Meet Amber Wegner | Actor, Writer & Producer

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

Hi Amber, can you share a quote or affirmation with us?
My favorite quote came from the unforgettable film, Shawshank Redemption. In the film, Morgan Freeman’s character says, “Get busy living or get busy dying”. I live by those words. I have never been one to cry or complain about getting older, rather, I celebrate each year that I get to be here. So many people don’t get to make it to to their 40’s. I celebrate who I am and where I am in my life. I am grateful for this life and I don’t take one moment of it for granted. When I was 27, those words rang loud and clear in my head. I was living in Sacramento, California, managing restaurants and hotels.. Sacramento is where I was born and raised. I had always dreamed of working as an actor in film and television, but wasn’t sure how to make that leap. I briefly moved to Maui where I found the book, The Artist’s Way. That book became my workbook for life. When I finally finished the book, I bought a one way ticket to Los Angeles with $87.00 to my name. I ended up meeting my now husband, Paul just weeks after landing in Los Angeles in 2004. I did a lot of non union background jobs when I first landed just to get my feet wet and learn how sets work. After almost three years of pounding the pavement, with little success, I set my dreams of being an actor on hold. My husband and I were married in 2007 and I began working as a General Manager for SusieCakes bakery. I stayed with the company until the end of 2013. During that time, I took acting and dance classes on nights and weekends, attended casting director workshops on my days off, I read every book on acting that I could get my hands on and eventually, made my way back into the industry, in 2014, I proudly joined SAG-AFTRA and the rest is history! Get busy living or get busy dying!!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I absolutely love being an actor. I love living and working in Los Angeles. I am so very proud to be a member of Sag-Aftra. I am also very proud of the producing side of my career. Starring in and completing a full length feature film, was no easy task, however, I am glad that I had the opportunity, and I look forward to the many exciting projects on the horizon. I have also really enjoyed the writing side of the business. I am currently co writing a sexy, scandalous and dangerous limited series with my dear friend, and writing partner, Ogy Durham. In addition to that, I am also writing my first solo screenplay loosely based on the tumultuous teenage years of a traumatized girl who finds her way and her worth, in the the most unlikely places. This entire artists journey has been far from easy. I have made a lot of sacrifices to get to this point in my career. I have met so many wonderful people along the way. I have also met many people and companies that have challenged me in so many ways. I have learned from all of them. The best gift that I gave myself was not setting a time limit for myself. This career takes time. There is a saying, “It takes 10 years to become an overnight success”. It is also important to define what success is to you. I think so many times, people mistake fame for success. To me, success is having a loving husband and family to come home to. Success is having a healthy mind and body. Success is taking time to meditate and exercise daily and taking bubble baths. Success is treating people with kindness and taking responsibility for my choices. Success is not blaming others for my failures, rather, learning from my mistakes. Success is taking the time to listen more that I speak and being grateful at all times. And most importantly, success and worth do not have a dollar amount attached to it.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
When friends and family come to town we always go to brunch at Lunetta All Day in Santa Monica and have dinner at Charcoal in Venice. I am very grateful to live near the beach so a beach walk in the morning is always in order. The Korean Spa is a wonderful place to be pampered. A hike through Los Liones and a walk through Lake Shrine in Pacific Palisades is a beautiful way to spend the afternoon. And the rest of the time, it would be home cooked meals, movies on the sofa and warm jacuzzi’s in the backyard at sunset.

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?
Paul Wegner, my husband, my best friend, and my number one, biggest fan.

I want to give an additional shout out to Adam Marcus and Debra Sullivin, Mike Pointer, Laura Gardner, Bert Hilkes and Heather Blair for coaching me through my acting career.  I want to also add a shout out to Ritchie and Malou Greer for being wonderful people and passionate filmmakers. I also want to shout out  my family for their unconditional love.

Instagram: instagram.com/amberwegner777
Twitter: @amberwegner777
Other: imdb.me/amberwegner

Image Credits
Paul Smith Photography People Magazine Urbanworld Film Festival