Interview with Kelsey Lynn Stokes

Photo by Jessica Osber Photography

In second grade Kelsey Lynn Stokes and mates were brought into a room individually and requested to recite the poem, ‘Alligator Pie’. After receiving direction to be as loud as she possibly could, they figured she could be loud and boisterous enough on stage and gave Kelsey the role of Clare in the Nutcracker. She didn’t even know she was auditioning really. Then, when Kelsey moved to Dubai in sixth grade, she vividly remember watching a high school spring play the first week in her new school and thinking both, ‘Wow’ and ‘I can do that’.

Kelsey Lynn Stokes auditioned for the high school musical the next year in seventh grade and was cast along with three other seventh graders in ‘Les Miserables’. It was usually pretty unheard of to have younger cast members in the high school musical because of the demanding rehearsal schedule. It was the family atmosphere that made her fall in love with the theater, and the feelings she could evoke in others and in herself.

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION @TheEmmys @SeriesDoomsday Trailer: https://t.co/OIvd1Br2Yc pic.twitter.com/eVo0Jr5Q7D

— Kelsey Lynn Stokes (@KlynnStokes) June 15, 2017

indieactivity: How did you become an actor?
Kelsey: I attended the International Thespian Festival in Lincoln Nebraska in 2008 where I was attracted to all of the ‘on-camera’ and ‘film’ workshops, most of which were offered by the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts. Richard Robichaux told us that we should write thank-you letters to each of the people who offered their contact at the workshops, and because I was so enamored with the content, I made sure to thank him. He wrote back to say I was the only person who had done so, and asked me if I had considered going to acting school in New York? I had not, since I had written myself off to Honors Biology in Canada.

When a romantic flame that I had met at the very festival also asked me to consider New York, I requested an audition for October of my senior year. Sure enough, I was granted a scholarship and enrolled. I attended the New York Conservatory for two of the most grueling years of my life, but woke up in October of 2009 weeping because I realized I was overwhelmingly happy. I was finally following the deep desire of my heart, and though it was incredibly challenging emotionally, I’m so grateful for the hurdles I was forced to jump in order to grow into the human I am now.

indieactivity: What acting technique do you use?
Kelsey: I learned Meisner technique from Mr. Steve Perlmutter, and the ‘natural’ approach from Pete Mattaliano. I don’t think Pete calls it that, but it’s very basically, ‘Say what you’re saying’. It’s incredibly difficult it is to be as simple as that. They both work hand in hand, and have been ingrained in my scene work. I don’t really think about either of them anymore. It takes a great deal of practice but once you have the muscle memory, it’s like riding a bike.

indieactivity: What wrong impressions do actors hold about acting?
Kelsey: Acting is not forcing an emotion or deciding exactly how every beat will go in a scene. If you have predestined every moment, where does the scene breathe? People breathe. Life breathes. If you decide what happens, how can anything ever surprise you in a scene? You can’t listen to another person if you’re only focusing on what you’ll do next. People almost never know what is going to happen next.

indieactivity: Do you take courses to improve your craft?
Kelsey: I do! I’m always meeting new casting directors and learning how the landscape of the industry is changing. I edit reels, so I’m constantly keeping a finger on the pulse of what people look for in terms of reels & clips and how they should be presented. Matt Newton has a great studio if you’re looking to flex your muscles. I’m not against private coaching, but I haven’t felt inclined to seek it out for myself. If I felt really stuck, I definitely would.

I also love taking classes and trying new skills (VO, Improv, Standup) because inevitably you learn something you can use in your acting. Standup was incredibly thrilling and terrifying for me because I was standing in front of people speaking my own thoughts and words, and somehow that was more frightening than baring my soul with other people’s words. Luckily, that led me to feel more comfortable with writing my own material, and now I have a feature film in the making.

Kelsey Lynn Stokes & Reed Birney (The Humans-won a TONY, House of Cards) in Mad Women -2014

indieactivity: What acting books do you read?
Kelsey: Too many to keep count! It’s probably repetitive, but ‘Audition’ is a no-brainer. I’ve read all of Meisner, Uta Hagen and Stanislavski. I think ‘How to Win Friends & Influence People’ should be required reading for actors even though it’s more of a business centric book. Michael Caine’s book about being a working actor. I would also recommend Christopher Reeve’s books. Also, there a tons of useful podcasts. I love Alec Baldwin’s show, ‘Here’s the Thing’. He interviews more than just actors but the actor career retrospects are truly wonderful. My favorites are Edie Falco, Julianne Moore and Viggo Mortensen.

Also, read books on filmmaking, producing, directing, and anything else that intrigues you. I have been and would still be a script supervisor if the opportunity arose. I learned how to do it by reading a few books. Become entrenched in all parts of theatrical production and filmmaking. The more you can ask intelligent questions of the people buzzing around you, hustling to make you look like the star you are, the better you will be able to connect with them.

indieactivity: How do you keep fit as an actor?
Kelsey: Yoga. Yoga. Yoga. Yoga. Yoga. Yoga. I’m a runner too but it’s not what I do to keep fit – more like what I do to figure some things out and get an adrenaline boost. If I don’t do yoga, I don’t feel grounded. It clears my head, calms the chaos, and cleans the slate for energetic flow. It puts me in my body and in touch with the world. It awakens my senses so I can perceive more clearly. Also, get a hobby other than acting. Don’t be an actor who only talks about acting. The most meaningful connections I’ve made in my career were because we were talking about something completely different. Like running a marathon. Or someone’s favorite author. Or travel.

Kelsey Lynn Stokes as Agnes hung from the rafters of a barn as a form of punishment.

indieactivity: How do you prepare a role, when you get it?
Kelsey: I read the script at least 4-5x before making any notes. Then I start to consider what the character would do in their life that I wouldn’t normally do and adopt some new behaviors/habits. It changes up my brain and lets me get in their head.

indieactivity: How do you create a character from a script into a person?
Kelsey: It starts with that and changes each time with every role. I think every person requires a different process. You get to know real people differently, yes? So depending on the script, and what the character calls for determines how they become who they are.

indieactivity: How do you stay fresh on a production set?
I like to be by myself if it’s an incredibly emotional scene. Other people generally don’t know how to treat you and leave you be, and they start to confuse your sustained character emotional life with your real emotional life. The last thing I want to be asked when I’m prepping for a big scene is ‘Are you okay?’…. It’s my job to be this character right now, not be myself.

If the scene isn’t particular emotional, I try to sit somewhere quiet and conserve my energy. Depending on the crew members, I can chat with someone as we set up. Drinking lots of water and healthy snacks keeps your energy up. It’s shocking how much energy you’re exerting on set even if you feel like you’re waiting all day. Try not to lean into the sugar and burn out. Try not to entertain for the sake of it.

indieactivity: Describe a memorable character you played?
Kelsey: My character of ‘Agnes’ in DOOMSDAY (2016) has to be the most memorable character I’ve played so far. The first scene my character is introduced, I sprint into frame from the edge of the woods, screaming and accusing a cult leader for stealing my money and my identity. In the next episode, I’m both hung from the rafters of a barn as a form of punishment, and later lifted into the air by my fellow cult members, weeping, as the leader exposes the fact I abandoned my newborn baby to return to the cult because I couldn’t handle being a mother. WOOF. But also, so. much. fun. I loved shooting in the middle of the woods, and getting into these extreme situations. So rarely would these be scenes or ideas actors get to explore.

Kelsey Lynn Stokes as Agnes in Doomsday. Photography by Dan McBride, Cinematographer of Doomsday

indieactivity: Explain one creative choice you took on set?
Kelsey: There was a scene in April Grace where my character and her best friend/love interest were getting a little distant. It was the first scene we shot in the entire film and I was feeling bold, so in the middle of the scene, I untied my left shoelaces and tied them to his as a subtle way to try and maintain the connection with him. At the end of the scene we play wrestle and roll down the hill entangled in each other because we were stuck at our shoes.

indieactivity: What do you want most from a director?
Kelsey: The ability to clearly communicate and collaborate. My favorite directions start with, ‘What if…?” or.. Remember that time you told me about (…) Maybe it’s something like that. Incredible directors I’ve worked with (yes, you Andrew Hutcheson), take the time to really get to know their actors and what their pressure points are so they can bring them up

indieactivity: What actors do you long to work with?
Kelsey: Jennifer Lawrence and Hugh Jackman

indieactivity: Why?
Kelsey: I feel like Jen and I would have a lot of fun together – I love that she doesn’t take herself too seriously. That’s something I value greatly in actors and women especially. I’ve admired Hugh Jackman for a long time and always had a bit of a crush on Wolverine. He seems kind and generous as an actor. I think it would be a really unique experience to meet and work with him.

indieactivity: What advice would you give to actors?
Kelsey: Take care of yourself. Your mind, and your body. Do not, do not, do not compare yourself to other people. It takes energy away from what you could be doing to contribute to your career. Do not blame others for anything that happens in your life. If you didn’t get the part, you weren’t meant to. It means that the world left you available for meeting that next Darron Aronofsky at Starbucks, or the love of your life while walking your dog in the park. Don’t say, ‘I’ll fall in love when I’m famous.’. You don’t get to decide that. It’s foolish. Live your life. As an actor, you need to be able to reflect a realistic view of humanity otherwise nobody will be able to relate to you.

How will do that if you are hold up reading Tennessee Williams and doing lip trills and spinal rolls in the darkness of your NYC apartment for 9 hours a day? Live. Your. Life. Travel. Talk to strangers. Go to movies. Go to plays. Watch the people on the street instead of staring at your Iphone. But, like, text your mom still because you should always text your mom so she doesn’t worry. Be present in the world. Take your headphones out sometimes. (Pete, I say sometimes, because this city is kinda crazy and sometimes I need some chill indie folk to keep the crazy out). Listen to other people. Ask them about themselves.

indieactivity: Briefly write about your career?
Kelsey: I feel like my career is just getting started! So far, I feel like I’ve had the privilege to portray women that film/tv hadn’t really explored before. When we made April Grace, I was the tomboy. And the tomboy never wins. The pretty blonde girl does. I’m still so grateful we could turn that on it’s head and let the underdog win. Nevada in Mad Women had a number of character flaws and yet still had this unabashed carefree attitude.

As young women, we’re taught to be ashamed or be small if we make mistakes. Nevada flew her flaws as flags. The film I’ve written and am in the process of pre-production features a woman who’s had this incredibly challenging trauma, and yet she finds a way to get back up, and get through it. We are so resigned to believe that once you’ve experienced tragedy, you’re written off. That’s so deplorably incorrect.

I want people to believe that they can heal. That they can see the worst day of their life as a young person and still be able to find peace, and continue to add value to their life and community.