Meet Michelle Carney | Model & Actress

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

Hi Michelle, how do you think about risk?
I was born and raised in Ohio and now I’m a model and actress living in Los Angeles, so you could say risk has played a significant role in my life. For most of my life, I assumed I would do well in school, meet a nice man, and work a decent job for a couple of years before having kids and settling down in the suburbs. A predictable life completely devoid of risk. Instead, once I graduated from Columbia University, I found myself selling my things, packing a suitcase, and becoming a nomad.

Gone was all stability and predictability, replaced with the thrill and pride of consistently doing things I never thought I’d do. Trek through the pitch-black Costa Rican rainforest, spontaneously jump off a cliff into the Aegean Sea, ride motorcycles with locals to scale hidden waterfalls, pull myself branch by branch up a closed-off volcano to reach the crater. I fell in love with risk. I had no plan when I came back to the United States. Where do you go from there? There was one thing for certain: I would always choose the path that scared me the most.

So here I am, a former shy child, pursuing a career where I’m in the spotlight every day. I don’t want to be someone who settles because it’s comfortable. Life is too short to play it safe. Every time I have a goal or idea that feels out of the realm of my capabilities I go for it full force. I would say I spend most of my time living out of my comfort zone. It’s not easy by any means, but I wouldn’t want to look back on my life knowing I left anything on the table.

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.
One of my first thoughts every morning is that I absolutely love my life. Every day is a new opportunity to grow, connect with inspiring people, and create some form of art. That being said, you don’t achieve extraordinary things by living an ordinary life. Anyone who knows me well knows that I never stop moving. At 3:00 AM I might be filming on a set. At 6:00 AM I might have my face in a tub of ice water in an attempt to hide dark circles at a photoshoot. I’ll go to extremes to get where I want to be in life. I’ll also do it all with love, joy, and integrity.

Hard work and good fortune have led me to many incredible experiences. This year I walked in New York Fashion Week, LA Fashion Week, and Miami Swim Week. Each of those initially felt beyond reach, but that didn’t stop me from spending hours strutting across my apartment, tracking down and pitching myself to designers, and waiting in line with hundreds of models at castings. In the spring, I’ll be setting my sights on Paris and Milan. In LA, I’ve met some wonderful people who really believe in me as an actress and I can’t express how excited I am for the opportunities that has brought my way. Acting sets my soul on fire more than anything I’ve ever done. I love being able to incorporate my life experiences, observant nature, and education in psychology to add depth and my unique perspective to a character. I’m looking forward to the exploration that comes with new roles and sharing more of that self-expression with the world.

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?
Whenever I have free time I immediately run off into the mountains. LA is my home, but the wanderer in me is still alive and strong. I love Los Leones and Tuna Canyon where you get both stunning ocean and mountain views. A day in Malibu is a must. I’d recommend starting with a breakfast burrito at Country Kitchen and heading north to a more secluded beach like El Matador. If you’re into coffee, some great places to grab a cup and hang out are Verve Coffee Roasters, Tartine, and Primo Passo Coffee Co. One of my favorite things about LA is that there’s something for everyone, whether you want to catch a show at The Comedy Store or eat squash pancakes at Blueys Kitchen. Part of the fun of the city is exploring the different neighborhoods to see where you feel most at home.

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?
It’s impossible for me to choose just one person, group, or organization because I’m a firm believer that it took every intentional effort and seemingly meaningless interaction to get me where I am today. I’m thankful for my dad who pushed me to go for opportunities I didn’t think I was qualified for. The women who picked me up when I was stranded in the mountains. My acting coach who told me life brought me to LA for a reason, even though I know my first attempt at acting couldn’t have been that good. The fellow travelers who made hostels and foreign countries feel like home. I truly believe I’m one of the luckiest people alive, so my endless gratitude goes toward everyone I’ve crossed paths with.

Website: https://www.michellekcarney.com/

Instagram: @michellekcarney