Inspirational Women In Hollywood: How Cynthia Geary Is Helping To Shake Up The Entertainment Industry

An Interview With Ming Zhao

I believe that our youth is the future. I believe they’ll save the planet by focusing on our common human goals and celebrating the tiny nuances that make us unique.

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

Cynthia stars in the new show GOING HOME which debuts exclusively on PURE FLIX starting JUNE 2nd.

Cynthia grew up in Jackson, MS. The youngest of 4 kids. She attended the University of MS (Ole Miss) and majored in Vocal Performance. It was there she realized she probably would never make it as a professional singer. She convinced her parents to let her go to UCLA for summer school, with the secret desire to break into acting in film and TV. Cynthia knew she needed training so , she studied with famed acting teacher David LeGrant in LA. After 3 years of regular acting and vocal training, she landed the role of Shelley Tambo , on Northern Exposure. It changed her the trajectory of her life. She was moved to Bellevue, WA to shoot the series for the next 5 years. She fell in love with the pacific northwest and still lives on a lake there. She’s a devoted water-skier.

Cynthia costarred with Luke Perry in the movie, “8 Seconds” and starred in the classic Christmas movie, “To Grandmother’s House with Go” with Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen.

Cynthia had her daughter, Olivia, in 2000 and that changed everything. Suddenly, her priorities shifted from career to family. She continued to work sporadically in film and TV, but after the birth of her second daughter, Lyla, in 2006 , she found it harder and harder to juggle her desire to be with her children and leave to live on location for film and TV roles. She turned to local Seattle theatre to satisfy her desire to act and be creative.

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?

My parent’s priority has always been family. I am so grateful for that. My three older siblings and I sat down to a hot breakfast before school every morning. We had dinner together every night. We had lunch every Sunday at my grandmother’s with my cousins. Today, my parents are in their 90’s, even though my children and I live 3000 miles away, we still gather with kids, grandkids, great grandkids, and cousins. Having two daughters, I know it is difficult to make time to sit down and have regular meals together, but that’s where the bonding happens.

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

My mom was a high school music teacher and our church choir director. At the age of 6, I think?, my mom cast me (nepotism? I think not!) in a solo part as the singing Donkey in our Christmas pageant. I was hooked!

Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

The MOST interesting thing that’s happened to me since I began my career?!!!! Having two daughters — sounds cliche’, but they never fail to delight, challenge, surprise, and teach me. Watching them grow into smart, independent, thoughtful women fills me with awe.

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?

This wasn’t really a mistake, but kind of a funny story — While studying acting and waiting tables in LA, I waited on a talent manager and her producer husband. I didn’t know who they were. I offered them wine, because we were trained to ask — (it upped the price of the meal and tips considerably). They said, “yes, we’ll take a bottle”, I panicked. That meant I had to open the wine at their table, we had to use a 2-pronged wine opener — you’re supposed to expertly pull the cork out with your right hand while holding the bottle in your left hand never setting the bottle on the table — it was impossible! I could barely pry the cork out with both hands and the bottle held between my legs. So…. I ran to the kitchen to ask my friend and co- waiter to go to my table and open the wine for me. He did expertly, while I chatted with the woman learning it was her birthday. I served her free birthday flan for dessert! She signed me — I got Northern Exposure a few months later. In return, I helped my friend get his first job as a casting director. He’s now been a casting director at a major studio for the last 30 years. Lesson learned — loyal friends are worth their weight in gold, and everyone loves something for free.

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

There are so many people who helped and encouraged me. I have to start with my mom. She would tell me I had a voice like Sarah Brightman, while that was a mother’s bias, my mom’s encouragement and belief in me gave me the courage to move to LA, knowing no-one in the business. I wasn’t afraid. I’m also extremely grateful to my acting teacher, Charles Waxberg. Charles cast me in the lead role of his new two- person play “Vaxed” last year. I played a geneticist. The role is extremely dialogue heavy and emotionally demanding. I credit the work I did in this play with preparing me to play the role of Charley in “Going Home”.

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?

My first acting teacher in LA, David LeGrant, used to quote the phrase, “Luck is when preparation meets opportunity”. Charles Waxberg says, “you must continually nurture your talent”. I have encouraged my daughters to pursue their dreams. When you are doing something you love it you can do it for long hours, and it doesn’t feel like work. My oldest daughter graduated magna cum laude from USC in screenwriting this weekend. I’m pretty proud!

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

I believe it is important to stay curious. That’s the beauty of the creative arts. There’s always something new to learn, a unique approach, something you hadn’t considered before. I like the direction the industry is headed. The demand for content has given so many more people a chance to tell their stories in new ways.

We are very interested in looking at diversity in the Entertainment Industry. Can you share 3 reasons with our readers why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in film and TV? How can that potentially affect our culture and youth growing up today?

Reason 1 — We become more empathetic and tolerant when we understand someone else’s point of view.

Reason 2- It empowers people to identify with the people and stories they see on screen.

Reason 3- Seeing new and different stories makes our lives richer, fuller, and more interesting. Never stop learning and challenging your beliefs.

I believe that our youth is the future. I believe they’ll save the planet by focusing on our common human goals and celebrating the tiny nuances that make us unique.

What are 5 things I wish someone had told me when I first started. And why? Please share a story.

John Cullum did tell me “Save your money!” I did — my father and brother are stockbrokers. I invested every penny I made on Northern Exposure in the stock market 90’s heyday. Best advice ever!

I wish I had made more of an effort to get to know the producers and writers on Northern Exposure. We shot on location in WA state and our production team l was in LA, we only saw them at the Emmys. They’ve all gone on to do amazing projects, like David Chases’s “The Sopranos”. I was young and a little intimidated by them.

I wish I had made more of an effort to get to know my agents, there’s a pattern here! I was moved out of LA (where my agents were) my 1st pilot season. I had a manager who talked to my agents, I had lunch with them when I signed with them, then hardly ever saw or even talked them. I think that made it harder for them to see me as anything else than Shelley on Northern Exposure.

One of my mentors in the business always told me to prioritize your loved ones (friends and family) because those relationships are what make life worth living. I took that to heart and stayed in Seattle after Northern Exposure to raise my family. I have an incredible group of friends outside of the Entertainment Industry who love and support me. I love my life.

If an actor like John Cullum offers to read Shakespeare with you. Do it!

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.

I started practicing yoga 25 years ago. It has really kept me healthy and free of injuries.

I started keeping a gratitude journal about 4 years ago. It’s hard to get down when you start each day thinking about all your blessings. Health, family, friends, and living on a beautiful lake in WA state.

I write down goals and things I’d like to manifest. I review them often. It’s amazing to look back over the years and see how even the setbacks and unforeseen detours in my path all have contributed to manifesting my goals.

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

BE IN THE NOW — being present, forgetting about my “to do” list and enjoying the moment is something I try to be mindful of. I can’t say I always do it, but I’m happier when I do.

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?

It goes hand in hand with my life quote. I think we should all sit down and just talk to at least one person face to face uninterrupted (no devices) for at least 30 minutes every day. It’s harder than you think to do this every day.

Is there a person in the world you would love to have lunch with and why?

OPRAH!!!! I think I’ve listened to every “Super Soul Sunday” podcast at least twice. I call her my therapist. These shows have helped me live a more intentional and spiritual life.

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