Meet Nicole Yessler | Model, Actor, & CPT

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

Hi Nicole, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I’ve always been deeply drawn to self-expression in whatever form feels most authentic to me. From a young age, I was fascinated by the emotion, energy, and storytelling that can exist within creative work. Film, theater, modeling, and visual art have been at the center of my interests for as long as I can remember.
While earning my summa cum laude finance degree at Virginia Tech, I continued taking acting and theater courses because I knew creativity was something I never wanted to lose touch with. For me, acting is about exploring human psychology, emotion, and the complexity of people’s experiences. I love the collaborative nature of performance and the feeling of bringing a story or character to life alongside other passionate creatives.
I view modeling in a similar way – as an extension of expression and identity. I’m drawn to work that embodies both strength and vulnerability, intensity and elegance, and I hope my presence encourages other women to pursue their passions confidently and unapologetically.
At the same time, building my career as a certified independent personal trainer has given me the discipline, resilience, and flexibility to continue pursuing my creative goals. My background in finance and entrepreneurship helped me create stability for myself while continuing to invest in the artistic path I’ve always felt called toward.
More than anything, I’m excited to keep growing, collaborating, and evolving creatively while continuing to share my story along the way.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My creative work spans a variety of mediums, including modeling, acting, writing, painting, and body movement. What draws me most to modeling and acting is the ability to embody contrast – strength and softness, power and vulnerability, elegance and emotion. I’m especially interested in portraying complex, dynamic women and exploring the full range of human expression, from comedic to deeply dramatic.
Outside of performance work, writing and painting have always been very personal forms of self-reflection and emotional processing for me, while movement and physical expression remain a central part of my daily life. Creativity, in all forms, has always felt less like a career choice and more like a core part of who I am.
Professionally, I’m proud of the growth I’ve experienced over the past several years and the opportunities I’ve had to collaborate with brands including Brooks Running, The North Face, ASRV, and PF Flyers, as well as work in a paid cover actor role with the San Francisco Opera, while continuing to study acting and evolve creatively. None of it has come easily. The entertainment industry can be incredibly unpredictable and mentally demanding, and I’ve learned that comparison and perfectionism are some of the biggest obstacles artists face. For me, resilience has come from continuing to move forward anyway – staying grounded in my own voice, surrounding myself with supportive people, and trusting that growth takes time.
More than anything, I want my work and story to reflect authenticity, discipline, and self-expression. My journey is still evolving, and I hope people see that it’s possible to pursue ambition, creativity, and personal growth all at once.

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?
My neighborhood, Los Feliz, is undoubtedly my favorite area in Los Angeles, and it would be the center of a week spent showing a friend around. It has such a perfect mix of nature, charm, and creative energy. I’d start with a hike in Griffith Park or a visit to the Observatory – there are so many trails and viewpoints that make it feel like you’re stepping out of the city entirely.
From there, I’d spend time walking along Hillhurst and Vermont, stopping into local shops and cafés. Some of my go-to spots include Figaro, Alcove, and Little Dom’s. For something more casual, I love grabbing tacos from El Ruso, a small nearby food truck with some of the best street food in the area. In the evenings, I’d take a movie night at the Vista Theatre, which has such a nostalgic, classic LA feel.
For the rest of the week, I’d explore nearby neighborhoods that each have their own personality. Silver Lake Reservoir is one of my favorite places for a walk or just to be outside, and I’d definitely include a sushi night at Sugarfish. I’d also mix in time for spontaneous exploring, since part of what makes LA special is how much you can discover just by wandering through different pockets of the city.
Overall, I’d want the week to feel balanced between nature, food, and creative spaces – showing someone the quieter, more local side of LA that I personally love most.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I owe a great deal of my growth and success to the people who have supported, guided, and inspired me along the way.
First and foremost, I’m incredibly grateful for my parents, whose belief in me has never wavered. My father instilled patience, independence, gratitude, and a quiet sense of strength, while my mother taught me the meaning of love, hard work, resilience, and the importance of carrying myself with confidence and integrity. My sister has also been a grounding force in my life, teaching me softness, empathy, spirituality, and emotional resilience.
I’ve been fortunate to learn from several mentors who have shaped my professional path in meaningful ways. My mentor, Matt Finnerty, introduced me to the foundations of personal training and instilled discipline, consistency, professionalism, and the importance of showing up with conviction. My talent agents have been instrumental in supporting my transition into the entertainment industry, helping me secure early opportunities and continue building my career. I’m also deeply grateful for my acting coach, Anne Noble, whose guidance and standards continually challenge me to grow and refine my craft.
Finally, I appreciate the friends and collaborators I’ve met along the way – people who continue to inspire me through their creativity, work ethic, and dedication to their own paths. I feel lucky to be surrounded by individuals who push me to evolve both personally and professionally.

Website: https://www.nicoleyessler.com

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-yessler-b39317102

Other: https://vimeo.com/1130387176?fl=pl&fe=sh

Image Credits
Stas Pylypets, Jay Barton, Nicole Mason, Brian Doherty