her class who I’m still close with to this day. Thinking back to how sad and sick I was in 2012, I never expected that just a few years later I’d be working on television shows and meeting so many amazing individuals who have so greatly impacted my life.
Fast forward to late 2021, where I filmed my most recent film ‘Deadly Cheer Mom’. …Which is now streaming for free on TUBI!!… I was incredibly excited to have booked the project, but also very nervous for the ~cheerleading~ aspect because 2021 was another difficult year for me, health wise. I tried, and failed, several medications. I had to find a new doctor, because mine was moving out of town. And I was battling a stubborn flare that was causing me a lot of pain and discomfort. When signing on to the movie, I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. I was well aware there’d be plenty of dance rehearsals, long days, and little sleep. However, I was not going to let my arthritis get in the way of this role!
Filming a Movie About Cheerleading
There was a few weeks notice before we started dance rehearsals for the film, so I made it a point to get in the best shape I could. I stretched every morning so my muscles and joints were as prepared as they could be. I got on a meal plan with Splendid Spoon which consisted of healthy soups and smoothies. And I took tons of vitamins to boost my immunity since I somehow manage to always get sick during filming.
I felt confident in the prep work I had done, but my joints weren’t thrilled with the amount of physical activity I was participating in. We filmed those dance scenes over and over, sometimes in the heat and sometimes at night in the freezing cold. My feet were NOT a fan of those days! Like expected, I got sick the last week of filming with a bad cold (the lack of sleep didn’t help!!) But I managed to push through and was so proud of myself when it was all over.
Why I Have my Chronic Illness to Thank for Acting
When I say I have my disability to thank, I wholeheartedly believe that if I didn’t suffer from that flare freshman year, I’d be a completely different person. I would’ve continued on with school, gone to college, joined a sorority, gotten a job in the field I was majoring in, and who knows where my stance with acting would be!
I went to college online so I could keep my schedule open for acting opportunities. It was also beneficial knowing that online college would be easier for me and my health as opposed to the traditional classroom setting. I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. I know I wouldn’t be in the position I am today if my life path hadn’t shifted.
I’m often fearful that one day I’ll book a role that requires immense physical activity and my disability will limit me. However, I’ve decided I’ll cross that bridge when I get there. And until then, all I can focus on is staying as healthy and happy as possible. My favorite quote is: it’s just a bad day, not a bad life. I try to remember this anytime I’m feeling down or am in pain. Everything will turn around, life will come full circle, and if it’s meant to be…it will be! So thank you, chronic illness, for bringing me back to my roots so I could pursue this crazy dream of mine.
If you’re looking for something fun to watch…check out my new film ‘Deadly Cheer Mom’ streaming now for free on TUBI!
Wow. What a perspective. Thank you for sharing this. For the last few years I’ve been navigating mysterious pain that comes and goes in the left side of my face/neck. It’s felt very restricting of my acting career- the unpredictable flares and navigating so much debt from medical bills. I’ve also fought to keep a positive mentality about it instead of letting myself feel victimized by chronic pain. Thank you for sharing your story, your perseverance is encouraging. It was so lovely to meet you today and an absolute honor to watch you at work!