Meet Natalie Darden | Comedy Actress & Content Creator

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

Hi Natalie, have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?
I feel like every single actor asks themselves this question a few times a year – if not, monthly. For me this was like a daily occurrence 2-3 years ago. It felt like nothing I did was good enough to propel me to the next stage in my career. The money I was dumping into classes, agent panels, and headshots was so overwhelming, and I felt like giving up because I was doing everything I was told I should do to succeed. I was spending more time at my bartending job than on set just to pay for all these things, and I was losing the love I had for acting in the first place. The whole process felt pointless, like running in a hamster wheel, and I grew resentful. The feeling of constant rejection was only made worse when self tapes came about, and I didn’t even get to see the people who were rejecting me: a situation all too similar to getting ghosted in online dating. Am I boring? Am I too tall? Why not me?

Then I re-discovered the feeling that brought me back into it: the love for simply creating. I decided I wasn’t going to let other people who I hadn’t even met gate-keep my happiness. So I learned how to edit in Premiere Pro, and I started writing comedy sketches. I learned about lighting, coloring, sound and the guts of filming. I got funny friends together, and I filmed my own sketches and just started posting them online for fun. Because when you love acting and film, you can’t just love parts of it. You have to love all of it. And if you still love what you do, regardless of money, I think you should find a route that works for you and pave your own way.

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.
I absolutely love awkward, cringeworthy comedy with ensemble casts. The Office, Parks and Recreation, and Always Sunny in Philadelphia have been the biggest inspirations behind what I create, and I dream and manifest to be a series regular on a show of that comedic calibre one day. But at the moment, I’m just creating and practicing my craft through my own comedy sketches online. I love focusing on daily occurrences in life that are annoying or uncomfortable with strangers and blowing those situations up to highlight the inherent comedy in them. Once I was comfortable enough with my own voice in writing, I decided to delve into writing a half-hour comedy pilot, and I’m very anxious and excited to get the ball rolling with that.

I think the biggest lesson I’ve learned in making these sketches is that you can’t be a one trick pony in LA unless you are extremely lucky and fortunate. The triple threat in Broadway is dancing, singing, and acting, but in creating your own content, I think the triple threat is learning how to effectively write, edit, and act. I thought, like many actors, my job would always be in front of the camera. The daunting process of learning how to edit professional footage was something I always used to think I could never do. People spend years in school for that. But, ultimately, learning these skills is what I believe launches people in the industry who are serious about getting their work out there. Learning how to do more behind the scenes work ultimately helps your way of storytelling, and it makes you appreciate the people you work with even more for their talents. The minute you get over the excuses that you can’t learn these essential parts in filmmaking is the minute you free yourself from relying on any one else in creating your own work and success.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oh man, I think the nightlife in LA is so unique. I love all of the Houston Brothers spots, like Good Times at Davy Wayne’s and No Vacancy. The vibes at those bars totally transform you into another world. I’m a huge fan of Wally’s in Santa Monica as well for food and wine. Long Beach is pretty amazing, mainly for the dog beach and the boat rentals. And comedy here is just everywhere, so I definitely enjoy looking up shows online for anything new.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My boyfriend, Matthew, has taught me everything I know about editing, cameras, lighting, sound, etc. Without him, I definitely wouldn’t have been encouraged and empowered to start creating my own content. My scene partner, Micah Enloe, is also an undiscovered gem, and he’s just proof to me that you can be overlooked and so talented in the industry. He’s my other half in comedy, and I’m literally so blessed to do anything with him. My friend, Megan James, has also been my “mom-ager” for the past 5 years whenever I create anything. She was the first person to encourage me to start writing when she worked with me on “Lady Bits”, an all female sketch show we were apart of back in 2018. She told me I should just write a few sketches for the show, despite me never having written anything comedic ever. Seeing something I wrote performed in front of an audience was enough to start the creative ball rolling for me.

Instagram: @nataliedarden

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnOP6GMsf007rRAEClezhkA/about

Other: TikTok: @nataliedarden IMDB: https://pro.imdb.com/name/nm6839636?ref_=hm_prof_name

Image Credits
Matthew Valich