I started acting when I was five years old. Even before I understood what acting really was, I knew I loved storytelling and entertaining people. I was completely obsessed with movies growing up. I loved the feeling of being transported into another world, and I became fascinated by performances that could make you laugh, cry, or completely change the way you saw someone. I think that’s what first pulled me toward acting — the emotional connection of it all.

I went on to study Theatre at the University of Kansas and graduated a year early before moving to Los Angeles to pursue film professionally. Since moving to LA, I’ve trained at studios including Anthony Meindl, The Groundlings, Second City Hollywood, and RD Studios with Ryan Mulkay.

A lot of my approach to acting comes from personal experience and observation. I think the most compelling performances come from honesty. Life experiences — heartbreak, loneliness, joy, insecurity, hope — all deepen your ability to empathize and connect to characters. The older I get, the more I realize acting isn’t about pretending. It’s about revealing truth in a way people can recognize in themselves.

Some actors who have inspired me most are Daniel Day-Lewis, Steve Carell, and Jim Carrey because they each have this incredible ability to move between comedy and deep emotional truth.