Rising Star Lorianna Izrailova: “If I could start a movement, I would teach love and kindness to the kids from a very young age as a prerequisite course in school”
If I could start a movement, I would teach love and kindness to the kids from a very young age as a prerequisite course in school. Without getting too psychological here, we are shaped the way we are because of how we grow up as a child. Some children grow up in abusive households and that reflects on them for the rest of their life. So, if we as adults can be more mindful to a child’s mental health and development especially during those prime years, we can make this world a much better place. At the end of the day without love and kindness, there’s no life, it’s just existence and that just sounds like a very sad world to me.
As a part of our interview series with the rising stars in pop culture, I had the pleasure of interviewing Lorianna Izrailova. Lorianna is a Russian-American Actress based in NY and works between NY, LA, Chicago and the Southeast Region. She has a Bachelors Degree in Business and an Acting Degree from William Esper Studio in NYC. She’s a proud Sag-Aftra member and she says, “I act because I feel alive and related when I am on stage which gives me a great amount of emotional release”.
Thank you so much for joining us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
I started my acting career after I graduated from college with a Business degree. I was working as a model during the summer break and decided to try out some acting classes for the purpose of getting more experience in front of the camera for commercial work. After taking a course with Lynette Sheldon Acting Studio, I immediately fell in love with the craft of acting and the rest is history. Shortly after, I started booking some TV work and realized that this is what I was meant to do. Then I enrolled in tons and tons of classes. I enjoyed learning about the world of acting and it didn’t feel like work to me. After getting my feet wet in the industry, I decided if I wanted to be taken seriously in this business, I must get some solid training and that’s when I enrolled in one of the best acting schools in the world, The William Esper Studio in NYC. Upon graduating from the 2-year Conservatory, it totally changed my world personally and professionally. This was one of the best investments in myself. I’m a union actress with SAG-AFTRA and enjoy very much my professional acting journey in the Film/TV world.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started this career?
Since I started this career, I became more in tune with myself, my feelings and behavior. Acting is doing or as Meisner said “Acting is living truthfully under imaginary circumstances”. I’ve learned acting techniques that I could easily apply to the real world. Listening is key to great acting and listening is such an important skill in the real world. I’ve learned how to work with my body as an instrument and how to take better care of it emotionally. I’ve learned how to manage nerves on stage as well as in real life. Overall, it helped me open up on a deeper level as a human being and be more confident in my own skin.
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?
When I was first starting out, I used to be afraid of making a mistake and would take everything to heart. This business is mostly 99% rejection on a constant basis and I quickly learned that that’s just the norm, booking a job is actually an element of surprise. I’ve learned that confidence is key and for me training gave me that boost.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
Due to COVID, all production is on hold now so nothing is filming at the moment, however, we are transitioning into a virtual world and doing lots of self-tape auditions at the moment. When I’m not shooting, I’m usually in some sort of class because in this industry you have to keep your skills polished at all times and just keep practicing the craft. Being an actor is like running your own business, so I work on my marketing materials, constantly updating my website, reel footage and/or headshot/resume. I’ve picked up some writing during this downtime and thinking of producing my own work hopefully in the near future.
Who are some of the most interesting people you have interacted with? What was that like? Do you have any stories?
I’ve worked with a lot of celebrities whether it’s filming a TV series, shooting a commercial or modeling for a campaign, however, for me some of the most interesting people I’ve interacted with are my acting teachers/coaches. Their wisdom and profound knowledge of the craft is so inspiring to me. I love to see the passion in people’s work and it shines through every time. I’m grateful for the opportunity that I was able to study with some of the greatest teachers such as Terry Knickerbocker, David Newer, Jules Helm, Ted Morin, Bob Krakower, Matt Newton, Karen Kohlhaas and Anthony Meindl among many others.
Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?
Patience and perseverance along with hard work goes a long way and don’t be discouraged by rejection. When preparation meets opportunity, you will thrive. Try not to be too hard on yourself, have a full life outside of the acting world, hobbies are fantastic, make sure to take care of your body and mind to stay positive. Those who commit reap the benefits.
Can you share with our readers any self-care routines, practices or treatments that you do to help your body, mind or heart to thrive? Kindly share a story or an example for each.
Self-care is so vital because as artists our body is our instrument. I try to keep a healthy lifestyle for the most part, that includes a healthy diet, exercising, meditation and dancing, I love to dance. I’ve never been big on drinking; I don’t smoke or do any kinds of drugs and that routine works for me. Every now and then I try to learn something new to keep challenging myself in some capacity. Mentally, it’s such a thrill and in my case physically too since that new thing lately has been learning boxing. Most importantly, giving yourself a break from time to time is so, so important. I love to travel and explore new places and history or reward myself with a nice deep tissue massage. I’m also a big foodie and even though I enjoy cooking myself, I love to dine out and try new cuisine. To help nourish my soul I dive into religious/spiritual wisdom. I’m blessed to have a wonderful family and friends that spoil me with lots of love and support. I’m a nurturer by nature so giving or volunteering for a charity organization is another form of reward for me.
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. Don’t be too hard on yourself, it’s OK to fail because it gives you an opportunity to learn and grow.
2. It takes 20 years to become an expert in this field (I’ve still got some time for that). Success doesn’t happen overnight; they say it takes at least 10 years to become an overnight success (still got time for that, unfortunately).
3. Rejection is the norm; not booking a job is actually totally normal, booking one is a shock. Just keep it moving; the right time with the right role will eventually come.
4. Invest in solid training from the get-go. I’ve jumped from class to class all over the city because I was brand new to the world of acting and didn’t even know where to start. However, it’s a tricky thing because you can get too much in your head and even learn some bad techniques which eventually you’d need to unlearn and start from scratch.
5. Be your own #1 fan and don’t let anyone discourage you. This craft requires a thick skin, patience, perseverance and most importantly a belief in yourself.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
My motto is I’d rather try and fail than never try and regret it for the rest of my life. When I was getting into acting, I really didn’t have much expectation but I was going into it with passion and drive. I’m so happy that I gave myself a chance in something that was quite intimidating at first but the best part of it all is overcoming your fear and struggles and seeing yourself succeed. That is the biggest reward and so fulfilling.
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?
I wouldn’t be where I am without the support of my family. They have given me the courage and strength that I can do anything I put my mind to and I’m forever grateful to them. There are ups and downs in every career I think but the love and support from your closest is what gets you through the bumps on the road.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could start 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. :-)
If I could start a movement, I would teach love and kindness to the kids from a very young age as a prerequisite course in school. Without getting too psychological here, we are shaped the way we are because of how we grow up as a child. Some children grow up in abusive households and that reflects on them for the rest of their life. So, if we as adults can be more mindful to a child’s mental health and development especially during those prime years, we can make this world a much better place. At the end of the day without love and kindness, there’s no life, it’s just existence and that just sounds like a very sad world to me.
We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. 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 see this. :-)
Meryl Streep, please. She’s my acting role model. I admire her professional career and am inspired by her acting ability.
Also, Enrique Iglesias, let's collaborate on your next music video 😊 I’ve had a crush on him ever since I can remember.
How can our readers follow you online?
I’m socially active, feel free to stop by any of my pages and say hello. My website has all of my social media icons right at the bottom of the first page:
Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational!
