Meet Kate Krieger | Actress and Screenwriter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kate Krieger and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kate, how do you think about risk?

I read something recently that said, “No risk, no story.” I agree with that sentiment wholeheartedly. When I think about the most memorable, most rewarding experiences I’ve had, they ALL required a risk. More often than not, it felt like an emotional risk more than anything. I recall having tremendous fear around shooting my pilot, DELIVERY GIRL, so much so that I often felt crippled by self doubt. Yet, there was this kernel of faith inside me that said, “you’re allowed to be afraid, you’re allowed to not know what the results will be, or how it will all shake out, but you gotta show up anyway, because if you don’t — if you allow the fear to paralyze you — you’ll never know what could have been.” And had I backed out, I would’ve regretted it enormously. Lo and behold, shooting DELIVERY GIRL turned out to be a deeply rewarding experience, and the cherry on top was that it got into the Sundance Film Festival.

I’d also add that risk taking is a huge part of what appeals to me from an acting standpoint. I strive to be an actress who takes risks, who transcends, and who, as I tell the aspiring actors I coach, “is more committed to being good than to looking cool.” The performers I love the most — Meryl Streep, Dianne Wiest, Joaquin Phoenix, Denzel Washington, Kathryn Hahn — they always feel emotionally risky. Their work is always nuanced, and deep, and raw, and I believe none of that would be the case if they played it safe.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
In a word, I suppose I’d call myself a storyteller. I say that because — whether I am acting or writing or simply living this incarnation of life — I feel that I am always inside of a story. I’m proud of the fact that I’ve had the courage (however foolish it may be) to pursue a career that is known to be risky, unpredictable, and emotionally taxing, simply because I genuinely love the work. I’m excited to bring more of my characters to life on the big screen (God willing). I’m proud that I had no idea of what would become of DELIVERY GIRL — this little engine that could — and that it ended up debuting at one of the biggest film festivals in the world.

I’d like to think my particular brand of writing and acting is very character-driven. While my characters are often bizarre or outrageous or intense, I aim for them to be rooted in authenticity. I’m a lover of dialects and a huge fan of performers like Cate Blanchett — the enigmatic, transcendent types. Hopefully my work is in that vein.

This certainly has not been an easy path. It’s been fraught with self doubt, rejection, unpredictability, wonky finances. I could go on… But at the end of the day, I know there’s no other career that makes me forget about the clock, that allows me to lose myself, to feel the buzz and the rush that performing does. I’ve learned a great deal — I’m still learning a great deal… The one thing I know is that you should follow those little whispers of inspiration, those visions and fantasies… In my experience, that’s usually the Universe or your Higher Self nudging you to something special. Ultimately, I hope my work is authentic, unusual, meaningful and cathartic. I hope I am able to challenge and surprise myself.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Los Angeles is so sprawling and has such disparate neighborhoods. If a friend was visiting, I’d take them to Venice for window shopping on Abbot Kinney, and up the coast to Malibu, hopefully stopping for lunch at Cholada alongthe PCH. If there was a movie playing at Cinespia, we’d go for a picnic and a film in the Hollywood Cemetery. I’d also drag them on a hike up Beachwood Canyon, followed by a drink at Birds and dinner at La Poubelle. At some point, I’d hope to go to dinner at Jon and Vinny’s for delicious Italian and to Guisado’s for great tacos.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There’s so many people and places that have informed my work and also encouraged and helped me to stay the course. My folks have been exceedingly supportive of my career path, and my training at LAMDA and with acting coaches like Lisa Robertson and Doug Warhit has helped shaped me as an actress. I’ve had a number of wonderful people in my corner, including my dearly departed friend and director, Dan Ireland. He was a mentor and always a champion of my talent. I regret that he’s not around to see what became of our girl “Trish.”

Instagram: @katekriegerofficial

Linkedin: Kate Krieger

Image Credits
Headshot — proof by Bella Saville Sundance image of Kate Krieger, Lindsay Lanzillotta and Deniz Gumustas by Sonia Recchia