Emily Kinney

Emily Kinney is actor of stage and screen and also a singer songwriter who has released her debut ep Blue Toothbrush which I discovered and liked. She currently working on the show The Waking Dead. I urge to get check out and download or purchase the cd here http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/emilykinney

Check out more about her here http://www.emilykinneymusic.com/ She somebody to watch out, She is gonna go far.

1. How did you get into acting? 

I first got into acting by singing and doing musical theatre.  I also saw a lot of movies when I was little that made me want to be an actress.  Growing up, I was a huge fan of Leo DiCaprio in ‘Growing Pains’ and I remember seeing him and really wanted to be able to act like him.

2. What has been your highlight the acting so far?

There have been so many incredible moments in my career so far.  Getting to go to the premiere of The Walking Dead was pretty incredible.  I will also never forget what it felt like to come out onstage during the closing night of Spring Awakening.  The audience’s energy was incredible.  It was so much fun to perform that night.  I felt I was a part of something really big.

3. What is like working on The Walking Dead?

Working on the Walking Dead is amazing.  I work with all these really incredible actors so just being around them really inspires me to do good work and I feel like I am learning so much about being a good on screen from them.  I also like being so far away from the city and on location.  It gives you and everyone on set this really great focus.

4. How do you prepare for a role? 

Every role is different.  But mostly I try to learn as much as I can about who the person is.  I read the script a bunch of times, do research, and then I also try to find times when I have felt like the character.  I think bringing part of yourself to a character is important.

5. How do you learn your lines?

I learn my lines by saying them over and over out loud to myself.  I like when I can have friends or someone quiz me and read them with me.  I get really nervous about forgetting lines so I have to set aside a lot of time for that.  I also think keying into how a person talks (the rhythm and such) and communicates with other people is super important so saying them over and over is the best way to fall into some sort of rhythm and deeper understanding of who the charachter is.

6. Who have you enjoyed working with recently?

I love working with Scott Wilson.  He plays my dad and he is so helpful and just a really great person.  I also really liked working with Laura Linney on The Big C.  I only had one scene with her, but she is one of my all time favorite actresses so it was a dream come true…!!!

7. How is acting different to writing and performing music?  Writing and performing music is fun because it tends to be a way to express stories that I write and come up with or even stories about my own life and how I feel about things.  It’s very freeing.

8. What was the inspiration for the ep?

My inspiration for the EP came from being on tour and spending a lot of time reflecting.  Someday, I would really love to be in love with someone and have a boyfriend, but it’s been pretty impossible in my life lately and I think alot of my songs on ‘blue toothbrush’ come from that hope for love.  I was really inspired  to write music by my good friend Conrad because he is a very talented musician and hard worker.  He really believed in me as a songwriter and encouraged me to write more and more!

9. What inspires you when writing music? 

I like to write really honest lyrics, so I try to find one key statement that is true about the way I feel, even if only for an hour (sometimes we change our minds, dont we?!?) true about how I feel, and then build a song around that.  I feel like writing songs is the one place where I can truly write and say exactly what I want and still in a pretty way.  Sometimes in life I get nervous and anxious and am not as articulate as I would like to be.  Or I don’t feel I can say exactly what I want without hurting someone.   Songwriting is my place where I am really honest.

10. What do you hope the ep will do for your music career?

I would like to play more live shows.  I want a lot of people to hear my music and feel connected to the words!! I would like this EP to lead to a chance to complete a full length album.  I have many more songs to share!!

11. What was it like working on The Big C?

Working on the Big C was fun!!  It was great to have a whole charachter arc throughout several episodes. That was one of the first times I’ve been able to do that in a show.

12. What do you like about working on stage?

I love doing a show every night.  I think it is exhausting but I also think it is the best schedule in the world.  It keeps you in touch with your voice and your body in a really great way that pushes you as a performer.  I love getting out of the show all buzzed and hungry from performing and having dinner in the middle of the night.  I love being in the theatre all day rehearsing.  I would rather be there than any park on a sunny day.

13. How is that different to you from working on screen?

Working on screen makes me sad sometimes because as soon as you get  a scene down; It’s over and you won’t explore it again once it has already been shot.  But i still really love acting for film too.  It is always so interesting to me to see the end result of how it is put together. Also, everyday is different.  New lines, new wardrobe, new locations.  It keeps you on your toes and keeps things fresh.

14. What has been your favorite stage role to date?

I love playing Hermia from Midsummer Night’s Dream.  I would play her again.  I also loved play Jean in August: Osage County.  I wanted to be her from the first moment I read the play.  I memorized her monologue before I ever got the part and it sticks with me.  I can still recite almost all her lines.

15. What is next for you?

Once I’m wrapped on The Walking Dead, I will go back to NYC.  I’m moving into a new apartment and working on an indie film in the city.  I will also start promoting my Blue Toothbrush EP more!  I have a release show scheduled for December 19th at 8pm at Rockwood Music Hall Stage 1 that I am really excited about!  I hope to spend some time with my family over Thanksgiving and Christmas.