It’s kind of hard to explain when it comes to wondering just why some actors fall off the map when it comes to acting at times, but Deborah Ann Woll worrying that she won’t ever act again feels like a bit of anxiety laced with an undeniable reality that at this point is only being exacerbated by the fact that no one is working thanks to the coronavirus. She’s been an established actress before her time in the MCU’s Daredevil series on Netflix as Ryan Scott from MovieWeb has stated, but ever since DD she hasn’t really been seen in a big project apparently. For someone that’s been convincing enough in her top roles that is a bit confusing really since it begs the question of what she might have done wrong, or if she’s just going for the wrong parts at the wrong time, or if there’s just some other reason that she hasn’t managed to explode on the scene as she really needs to. In a way the one blanket explanation that can take on this issue is that her time is coming, that an explosive role is just around the corner and she has yet to find it. That’s comforting in a way but it’s not concrete and it’s not reassuring enough for a lot of people since it relies on too many intangible factors. Woll had something to say about it per Ryan Scott:
“I’m just really wondering whether I’ll get to work again, whether anyone wants to work with me again, and whether I still have it, all of those scary things. And part of my brain goes, ‘No, you’re just being crazy, calm down.’ But the part of me that loves [acting] and the problem with being an artist and an actor, and any of these professions where you put a piece of your soul into your work, is that it becomes a part of your identity… If I’m not acting, I’m not sure who I am. And since it’s been so long since I’ve really gotten to do it, I’m struggling a little bit with how to maintain my self-worth, my sense of my own value.”
Those words are something that many people feel, and as a writer it’s very easy to feel Woll’s uncertainty since a lot of us that take on the burden, or the pleasure, of informing people of what’s going on in entertainment have the same day to day fight to keep people interested and make sure that we’re doing what we can to give our lives some sense of purpose. That inner struggle isn’t a solitary thing since a lot of people could easily admit to having it, but the fact that she hasn’t found another big part to keep her busy is kind of a concern that a lot of people might not fully understand just yet. Once you put enough of yourself into your work, as Woll states, you come to understand just what it means to have that constant feeling that you’re doing what you’re meant to be doing, and that you’re being accepted for what feels right to you. Rachel Labonte of Screenrant has more to say on this topic. It’s a hard concept to discuss with those that haven’t experienced it, but for those of us that have actually gone down a similar route and are still on that path, it’s very easy to understand Woll and how she feels. Try being a freelance writer and getting people to pay attention when you have no credits to your name and no clout at all, it’s not an easy path, so being an actress that has those credits and that influence has to that much harder when it comes to not being able to get back to work.
Right now the uncertainty that she’s feeling isn’t going to be alleviated since the coronavirus has made show business grind to a halt for the most part, but the hope of course is that next big role for Woll could be right around the metaphorical corner and that she’ll find it acceptable. The idea that she might even head to the MCU on the big screen to renew her role as Karen Page would be completely fine since it would get her back in front of the fans and give her another leg up towards something even greater. Right now there’s no doubt that she’s wondering just when that moment will come and might even be looking, but one thing about acting that anyone should know at this point, there’s always that chance that pretty much anyone can find a role they weren’t looking for and knock it out of the park. It could be the role that will bring her back to prominence hasn’t been created yet, or it just remains to be found, but it’s more likely than not that this won’t be the last we hear from Deborah. Tom Chapman of CBR has his own opinion on the matter.
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