Rising Star Lindsey Kraft: “I want to inspire people to move in their own lives; To do that thing they’ve always wanted to do but never thought they could”
… I think that’s what my musical is about. The focus is on being a woman in this world and trying to make my way through it all. I want people to feel as though they can be more of their authentic self, and really dig deep to figure out what and who they truly are. I’d like for the musical to inspire people to move in their own lives. To do that thing you’ve always wanted to do but never thought you could. I want it to have a wide reach so people can feel less alone on their journey.
I had the pleasure to interview Lindsey Kraft. Lindsey is an American actress, model and writer. She is best known for playing Allison on Grace and Frankie, Marguerite Macaw on Getting On, and Leslie Curry on Living Biblically. Kraft has also appeared in films such as Epic Movie (2007), Nostalgia (2018), and A Futile and Stupid Gesture (2018). Kraft was born in New York and grew up on Long Island, New York. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland.
Thank you so much for joining us Lindsey. Before we jump in, our readers would love to get to know more about your background. Can you tell us about your childhood and how you grew up?
I was born in the Bayside neighborhood of Queens, New York, and lived there until the age of 6. After that, we moved to Jericho, Long Island. I was always interested in singing and acting, but I never knew it was something that I could actually pursue. All of my friends would do theater and I would go watch and just wish I were up on that stage. But I was also pretty good at sports, so that’s where my time was spent. It wasn’t until I started modeling at 15 years old that I realized my passions could be turned into an occupation. I started attending University of Maryland and commuting to NYC for modeling jobs. Then a few fortuitous things started to happen. I randomly met someone in a waiting room who asked if I was an actor. I told her: “No, but I would love to be one if we’re being honest.” She then introduced me to an agent, and that agent signed me.
They began sending me on auditions, and the first role I read for was in a pilot for FX. The character was an insecure model. Perfect for me. And I got it. The show never ended up on television, but it was a good start at least. After graduating college, I returned to New York and moved in with some friends. Used whatever money I had to start taking whatever acting classes I could. I loved those classes, and I found some great teachers — notably Majorie Ballentine and Nina Murano — who have been so supportive of me throughout the years. Each week, when I would attend my acting classes, I remember having such a big smile on my face the entire time because I couldn’t believe that I was getting to have these experiences. I was part of a world I didn’t know I could actually be a part of.
After a bit of time auditioning, I booked roles on both Law and Order SVU and The Sopranos. Even though they were small parts, it was really exciting and felt like things were starting to pay off. Every job — no matter how big or small — has been exciting. To have the opportunity to act is such a treat.
In the past decade, I’ve also become a writer and a songwriter. I’ve written some plays and television pilots, and I’m currently writing a musical. These were also things I never knew I could do. And learning and developing these skills has been extremely fulfilling.
Amazing! You probably have a lot of interesting stories because of this. Can you share with us one possibly interesting fact or humorous story that has happened to you since you began your career?
One of the first auditions I had was for a pilot. I saw a girl in the waiting area and thought to myself how cute she looked. For this role, they were looking for a female actress with a Queens accent to play the character. I asked if she was auditioning for the same part and if I could hear her practice. She completely blew me out of the water! She was amazing. And I thought — “There’s no way I’m getting this role.” The actress was Katie Lowes (from Scandal). She did get the role. Not only did we become best friends after that meeting, but I introduced her to my best guy friend from college, Adam Shapiro, and he ended up becoming her husband!
None of us can achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you’re grateful towards, someone who helped you to achieve the level of success that you have now? If so, can you share a story about that?
Oh, there are so many people! Having someone help you along the way is so important, especially in this industry. The first people that come to mind are my original acting teachers I mentioned earlier — Nina Murano and Marjorie Ballentine. They both gave me so much confidence and knowledge, which helped me become the actor that I am today. I would also like to mention my partner, Andrew Leeds, who has inspired me to be a writer. Gloria Calderón-Kellett is another person who I would say has helped me along the way. She was one of the first people to tell me that I had a talent for writing, which made a big difference in my confidence to continue down that path. I’ve always been a big believer in telling someone when you see their talents and encouraging them to continue.
Beautiful. You’ve been blessed with success in a career that, for some, can be challenging. Do you have any words of advice for others who may want to embark on this path, but who might be daunted by the prospect of failure?
Honestly, if you are scared of failure, this is not the industry for you. There’s going to be a failure every day and I learned this at an early age from the constant rejection with modeling. Resilience is a must-have. A lot of it is timing. Opportunity meeting preparation. I feel grateful for the opportunities that I have had and lucky for the things that led me to this point.
But, I would say for myself, I started to come alive as an actor and a writer when I started to realize my value and began writing for myself. With this additional outlet, you’re able to focus your creativity on more than just getting a job which can sometimes be discouraging.
I also try to treat every audition like a performance. I love looking at it this way, and I even started referring to my auditions as my performance appointments to remind myself of why I was there in the first place. And at the end of the day, even if you don’t get the role, just have fun! Enjoy the performance.
In recent times there has been a lot to talk about the importance of having a “why” or a reason to wake up in the morning. What do you feel is your “why” and what drives you in your work every day in TV and film?
For me, I want to share. Create and share all these things with the world. That is what truly gets me up every morning.
You have really impressive work. What are some of the projects you’re working on now and where do you see yourself going in the near future?
We just wrapped up the final season of Grace and Frankie which will be airing soon. I will be appearing on an episode of How I Met Your Father on Hulu and I’m currently writing a musical and creating a concept album for it. I’m also always on the lookout for great roles to play!
Are there five things you wish somebody told you when you first started?
- The first one would be to learn an instrument. In the last year and a half, I’ve learned how to play the piano and started writing music as well. If you don’t know how to play one, definitely take the time to explore that. Anything is possible. My grandfather didn’t start painting until he was 65!
- Next, it would have been great to know that I was good enough from the get-go. I wish I had embraced my imperfections more and felt more comfortable freely expressing myself.
- Third, surround yourself with other creative people. Collaborate with them. Push each other. Create, create, create.
- My fourth thing would be not to spend too much time coming up with five things when you really should be working on your musical!
Lindsey, you are a person of huge influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea could trigger.
I think that’s what my musical is about. The focus is on being a woman in this world and trying to make my way through it all. I want people to feel as though they can be more of their authentic self, and really dig deep to figure out what and who they truly are. I’d like for the musical to inspire people to move in their own lives. To do that thing you’ve always wanted to do but never thought you could. I want it to have a wide reach so people can feel less alone on their journey.
We are very blessed that some prominent people read this column and this is your opportunity to reach out to them. Is there anybody you would like to have lunch with? Maybe we could tag them and see what happens.
Sarah Jessica Parker. I have always admired her and felt as though I had a connection to her. I’m so excited for her to see my musical when it comes out.
Well, super. Lindsey. Thank you for your time today. This has been a fantastic conversation and I wish you luck in all your future endeavors.
Thank you! And you as well!
Rising Star Lindsey Kraft: “I want to inspire people to move in their own lives; To do that thing… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.