Olivia Taylor Dudley on Acting, Social Anxiety, and Some of Our Stallions

DreamPath Podcast

Olivia Taylor Dudley is an actress, producer, and writer known for playing the beloved character Alice Quinn on SyFy’s The Magicians. Early in her career she appeared in sitcoms such as Arrested Development, Curb Your Enthusiasm and The Mindy Project, but made a splash on the big screen with Chernobyl Diaries, Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension and The Vatican Tapes. Her most recent film is Some of our Stallions, written, directed, and co-starring Carson Mell, and produced by/co-starring Al Di.

What you will learn:​​

• ​​Olivia reveals how she landed the role of Bonnie in the film Some of Our Stallions, how her previous friendship with producer/co-star Al Di convinced her to read the script, and how the positive work environment cultivated by director Carson Mell and Al Di on set, as well their genuine off-screen friendship, translated to the screen. [0:00-6:51]
• What attracted Olivia to Some of our Stallions and why she appreciated the way the film tackles subjects like mental health and friendship with a blend of comedy and drama. How Olivia, as a woman working in Hollywood, respected Carson Mell’s ability to tell a story on screen without leaning on Hollywood cliches and tropes. [6:51-12:51]
• Olivia reflects on her early career and her journey transitioning between comedy and drama, as well as television and film. She also discusses what types of projects she’s hoping to work on in the future. [12:51-17:51]
• What inspired Olivia to quit school and move to L.A. at the age of 17, the hustle it took to work in Hollywood before landing acting roles, how she got her first big break in horror films, and the importance of working in every department on set to fully understand the film industry. Olivia also talks about her experience making Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension [17:51-23:36]
• How Olivia navigates the world of Hollywood while coping with social anxiety, especially when it comes to networking, and why situations like doing press at Comic Con for The Magicians actually helped her grow and learn to better deal with her anxieties. [23:36-28:39]
• Advice Olivia would give to young people hoping to make it as an actor and how her advice has evolved over the years. Finally, Olivia discusses the importance of being humble, respectful, and hardworking in the film industry. [28:39-36:37]

Resources:

• Olivia Taylor Dudley’s: IMDb, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook