Meet Kelly Pantaleoni | Actress

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

Hi Kelly, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
Risk is not something I think about, so i’ve done a lot of risky business. A few years ago I packed up my life in Los Angeles – putting everything into storage and booking a one way ticket to Cambodia. I backpacked southeast asia solo for two months living off street food and traveling with people I would meet in hostels. It saved my life during a particularly depressive episode after losing my best friend to suicide. Most people in my life did not understand it, but I knew it was the best decision for my life at the time, despite the risks and safety concerns. It turned out to be the best adventure of my life and one of the best decisions i’ve ever made. In my career, i’ve been very attracted to provocative topics like mental health and sexuality. I like roles that are nuanced and layered, more complex than the girl nextdoor or hot girl trope. I think that’s why i’ve been in psychological thrillers and horror – my characters have major issues they’re working through. And let’s be honest -indie filmmaking is always a risk, but when you believe in the script and subject matter, the benefits as an artist outweigh the risk.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am most proud of the philanthropy work I have done with my 501c3 nonprofit, GiveBackpackers.org, which was started by my best friend, Lindsay Hawley, and now I carry it on in her honour. We have raised money for organizations in Peru, volunteered in Cambodia and initiated a sustainable sewing program in Uganda where we lived and filmed a documentary over a number of months.

Professionally, I have got to where I am by networking with independent filmmakers, attending classes and film festivals, workshops, and conferences. It’s definitely not easy, but it’s been fun! I have overcome many challenges through my spirituality, mental health support, being around animals, and nature.

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.
I would take them on a roadtrip up the 101 through Santa Barbara, Carmel and Monterrey. My dad’s family loved in northern California, so I loved there for a couple years and love it dearly.

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?
Sierra Mercier is a great friend who introduced me to buddhism, which I accredit to the peace and success i’ve found as of late. A book that i’ve read recently that I thoroughly enjoyed was the 7 rules of power. And the love from my rescue kitty cat Doja during times of need has been so beautiful. Please adopt, don’t shop!

Website: https://www.kellypantaleoni.com

Instagram: @kellypantaleoni

Image Credits
Noirside media