Meet Christy Williams: Actress, Producer and Podcast Host

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

Hi Christy, what principle do you value most?
Truth. My guiding principle is to continually search for truth and to in turn share my own truth. This is why I’m an artist and why I am committed to creative work. Vulnerability is a requirement for successful artistry and ultimately it is without a doubt what has brought me the most success. Whether that be success from my work as an actress, success building my business or connecting with the listeners of my podcast and it’s been always the key to thriving in any of my relationships.

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.
Some part of me has always wanted to tell stories. Stories help us all connect to the human experience and in many ways I’ve always been a connector that way. When I was really young I enjoyed singing as a way of expressing story through music and then as a teenager I fell in love with theater and movies and that was it for me. I had found a vehicle to explore the world. The first time I acted in a play I felt apart of something great and mysterious. I felt a purpose. Of course, as an adolescent I also enjoyed the attention I received on stage as well. The laughs and applause gave me a thrill. I was a pretty awkward kid. I had never felt beautiful or glamorous and acting on a stage helped me to feel seen but it was more than that. It think the contagious thing about being around a group of artists is that they are innately curious people. It felt good to be apart of such an inquisitive community with the common goal of searching for something greater than ourselves. I wanted to be apart of that search for meaning, for truth. My purpose seemed to crystalize within me and by the time I was done with high school I knew I would study acting and screenwriting and that storytelling would, in some way or another, become my path. I’ve had a lot of ups and downs as an actor but overall I’ve felt really lucky to get to pursue my passion and do what I really love. Starting my own production company actually didn’t happen until I was pregnant with my son. I had a very difficult pregnancy, I was very sick the entire time. I was obviously going through a lot of physical changes but what surprised me about my journey becoming a mother was all of the major emotional and mental changes that were happening to me as well. When I was about 6 months pregnant my talent manager parted ways with me. It was a difficult time. I felt that he didn’t want to work with me anymore because I was pregnant. It was hard not to separate the two things and to be very honest with you I had a deep fear that in choosing to become a mom I had inadvertently given up on any possible future creative success. In my darkest moments perhaps, I worried that I would never be able to act again or that I would have to choose between being a good mom and being an artist. But, the greatest joy and biggest surprise in my entire life’s journey thus far is that my sweet son, Dashiell, has shown me my own capacity for expansion. As a new mom I felt more alive and connected to the human experience than ever before. Becoming a mom has given me the courage I needed to take control of my own destiny and my production company Sinc Studios was born from that. My first production with Sinc Studios is a podcast called BIRTH it’s definitely an exploration of the human experience and more specifically of the experience of giving birth. My own childbirth experience rocked my world so I set out to make a documentary series that explores the full spectrum of birth experiences with the goal of hopefully helping other parents-to-be feel more prepared and less alone on their own journeys. I’m really proud of the show I’ve created and I’m really excited about all of the future projects we are working on at Sinc. Isn’t it interesting how life can transform our greatest fears into special magic? I love that. It’s a good reminder to stay curious and keep exploring the path in front of you. You never know where your success will come from. Don’t limit yourself.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Well, as the pandemic is still very much raging in Los Angeles right now and a lot of these places are shut down, I’m going to give you my perfect day if I suddenly had a magic wand and could go anywhere I wanted to go in the city. I would start the morning by grabbing an Oatmilk Latte at Maru Coffee shop on Hillhurst Avenue in Los Feliz and then meet some friends at Trails Cafe to grab a quick pastry or muffin before hiking up to the Griffith Park Observatory to take in some beautiful views of the city and then watch the show at the planetarium. We’d grab some tacos at El Zarape Taco Stand on Fountain Avenue in East Hollywood on the way to LACMA, one of my favorite museums, and have a picnic on the lawn there before seeing some art and maybe catching a musical performance in the Bing Theater. For dinner we would eat at one of my favorite restaurants in the city Botanica in Silverlake, then go see a movie in my favorite movie theater The Vista and then to celebrate our perfect day we’d cheers over tropical cocktails at Tiki Ti Lounge down the street. Other favorite spots and activities that I highly recommend in Los Angeles include seeing a comedy show at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater on Franklin, catching a concert at The Echo Plex in Echo Park, my favorite beach to go to is the Will Rogers State Beach easy to find parking and the bathrooms are always clean, which hey, is important to me. And I love the long drive down sunset blvd that leads to the Getty. Spending the day at the Getty is always inspiring and a great way to hit the refresh button on my mood. 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 husband Joshua Shaffer, who is a writer and filmmaker, is consistently in my corner every day. I learn so much from him and am privileged to have a front row seat in watching his creative process and the tenacity he exhibits as he builds his own creative business. I wouldn’t be where I am without his total support of my work.

Website: www.thechristywilliams.com

Instagram: @christywill

Twitter: @christywillsay

Other: My Podcast: www.birthshow.com Instagram: @birthshow Twitter: @TheBirthPodcast Clubhouse: @christywilliams