Today we’d like to introduce you to Karlee Eldridge.
Hi Karlee, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I would say performing has always been second nature for me. From a young age, I started modeling professionally very young and booked a few commercials here and there. I was always trying to find a stage no matter where I went. My parents have all these stories of me around age 4 or 5 jumping on a microphone singing, dancing and performing for anyone who would watch. My mom tells a story that when I was around two, I was constantly looking at books and pretending to read. She thought, “wow I have a baby genius”. When in fact, I wasn’t pretending to read I was just ACTING like I was reading.
I went to arts middle school for theatre and I also studied performing arts in high school and then in College. Throughout college, I thought I was headed to Broadway. I studied musical theatre at NYU for a summer and thought that was my path. That was until a few teachers sat me down to tell me I was too natural on stage and that maybe I should look into film and television. Luckily, FSU had an amazing film school where I got to be a part of some films and realized okay, this is exactly what I want to do. I graduated and immediately set out for an agent. I remember meeting with my first agent and she said we really like you but you have no credits, but there is an audition today for a Guest star on the show The Glades that you fit the character description, can you make it to the audition? Of course, I said yes! I rushed to the casting office, memorized my lines in the car and next thing I knew, I was asked if I could make it to the callback the following afternoon. It all happened so quickly, I remember not even having the chance to be nervous because it all happen so fast. The next phone call I received is that I booked the role and my agent wanted to sign me.
If only the rest was that easy! After that, I headed up to Atlanta for a year working on shows like The Vampire Diaries, Nashville, Ballers and others. I quickly moved out to LA and have been doing it ever since. During my beginning time in LA, I struggled like most actors do. I started modeling a lot to pay the bills, but thats when I discovered another passion of mine, makeup. I decided to start my makeup business on the side not knowing where it would go, but I did know it was something I loved doing. Sitting in the makeup chair was always one of my favorite parts of the job and I knew I had a natural ability for glam. Now, I am a full-time makeup artist as well as a model and actor. I am so lucky to make a living off being a creative. I attest that to growing up in a house of entrepreneurs. My parents started their own business, so I grew up with the hustler mindset! I sometimes can’t believe I am still “doing it”. I hope I can inspire young creatives that it is POSSIBLE and to never give up no matter how many times you hear no… because trust me, you hear it a lot. I have so many exciting projects dropping this year. Catch me in my next movie coming out in June on lifetime called Her Obsession. Check out my IMDB for all my upcoming projects.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been an easy road. Like most people in this business, I’ve had my ups and downs. One story in particular almost made me quit entirely. I had booked a series regular on a tv show shooting in Atlanta. I remember the phone call from my agent when I booked it, I thought that was a life-changing moment. That is until I got to set the first day to find out they had fired me and replaced me. It was truly devastating. The month, my father passed away and I really just had no desire to keep going. I had worked so hard to get to that point and it felt like it was all taken away from me so quickly. I took some time off to really decide if this business was for me. Eventually, I got back into the swing of things, but it took me a while to find my passion for acting again.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am really good at playing the typical dumb, blonde roles, but that couldn’t be farther from who I am as a person. Sometimes in this business, you can get put in certain boxes and it’s hard to get out of. Recently, I’ve been booking roles outside that category which is very exciting! I even got to play a doctor in one of my newest movies called They Crawl Beneath. I also got to play a crazy ex-girlfriend in my new movie coming out.
Contact Info:
- Email: bookingkarleeeldridge@gmail.com
- Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3299619/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
- Instagram: @karleeeldridge @karleemakeup
- Other: https://karleeeldridge.wixsite.com/karleemakeup
