Meet Olivia Nicole Hoffman | Actor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Olivia Nicole Hoffman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Olivia, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I guess you could say I’m a risk junkie because acting is a risk-oriented vocation. I moved to LA without knowing a single person a month and a half before the pandemic started. Months in, I began taking an online Zoom improv class with The Groundlings. I had never done anything over Zoom, much less improv, but I was determined to give it a try. And thank god I took that risk because it was in this class that I met a casting director. She loved my work and we became really good friends and still are today. She got me my first job on a network show and connected me to another casting director who later cast me in two Hallmark Channel films. It’s all about putting yourself out there.

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.

I’m an actor, writer, and comedian. Growing up as a child actor in professional theater, I remember looking at all the adult actors and thinking, “Those are the coolest people on the planet— I want to be that one day.” They brought life and magic into every room.

My “Lucille Ball comedy style” sets me apart from others. I have an extreme investment in having fun on a set or on a stage. Whenever someone tells me I’m weird, I’m like “Yes! That’s the kind of artist I strive to be—undeniably myself.” I’m also a chameleon. The biggest compliment to me is when someone says, “I didn’t even recognize you.” I recently dyed my hair blonde for a role and the hairstylist said she’d never encountered someone so down to change their appearance. I think I just love how many characters live inside of all of us and I think it’s fun watching it manifest not just internally, but externally.

I’m extremely proud of my journey, specifically my journey over the last couple of years. I moved to LA after grad school at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. LAMDA was indescribably incredible— like Hogwarts for actors. It took all of my preparation, passion, and moxie to launch an acting career during a global pandemic, but my dedication and chutzpah landed exciting opportunities despite the challenging environment. In the last year, I’ve appeared in a west coast premiere of a play, a musical, two Hallmark Channel movies, and an episode of Blue Bloods on CBS. I have a Supporting Lead role in my most recent Hallmark movie Aloha Heart, which premieres July 29th! I play Lydia, the blunt, comedic sidekick. Go watch it!

I also started creating comedy content on TikTok over the last year. My TikToks started going viral and my profile attracted the eyes of BuzzFeed to feature my “Theme park ride intro videos” on their site. The concept: I took movies that would NEVER be turned into theme park rides, like Titanic or Pearl Harbor and I created a theme park ride out of them. I love experimenting with the mutual exclusivity of tragedy and comedy, specifically the juxtaposition of tragedy and capitalism. I am in the process of transforming this idea into a TV series.

I believe the challenges—the global pandemics, the family-shit-hitting-the-fans—have given me strength as an artist. Not to get too corny, but it’s important to not let things define you, but rather motivate you.

Hello, world! I am going to be in a widely distributed feature film later this year that is being co-produced by MSM Productions. I can’t say much about it yet, but I’m so freaking excited! I would also like you to know that I am in the works of writing and producing my own series, so anyone who wants to buy it, please do LOL. This is a first for me!

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?
I still feel like a tourist in my own city… I moved to LA a month and a half before the pandemic started and have been in and out for work ever since. But we would go to Disneyland, for sure. We would run around the park all day and spend the night at the Grand Californian Hotel. On a lighter day, we would walk around Old Pasadena and admire the Father of the Bride mansions while talking incessantly, because no matter where I am, I rarely shut up. Oh! A trip to Huntington Gardens too. That place is like a fairytale! And then maybe go to Santa Monica one day and longboard on the path, get a tan, and eat something sugary on the pier. ALSO, BISTRO 45 in Pasadena is like my all-time favorite restaurant and we would go there and eat everything. The owner rocks and treats every guest like they’re family.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My mom, my dad, my siblings, my partner Diego, my manager Jodi Collins (JLC Entertainment Group), my friends, all of my grad school teachers at LAMDA (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art), and Mr. K, my high school drama teacher.

Website: olivianicolehoffman.com   

Instagram: @olivianicolehoffman

Youtube:  @itsmeolivianicolehoffman

Tiktok:  @itsmeolivianicolehoffman

Image Credits
Steven Truman Gray / Chad Wagner — The Gingerbeard Men — Kevin Berne — Diego Barrientos