In an industry often defined by rejection and online cynicism, actor Kailey Anderson is intentionally charting a brighter path.
Trained at NYU Tisch and the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute, she brings a refreshing dose of optimism and honesty to both her performances and her growing TikTok community. Whether she is stepping into the shoes of Carole King on stage, embracing the creative energy of her recent move to Los Angeles, or working behind the scenes on a major documentary narrated by Susan Sarandon, Kailey refuses to let industry negativity dim her passion.
In this interview with Close-Up Culture’s James Prestridge, she opens up about why mindset matters, the physical freedom of Method acting, and how sharing a more hopeful perspective is helping fellow creatives feel seen.
James: You’ve trained at NYU Tisch and the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute. How has that training shaped you as an actress, and what are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned along the way?
Kailey: I think the biggest lesson I’ve taken from my training at NYU and the Lee Strasberg Institute is that relaxation is one of the most important elements of acting. It allows you to feel free in a performance.
When I first started acting, I had no real understanding of that physically. There’s so much energy involved in performing, particularly on stage, so you might assume that relaxing would take some of that energy away. In reality, what we learned was that keeping the body relaxed and releasing tension allows you to be much more flexible as an actor.
I was reflecting recently on the four years I spent pursuing my BFA and thinking about the most important thing I’ve taken away from that experience. I think it would be that.
Obviously, the method and everything I learned at Strasberg encompasses a lot of Lee Strasberg’s teachings, including relaxation, sense memory and concentration. But it’s funny because I’m not consciously thinking about those things when I’m performing. I’m not telling myself that I need to relax or concentrate. It’s become second nature through the amount of training I’ve done.
I’ve also learned a lot about what works for me when I’m on set or working on a play or musical, and how to apply different techniques depending on the role and production.
James: You’ve had some really exciting roles so far in your career, including Carole King in Beautifuland Dusty in POTUS. Which role has been your favourite so far, and why?
Kailey: Playing Carole King in Beautiful was such an amazing experience. The music is stunning, and Carole King’s life story was incredible to bring to the stage.
It was the first time in my professional career that I’d taken on a role of that scale, playing the titular character and understanding that so much of the story’s emotional weight and truth relied on my performance.
I also hadn’t done a musical for a long time before joining the production. I started acting in musicals when I was eight years old, so it’s my first love. Getting back to that was incredibly exciting.
It was definitely one of my favourite experiences and taught me a lot about my artistry and how I approach roles after leaving drama school.
More recently, another favourite has been a film I have coming out, hopefully towards the end of this year or next year, called Whispers of the North.
I play a young mother struggling with addiction. One of the things I love about acting is getting to use my imagination and experience the lives of people whose circumstances are very different from my own.
Exploring the mindset of someone struggling with recovery and addiction, while being in a relationship with someone experiencing active addiction and raising a child, was incredibly challenging and interesting.
There were so many different things happening within the character, and we were filming with a relatively small crew in Florida during the summer. Getting to immerse myself in that experience was really rewarding.
The two roles were at completely opposite ends of the spectrum, but both taught me so much and were a lot of fun.
James: You recently moved to Los Angeles. What prompted the move, and what are you hoping this next chapter will bring?
Kailey: I’ve wanted to move to Los Angeles for a long time. Obviously, as an actor, Hollywood is a huge part of the industry, so it felt like a natural move.
While my career played a big part in that decision, it was also a personal choice based on the lifestyle and opportunities available here.
My girlfriend is a physical therapist and was offered a job out here. We both wanted to live in Los Angeles, so her opportunity aligned really nicely with my own ambitions.
It’s been amazing so far. Regardless of the conversations around Los Angeles and the current state of the industry, I genuinely think every actor should experience living here for a little while.
There’s so much to do and see, and so many creative people. There’s an energy to the city that constantly inspires me. Even on a casual Tuesday evening, there’s something happening or something new to explore.
I’ve also been fortunate to find a team here that I really enjoy working with. It feels collaborative and exciting, and they’re genuinely invested in my goals and the milestones I want to achieve.
Obviously, there are obstacles along the way, but my team doesn’t really view them as obstacles. They see them as hurdles we’re jumping together. We’re working towards things and achieving them as a unit, which I really appreciate.
James: You’re refreshingly open about your acting experiences on TikTok. What prompted you to get into that space and start sharing your experiences?
Kailey: I actually started posting on social media when I was 13. I had a YouTube channel throughout middle school, high school and college.
I found that the more vulnerable I was about my experiences, the more I was able to help other people. Whether that was sharing advice about applying to college or talking about struggling with depression during my undergraduate years at NYU, I realised that being open about my experiences could make a real difference.
The more honestly I shared, the more people seemed to feel seen and understood.
In a world where so much online content is curated and polished, I think there’s something valuable about hearing from someone who isn’t a huge A-list movie star but also isn’t completely new to the industry. I’m able to share what my experience is actually like, and that’s always been important to me.
The feedback has been really positive, and my audience has been incredibly receptive.
I also think there’s a lot of discussion among actors on TikTok and Instagram about the negative aspects of the industry and everything that’s going wrong.
Personally, I don’t experience that negativity in my day-to-day life to the same extent because I’m so passionate about what I do. I’ve also put a lot of work into my mindset and how I approach this career, so that when the industry is going through a challenging period, I can persevere and keep moving forward.
Pursuing a career in acting is already difficult enough without constantly reinforcing that negativity. It hasn’t helped my career.
I’ve found that the more honest and positive I am about the things that are going well, the more I learn and gain from the experience.
I wanted to share a more positive perspective and show that even if you’re at a similar stage in your career to me, rather than being a superstar, there are still so many positives and opportunities to appreciate.
James: That’s really refreshing. I’m feeling uplifted just listening to you! I love the idea of spreading a bit of positivity.
You recently worked as a producer on a documentary. Can you tell us a little about the project and what it was like working behind the camera?
Kailey: I’m an associate producer and associate editor on Mark Mori’s documentary Baristas vs. Billionaires.
I initially got involved after taking a job with Mark as a production assistant. I helped with archival footage, organising the edit, transcripts and a lot of the behind-the-scenes work that goes into documentary filmmaking.
I studied producing and entertainment business alongside acting at university because I understood that show business is still a business. If I’m going to pursue a career as an artist, I think it’s important to understand what’s happening within the industry so I can position myself as effectively as possible.
Through that experience, I discovered a real love for producing and realised I had a bit of a knack for it.
Over the course of almost two years, I gradually became an associate producer on the project, and it’s been an incredible experience.
We have Susan Sarandon as the narrator, and Alec Baldwin is a contributing producer.
The documentary follows the young people behind the unionisation movement at Starbucks. These young baristas wanted to unionise because they felt the company wasn’t treating its workers fairly. There were concerns around working conditions, benefits and a number of other issues.
It’s been particularly interesting because the film follows a movement that’s still unfolding in real time. We’ve received feedback from baristas, and the fight for unionisation continues to be a huge part of the conversation.
When you’re making a documentary about a historical figure or an event that’s already happened, it can sometimes feel like a closed book. You’re adding commentary to something that already exists.
With this project, things are constantly developing. New events happen, new people get involved and we’re continually adding to the story.
For example, we’ve seen boycott announcements and political figures such as Senator Bernie Sanders and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani joining Starbucks baristas on the front lines in New York.
I’ve learned so much about filmmaking and the industry through working with Mark, who’s an Academy Award-nominated filmmaker. Our producers have won Emmys, and having people like Alec Baldwin and Susan Sarandon involved has made it an incredible learning experience.
I’m now also involved in helping run an Academy Award campaign, which has given me the opportunity to learn about distribution and so many other aspects of the industry.
All of that experience benefits me as an artist. I’m really excited for people to eventually see the documentary when it becomes available to stream because it’s a moving and quite shocking story.
James: Looking ahead to the next few years, particularly now that you’re based in Los Angeles, what are you hoping the next stage of your career will look like?
Kailey: I’m really excited about continuing to build my résumé and develop my career as an actor.
I’m particularly looking forward to exploring roles that scare me and excite me. I think a lot of actors talk about wanting to feel a little nervous or hesitant when taking on a role because it seems so daunting.
For me, that’s a sign that you’re pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone and reaching a point where you can really grow as an artist.
I’m also really looking forward to Whispers of the North coming out and people finally getting to see the film.
It’s based on a true story, and it was the first feature film I booked. Now it’s finally getting to the point where audiences will be able to watch it. Everyone who’s seen it so far has said really positive things, and I’m incredibly excited.
Ultimately, I’d love to work with the filmmakers I’ve always dreamed of working with and be part of productions, films and television shows that I genuinely admire and love.
That’s the goal.
I’m also feeling really hopeful about the future of Hollywood and how the industry might evolve to better serve audiences and artists.
At a time when technology is taking over so many aspects of our lives, I think art is one of the things that will continue to persevere. Human performance, in whatever format it takes, has existed throughout human history. It’s something that has endured through so many changes, and I don’t think that’s going to disappear.
I’m excited to see where the industry goes and, more importantly, to be part of it.
James: Finally, you mentioned that you love musicals. Is there a dream role you’d like to put out into the universe?
Kailey: For a musical, I would absolutely love to play Miss Honey in Matilda.
I grew up watching the musical when it went to Broadway. I also watched the performance at the Olivier Awards on the West End and then at the Tony Awards.
I actually auditioned for the Broadway production, and I absolutely love the soundtrack. Miss Honey is such a wonderful character, and I’d love the opportunity to play her.
The music written for her character is beautiful, and it’s such an iconic role. It would be amazing to be part of that show.
Outside of musicals, I’d also love to do a period drama where I get to ride on horseback through the English countryside.
I want to be in something set in a Jane Austen-style world, wearing beautiful gowns and getting to step back in time to a period of history that I’ve always had a real fondness for.
Leave a Reply