Inspirational Women In Hollywood: How Actress Elizabeth Alderfer Is Helping To Shake Up The Entertainment Industry

They want to hire YOU. As actors, we can get caught up in the idea that we can play anyone or anything. That’s not to say that you won’t play a range of characters who are very different from each other, but the core of them all — and what casting directors will respond to — will ultimately come from you.

As a part of our series about Inspirational Women In Hollywood, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Elizabeth Alderfer.

Actress Elizabeth Alderfer stars as Lizzie in the Chuck Lorre produced comedy series, “United States of Al” on CBS. The show follows a Marine combat veteran, Riley, struggling to readjust to civilian life in Ohio, and his friendship with Al, the interpreter who served with his unit in Afghanistan. Alderfer plays Lizzie, Riley’s younger sister who loses herself after the loss of her fiancé and is unlike any women Al has ever met before. Alderfer also stars in Peacock’s “A.P. Bio” as Lynette alongside Glenn Howerton and previously starred in Netflix’s “Disjointed” alongside Kathy Bates. Season 2 of “United States of Al” is now airing weekly on CBS.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?

I was born and raised in Elmira, NY! My mom is a retired neonatal nurse and unit manager and my dad is a retired choir director and music teacher, so I grew up singing and dancing. My parents were always incredibly supportive of my performance leanings: I don’t think I would have auditioned for drama college programs if it weren’t for their encouragement.

Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?

I have the most brilliant friends from college who run a theater collective called Fresh Ground Pepper in NYC. After school, I made a lot of devised work with them in whatever black box or theater festival would have us. A lot of that work ended up being comedic in nature, so I credit that time in my life for helping me to hone how my brand of funny works.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I found myself at lunch with a very famous, very well-regarded older actor who was, as I understood it, interested in meeting with me to see if I might be right for a film he was going to direct. It was going very well, but lunch ran late. I was scheduled for a restaurant shift that evening, so I excused myself to get to my day job. I was broke and didn’t fully understand what greater opportunity I may have bungled for a very modest-paying gig. I like to think he would have ultimately decided I wasn’t right for the role anyway, but I’ll never know!

The lesson: know your priorities and honor them best you can. I never put my day job over my career again.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

There are so many, but Rob Decina cast me in a non-union job — my very first TV gig — and then introduced me to my agent and my manager. He went out of his way to vouch for me in a way that can be all too rare and I’ll always be grateful.

You have been blessed with great success in a career path that can be challenging. Do you have any words of advice for others who may want to embark on this career path, but seem daunted by the prospect of failure?

You need to accept that failure will be a part of the journey, and also know that some failures may look like a gift once they’re in the rearview mirror.

What drives you to get up every day and work in TV and Film? What change do you want to see in the industry going forward?

Every time I enjoy an episode of television, or a film, or a play, or a comedy show, etc…I’m reminded of what a gift it is to be a part of an industry that allows people to escape their daily lives and understand the experiences of people who may differ from them.

As for change, I’d like to see more diverse voices in positions of power. Casting choices go a long way in terms of visibility, but we need a variety of voices making the decisions about which projects get made in the first place.

You have such impressive work. What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now? Where do you see yourself heading from here?

The potential of United States of Al to provide people across the country a window into the culture and challenges of Afghans, as well as the day-to-day realities of veterans and their families, is unlike any project I’ve ever worked on. As an actor, I think you always hope that the stories you tell will make the world a little bit better of a place, and USofAl is endeavoring to do just that with every episode.

As for where I see myself heading next: I’m hoping to finish a screenplay I’ve been working on that I would also star in. I’m fascinated by the writing process and am excited to explore that more.

We are very interested in looking at diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in film and television? How can that potentially affect our culture and our youth growing up today?

1. Diversity = Fresh. A room filled with people who look the same and have had similar experiences is not an environment where new ideas can thrive.
2. Diverse voices need to be represented behind the camera and in decision-making positions. That’s where stories are born and molded.
3. Film and Television are vital ways for people to encounter stories they wouldn’t otherwise be exposed to. What a wasted opportunity if all of those stories were about the same thing.

Young people are savvier than ever about the entertainment they consume. My hope is they’ll naturally engage more with art that accurately reflects the world we live in.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? Please share a story or example for each.

1. No one knows what they’re doing. Sure, people get better at their jobs, but I think it’s freeing to realize that there’s no top-of-the-mountain. Everyone is doing the best they can with what they know. A asked a very accomplished actor once when “it gets easier,” and she responded,”Oh, honey…never!”
2. Never stop working on yourself. Whether that means going to therapy, or traveling, or learning a language, or all of the above and then some! The more experiences you can draw from, and the more fully you can understand your own psychology and emotions, the better equipped you will be to enrich your work. You never know what will unlock a scene for you.
3. They want to hire YOU. As actors, we can get caught up in the idea that we can play anyone or anything. That’s not to say that you won’t play a range of characters who are very different from each other, but the core of them all — and what casting directors will respond to — will ultimately come from you.
4. Let go of what you think other people want. This one goes hand in hand with #3. Gaming out how you think the director sees the role does you no good. For one, you’re probably wrong, but you’re also robbing them of learning how YOU see the role. Each person’s unique perspective is valid and valuable.
5. It’s about the journey, not the destination. Actually, many people told me this, but it’s a hard one to really take to heart until you’re a bit older. A career is life-long. There have been many times I’ve been frustrated by a perceived lack of progress until years later when I could finally see how all the dots (some of which I saw as insignificant) connected. Patience, my friends. Enjoy the ride.

Can you share with our readers any selfcare routines, practices or treatments that you do to help your body, mind or heart to thrive? Please share a story for each one if you can.

Exercise is vital to clear my brain, especially if it’s in nature. I love going on hikes, trail running, kayaking, and fishing.

I also like to take social media breaks. All of that mindless scrolling can really take a toll, so even a day-long break does wonders to ground me in reality.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

Put on your own mask before you help others! I’ve definitely prioritized the needs of others at the expense of my own, which can lead to burnout and resentment. When I’ve taken care of myself first, I’ve been able to show up for people more fully and more honestly.

You are a person of huge influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?

If I could snap my fingers and magically make everyone truly care about one thing, it would be climate change. Climate change on its own is a huge crisis, but I believe it also exacerbates every other challenge facing humanity.

Is there a person in the world whom you would love to have lunch with, and why? Maybe we can tag them and see what happens!

Jane Fonda! I admire her so much, not just as an amazing performer but for her lifelong commitment to activism.

Are you on social media? How can our readers follow you online?

I am! I’m @lizderfer on Instagram and @LizAlderfer on Twitter.

This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!