Joy Osmanski didn’t start her acting career as early as some of her counterparts, but she’ didn’t let that stop her. Since making her on screen debut in 2006, Joy has gone on to build a very impressive resume. She has been in shows like Grey’s Anatomy, True Jackson, VP, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and Shameless. Joy’s ability to play a wide range of characters has established her as a very versatile actress. In her latest role as Paula Brooks in Stargirl, she will have yet another opportunity so show her incredible talents. Keep reading for 10 things you didn’t know about Joy Osmanski.
1. She Was Adopted
Joy was born in South Korea and was later adopted by American parents. She was raised in Olympia, Washington. Although she has never met her birth family, NDA results have shown that she has Japanese ancestry.
2. She Has A Degree In Creative Writing
Joy’s path to acting was a bit non traditional. She went to Principia College in Illinois where she studied creative writing and studio art. She excelled in her program and was able to complete her degree in three years.
3. She Was A Dancer
Long before Joy even considered becoming an actress, she was a ballerina. When speaking of her time as a dancer, she said, “I think my dance training has been the biggest influence in my life as a whole and yeah, the discipline, the rigor, the physical demands, the artistry.” However, she eventually decided that the dance world wasn’t something she wanted to be a part of any longer.
4. She Started Acting Out Of Boredom
Unlike many other actors, Joy isn’t someone who has alway known she wanted to act. Instead, she started acting by accident. She told Geek Chic Elite, “Well it was an accident born out of boredom, I wasn’t someone who knew they wanted to be an actor, I wasn’t one of those children precociously dancing on tables looking for an agent… I realized I missed collaborating with other creative people on a single goal that was performance-based.”
5. She Encourages Young Actors To Surround Themselves With Good People
Everyone has heard stories about what a cutthroat place the entertainment industry can be. Far too many entertainers have lost touch with themselves after achieving fame. That’s why Joy has a simple piece of advice for up and coming actors. She says the best thing a person can do is surround themselves with good people, but specifically people who do not work in the industry.
6. She’s Married
Joy may have a pretty demanding career, but she still makes time for her family. In 2006, she married fellow actor, Corey Brill. Brill has appeared in shows like The Walking Dead and CSI: Miami. The couple is raising three children together, one of which is Brill’s from a previous relationship.
7. She Likes Playing A Villain
In her role on Stargirl, Joy has gotten the opportunity to play the villain. While being the bad guy isn’t always an actor’s first choice, Joy really enjoys playing the role. While talking to Forbes, she said, “Playing a villain, especially when she’s written with force and humor, is the best. I’m always drawn to the bad guy, the antihero, the character who’s struggling with internal and external forces – all interesting characters have elements of that.”
8. She Thinks The Industry Could Use More Diversity
As an Asian woman in the acting world, Joy knows first hand how difficult it can be to book jobs in a world where roles for minorities are slim. She says that the entertainment industry still has a long way to go in terms of diversity.
9. She Adopted A Son
In addition to being an adoptee, Joy is also an adoptive parent. She adopted a newborn baby four years and says that she takes “the responsibility of raising a black child very seriously”. She says that she hopes that her experience as a cross-racial adoptee can help her teach her son how to navigate certain aspects of the world. Unlike her own adoption, however, Joy and her family have a good relationship with her son’s birth mother.
10. She Was A Graphic Designer
In some ways, Joy’s career as an actress is her second wind. She lived a completely different life before becoming an actress. She was a graphic designer who ran her own business. Although the work interested her initially, she eventually found herself getting bored.
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