Genevieve Angelson sprung into the spotlight in the wake of the sexual harassment and assault allegations in the now famous Harvey Weinstein scandal that has rocked Hollywood and many other entertainment genres. She is a part of the #metoo movement, and publicly relates her firsthand experiences as a warning to up and coming actresses as well as a way to seek justice for the women Weinstein has harmed. But there is more to Genevieve than just being a #metoo activist. She has a history of success as an actress, and there are some interesting dimensions to her life that have shaped her career. Here is a list of 10 things you didn’t know about her.
1. Her parents pushed her hard in school.
This was not only true when she was in high school, but carried over to her college years. She says it was part motivational and part terrifying for her not to meet their expectations. Many of us can relate to that on so many levels.
2. Her first choice wasn’t acting, but producing.
One of the biggest reasons she shied away from committing herself to being an actress was fear of failure. Beyond the pressure from her parents, she also did not have much self-confidence in her own abilities, which short circuited her progress. She though being a producer was a safer, more likely avenue for career success.
3. Grad school was actually part of her plan to be an actress.
Once she overcame her fear of failure as an actress (though she admits there is always a tinge of trepidation present) she attended the Tisch School of the Arts to be able to play the theater when she turned 60. Well, that is at least was her mindset when opting to go to Tisch. Career was something that always played a large role in her decision making processes.
4. Her sister noticed a telling characteristic of her personality.
She told Genevieve that she makes things that are really hard to do look easy. But that is one reason Genevieve is a success. Natural talent is hard to overlook, and it is the people closest to you that are most likely to notice. So if you see Genevieve in a role and think, “I could do that”, think again.
5. She definitely appreciates her parents.
Though it may seem that her parents pushed her too hard, and in the wrong direction, during interviews it is clear she knows that sacrifices they made to get her into the best possible schools to prime her for success. She openly says “they busted their asses” and the good news is that their sacrifice paid off. There’s nothing better than proud parents and a child to be proud of.
6. She has a specific historical period she likes to be cast in.
Genevieve says that the period in United States History between 1967 and 1980 is where she likes to be cast in movies. She says, “that is my era.” When she was only in the 4th grade she knew the lyrics to every Beatles song. And was still an outstanding student.
7. Playing Stevie Nicks in a biopic is a career dream.
One of the many things she would love to do before her career ended was to get the role of Stevie Nicks. Of course she can’t wait too long, but it fits in with her favorite era of American pop culture history, so it makes perfect sense. Besides, there are few actresses who wouldn’t jump at the chance to play Stevie.
8. She avoids being a control freak.
This attitude may be credited in part to her Weinstein experiences, but for the most part she has learned that there are few things that you can actually control. Personal space is one of those obvious things, but when it comes to the decisions being made about getting a certain part or what level of professional success you can attain, she feels more peaceful when not trying to control her destiny.
9. Regarding her career, she hasn’t done anything she regrets.
Given her early history in the acting world, this is quite interesting. It shows she is a quick learner and tis willing to admit her mistakes — and learn from them. There are always roles you can take, but it takes foresight to recognize the good ones from the bad ones before you look back on the decisions 20 years from now.
10. Going to camp was a regular thing when she was growing up.
But it wasn’t just any camp. It was a musical theater camp – the Walnut Hill School in Massachusetts. Not only would she make friends there that she would later run into later in her career, but she called it “a magical place” because of the many girls who ended up having successful acting careers that came out of the camp.
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