June 24, 2025 • 24 mins
Shae Smolik, a talented young actress from Iowa, shared her journey from local modeling to leading a feature film in Los Angeles. Starting with commercials and gradually advancing to TV and web series, Shae embraced each step with enthusiasm and resilience. Her audition technique—spontaneous and emotionally driven—reflects an innate gift for performance. This approach helped her land the lead role in the horror film The Hatred, a major milestone that showcased her ability to handle complex, emotionally intense scenes at a young age.
On set, Shae demonstrated a level of professionalism and presence that many seasoned actors strive for. She spoke candidly about initially feeling overwhelmed by the scale of a professional film production, but quickly adapted, delivering performances that resonated with both cast and audience. Her advice to fellow young actors is to stay authentic, enjoy the process, and never fear mistakes—because there's always another audition, and the heart of acting lies in being true to yourself.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.
On set, Shae demonstrated a level of professionalism and presence that many seasoned actors strive for. She spoke candidly about initially feeling overwhelmed by the scale of a professional film production, but quickly adapted, delivering performances that resonated with both cast and audience. Her advice to fellow young actors is to stay authentic, enjoy the process, and never fear mistakes—because there's always another audition, and the heart of acting lies in being true to yourself.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.
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