Meet Amanda Broomell | Actor, Writer, Comic

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

Hi Amanda, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
Are we really ever giving up, or are we just recognizing and accepting that it’s time to change course?

I don’t believe in giving up. If we’ve done all we can to try and make something work, and, for whatever reason, we’re meeting resistance, maybe the door isn’t meant to open. We can spend our time and energy trying to beat the door down, but wouldn’t it be much easier and more pleasant to walk through the open doors?

It doesn’t necessarily mean the door will never open. Sometimes it’s a matter of timing. If there’s the desire within us, it means the possibility is there. It just might mean that we have to take a different route to get there; find another way of manifesting that desire. Or, accepting that the manifestation of our desire will look differently than we imagined it to be … and often, it will show up in ways that are even better than what materialized in our mind’s eye.

I’ve learned to trust the timing of things because I have been in relationships or jobs or social circles, and there was a whisper in my mind that it was time for something to come to a close, but it didn’t feel complete yet. I’m so glad I waited for those feelings of completeness before I decided to change course because there was still more for me to learn in that particular scenario, even if it wasn’t easy. There was still more growth for me.

Fully tapping in and trusting the cues within myself has helped me understand when things have run their course, and it’s time to move on. The combination of desire, action and peace within myself helps me understand what the next steps are. If I am uncertain or unsettled, then to me, it’s not time to make the decision yet.

I need to wait for a clear sensation of contentment and knowing within my body. If you’re familiar at all with Human Design, which is a brilliant way to better understand the map of one’s life purpose, trusting one’s gut feelings is very characteristic of a Generator. And as a Generator, I have a keen ability to make sh*t happen; BUT, if I’m not tapped into what my body is telling me, I can end up taking on too much, or doing tasks or projects that don’t quite align with my vision. I have had to do a lot of “giving up” in my lifetime, which ultimately was me breaking down or burning out, and I could have avoided that if I hadn’t ignored my gut feelings. I’m learning that I cannot make decisions until I’ve had time to process how my body is reacting – I need to feel a physical “uh-huh” in my loins, ha! If it’s not a f*ck yeah, it’s a hell no.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
In my work, I shine a light on shame as a way for us to accept our imperfect humanity and feel fully free.

In 2019, I wrote a solo show called, “Mandy Picks a Husband,” which is an autobiographical account of my quest to find The One, which has been both unbelievably heart-breaking and overwhelmingly humbling … and completely hilarious. I can’t tell you how many ridiculous stories I have about dating that I had to cut from the show simply for time’s sake. I could write a book – and I am!

As it turns out, while I’ve been adamantly hunting for the perfect life partner, I’ve been simultaneously searching to find myself. I have considerable trust issues with men that I’ve spent decades attempting to heal, so issues around self-worth and self-trust have added an element of complexity to the process: how do you create intimacy with a partner if you can’t love yourself?

‘Mandy Picks A Husband’ tracks my many-layered relationship with enough-ness, so I designed the performance with no light cues, no sound cues, no props, no set, no costumes – marking yet another step in my healing process; that I, alone, am enough.

I’ve been calling it a “traumedy” because aside from love and relationships, it explores very serious themes of addiction, abuse and body shame, but it’s presented through the lens of comedy, as laughter is indeed the best medicine. Certain themes and details around my life experiences were incredibly vulnerable to speak out loud. But as I committed to the process and followed my intuition, the courage to share developed as the show developed. It was a natural growth process, and I took it at a pace that felt organic.

In fact, when I first wrote the show, the characters were speaking in the past—it was almost as if I wasn’t ready to fully live my past. But in the last hours before my first reading, I rewrote the show to be in the present tense, and that’s when the true catharsis began. I was able to finally own and speak my truth.

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 weren’t an actor, I would 1,000% be a travel planner. In my family, I’m the person designated to book all of our plans and dinner reservations. So this is my favorite question ever!

Los Angeles is stunning, with mountains, desert, ocean and forest within an hours’ drive. I mean, let’s be honest, it’s paradise. Let’s see how much I can pack into a week of suggestions for a health-conscious, nature & art-loving explorer who is staying on the Eastside (which is where I live) …

Day 1: Land at LAX. Rent a car or have a friend pick you up. Head over to Hermosa Beach for dinner on the patio at The Bottle Inn. Take a sunset stroll along the beach, and have an early night at a cute Airbnb in Echo Park.

Day 2: Take a morning stroll along Echo Park Ave, and grab a latte at Canyon Coffee. Walk down to Honey Hi on Sunset, and have a healthy, organic breakfast streetside. Wander along Sunset, stopping in the adorable bookstores and shops. Head back home to get ready for an early afternoon baseball game at the iconic Dodger Stadium — walk over to the Stadium so you don’t need to worry about parking. Grab a snack or ice cream at Shake Shack & soak up the stadium’s retro vibe. Enjoy the fireworks on Friday nights. Swing by The Short Stop afterwards for a post-game bevvie.

Day 3: If you’re up for a little road trip, drive 90 mins northeast to Lake Arrowhead, my favorite getaway outside of the city. Sit outside at The Lakefront Tap Room Bar and Kitchen, and enjoy the gorgeous lake views. Reserve a spot on the Arrowhead Queen Tour Boat, and learn about the lofty lakeside properties as you zip around the lake. Once back in Echo Park, have dinner at Bacari, a luminous outdoor restaurant blanketed by a canopy of trees.

Day 4: No trip to LA would be complete without a jaunt over to Hollywood. Start your day off at Republique, which often has long lines, so get there early & expect a wait — but, the artful pastries and delicious brunch are worth it! Saunter over to Melrose, and spend the afternoon weaving through the cutest and quirkiest stores. Have dinner at The Little Door (be sure to make reservations in advance & request to sit in their magical Courtyard), and then catch an improv show at The Groundlings. Afterwards, take a twilight spin up Mulholland Drive to see the breath-taking views of the city from the Hollywood Sign.

Day 5: Start your morning at Valerie’s on Echo Park Ave — if they have the flourless chocolate cake, do not miss it! Then pop over to the adorable Cookbook Market just a few blocks away from Valerie’s, and curate an array of cheese, meats and veggies for later. In the early evening, pack up your picnic dinner, drive over to Griffith Park and hike up to the Griffith Observatory. Bask in more miraculous city views with twinkling LA lights.

Day 6: Need a chill day before you head home? Grab brunch at Levant Bistro on Sunset Ave — EVERYTHING is gluten-free, and they have out-of-this-world egg pies. Then head over to Wi Spa, and plan to spend a few hours. It’s open 24/7 so you could literally sleep over! Book a massage, facial or body treatment, and then unwind in the numerous therapy rooms, like the salt sauna, the clay sauna, the jade room and the ice sauna. There’s also a restaurant and a rooftop terrace. It’s completely affordable and an LA must.

Day 7: Before heading to the airport, swing by to Camel Coffee and get their signature drink — possibly the best coffee on earth. They only carry pastries, so if you need a more meat-on-the-bones brekkie, instead, stop at The Lonely Oyster on Echo Park Ave (they open at noon), and/or snag some specialty treats for the plane from Dada Market on Sunset.

Other fun activities:

– LA Arboretum
– Descanso Gardens
– LACMA
– The Broad
– The Getty
– Palos Verdes / Terranea
– Malibu & Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine (advanced reservations required)

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Ooooh, I love celebrating the incredible women in my life. I have to give an extremely well-deserved shout out to Jodie Bentley of Actor Insider: https://www.actor-insider.com/

Jodie came into my life as a business coach when I was feeling lost, disenchanted and completely despondent about the state of my acting career. I spent two years in her private Mastermind group, which felt to me like a 12-step program for actors. Jokes aside, it was hugely therapeutic for me to vent and rant and grieve the life and career I thought I’d have by now, and she held space for me to do that — yet, she didn’t let me wallow in it.

She was direct, encouraging and enthusiastic about what I was capable of creating in my life, and she helped me carve a realistic and actionable path to my making dreams become a reality. With her expert guidance and vision, I got clear on my personal branding, aligned my business materials with that brand, and developed a plan to find new commercial and theatrical representation. Within 3 months of initiating my agent reach-out campaign, I signed with two new team members that I’m super excited about and who really see me and understand what I have to offer.

A few years ago, heck, even 6 months ago, I never would have thought this was possible for me, so I need to sing Jodie’s praises from here to the moon and back! If you want to get serious about your career & take the right next steps for you, I highly recommend working with Jodie in whatever capacity that you can. She has a diverse selection of courses and programs from which to choose, depending on the kind of support you need. Every actor should have Jodie in their court.

Website: https://www.amandabroomell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandabroomell/

Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3574824/

Image Credits
Little Face Photography, Vanie Poyey, Daniel J. Sliwa, Jody Christopherson