Donna Gafford shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Donna, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
My 11 year old granddaughter recently made the theater cast in the older ages, up to 18 year olds! She looked like a baby in the cast and did wonderfully! She didn’t get a solo but considering the camp was for older teens, it was expected! Very proud of her!❤️
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My brand is my mentality that starting at ANY age, is when you start, it’s never too late! I woke up one day seven years ago with a whisper, “it’s time to start acting” at the age of 61! So being a business person and not knowing the “business” of acting, I researched: found an acting coach, and began submitting for everything I could find to get experience on a set! That was student films, indie films, and truly anything that I could gain experience!
I was background until I was hired for roles, getting minimal payment until it wasn’t! I had an agent within my first year which gets you in doors! Too this day, I still self submit but for much different roles than 7 years ago!
I’ve had agents and have a wonderful manager who pushes me in bigger and better roles!
I’ve just snagged my biggest role yet not to be released until it’s okayed!
My moral of the story truly: do, don’t try and every age is perfect!
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
I believed that I was stupid as a child! I’m dyslexic with a touch of ADD and math or numbers were totally a different language! I had the best teachers who got me through my high school years of math. College math was a different story! Nursing was so much math!
After having kids who we homeschooled, I learned math as I taught them! I remember it all today because it was hard learned!
Also: I’m not stupid!
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
There’s no “fear” per se that has held me back BUT FEAR overall in all! In succeeding, in failing, in not being enough for whatever I look at!
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My friends KNOW that family matters to me over EVERYTHING!
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What will you regret not doing?
I would regret not saying “I love you” enough! I never heard this growing up, I worked so hard to SHOW my love BUT saying it matters!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @donnagafford
- Linkedin: @DonnaGafford
- Facebook: donna.m.gafford
- Youtube: Donna Gafford
Image Credits
Kelsey Edwards, Catchlight Studios.
