Please introduce yourself. What do you do? Why? What do you want people to know about you?
Hi, my name is Cindy Hogan. I am an actor, playing people far more interesting than me.
If my own story were to be told cinematically, I would want it to be portrayed as true to life as possible. I believe it is a privilege and honor to play someone else. So when I step into the life of the character, they deserve the respect of having their truth told.
What qualities make you different and unique from everyone else in the industry?
When I am asked why I love acting, the answer is simple: it’s the opportunity to live a thousand lives.
My job is to touch, move, inspire & create a conversation so convincing that it becomes reality. I do my research. I create characters inside & out so that when it’s time to film, I am completely prepared, focused, & ready to adjust as needed. Every moment is authentic to give directors everything they need and more, take after take.
I’ve been told I am an editor’s dream, that I provide plenty of matching takes with slight nuances to give them the ability to tell the best possible story. And that comes from having a deep understanding of the entire process.
My goal is to always add value to the production and to make the crew’s life easier.
Describe THAT moment when you realized you’re doing what you were born to do.
3rd grade, Miss Thomas’s class. I was what today may be classified as an ‘ADHD” child, back then I was a “problem child”. They didn’t know then what they know now.
To keep me from being “disruptive”, my teacher Miss Thomas, gave me a record to listen to (yes, a record) with these huge headphones…. and I do mean HEAD, not earbuds. On one side was the music and lyrics and on the other only the music. She told me to practice lip-syncing to one side… quietly.
So at recess for that week, I would gather some of the other kids and “assign parts” (casting), tell them the story and what we would be doing (directing), and tell them at the end of the week we would perform our little skit. I went home asked my Mother to take me shopping for costumes for myself and the other kids (producing) as we were going to do this show.
On Friday, Miss Thomas said we could do our play. We put on the record, music side only, and went on to do our memorized, thought out story, and everyone did a great job. There was even applause! Then we did it for other classrooms and then the entire school in the auditorium stage for parents and the school.
I remember at that moment saying to myself… “no one is yelling at me to sit down, shut up or you will be standing on the yellow line”, which I did a lot of in my early school years. And right then and there I knew this is what I want to do all my life, create and tell stories of people far more interesting than myself.
What’s been the biggest challenge you’ve had to go through and how did you grow through it?
I think there have been several challenges but the biggest was being a single parent of 2 young boys and balancing raising them, working outside my industry to make ends meet as well as within my industry, and most importantly not allowing any of it to compromise their childhood.
Pulling all-nighters to keep on top of things as well as many “private cry feasts” wondering if I’d get through it. We did, all of us. We grew through it leaning on one another as well as a supportive family. I am happy to report my sons are responsible, productive, loving, caring contributors as adults.
Sometimes you just have to work with your hands full and your heart open and get through it one step at a time.
Who are the TOP 3 people you’d want to meet that could elevate your career or business? Why these specific individuals?
I am so blessed to have met some really remarkable people. I know in this business it is “who you know” to a certain extent and I also firmly believe you HAVE to bring something to the table as well.
1. Oprah, not to elevate my career but to elevate me as a person, which in turn elevates my career.
2. Some social media wizard. Because I find myself ashamed that I used to make fun of my mother with not understanding her answering machine and NOW social media… Ugh, I am at a loss.
3. Anyone at The William Morris agency, you are only as good as your team.
Drop your social media links.
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/Hoganactor