Actress Anna Stadler has been pursuing her dreams of acting since childhood. Her ambition and industriousness have led to numerous opportunities in both stage and film that feature Stadler’s dramatic ingenuity. I had the opportunity to talk with Ms. Stadler about her career and some of the challenges she has faced in pursuit of such. I am sure that you will find her words encouraging. Enjoy!
Warlock Asylum: This is certainly an honor and I would like to thank you for taking the time to share some of your insights and life with our readers. However, for some of our subscribers who may not be familiar with your persona, please introduce yourself. Who is Anna Stadler?
Anna Stadler: No, thank you! The honor is mine. At the core, I am your typical 17-year-old. I enjoy spending time with my friends and family, shopping, cooking, taking my dogs on walks, snuggling with my kitty cat. We all have dreams and passions, one of mine just happens to be acting. I’ve always enjoyed it, but as I grew older it became obvious to me that it wasn’t a hobby, but something that I wanted to do as a profession.
Warlock Asylum: Tell us about your childhood. What type of environment did you grow up in?
Anna Stadler: I grew up in Charlotte, NC just outside of the city limits. We lived in a neighborhood on Lake Wylie. My Dad, Mom, older brother and I would go down to the dock and fish and kayak on the weekends and during the summer. My family has always been really close. I think my brother and I being 4 years apart helped us not to have that typical sibling rivalry.
I attended a small private school where I had amazing friends and teachers in my 5th-grade year. That summer, 6 years ago, we moved to coastal SC where I started public middle school, basically not knowing anyone. Thankfully, I ended up finding another really good friend group. I attended public school through my 10th-grade year and then decided that I wanted to be a professional actor, so I switched to an online school program so that I could have more flexibility. This year I’m a senior and also taking some college credits to get a jump on my freshman year.
Warlock Asylum: What attracted you to the field of acting?
Anna Stadler: I love being a completely different person than you are in real life! There is nothing more fun than playing a diva, mean girl, or someone who makes really different choices in life than I would. It’s such a challenge to let yourself go and “become” someone else enough to make people believe that’s the real you.
Warlock Asylum: In pursuit of your career as an actress, what sort of formal training do you have?
Anna Stadler: My private elementary school had a great arts department. We had drama and music classes in our curriculum and also school plays and musicals during the school year. I also studied drama and musical theater in high school and participated in their programs, musicals, and performances.
In 9th grade, I also started taking both group and private lessons at Kevin Jones Performing Arts Studio. I also attended his camps over the summer and weekends where he brought in visiting speakers to teach things like audition techniques. Kevin is a great coach and a good friend. He really pushed me out of my comfort zone and grew my confidence. When I shared with him that I loved acting, but that it was TV and film that were my passion, he challenged me to step up and start making that dream a reality. I credit him with the success I’m having as an actress. I’ve also taken the opportunity during Covid to take some online seminars from various acting coaches across the US.
Warlock Asylum: You’ve also had training in voice and was able to teach yourself how to play keyboards and ukulele. How was that experience like for you?
Anna Stadler: I love music! It’s an enjoyment for me and a great stress reliever. I started playing ukulele on rainy days and when I was bored. I then decided to buy a keyboard and teach myself with YouTube videos. I think music and singing are so fascinating and something that allows you to create something new or take something someone else has created and make it your own.
Warlock Asylum: How did your training and experience with music affect your work and perception as an actress?
Anna Stadler: My background in music definitely helped with my acting career. Starting “live” helped me grow my confidence. There’s a lot of pressure knowing there isn’t going to be a second take if it isn’t right.
Warlock Asylum: What were some of the challenges that you had to overcome in order to make your dreams of being an actress come to life?
Anna Stadler: I had to give up prom! That was probably the biggest one. I got a call to film a movie trailer and gave up my nomination for prom court to accept the role. I’ve also missed friends’ birthday parties, sleepovers, and sometimes just being able to cruise around or go to the mall. Even traditional school no longer works in my schedule. That said though, I will gladly make those sacrifices to do what I love. Thankfully, I have friends and family that support me and always make time for me when I am available.
Warlock Asylum: Can you list a few productions that you’ve been a part of since becoming an actress?
Anna Stadler: I started out with student films and short films, taking any work that would cast me that I could get myself to without much cost just to build a resume. In the last year, I’ve been cast in roles in the TV/Web series as Heather in “Harbor Island,” Rachel in “Tax Season, ” Megan in “Lucky 7,” Julie in the short films “Head Over Heels,” Bethany Ann Fairfax in “Collateral Damage: A Covid Lockdown Story.” The biggest project is the one I just finished where I played Elaine Wren in the feature film “Justice Through Redemption.” I also have some exciting things in the works now for both TV and film.
Warlock Asylum: How do you find film and television differ from your work in theatre?
Anna Stadler: Theater is a group practice, practice, practice, and then a few nights of performance. Film and TV is a lot of practice on your own, then table reads with the other actors and then filming with several takes of each scene for different camera angles and etc. Then it’s move on to the next page/scene do it all again, but differently. The stage is more “theatrical” and much more grand, whereas film and TV are more subtle and authentic. I love both, but the realness of TV/Film is what drew me to it.
Warlock Asylum: Aside from acting, another life’s passion that you enjoy is animal rescue. Can you share with us a little bit about your involvement in animal rescue and what does it entail?
Anna Stadler: First off, I have 2 rescue dogs of my own and a cat who is my absolute world. She’s literally my child. We worked with the Humane Society in Charlotte growing up as a dog walker and would take them on field trips out in public to try and find them their fur-ever homes. When we moved to South Carolina we continued volunteering at our local rescues and then became a foster family for new intake cats with kittens or kitten litters that needed extra care due to illness or being too young to be adaptable. My favorite rescue story though is the kitten I saw trying to cross the road while driving. She was so young she could barely walk and all alone. Someone had likely dumped her on the side of the highway. I stopped traffic and was able to grab the kitten. After fostering for 2 months we ended up finding her the best home and still visit them and get regular updates on her now very pampered life.
Warlock Asylum: What are some of the hobbies that you enjoy when you are not working?
Anna Stadler: I like to bake and my Dad especially loves when I make him cookies and brownies. Of course, I love shopping and I am good at finding deals at consignment and thrift stores. And although I live at the beach, I enjoy hiking in the mountains.
Warlock Asylum: How has Covid impacted your work and in what ways have you been able to improvise?
Anna Stadler: The positives have been it allowed me time to take some online seminars and train in areas of the country that I couldn’t afford to travel to. It also has increased work with indie films and projects with a smaller budget and those not part of SAG or with unions. The larger production companies have a more difficult time with social distancing, but the smaller projects have been much easier to make safe. The feature film “Justice Through Redemption” that we just filmed did a wonderful job of keeping people protected. We only had people on the set that were filming in that day, in that scene and only knew our other castmates via Zoom meetings.
Warlock Asylum: Since walking the path of an actress how have your relationships with friends and family evolved?
Anna Stadler: Honestly, it hasn’t at all. Both my family and my friends have all been supportive. I miss not having as much downtime, especially on the weekends to just “hang” with them sometimes, but we always make up for it and have a group girl’s sleepover when I’m in town.
Warlock Asylum: What are some of the life lessons you have learned from your work in acting and other activities?
Anna Stadler: Be true to yourself! Trust your instincts; always let them see the real you when the cameras aren’t rolling and never miss an opportunity to get to know someone new. I’ve made amazing friends this last year in the acting world with such a diverse group of people. That’s been the best takeaway, for sure.
Warlock Asylum: What can we expect to hear from Anna Stadler in the next five years? Any final thoughts?
Anna Stadler: Expect BIG things! That’s what I expect from myself. I have some really cool projects in the works from a potential TV series where I play a person with some hilarious multiple personalities that will appeal to a wide range of audiences from all ages and walks of life to a potential feature film in Ireland and possibly even a music video. I’m excited about what the future holds and I’m ready for the next big challenge.
*On behalf of Warlock Asylum International News, I would like to wish Anna Stadler all the best in her artistic endeavors. Please keep us updated about your work in the field and progress. Blessings to you and your family!
Warlock Asylum: This is certainly an honor and I would like to thank you for taking the time to share some of your insights and life with our readers. However, for some of our subscribers who may not be familiar with your persona, please introduce yourself. Who is Anna Stadler?
Anna Stadler: No, thank you! The honor is mine. At the core, I am your typical 17-year-old. I enjoy spending time with my friends and family, shopping, cooking, taking my dogs on walks, snuggling with my kitty cat. We all have dreams and passions, one of mine just happens to be acting. I’ve always enjoyed it, but as I grew older it became obvious to me that it wasn’t a hobby, but something that I wanted to do as a profession.
Warlock Asylum: Tell us about your childhood. What type of environment did you grow up in?
Anna Stadler: I grew up in Charlotte, NC just outside of the city limits. We lived in a neighborhood on Lake Wylie. My Dad, Mom, older brother and I would go down to the dock and fish and kayak on the weekends and during the summer. My family has always been really close. I think my brother and I being 4 years apart helped us not to have that typical sibling rivalry.
I attended a small private school where I had amazing friends and teachers in my 5th-grade year. That summer, 6 years ago, we moved to coastal SC where I started public middle school, basically not knowing anyone. Thankfully, I ended up finding another really good friend group. I attended public school through my 10th-grade year and then decided that I wanted to be a professional actor, so I switched to an online school program so that I could have more flexibility. This year I’m a senior and also taking some college credits to get a jump on my freshman year.
Warlock Asylum: What attracted you to the field of acting?
Anna Stadler: I love being a completely different person than you are in real life! There is nothing more fun than playing a diva, mean girl, or someone who makes really different choices in life than I would. It’s such a challenge to let yourself go and “become” someone else enough to make people believe that’s the real you.
Warlock Asylum: In pursuit of your career as an actress, what sort of formal training do you have?
Anna Stadler: My private elementary school had a great arts department. We had drama and music classes in our curriculum and also school plays and musicals during the school year. I also studied drama and musical theater in high school and participated in their programs, musicals, and performances.
In 9th grade, I also started taking both group and private lessons at Kevin Jones Performing Arts Studio. I also attended his camps over the summer and weekends where he brought in visiting speakers to teach things like audition techniques. Kevin is a great coach and a good friend. He really pushed me out of my comfort zone and grew my confidence. When I shared with him that I loved acting, but that it was TV and film that were my passion, he challenged me to step up and start making that dream a reality. I credit him with the success I’m having as an actress. I’ve also taken the opportunity during Covid to take some online seminars from various acting coaches across the US.
Warlock Asylum: You’ve also had training in voice and was able to teach yourself how to play keyboards and ukulele. How was that experience like for you?
Anna Stadler: I love music! It’s an enjoyment for me and a great stress reliever. I started playing ukulele on rainy days and when I was bored. I then decided to buy a keyboard and teach myself with YouTube videos. I think music and singing are so fascinating and something that allows you to create something new or take something someone else has created and make it your own.
Warlock Asylum: How did your training and experience with music affect your work and perception as an actress?
Anna Stadler: My background in music definitely helped with my acting career. Starting “live” helped me grow my confidence. There’s a lot of pressure knowing there isn’t going to be a second take if it isn’t right.
Warlock Asylum: What were some of the challenges that you had to overcome in order to make your dreams of being an actress come to life?
Anna Stadler: I had to give up prom! That was probably the biggest one. I got a call to film a movie trailer and gave up my nomination for prom court to accept the role. I’ve also missed friends’ birthday parties, sleepovers, and sometimes just being able to cruise around or go to the mall. Even traditional school no longer works in my schedule. That said though, I will gladly make those sacrifices to do what I love. Thankfully, I have friends and family that support me and always make time for me when I am available.
Warlock Asylum: Can you list a few productions that you’ve been a part of since becoming an actress?
Anna Stadler: I started out with student films and short films, taking any work that would cast me that I could get myself to without much cost just to build a resume. In the last year, I’ve been cast in roles in the TV/Web series as Heather in “Harbor Island,” Rachel in “Tax Season, ” Megan in “Lucky 7,” Julie in the short films “Head Over Heels,” Bethany Ann Fairfax in “Collateral Damage: A Covid Lockdown Story.” The biggest project is the one I just finished where I played Elaine Wren in the feature film “Justice Through Redemption.” I also have some exciting things in the works now for both TV and film.
Warlock Asylum: How do you find film and television differ from your work in theatre?
Anna Stadler: Theater is a group practice, practice, practice, and then a few nights of performance. Film and TV is a lot of practice on your own, then table reads with the other actors and then filming with several takes of each scene for different camera angles and etc. Then it’s move on to the next page/scene do it all again, but differently. The stage is more “theatrical” and much more grand, whereas film and TV are more subtle and authentic. I love both, but the realness of TV/Film is what drew me to it.
Warlock Asylum: Aside from acting, another life’s passion that you enjoy is animal rescue. Can you share with us a little bit about your involvement in animal rescue and what does it entail?
Anna Stadler: First off, I have 2 rescue dogs of my own and a cat who is my absolute world. She’s literally my child. We worked with the Humane Society in Charlotte growing up as a dog walker and would take them on field trips out in public to try and find them their fur-ever homes. When we moved to South Carolina we continued volunteering at our local rescues and then became a foster family for new intake cats with kittens or kitten litters that needed extra care due to illness or being too young to be adaptable. My favorite rescue story though is the kitten I saw trying to cross the road while driving. She was so young she could barely walk and all alone. Someone had likely dumped her on the side of the highway. I stopped traffic and was able to grab the kitten. After fostering for 2 months we ended up finding her the best home and still visit them and get regular updates on her now very pampered life.
Warlock Asylum: What are some of the hobbies that you enjoy when you are not working?
Anna Stadler: I like to bake and my Dad especially loves when I make him cookies and brownies. Of course, I love shopping and I am good at finding deals at consignment and thrift stores. And although I live at the beach, I enjoy hiking in the mountains.
Warlock Asylum: How has Covid impacted your work and in what ways have you been able to improvise?
Anna Stadler: The positives have been it allowed me time to take some online seminars and train in areas of the country that I couldn’t afford to travel to. It also has increased work with indie films and projects with a smaller budget and those not part of SAG or with unions. The larger production companies have a more difficult time with social distancing, but the smaller projects have been much easier to make safe. The feature film “Justice Through Redemption” that we just filmed did a wonderful job of keeping people protected. We only had people on the set that were filming in that day, in that scene and only knew our other castmates via Zoom meetings.
Warlock Asylum: Since walking the path of an actress how have your relationships with friends and family evolved?
Anna Stadler: Honestly, it hasn’t at all. Both my family and my friends have all been supportive. I miss not having as much downtime, especially on the weekends to just “hang” with them sometimes, but we always make up for it and have a group girl’s sleepover when I’m in town.
Warlock Asylum: What are some of the life lessons you have learned from your work in acting and other activities?
Anna Stadler: Be true to yourself! Trust your instincts; always let them see the real you when the cameras aren’t rolling and never miss an opportunity to get to know someone new. I’ve made amazing friends this last year in the acting world with such a diverse group of people. That’s been the best takeaway, for sure.
Warlock Asylum: What can we expect to hear from Anna Stadler in the next five years? Any final thoughts?
Anna Stadler: Expect BIG things! That’s what I expect from myself. I have some really cool projects in the works from a potential TV series where I play a person with some hilarious multiple personalities that will appeal to a wide range of audiences from all ages and walks of life to a potential feature film in Ireland and possibly even a music video. I’m excited about what the future holds and I’m ready for the next big challenge.
*On behalf of Warlock Asylum International News, I would like to wish Anna Stadler all the best in her artistic endeavors. Please keep us updated about your work in the field and progress. Blessings to you and your family!
Anna Stadler – IMDb
