Varda Appleton [Interview]

 

Hello Folks! Today we are getting back to the roots of the site. I’ve always wanted to considered Trainwreck’d Society an arts appreciation site, and god dammit all if we don’t have a great interview to share with you all that absolutely fits that bill. While we have shared words from folks from all sorts of realms of entertainment, the performer has obviously been the key to our showcasing. Which is why I am so excited that this interview, or second to last ever, is with the brilliant Varda Appleton. She is an absolutely incredible actress, and I can’t think of anyone better to close out our conversations with performers than Varda.

I became intrigued by Varda’s work when she appeared in our friend and past guest’s, Zachary Ray Sherman’s, directorial debut, Barbie’s Kenny. It’s a damn near perfect film, and Varda plays a major role the film’s near perfection. She is an absolutely incredible performer, and we are so excited to have her grace our digital pages. Thank you Varda. You’ve made a mark on us here at TWS, and we will be forever grateful. I hope you dig this, Folks. She’s the last of her kind here at Trainwreck’d Society. And I couldn’t be more content with that.

So Folks, here it goes, please enjoy some wonderful words from the brilliant actress, Varda Appleton! Enjoy!

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What inspired you to get into the world of performance? Was it something you have aspired to do since your youth, or did you happen to find yourself in this world one day?

Definitely something I aspired to since my childhood but didn’t always have the courage to pursue full-time. I knew I wanted to be an actor, but saying that out loud was too scary. I remember seeing Equus on Broadway and thinking I must get into that world, some way. I started taking the bus into New York from Teaneck, NJ to study acting at the Herbert Berghof Studio and NYU summer programs. I was very much conditioned to choose a more “practical” route and went to school and worked as a neonatal ICU nurse while studying acting. But alas, I kept getting lured back to the “impractical” pursuit of a full-time acting career. 

What was your first paid gig in the world of entertainment? And were there any sort of lessons learned from this experience that still affect your work to date?  

My first paid gig was doing children’s theatre in NYC. When Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman came to see the show with their kids and treated us like colleagues, that was exciting and inspiring. Lessons learned from doing theatre are invaluable and starting in theatre has definitely affected my work ethic; I’m so glad to have come up that way. It really gave me the stamina and concentration that sticks with me in any project, any medium. 

One project that you worked on recently was actually one of our Top 5 films of 2019, which was Barbie’s Kenny, written & directed by our dear friend and past guest Zachary Ray Sherman. I am curious to know what drew you to this project? What was it about this story that made you want to be a part of it?  

First, the people. I am such a fan of Zachary, he’s an amazing actor and an equally amazing and humble human being; these traits serve him well as a director. Second, I loved my role as an acting coach because I got to draw on all of the acting teachers I’ve had over the years. It was great to see it all come together.

You’ve done some wonderful work in film, television, the stage, and beyond. I am always curious to know which do you prefer? If you were only able to pursue one means in which to perform, what would it be? Why?

I absolutely love working – that’s the bottom line – I always say I’d love to do enough film to allow me to work on Broadway – that’s always been my dream. My ultimate goal would be to move fluidly between Broadway and film.  

If you were handed the opportunity to create and/or perform in the biopic of any legendary figure in American history, who would it be?

Sherry Lansing made her mark in a male-dominated industry at a time when this wasn’t the norm.  I was always in awe of her and wondered how she mustered the strength and motivation to navigate her career.  I think it would be fascinating to explore her journey in more depth.

What does the future hold for you? Anything you would like to plug to our readers?

The future is bright. I am an optimist, and I am tenacious. I’m involved in a couple of very funny pilots that I hope will go forward this year. Recent work includes the dark comedy/horror film Cut and Chop and the thriller Manifesto (both streaming on Amazon Prime).

What was the last thing that made you smile?

Opening the email containing my vaccine appointment induced my biggest smile of the year. Being back on set, getting crafty in a box, working again, has kept me smiling.