Today we’d like to introduce you to Hannah Ellis.
Hi Hannah, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up on Cape Cod, never quite knowing what I wanted to do; if you asked 5-year-old me in her pink cowgirl boots, I would tell you I was going to be famous (according to my parents). I knew I loved the ocean and was probably a mermaid in a different life and that I wanted to do something creative. I tried college, but it wasn’t for me; for a while, I just felt like I was stumbling through creative endeavors and career choices that never seem to fit just right. I was also quite literally stumbling through the country. Making youtube videos and working on a farm in Hawaii, working in marketing and social media in Massachusetts, and working at Barnes & Noble in Bozeman, Montana. Eventually, I made my way to Savannah after a nasty breakup and a sense that I needed to live life on my own terms. Then, Covid happened. and long story short, I adopted a puppy, lost my serving job, and caught Covid. I ended up moving up to Bluffton with my amazing boyfriend. With no job in hand, I decided to do the one thing that had always been in the back of my mind, act. I saw a background casting call for one of my favorite Netflix shows and decided to apply. A week later, I was booked, and I was getting a covid booster, driving 6 hours to get tested, and working a full-serving shift on the same day. I fell in love with being on set that day. I loved the mix of fun & professionalism that could only exist in a place where people are playing real-life dress-up. For the first time, I felt like I was in a place that fit me. Since then, it’s been a roller coaster. I’ve had to learn how to be an entrepreneur and an artist. A student and a professional. I’ve worked countless odd jobs to stay afloat and had the privilege of working with amazing people I had only ever seen on red carpets and in my favorite movies. Currently, I just finished directing my first short film about protecting the environment and coastal waters. I’m so excited for the future ahead.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It hasn’t been a smooth road at all, but that’s just how the film industry is; you don’t really know when you’re getting paid, it can be weeks or months, and that’s after you actually book something and give your agent their 10-20%. I’ve had to pick up jobs, max out credit cards, and eat bread sandwiches. But I’m grateful to be a part of it. I think you’re missing out if you don’t go for your dreams; I don’t want to regret anything when Im old. I didn’t come from a wealthy family, but I came from a loving and supportive one. Everything I’ve done, I’ve had to do myself since I was a teenager. I moved out at 18, and there’s been a lot of bumps along the road since then. But I’m grateful that I learned so much so early; I think it helped me in the long run.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am an actress, Model, and Director. I specialize in film & TV, with the occasional commercial. I’m probably most known for working on productions local to Savannah… I also had a pretty epic shot of me taken giving a very intense Kubrick stare for an indie horror production I’m working on. I’m most proud of the short film I recently directed, wrote, and starred in. It was my first time directing, and boy was I in for it; by the end of the weekend, I was drinking coffee out of a wine glass. The short is centered around the environment, and we filmed on Tybee Island. I think the thing that sets me apart from others is my determination. I feel like I came into the industry a little late, so I work as hard as I possibly can to make it happen. I have faith that this is the career path for me, and I’m not going to stop trying because I believe that’s the only time when I will fail. I get a lot of comments and looks when I tell people I’m an actor and I’ve been offered a “real” career before. But I don’t want that.
How do you define success?
Success to me is happiness and fulfillment. For me, I want to be financially stable and have full freedom to create. I think success looks and feels different for everyone. There’s a lot of pressure at my age to marry and have kids, and own a home, which is amazing and successful for some, but I don’t think that should be the standard picture of success.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm14174773/
- Instagram: instagram.com/hannahsusane
- Other: https://theinhumanityofjane.my.canva.site/
Image Credits
Jason Manchester
Tess Landon
