Today we’d like to introduce you to Hilary Kennedy.
Hilary, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’ve been obsessed with wanting to work in television since reading an article at six years old about another kid in Dallas who had already paid for his college by working as an actor. I obtained a degree in Radio, Television, and Digital Media to prepare me to pursue something performance based. I was working as an actress when I booked the Entertainment Host job for the Dallas Stars, and once I had the chance to just be myself on camera, I realized I wanted to shift my focus. I put together a host reel with my footage from the Stars and shot a few extra lifestyle segments with a few cameramen I worked with, and started sending them out. God opened the doors for me to work on two home and lifestyle shows here in Dallas, worked on D Magazine’s televisions shows, a national show for Fox Soccer Channel, and then on the nationally syndicated morning news shows Eye Opener and Morning Dose. I now host the Four Minute Buzz daily news on The Blaze Network during Glenn Beck’s morning television show. I feel like the thing that has kept me going is realizing that you can’t ever get comfortable or complacent in the media business. Growing and learning are what it’s all about… take classes, accept jobs that will teach you a new skill, or push you out of your comfort zone! And never assume any gig is “beneath you”. You can benefit from every opportunity, paid or unpaid.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I think one of the biggest struggles performers of any kind face is the fact that this business is constantly changing, and you can often find yourself with no job security. Shows get cancelled or producers decide to go in a new directon fairly often. Having strong relationships with the people you’ve worked with and work for are important, because many times you end up helping each other out when jobs fall through. I’ve worked on several pilots for shows that were really cool and had lots of promise, but didn’t get picked up. I’ve had shows with large budgets also get cancelled. You just never know what will happen, so being prepared for the down times has been key to dealing with the hard stuff. I don’t ever want to be a dream crusher, but I do tell people who are looking to get into this business that it isn’t a smooth, clear road to get to where you want to be. It’s a lot of trial and error, and learning to be flexible!
Hilary Kennedy – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I formed a corporation a few years ago when my work became more diverse. I work primarily as a television host and emcee, but I also have a style blog and social media business. I focus mainly on lifestyle, fashion, beauty, and health…the things that interest me most. Some proud moments for me were winning and Emmy Award and being chosen by Condè Nast for a national campaign in their beauty publications, featuring my work as a journalist. Besides being a redhead (we are the unicorns of the human world, you know,) I think what sets me apart is simply my interest in the people work with. Since I work with a rotating group of people at each gig, I truly love to learn from the people I get to spend that time with. The makeup artists and camera crew, the producers, the marketing teams… all of them offer an opportunity for me to learn how to be a better professional and a better person.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
The proudest moment of my career was when I was working on a home show and my family got to be on a few special holiday episodes with me. I loved seeing them say their lines on camera and be part of the magic of television. My grandparents have since passed away, but I have this sweet and hilarious footage of them from the episodes we shot, and it warms my heart to have those special memories.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.hilarykennedy.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hilarykennedy/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HilaryKennedyTV/?ref=settings
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/HilaryKennedy
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