Meet Austin Peyton
We had the good fortune of connecting with Austin Peyton and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Austin, what do you attribute your success to?
One of the most important things in the acting industry is to simply keep putting one foot in front of the other and knowing that you will achieve what you wish to. For me, it’s not enough to dream or believe that I will have a successful career as an actor, I have to know it in my heart of hearts. Acting is the great love of my life and for me, there is no other option. It is the thing that makes me the happiest. This industry is so tough and filled with so much rejection, but as long as I constantly remind myself why I love this craft and that one day I will achieve all I dream of achieving, then I can handle the rejection. This industry and career is all I think about 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I try and do one thing a day for my future self and my career that makes me feel like an actor. That way, even when auditions are slow or I’m not booking anything, I still feel like I’m accomplishing something.
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.
The journey to where I am today as an artist was not easy at all. The arts began as an escape for me. I was a lonely closeted gay kid who grew up in a relatively conservative suburb. I was heavily bullied and very unhappy. The second I found the arts, everything changed. I found my purpose and my calling and that has never changed. Acting taught me how to love myself and allowed me to find the confidence to come out and accept myself. I hope to use my platform and my art to continue to inspire other queer kids who are stuck in the same position I was in to continue chasing their dreams. You can get out of that small town and you can achieve everything you wish to!
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.
My boyfriend and I love the Huntington Gardens. We’ve been there multiple times on dates and we always have an amazing time. We spend the whole day walking around enjoying the different gardens and museums and we always leave feeling so connected to nature and at peace.
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?
My shoutout goes to the two institutions that have trained me and made me the artist that I am today. I attended The Chicago Academy for the Arts high school as a musical theatre major and I learned so much there. I really learned to love and accept myself because of that school and it gave me the courage to move to LA and attend The California Institute of the Arts, which is where I go to school now. This school has prepared me for the professional world and empowered me to continue to chase my dreams. I also wanna shoutout and thank my loved ones for constantly supporting me and cheering me on. A career as an actor is not easy and is not stable, but their belief in me and support allows me to push myself every day.
Instagram: @austin_peypey
Youtube: @AustinPeyton
Other: tiktok – @austinpeyton
Image Credits
paulsmithphotography
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