We had the good fortune of connecting with Paige Annette and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Paige, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Risk Taking!! My advice to you is TAKE THE RISK!!! Life is too short! You were not put on this earth to not be adventurous. And if you dont take the risk you will never know what’s on the other side. I live my life by faith, so I have taken many risks. I moved to Los Angeles 5 years ago with no job, just me and my dog and the things I could fit in my car. In 5 years I’ve accomplished a lot. But I never would have experienced these things if I chose to stay in my comfort zone and only do what I know. As an artist, its almost a requirement to continuously take risks. We have to take the risks to invest in ourselves so that we can be seen and others can invest in us. Saving money for headshots, reels, formatting your resume, sending out your materials for representation and of course the never ending journey of auditions, callbacks, and the booking process. A life without taking risks is safe and uneventful. As an artist you must take the risk otherwise you will never grow and evolve. So take that risks, dont live your life in fear. Let love win because you’re worth it and I promise you; Dreams do come true!
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am most proud of surviving! In 5 years my IMDB has grown and with every booking I learn more and more. I am an artist that loves to learn and strives to always be better. We wake up everyday not knowing what life will be like, we just have to be ready for whatever opportunities come our way. Thats our job as artists, no matter what profession you are in. 2020 has not been the year that any of us expected. But I will say through all of the setbacks, doubts and questions that there is so much movement and cleansing that we don’t even see. And above all change! Things that happened in the darkness are coming to light. Unity from around the world is happening. Change and movement for the good is surfacing. Take a deep breath and have a little faith. Thats all you need is enough faith the size of a ‘mustard seed.’
Faith runs my life. But faith without works is dead. So, you must do the work. You can’t pray and worry, you can’t pray and not actively do the work. Patience always which is easier said than doing sometimes. But in the end its worth it because you’re worth it! You never know your dreams might change the world one day. So why not take the risk! That’s what life is all about. Fall in love, take that booking, learn something new, go on that trip, try new foods, all in all live by faith and take the risk! This is Hollywood, you will always run into people that will try to tear you down or stop your progress, but you will also run into people who want to help you and lift you up and help you get closer to achieving your goals. Be bold and take those moments and opportunities. Don’t let them pass you by because the unknown leads to regret and life is too short for regrets. It has not been easy but the rewards and the discoveries make it all worth it! Through my journey, and anyone who’s worked with me or been in my presence, my brand and who I am will always be authentic. I don’t airbrush my photos, I make posts with my natural hair, I post with no make up, sometimes I post just waking up and walking my dog or getting ready for work. I want little girls who watch me to know the power in their natural beauty and they are beautiful no matter what shape size color, you name it. I also want them to know that it’s not all glitz and glamour. Its hard work. However, many jobs you need to have to work towards your dreams. Motivate, Inspire, remind others that loyalty and honesty exist, values and good morals exist and above all don’t give up on your dreams because dreams come true every day. Don’t give in to your fear because you will never know what’s on the other side of it. And love is so much more beautiful to drive your life instead of fear. And remember if it were easy everyone would do it, if it were easy then it wouldn’t be worth it. There will be lots of tears, both sad and happy ones. And that’s normal. Don’t get discouraged with the journey and the No’s within the journey. Learn from it and look at every “NO” as one step closer to your ultimate “YES!”
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
This is a fun questions!! Which actually happened last year! One of my best friends came to LA for the first time and because she’s a mom and a wife and has a full time job, she doesn’t get a lot of time to herself. So her sweet husband surprised her with a trip here so we could have some much needed girl time. I completely cleared my schedule and planned the entire weekend of fun!! I picked her up from the airport and we went straight to Venice Beach for the day. I have never explored Venice area so it was fun for the both of us. We had lunch and drinks on the boardwalk, then walked around and of course were true tourists and got matching Henna Tattoos! Soaked up lots of sun on the beach and had dinner at another restaurant overlooking the water with good food and drinks. The next day was Universal Studios day!! A close friend made sure we had a blast and got us both front of the line passes! We spent the entire day at Universal exploring, walking around, riding every ride, taking pictures and of course lots of butter beer!! The third day we had a beautiful brunch at Malibu Cafe! The food there is great!! and so are the drinks!! That night we went to go see another close friend of mine who was in town on tour as the Phantom in the Phantom of the Opera!! Amazing show if you haven’t seen it by the way! Absolutely epic! And after the show, we went backstage, He gave us a personal tour, we watched him sign autographs and take photos with his fans and then we went to dinner and drinks and a night on the town in West Hollywood!! It was an epic weekend! Did we get any sleep?? No lol but it was worth it!! Memories that we will never forget!
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?
Just a girl from Wisconsin who’s traveled all around the world and ends up in Hollywood continuing to pursue my dreams! Oh there are a lot of people to thank during this journey! But no matter what I have to thank my mom, she is my biggest cheerleader, my friend, my constant motivation and never ending FAITH. Secondly, I have to thank my circle of real ones!You know who you are! I would not be functioning without each and everyone of you. My friendships are so important to me. The love from my friendships strengthens me, keeps me sane and inspires me everyday. Thank you for always being there. Diana Castle at Imagined Life, you have changed my life forever! And its an on going journey that I’m beyond blessed to be apart of! To my earth angel, you know who you are. Thank you for believing in me, for fighting for me, for keeping me focused, safe and strong. I love you all so much and would not be where I am today without you.
Website: www.paigeannette.com
Instagram: @onlyonepaige
Twitter: @PaigeAnnette
Facebook: www.facebook.com/paigeannette.dance
Other: IMDB: www.imdb.me/paigeannette
Image Credits
Jason Harper Photography Deidhra Fahey Photography Amanda Nowak Photography Screenshots are from films: A Moment of Magic The Aerialist
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