Today we’d like to introduce you to Jo Lorio.
Jo, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I was raised out in the country in a forest on a lake. I was the biggest tomboy – always in sports, making up plays, and imitating just about everything around me for fun. I’ve always been a big fan of film, music, martial arts, and gymnastics. There was a point where I felt confused about what I wanted to do mainly due to pressure from others to be somebody else instead of who I was. I decided to take a chance and enroll in acting classes & workshops because I decided it was more important for me to pursue my passion than to pursue other’s passions for me. It was the best decision I have made because I love it and really enjoy creating.
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?
No road to success is a smooth one, but doing a little extra research at the beginning can smooth out some of those bumps. The best advice I can give for any woman that pursues acting would be to:
1. Research acting coaches and find a really good one. Read reviews and look at their IMDb to see their work in film & TV.
2. One word – Referrals. I’m big on working with others, taking workshops, and coaching, all of which I found through referrals.
3. Network – Find local industry events and meet producers, directors, other actors, agents, etc.
4. Be open to opportunities, but never do anything you are uncomfortable with.
5. Take “No” in stride and say “No” when you are uncomfortable. This is one of the most important pieces of advice I can give. When you feel a project isn’t right for you, say “No.” Too many people say “Yes” when they want to say “No.” Many people also get discouraged from hearing “No” a lot. “No” just means not right now, you’re not ready yet, or not this role, but another in the future. It’s almost never personal.
What should we know about Jo Lorio? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I’m a film, TV, commercial, and voice over actor. You can find my voice in Overlord II as Hilma Cygnaeus, Riri-chan in A Centaur’s Life, and Setsuko in Junji Ito. I also play Darlie Routier in a TV show called The Last Defense. I’m also known for the martial arts shorts my friend and I create for Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook. Our followings have continued to grow, and people really love watching our shorts, which is really cool. My skill level with martial arts, excellent training, and my laser focus toward my goals sets me apart from others. There aren’t many females I know that have continued martial arts and gymnastics training past middle school, which is really interesting to me. I think every woman should learn some self-defense, but I feel sometimes like gender roles play a part in what kind of training, sports and careers people choose. I’d say, I’m the gender role rule breaker. Do what you love rather than what others love for you.
Who do you look up to? How have they inspired you?
My heroes as a kid were Wonder Woman and She-Ra. I watched She-Ra re-runs and felt like she and Wonder Woman were everything a woman should be – strong, smart, and heroes. Angelina Jolie & Scarlett Johansson are two actors that I aspire toward because of their numerous roles and range.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jolorio.com
- Email: Jo@jolorio.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jo_lorio/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoLorioActor/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoLorioOfficial
- Other: www.imdb.me/jolorio
Image Credit:
Brad Barton, Jorge Gomez, Cantrell Media
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