Meet Francesca Manzi: Voice Over Artist and Actress

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

Hi Francesca, do you have some perspective or insight you can share with us on the question of when someone should give up versus when they should keep going?
The eternal question, ha! It’s obviously very personal, and ultimately, I believe you just know in your heart of hearts what the right thing to do is. I’ve considered giving up many, many times, but something always happens to let me know that it’s not time, and that I’m actually on the right track. I would say, if you’re no longer motivated & excited by your specific goal – if it seems that actually, you CAN live without achieving it, and if the effort to pursue it is causing more discontent, pain or drama than it is excitement and joy , it may be time to let it go in favor of what makes you happy NOW.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Oh gosh, where to start?! I’m an actress and VO artist, doing mostly VO these days. I’d say I’m best known for my characters and accents! Being British has its perks, as far as VO goes! It has most definitely NOT been easy though, ha! I’ve been acting for 22 years now and it’s tough to maintain consistent work. I moved from London to LA in the hopes of getting more opportunities here, which thankfully I did, and it was here that I got my start in VO. I’m proud of my tenacity and determination, and thankful for the support of my friends and family, without whom I certainly wouldn’t still be doing this career! I don’t know if there’s one thing that I’m MOST proud of – I think if there was, still being able to call myself an actor/artist after all this time would be it! I’ve had the great fortune to work on some really cool projects – video games, VR, animation, commercials – with some really great people, not to mention the wonderful stage productions and films I’ve been a part of, and those things collectively form this body of work and network of connections/friends that I’m really grateful for and proud of 🙂

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.
Well, it’s hard to know what’s still open in LA and when it’ll be open again but…! A hike in Griffith Park (and I guess Runyon Canyon too because Hollywood!), a meal at Yamashiro for the views (or even better, the Farmer’s Market there in the Summer!), a stroll along Abbot Kinney in Venice, an outdoor movie at Hollywood Forever, brunch at All Time or Alcove in Los Feliz, a concert at the Hollywood Bowl or The Greek, coffee from Civil Coffee in Highland Park and a pandesal from Kindness & Mischief next door! 😉 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?
I really couldn’t narrow it down to one person or place – I’ve had an army of supporters since I started out on this journey many moons ago. My parents, my friends, the amazing teachers I’ve learned from along the way, other artists who have and continue to inspire me, and last but definitely not least, my amazing fiancé who is a constant source of love and support.

Website: francescamanzi.com
Instagram: frankstalicious
Linkedin: Francesca Manzi

Image Credits
Daniel J. Sliwa Rich Miller