Rising Star Elisa Luthman On The Five Things You Need To Shine In The Entertainment Industry
It’s not a competition. Don’t waste your time comparing yourself to your friend that goes out for the same roles. Comparison will lead you down a weird path that you don’t want to get stuck there. Trust.
As a part of our series about pop culture’s rising stars, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Elise Luthman.
Elise is an actress, singer, writer, producer, and car enthusiast. Her most recent leading role in Death Link, as well as her recurring role in Nickelodeon’s Side Hustle, will be released in late 2021. She is no stranger to the horror genre, highlighting her characters in Do Not Reply and Dead Night. She is also known for her role of “Shelly” on Netflix’s The Politician and as “Two Canz” on Nickelodeon’s Henry Danger. Fascinated by all aspects of behind the camera Elise has written, produced, and starred in her own Online Disney Maker Studio Series.
Elise is the youngest of seven thespians and learned her love of acting, singing and music from her family as they performed together in many Community Theatre Productions. She is from Dayton, Ohio but now lives in Los Angeles where she acts, writes, works on cars and rides motorcycles.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?
Thank you for having me! I grew up as a child actor and all the unorthodox things that come with that. I was either homeschooled or went to an “actor school” for most of my education. I grew up around actors, we all had acting careers before we were old enough to have bank accounts. My childhood was very unique, to say the least. I, however, wouldn’t have it any other way! It made me who I am today.
Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?
My brother! Mr. Joey Luthman. I was a very shy kid, but I followed Joey to auditions and classes to see what it was all about. It took some pushing, but I definitely broke out of my shell! I have him to thank for all of it.
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?
If you have a on-screen kiss, bring mints. Don’t do like I did and eat a bunch of smelly food during lunch then not have a way to cleanse up your breath for the kiss scene!!
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
Well, I’ve done a lot of thriller movies in the last few years, so I can a contrasting character coming out in the Nickelodeon show Side Hustle. I’m appearing on it with my brother! We play Dutch twins, who will without a doubt bring a smile to your face. That’s the beauty of being an actor, we get to play all different types of characters!
You have been blessed with 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?
Let me tell you this straight up, you’re going to hear a lot of “no”s. You’re going to hear a lot of “you’re too tall, you’re hair isn’t the right color, you’re to this, too that, etc.” It’s going to feel personal, but I can tell you from many years of experience in this industry, it’s not. Every role is meant for someone. If you didn’t end up booking that role you thought you were perfect for, it just means the right one is still out there waiting for you. Lastly, I want you to remember one big thing… You never need to change yourself. This industry can make you feel like you need to at times, but stay true to you…because you’re freaking fabulous.
We are very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in film and television? How can that potentially affect our culture?
Back in the day, movies and television mainly had the same type of people. When you’d look on the screen you saw the same body type and the same skin color. One of the main problems with that is, it’s not what humanity looks like. In this human race, we have so many beautiful people that each look different unique! As we keep moving forward in this industry, the screen is starting to reflect that beauty. The Acting industry will always be evolving, and I think we’re on a great path so far.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? Please share a story or example for each.
- Keep your sites updated! Actors Access, Casting frontier, etc. Those are the first things casting sees, make sure they look good!
- It’s not a competition. Don’t waste your time comparing yourself to your friend that goes out for the same roles. Comparison will lead you down a weird path that you don’t want to get stuck there. Trust.
- When you go into that audition room (or film that self-tape, Covid edition lol), take control! For those few minutes you’re in there, it’s YOUR stage. Have fun!
- Intentions. In every scene, you read, make sure you have intentions for your character. Don’t float around.
- Acting is reacting. Listen. Be present in the scene, it shows.
Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?
Acting can be exhausting, especially if you have a 4 page scene where you’re crying the entire way through. Make time to recharge yourself! Sometimes after a long day on set I’ll take the long drive home and blast and sing to music. That’s one simple way that I charge up. Find what works for you! Just remember, take care of you.
You are a person of enormous 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? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
In this day and age, social media is the way of our society. Now think about what you see when you open up your favorite social media app, probably 80% smiles. It can make you feel like you yourself always have to be good, happy, and smiling. I went through a nasty motorcycle accident 2 years ago, and let’s just say I wasn’t smiling every day lol. I decided to break the mold and share my struggles on social media. I was real about what I was going through and shared what helped me get through stuff. Never have I ever gotten such positive feedback when I did so.
The mass follows the masses. Who knows, by you being your true, real, gorgeous self, you might inspire someone to do the same. Your smiles are not the only beautiful thing about you. Every part of you deserves to be cherished.
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?
Harrison James. Throughout my acting career so far, I’ve had to pleasure to work with many acting coaches and teachers. This lady here taught me the core parts of this craft called acting. I will take her teachings and her love everywhere I go. Forever grateful to you Harri. XOXO
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
Four words, a quote from the movie Rudy. “No excuses, do the work.”
It’s as simple as that.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)
That’s easy…Benedict Cumberbatch. I’ve been following his work for many years. In every role he plays you can see the work he has layered into each beat. I love talking to people who strive for excellence in their field, so a chocolate croissant and conversation with Benedict Cumberbatch? Any day!
How can our readers follow you online?
My main social media is Instagram! @eliseluthman
This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!
