Meet Elizabeth Cuzzupoli | Actor and performer

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

Hi Elizabeth, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Work life balance is so tricky as an artist, because our art is tied into our identities. When you’re pursuing a passion, the line between work and play is easily muddled. In the beginning of my career, my inability to say “no” made it too easy for me to overcommit, and end up spread too thin and burnt out. Don’t get me wrong, I still hate turning down opportunities, and I think my calendar would terrify most people. But by prioritizing a balance in my life, I’m able to be more present, appreciative, and dedicated to both my personal and professional pursuits. And work-life balance isn’t just important for how we dictate our time, but also for emotional and mental health. This goes for any artist, but especially for actors who are using our faces as our medium. Boundaries and balance help keep our work separate from our worth. Whether you book a gig or not does not make you any “better” or “worse,” and separating personal merit from my career as an actor has not only made me more pragmatic about my work, but made pursuing this profession much more enjoyable.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Defining acting work is so tricky because we’re asked to transform vastly from role to role. But no matter the variety of characters I play, or projects I work on, something consistent about my work is just that: the work. I always put everything I have into my projects, and try to be as involved as I can. Alongside acting, I’m a photographer and have shot BTS on many projects, I have assistant and PA experience on-set, and social media, publicity, and marketing experience off-set. My most gratifying experiences have been projects where I was able to contribute to as many phases of production as possible. I want my time with the cast and crew to be efficient and meaningful, and I think my dedication to my work shows in the end result. While audiences only see what we capture when the cameras are rolling, your cast and crew are cognizant of your commitment every step of the way. Seeing the crew put in so much effort towards the final project inspires me, and that relationship is reciprocal. I work as hard as I can, and always bring a positive attitude to set, and by putting my best foot forward I hope to encourage my coworkers to do the same.

I don’t think the road is easy for any aspiring actor, especially when you’re trying to break into the industry without any existent connections. Working in this industry is like belonging to an exclusive club. It can be immensely frustrating to be on the outside, and feel as though there is no amount of effort you could put in that would grant you access to that inner circle. But it’s taught me to be open to any opportunities that do come along, and to maintain the connections I’m able to make. Of course I get roles from traditional submissions and self-tapes, but some of my biggest (and most fun!) projects came about atypically. Friends from school, students in my yoga classes, and even my parents’ neighbors have been the connections that led to some of the best opportunities I’ve had thus far in my career. I try to remember that for every exclusive system that exists in this industry, there are twice as many generous, good people who want to see you succeed, and to reciprocate by helping them with opportunities whenever I can.

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?
If I had enough time, I’d want to bring my friends to as many areas of LA as I could. One of my favorite things about this city is that there truly is something here for everyone, and all of the areas have something unique to offer. I’d kick off our trip on the west coast with an LA classic – a hike. I love the views of the coastline from the Los Leones Canyon hike, and then we could continue into Malibu for my favorite beach, El Matador. In the evening we’d come back to the city proper for some live music, either at a Sunset Session at the Penmar, or Jazz at LACMA if we wanted to go further inland. My favorite coffee in LA is Maru’s signature cream top, but if we wanted to get some work done, my go-to shops to work at are goodboybob, Alana’s, and Bohemia. For lunch, we’d have to take advantage of the fresh produce here by stopping by a Farmer’s Market, and I have a soft spot for the one in Larchmont from my days living in that area. I’m a firm believer that LA has the best Estate Sales, so hopefully we could find some hidden gems in the canyons, and then continue shopping at the Silverlake and Los Feliz fleas. I would cross my fingers and hope that one night we could secure a reservation at one of Evan Funke’s iconic restaurants for dinner, and if that patience and luck persisted, I’d squeeze our group into Tiki-Ti for after dinner drinks. The final thing you need to complete any LA trip is, of course, tacos. There’s a stand in the AutoZone parking lot on South Vermont and 29th that captured my heart when I first moved to LA for school, but any local stand will hit the spot in the way that only Southern California tacos can.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
It would be a crime for me to take any claim to success without dedicating it to my family. My parents have always done whatever they could to help my sister and I succeed, and without their support I don’t know that I would’ve had the bravery or bandwidth to move across the country and pursue this crazy career. As for my sister, I actually began acting because she did it first, and she made it look like so much fun that I had to join in. I don’t know where or who I’d be without my family, so they deserve credit for any of my past, present, and future successes.
A more general shoutout I’d love to add is to anyone who encourages kids to pursue the arts. From my professors in college all the way back to my high school teachers, camp counselors, and childhood dance coaches – thank you! As a young artist, these people are the ones who made me realize that working in this industry was not only possible, but that it was a path worth pursuing. Seeing them thrive and having their encouragement turned an extracurricular that I could’ve grown out of into something I could genuinely pursue. I’m grateful every day for my wonderful mentors who encouraged that yes, this life is worth it.

Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm11318167/?ref_=tt_cl_t_10

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizacuzzo/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-cuzzupoli-91ab9b1a1

Image Credits
Rodin Eckenroth, Arthur Sarkisian, Vicky Rattanavipapong, Signed Media, Amy Cuzzupoli