Amber Coyle [Interview]

It’s still all about the women, folks! And we are wrapping up our second week with another amazing showcase. What makes this one different though? Well, we are moving a bit in front of the camera as well this time with actress/model Amber Coyle. She is a hilarious woman who has worked diligently to establish herself in this business, and will soon reap all the rewards she has earned. And damn it all, if she isn’t working behind the scenes as a writer of original content, most likely knowing full well that if you are to succeed in this game, you have to do it for yourself.

Amber has recently developed a pilot, featuring an ALL FEMALE cast and crew, which if you have been paying attention for the last two weeks, we are HUGE fans of. Coyle is a woman who has proven herself to not only be a beautiful on screen actress, but a lovely person in all aspects of  her life, and we are so excited to see where she goes and to follow her career that appears to only be moving up. To be young in Hollywood these days can not be easy (from an outsider’s perspective) but Amber seems to have that town by the reigns and will soon be pulling in more than the world can handle. And we here at Trainwreck’d Society think this is a damn good thing.

So, ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy some great words with the amazing Amber Coyle!

When did you first realize you wanted to be a person who plays pretend on screen for a living? Growing up in Texas, was it always something you aspired to do? What are your earliest memories that led you to the world of acting?

I loved theater as a kid, especially in junior high! I went to speech tournaments performing lip sync routines and improv. I was in every play including the Pink Panther Strikes Back playing Olga, the Russian spy. And one of the witches in The Wizard of Oz (yes, there was more than one witch in the play). I also went on a New York trip with our Thespian Troupe, visiting Juilliard and watching Broadway plays. That really set off the dream. I was having wayyy too much fun!

You have had some extensive training in the world of sketch comedy. What drew you to this world of comedic storytelling specifically? Was it just further practice, or your true aspiration?

I realized in my teens that I had way too much energy, probably classified with ADD and hyperactivity, LOL! I sometimes disrupted class, loved to be the center of attention, and always tried to make everybody laugh. I guess I just enjoyed expressing myself through comedy, escaping from the dramas of reality. I was even awarded “Class Clown” my senior year. I thought I was pretty good at it, and many people (not just family and friends) who have crossed my path have reiterated that to me over the years. It eventually solidified in my soul! I knew it was my calling. My dad really wanted me to go to college and get a degree, which I did. But then I set myself free and said, “That’s it! I am following my dreams! Goin’ to Hollywood!”

You’ve also done some great work in the world of stand up, which we are also very big fans of as well. How has this experience been for you? Have you found audiences to be receptive to your style of comedy?

Stand up is definitely one of the hardest things in life to do, and in my opinion its a great achievement- even if you’ve only done it once. It is the most vulnerable thing one can do. I was encouraged by a few well known comedians I had met. I just wrote down what I thought was funny, worked on it until I felt I had something solid. I went up at the Hollywood Hard Rock Improv in FL for the first time ever. It was a full house, and I was nervous as shit! But that 5 minutes flew by and I had them laughing loud! That is the best feeling in the world! But I have learned, not every high is that high- there can also be some lows. You can tell the same jokes to a different crowd and they will react differently. Its a lot about the energy. But thats how you grow, so its important to go through the motions. A lot of my material was very “blue.” Feedback would either be something like, “Whoa! I was not expecting that to come out of your mouth. That is awesome! I like how you keep true to yourself.” Or it would be, “Girl, you gotta clean that up if you want to go on tour or be on a network show.” Everyone has their opinions. You just have to know that you cannot please everyone in world, someone will always find something to complain about. But as long as you’re being yourself and doing what you think is funny (without being mean or hurting anyone of course) then that’s all you can do.

I have heard some great feedback about Buzzfeed Motion Picture’s comedy series, Up For Adoption. What has it been like to work on such a hilariously bizarre project like this? What was it like to bring the work of the brilliant Quinta Brunson to life?

It was great working with Quinta. Honestly, the whole experience was probably the most rewarding, and I learned a lot. Shooting 10 episodes in less than a month was tiring. But for what I am trying to do in Hollywood, it was exactly what I needed and in the direction of where I want to go. I am so grateful! I didn’t think I would book a mom role at all. I thought I looked too young to have two teenagers. They asked my age and liked the fact that I was a little older but looked younger. I have never been married or had any kids, so I was shocked to find that I landed the role of Tanya. The girls who played my daughters, Tess and Teagan made me laugh everyday. Those girls are hilarious and super-duper talented! Quinta is younger than me and she has accomplished so much. I am so happy we got to work together and share this experience. She has an artists mind. She knows exactly what she wants and she goes for it, no bullshit, Philly style! Her character is the most hilarious. Verizon Go90 bought the series and Quinta told me she did not even want to put herself in the project, but Verizon said, “No, we want you in it!” She made me laugh A LOT with Michelle. But Quinta as a person is very serious, and I respect that. I am praying for a season 2!

I understand you have recently also appeared in the hit comedy series New Girl, alongside re-occuring guest star Meghan Fox. How was this experience for you? Was it as fun to shoot the film as it is for an audience to watch it happen?

Shooting New Girl was quite the experience for me. When I auditioned, the role was a co-star with no lines. But for the auditions sake, they gave us some lines. They booked me and I literally prayed for lines for days. I couldn’t sleep the night before the shoot and I got an email at midnight from FOX with an updated script and thank the lord, I got some lines!!! I was so stoked, I got no sleep, LOL. I had my own trailer, everything was nice. Jake Johnson shook my hand before the scenes started and introduced himself. Megan however, did not do so. We went straight into the scene cold! That was a first for me. Usually you at least say hello before you work with someone. But we got through it, and later ended up chatting. It was a lot of fun. When it aired, we learned some of our lines were cut. But it was still a really great scene and so incredibly happy to be a part of one of the most successful sitcoms!

And be honest….is Jake Johnson even more adorable in person? Was it terribly hard to not get lost in those puppy dog eyes of his?

Jake is the man! He is really, really a talented dude! He liked to run through our lines each time before shooting to make sure everyone was comfortable. He also threw out some improv. And very impressive- the large amount of dialog they threw at him last minute, was nooooo problem! He is FANTASTICAL!

In the long run, what would you say is your ultimate goal as an actress in the world of film and television? What are you most yearning to accomplish in your career?

Right now I am working on a project of my own with a few friends. We wrote a TV pilot. All female cast (lead), female director, and working on getting an entire female crew. We will be shooting that this year then pitching. It would be a dream for it to be picked up by a network or even some type of new media platform. But aside from that, my dream is to book a series regular on a sitcom with longevity. Think Golden Girls, one of my favorite shows of all time. They were the original Sex in the City! Every actor has a thirst for not only success, but a consistent income! The struggle is real. Look, I am not trying to be Angelina. I want to get paid for doing what I love. I LOVE comedy! I want to work on feature films as well. And guest star on SNL!

What was the last thing that made you smile?

My cats. Thats right folks…crazy cat lady! HAHAHA!