Meet Rachel Banks: Actress

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

Hi Rachel, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
I have recently adopted a quote from my Dad actually that has helped shape my mindset: “live in a way where when people hear a story about you, they know when it’s a lie”. That phrase really hits me every time I hear it and causes me to pause and reflect on where I am. I want to be an authentic, kind person and own every word I say without needing to feel like I have to hide something. Of course I’m a human being and make mistakes but having that at the forefront of my mind when making decisions, or even just having conversations has helped me feel secure in who I am. I think a big misconception in any competitive industry is that in order to succeed you have to cut down everyone around you. It is true that whenever there’s competition one person will win, but I also think that it’s so important to celebrate the success of others, especially peers. In acting your look gets you to the door, your talent gets you in the room, but it’s you as a person that determines what happens after that. No one wants to work with someone who isn’t genuine, and is only out to serve themself. That doesn’t just apply to acting either, I think that in order to live life to the fullest, it’s important to be transparent and lift up those around you. At the end of the day it doesn’t matter if you win the trophy if no one is there to celebrate with you.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Acting is kind of weird in that you are your business. I’ve been learning a lot in quarantine about patience. In acting there’s a lot of hurry up and wait, and it’s really hard sometimes to be stuck in limbo for months. The more I try to just focus on putting out my best work and keep learning, the easier it is. This has been a great time to focus on practicing self-taping and learning as much as possible so when things get going I have some new skills. It definitely gets hard just waiting but as things are opening up I can’t wait for more opportunities and I’m enjoying time to grow as both an actor and person right now.

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?
Los Angeles is such an awesome city, I feel like there is something for everyone! Personally my go-to place to eat is called Brick and Flour, the burritos are so good. There’s also a vegan restaurant in West Hollywood called Doomies that has the best Mac n Cheese and huge gooey brownies that are to die for! Mama Shelter is a rooftop bar with a really pretty view, which is a lot of fun when the sun is setting. I think LA has some of the most beautiful sunsets. Its definitely worth visiting Griffith Observatory and Hollywood Blvd. I think I was most excited to see the Walk of Fame when I first moved here. The La Brea tar pits are not as well known, but are really cool to see. I have also been loving drive-in movies at Gardina Cinema lately. That barely scratches the surface, there is so much here, but those are my top places that come to mind. Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My shoutout definitely has to go to my family. They are my biggest cheerleaders/mentors/supporters I honestly don’t know what I would do without them! I think it’s safe to assume everyone had a pretty tough time last year with Covid and the lockdown. I was supposed to have a showcase and big graduation ceremony. Unfortunately it was all cancelled or moved to zoom, and even though I was so disappointed my family still showed up to watch my performance and celebrate with me. It doesn’t matter if I have a leading role or if I’m zombie foot number 42, I know they will always be my biggest cheerleaders! They make me feel like a million bucks and it has really helped me through of all of the difficulties of the past year. I also know they will read this, so thank you guys for everything, I love you!

Instagram: @rachelbankz

Image Credits
Naula Studio