We had the good fortune of connecting with Amber Pennington and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Amber, how does your business help the community?
Advocate, Actor, Producer, Artist, Activist, Entrepreneur.
I’m proudly a jack of all trades from actor to entrepreneur. In all of my businesses have always strove to help people, or aid a cause in some way. I’ve done things from create activist short films (Duality; looking at the chaos that erupted in 2020), to create a financial recovery business to help those severely in debt, to organizing a recycling business to create a cleaner world. My most recent movie is making its rounds in various film festivals (Order to Kill), and its theme was meant to open peoples’ eyes to different mental illnesses such as addiction and depression. I act, I create, I take calculated risks to push the envelope and in one way or another help people. I have two main projects ahead of me.
First, I plan on starting a petition for free spay and neuter starting in LA and moving country wide FOR EVERYONE. Why? Because it’s the law to have a sterilized pet in LA, but who pays for it? The costs can soar well past $600.00-$1000.00+ at a regular vet, and not everyone can qualify for the free vouchers even though they need the help. Vets shouldn’t have to shoulder this cost either; they have a ton of expenses and eat those costs every day without people knowing. Every animal hospital should take the free vouchers. We pay more than enough in taxes to have a program to help EVERYONE so over 1.5 million dogs and cats are not sentenced to death every year because of over breeding (accidental or not). This way, we can have vouchers for every animal that comes in, the vet hospitals will get paid for the surgery, the owner won’t capsize in debt over a much needed surgery, animals can live out their lives happy and healthier than if they were intact, and the animal population will be controlled. If we save the people we can save the animals.
In addition to that, my most recent project is meant to challenge the status quo and go against everything that is seen as “normal”. It is meant to help the people who are usually under the radar, and who get missed, be seen.
With my husband, Arleo De Guzman, we are creating Free Spirited. We are giving Los Angeles its very first 100% sober craft cocktail lounge, and inclusivity is the goal.
So many times we see these bars and restaurants just not offer anything on their menu that isn’t pushing alcohol, and that is very off putting for people like me who don’t drink. I’ve had friends tell me bartenders mocked them or straight out told them they won’t be served a sober cocktail (I refuse to call them mocktails because they can be just as interesting as alcoholic cocktails. In addition, I still drink, just not alcohol). I don’t drink because I just don’t like the taste or the effect it has on my body. I know many who are sober due to addiction issues, medical reasons (cancer, pregnancy, etc.), or those who just want to go out without drinking but still want to have a great time.
Why zero alcohol? Because sober addicts can be triggered and go into relapse in today’s bar atmosphere. Because a person who is taking time off of drinking won’t slip up and betray themselves by “having just one” at Free Spirited. We want to give all of those people, regardless of reason, a place to belong and be accepted. My goal is to further the safe options for people who want to go out and have a good time, and make it more accepted overall.
So here I am, making calculated risks to help people, help animals, and make everyone just a little bit happier :).
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Every time I act, direct, or paint I want to make something that screams an important theme. I want to make something that will make people laugh or cry. I want them to really FEEL, not just be entertained. We have plenty of things that will let you just pass the time. I am set apart because I don’t want that. I won’t settle for that.
I am very excited about my upcoming feature film When Their Eyes are Open. I will be a lead character and have been in talks with the writers and producers for about 1.5 years now. It is a horror that will encompass toxic relationships, abuse, and how to stand up for yourself. It should hit home with anyone who stayed in a toxic friendship for longer than they should have.
I am where I am today through calculated risks. Originally I wanted to be a makeup artist. At 22, I visited LA for a weekend IMATS conference and fell in love with the city and its people. I had a job interview as a bartender, had an internship interview, flew home, packed, and left 2 days later to an apartment that I had never toured (we found it on craigslist). While here, I interned with Imaginaerick Studios and participated in Monsterplooza. My best friend Chris pushed me to try modeling (because I wanted to), but I fought it because I was nowhere near pretty enough. Eventually I showed up in my first ad for Pinky Rose Boutique (2014)! I also modeled for a FIFA World Cup Fitness calendar (2015), Cuerpaso (2015), Censored Swimwear (2016), Gacitua Bridal (2021-2023), Aria Formalwear (2019-2023), and David’s Bridal (2019) among many others. I pushed myself to (while being very safe) go talk to small shops, apply to modeling jobs on Craigslist, Actors Access, LA Casting, Backstage, and Model Mayhem. My old roommate, Samantha Monet, got me into acting, and my first music video was with her on a huge set in downtown LA.
Then I moved back home because the majority of my old roommates turned out to be crazy. I studied medicine. I worked in a fine dining spot in Denver. Then one night when I was 25 (2016), while riding my 150cc motor scooter on the drive home, I was hit and left for dead by a drunk/high driver. When I woke in the hospital, I had a realization that I didn’t want to be a surgeon. I wanted to move back to LA and act and model.
When I was 27, I almost came home to this quirky weird city. I lived in Temecula with my now-ex fiancee Steven Zerilli. Temecula was far enough from the city for him, close enough for me to drive in for films and auditions (pre-pandemic), and our rural land was big enough for our dogs and cats to romp and play :). For 2 years, I would drive 1 hour 45 minutes one way for just one audition, or one day of filming. It was exhausting, but it was worth it for the perks it offered (city work, rural home). It wasn’t easy though. It caused tribulations in my nearly 12 year relationship. I was far from family. My best friend Kelsey Beitel was murdered and I never got to say goodbye. I missed my animals. Gas was expensive. Auditions were high stakes which made me nervous (not good). I had PTSD from driving because of my accident. PTSD, Anxiety, and Depression kicked in HARD.
I overcame those though in a multitude of ways. I almost killed myself right before Christmas when I was 28. I still remember how silent the world got right before I almost ended it. I could hear my little brother’s voice begging me not to do it. It was faint though, like I was trapped behind a thick stone wall. I didn’t do it though because someone would find me. That would be terrible for them. I would hurt my brother. My sister and mother would be wrecks. Instead I pulled myself enough out of the terrible tar that is depression to tell my doctor. We decided to have me go to a suicide prevention program. I got intensive therapy that cost a lot of money I didn’t have. I put myself in a lot of debt to save my life.
The therapy is how I overcame the challenges. My ESA Freya saved my life. My service dogs helped me move. I made the incredibly hard call to leave my relationship, that, even though it was wrong for us both, I still miss it to this day. I fully moved to LA with 3 of my 5 dogs leaving 2 of my babies with my ex. I pushed HARD to submit for roles. I got a few breaks and had my first leads in various projects. I made connections and friends through the films, shoots, and the fine dining restaurant I worked at. I met my angel. My husband. I took breaks when I needed to, then jumped right back in it. I took classes with Shannon Sturges and Indrani Desouza at Speiser and Sturges. I did improv with teachers trained at Groundlings. All of that got me interviews at agencies, and auditions for big name productions.
So my brand? I am a little bit of everything. I refuse to box myself in. I am an advocate and I won’t hide behind meaningless things and just let life skirt by. My story? It’s a hard one. I was blessed growing up with amazing friends and family members. If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t have been able to make it through. After getting hit by the drunk driver, I felt like I wanted to burn everything. There was so much hate for what he did to me, for what his family got away with. Am I strong? No. I follow a simple quote. “There are two wolves inside of use ones is evil, one is good. The one that wins is the one that you feed.” The evil one never existed before I was hit. Then the evil one came in full force and nearly killed the good one.
So my story? I did what I had to do to survive and I fed the good one. Slowly my good wolf regained its strength, and now I am at a better place where I can change the world for the good again. I will give people a place to belong, a theme, and a reason to look at themselves and be better without guilt :).
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?
Every time I act, direct, or paint I want to make something that screams an important theme. I want to make something that will make people laugh or cry. I want them to really FEEL, not just be entertained. We have plenty of things that will let you just pass the time. I am set apart because I don’t want that. I won’t settle for that.
I am very excited about my upcoming feature film When Their Eyes are Open. I will be a lead character and have been in talks with the writers and producers for about 1.5 years now. It is a horror that will encompass toxic relationships, abuse, and how to stand up for yourself. It should hit home with anyone who stayed in a toxic friendship for longer than they should have.
I am where I am today through calculated risks. Originally I wanted to be a makeup artist. At 22, I visited LA for a weekend IMATS conference and fell in love with the city and its people. I had a job interview as a bartender, had an internship interview, flew home, packed, and left 2 days later to an apartment that I had never toured (we found it on craigslist). While here, I interned with Imaginaerick Studios and participated in Monsterplooza. My best friend Chris pushed me to try modeling (because I wanted to), but I fought it because I was nowhere near pretty enough. Eventually I showed up in my first ad for Pinky Rose Boutique (2014)! I also modeled for a FIFA World Cup Fitness calendar (2015), Cuerpaso (2015), Censored Swimwear (2016), Gacitua Bridal (2021-2023), Aria Formalwear (2019-2023), and David’s Bridal (2019) among many others. I pushed myself to (while being very safe) go talk to small shops, apply to modeling jobs on Craigslist, Actors Access, LA Casting, Backstage, and Model Mayhem. My old roommate, Samantha Monet, got me into acting, and my first music video was with her on a huge set in downtown LA.
Then I moved back home because the majority of my old roommates turned out to be crazy. I studied medicine. I worked in a fine dining spot in Denver. Then one night when I was 25 (2016), while riding my 150cc motor scooter on the drive home, I was hit and left for dead by a drunk/high driver. When I woke in the hospital, I had a realization that I didn’t want to be a surgeon. I wanted to move back to LA and act and model.
When I was 27, I almost came home to this quirky weird city. I lived in Temecula with my now-ex fiancee Steven Zerilli. Temecula was far enough from the city for him, close enough for me to drive in for films and auditions (pre-pandemic), and our rural land was big enough for our dogs and cats to romp and play :). For 2 years, I would drive 1 hour 45 minutes one way for just one audition, or one day of filming. It was exhausting, but it was worth it for the perks it offered (city work, rural home). It wasn’t easy though. It caused tribulations in my nearly 12 year relationship. I was far from family. My best friend Kelsey Beitel was murdered and I never got to say goodbye. I missed my animals. Gas was expensive. Auditions were high stakes which made me nervous (not good). I had PTSD from driving because of my accident. PTSD, Anxiety, and Depression kicked in HARD.
I overcame those though in a multitude of ways. I almost killed myself right before Christmas when I was 28. I still remember how silent the world got right before I almost ended it. I could hear my little brother’s voice begging me not to do it. It was faint though, like I was trapped behind a thick stone wall. I didn’t do it though because someone would find me. That would be terrible for them. I would hurt my brother. My sister and mother would be wrecks. Instead I pulled myself enough out of the terrible tar that is depression to tell my doctor. We decided to have me go to a suicide prevention program. I got intensive therapy that cost a lot of money I didn’t have. I put myself in a lot of debt to save my life.
The therapy is how I overcame the challenges. My ESA Freya saved my life. My service dogs helped me move. I made the incredibly hard call to leave my relationship, that, even though it was wrong for us both, I still miss it to this day. I fully moved to LA with 3 of my 5 dogs leaving 2 of my babies with my ex. I pushed HARD to submit for roles. I got a few breaks and had my first leads in various projects. I made connections and friends through the films, shoots, and the fine dining restaurant I worked at. I met my angel. My husband. I took breaks when I needed to, then jumped right back in it. I took classes with Shannon Sturges and Indrani Desouza at Speiser and Sturges. I did improv with teachers trained at Groundlings. All of that got me interviews at agencies, and auditions for big name productions.
So my brand? I am a little bit of everything. I refuse to box myself in. I am an advocate and I won’t hide behind meaningless things and just let life skirt by. My story? It’s a hard one. I was blessed growing up with amazing friends and family members. If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t have been able to make it through. After getting hit by the drunk driver, I felt like I wanted to burn everything. There was so much hate for what he did to me, for what his family got away with. Am I strong? No. I follow a simple quote. “There are two wolves inside of use ones is evil, one is good. The one that wins is the one that you feed.” The evil one never existed before I was hit. Then the evil one came in full force and nearly killed the good one.
So my story? I did what I had to do to survive and I fed the good one. Slowly my good wolf regained its strength, and now I am at a better place where I can change the world for the good again. I will give people a place to belong, a theme, and a reason to look at themselves and be better without guilt :).
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My mom helped nurture my caring and kind nature. I was a wild child and she helped me hone in on being empathetic. We would take in hurt ducks and birds and nurse them back to health. She would catch me when I was doing something wrong, like when I stole a candy bar when I was 4, and made me bring it back into the store, and explain to the manager what I did. She led by example and when I messed up she would ask me, “How do you think that made the other person feel?” Empathy.
My older sister, Ashley Pennington, helped me be brave and stand up for the rights of others. She never took BS from anyone, and instilled that in me :). Bravery.
My best friend Christopher Reale always ALWAYS believed in me. He always pushed me to try new things and educate myself further than I thought possible. He pushed me to realize my goals, and some days, to just hang in there :). Perseverance.
And finally my husband, Arleo De Guzman. He is the biggest goofball that always keeps me in check. He pushes me to see things in new lights and in ways I haven’t even thought to look at them before. He makes me feel like Superman with my handicaps too. You can’t walk today Amber? We can still go hiking (he pushes me :)). You are having trouble processing? We can turn off the noise and still dance. It’s O.K. to just be. Because of him, my memory started to come back after losing it when I was hit by a drunk/high driver that almost killed me. Hope.
There are so many others that should be given a shout out too like my little brother Joshua (Acceptance), my very dear friend Anne-Marie (Benevolence), my Nanny/Grandma Darlene (Assertiveness), and my Papa/Grandpa Edward (Self Sacrifice).
Website: https://www.amber-pennington.com
Instagram: @amberpenningtonofficial
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amber-pennington-2a8815183/
Other: IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2603607/?ref_=nm_mv_close Actors Access: https://resumes.actorsaccess.com/amberpennington Free Spirited website: https://www.freespiritedlounge.com
Image Credits
Workout: Photographer Christopher Reale Comp Card: Christopher Reale, clothing Pinky Rose Boutique Bridal: Photographer: Lars K, Dress: Mauva via Gacitua Bridal, Location: Four Seasons Westlake Hospital photo: Denver Health following hit and run with my little brother Joshua Photo with guy with sfx injury: Actor Zack Dean on set of when Their Eyes are Open Old time photo: On set of 405, a spooky film with a twist. All other photos i took or my husband Arleo De Guzman took.