Meet Julie Craig | Actress, Singer, Producer

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

Hi Julie, what habits do you feel helped you succeed?
Dream big, act small. To me, success is an accumulation of a million tiny decisions and actions. Consistency is the secret. The habits we create are really what determine our reality. So what you do consistently in a focused direction is what you end up building. In the same vein, if you go for the end goal at the beginning, you might never start. It feels impossible. You get stuck in the not knowing how, finding excuses to not do it, etc. But doing the next small step, and the next small step, always in the direction of your goals…you get there eventually. Running the LA Marathon taught me that. Just focus on hitting the next mile marker. Don’t worry about how far you still have to go. You get there eventually if you just keep putting one foot in front of the other. None of those steps are big, but they do add up. As long as you don’t quit. Also, stay open to the signs along the way. Trust your intuition. As you learn to listen to it, it gets louder. Meditation is a daily habit that helps me to hear my intuition. It’s always speaking to you and trying to guide you in the right direction. You don’t always know the best way to get where you want to go. The universe might have an even better way than you could have ever imagined. So let go of your control and listen. Look for the signs. They’re always there. A wise friend of mine once said – energy up, expectations down. To me that’s about letting go of control. Know what you want, believe you deserve it, and keep taking focused, guided, targeted small actions. Forget the rest of the noise the world will try to bog you down with. It’s just noise. Tune it out! Self care habits are also paramount for me. They’re the easiest to skip when things get busy, but for me they’re really important. Drinking tons of water, getting good quality sleep, and exercising are three highly underrated habits. I also like to take baths, journal, read, get into nature, and go for walks when I need those things. They make my work more productive. I have also found having an accountability buddy really helps me. When I have self imposed deadlines for something I’m working on, I like to have someone to send my deliverables to. Keeps the excuses at bay. Also making sure my work space is clear and organized helps me to be productive and focused. Lastly, setting healthy boundaries. Saying no is powerful and necessary sometimes. I have gotten better at that habit, which is important if you have people pleasing tendencies.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am proud to be a multi hyphenate. I am an artist. I feel I have the bandwidth to study and excel in several forms and facets of artistic expression without having to choose one. I have spent the majority of my 10,000+ hours as an actress, since I was 7 years old. I have been a singer for almost as long, since I was 12. And recently I have taken up the producer and writer title as well. I tap dance. I paint. I like to move people. I am drawn to stories that reflect the resiliency of the human experience. I find those to be the most inspiring, whether it’s drama or comedy. I’m excited to be producing and writing more, since that is the newest outlet for my creativity. I believe the thing that sets me apart is my ability to balance creativity with productivity. I have a right/left brain that feels pretty balanced. I have learned that having those two opposing forces is rare, and a superpower. Getting anywhere as an artist has never been easy for me. But at the end of the day, I wouldn’t be happy doing anything else. I am who I am. So I just come back to my inner child, my inner artist, when times are tough and re-connect to why I do what I do. It’s about expressing myself in a way that helps other people express themselves too; art that creates human connection, even if we never meet in this lifetime. Remembering that helps me overcome challenges. I’m willing to do whatever it takes. I lean on my community for support. I’m not afraid to ask for help or to put myself out there. The worst thing that could happen is someone says no. I like to ask, “what’s the best thing that could happen?” …What do I want the world to know? I’m a lover. I love people. I work hard. I lean towards the things that scare me. I find gratitude in small things. I fill my days to the brim (sometimes a little too much) because I feel the urgency of the fact that life is short and I have so much to say and do. I want to die with no regrets. I want to collaborate with people who are like-minded, honest, kind, and color outside the lines.

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?
I love LA! I’d take them on a road trip to Joshua Tree and Palm Springs for some desert fun. I’d take them to Matador in Malibu for a beach day. I’d take them on a zillion hikes (I love hiking) – my favorites being Temescal Canyon on a clear day when you get those sweeping ocean views at the top, and the Betty B Dearing rainforest trail off Fryman Canyon. I’d take them to my favorite restaurants – El Compadre and Roadside Tacos for Mexican, Cholada for Thai, Masa for pizza, Katsy-ya for Sushi, Mendocino Farms for salads, Naturewell for smoothies, and McConnell’s for ice cream. Those are all my favorite foods/spots! For a night out, I’d take them to St Augustine for wine, Bathtub Gin for cocktails and a show, or find out where LALOM is playing (my new favorite band). Of course the fancy movie theaters with the seats that recline is always a fun way to catch a new film. There’s always great theatre at CTG or the Geffen or Pasadena Playhouse to check out as well. I also love baseball, so if it’s summertime, going to a Dodgers game would be on the itinerary as well!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have a bunch! I’d like to send some love to my current acting tribe which is John Rosenfeld Studios. A creative community that is professional, collaborative, and pushes you – all while being humble and caring humans – will carry you through the ups and downs. And this group is definitely that, led by John Rosenfeld. I am endlessly grateful for the work, support, and friendships I have built there. I am also currently reading Rick Rubin’s newest book – The Creative Act. That is inspiring me a lot. Highly recommend. I’d like to also dedicate my shoutout to some of my very first influential acting teachers and coaches both at NYU Tisch where I went for undergrad, and others from when I first lived in New York: Larry Arancio, Jay Goldenberg, Anthony Abeson, and Glenn Fleshler. Those mentors truly cracked open my heart, inspired a diligent work ethic, and helped mold me into the actress I became. They set a foundational technique in me that I still lean on to this day. Lastly, I dedicate this to my family. My parents and siblings have always believed in my wildest dreams and I never take that fact for granted.

Website: imdb.me/juliecraig

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

Other: distrokid.com/hyperfollow/juliecraig/from-here

Image Credits
Gerard Sandoval, Ericka Kreutz