Today we’d like to introduce you to Presley Weber.
Hi Presley, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Hi y’all! I’m Presley Weber, and I was born to be an actress. I know, this sounds cliché, but I genuinely have no other way to describe my connection to and love for this art. Performing has been the most integral force throughout my life. As soon as I could form sentences, I was reenacting fairy tale scenes for my parents and stuffed animals. There was never a moment in my life when I “decided” to be an actor. It’s always just felt ingrained in my identity. As soon as I discovered that acting was a profession, I knew my path. As a child, I lived in my imagination and wanted to bring the worlds and stories I created to those around me. And fortunately, that’s what I get to do today.
Growing up in St. Louis, Missouri, I started training in musical theatre and dance when I was five. I’m so grateful to have incredibly supportive parents that have always fostered my passions. They knew their daughter was bursting at the seams to sing, act, and dance on stage, it wasn’t something they pushed me into. While St. Louis is not necessarily a hub for theatre or film, they sought out as many opportunities as possible for me. Later on, when my family and I moved from St. Louis to San Antonio during my freshman year of high school, I was excited to be in a larger city with more community theatre opportunities.
I would eat, sleep, and breathe performing. In my life, I’ve performed in over 50 productions; either musicals, plays, feature and short films, and television. I’ve been lucky enough to step into many iconic characters, ranging from Elle Woods in Legally Blonde the musical, to Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd. My appreciation of musicals and stage acting inspired me to study other acting mediums like film and television.
In my early teenage years, I spent three summers attending a program in Los Angeles for young actors that consisted of intensive acting training. This was my first real exposure to the world of screen acting, and where I fell in love with film. I spent those summers training, auditioning, and acting on the set of various productions. The program reinforced the many struggles actors have, and how so many go unrecognized or without work. Instead of dissuading me, this galvanized my goal to become an actor, and made me focus on utilizing every opportunity to grow.
For one summer in high school, I studied film in Eastern Europe with a small group of directors and actors. We visited various film studios and met with producers and directors in Berlin, Prague, Krakow, and Budapest. I was even featured in a short film. This experience helped me grow both as an actress and young adult. It gave me an appreciation for all different styles of film and the collaborative nature of filmmaking.
As graduation approached, I contemplated whether or not I wanted to go to college or move to LA to pursue acting as a career. This was an easy decision, as I’ve known what I’ve wanted my whole life. I finally had the opportunity to move to Los Angeles and make my dreams a reality. So I did. Once there, I took prestigious acting classes, went on auditions, made meaningful personal and industry connections, and was a part of some pretty cool films.
In my time in LA, I had some of the most challenging, isolating, rewarding, and enriching experiences of my life. I finally adjusted to the city’s idiosyncrasies (and annoyances), established a good community of friends, and built momentum on my career. I began to feel like things were coming together. Then, the Coronavirus pandemic hit. Out of fear, my parents flew me back home right before lockdown restrictions were put in place. I lived alone and had no family in California, so it made the most sense for me to return to San Antonio.
Since moving back to San Antonio, I’ve had a great experience working on the youtube channel Presley’s World and recently starred in an upcoming film from an Austin filmmaker.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The life of an actor is one of constant rejection and instability. It’s not easy, and it doesn’t get any easier, but you do get better at dealing with the uneasiness. You learn to not let rejection deter you from moving forward.
When Coronavirus hit, all productions in LA indefinitely halted, and the already challenging pursuit of being a working actor was made even more complicated. Career challenges during the pandemic have been especially bleak for those in the creative/ performance space.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
In spring of 2021, I started working on a Youtube channel, Presley’s World. To my surprise, the channel exploded, and I’m extremely grateful to have gained nearly 12,000 supportive subscribers in less than nine months. My content initially started as guided meditation/sleep videos, and evolved into interactive storyline hypnosis. I play various characters on the channel, including a princess, a witch, an unethical hypnotherapist, and more. While there is an intricate plot that ties all the episodes together, each can be watched and enjoyed without having seen the previous ones.
I love connecting with my viewers and providing them with an interactive escape from the stresses of modern life. I enjoy engaging the viewer’s imagination and transporting them into a fantasy world… PRESLEY’S WORLD! The response to my channel has surpassed my expectations, with my most viewed video currently at 220,000 views, with the channel’s cumulative view count at nearly 2 million.
This channel gives me the opportunity to regularly sharpen and practice my performing skills.
As an actress, I love having the freedom to craft different characters, and hone in on their specific characteristics; changes in vocal tone/ inflection, physical mannerisms, hair, makeup, and wardrobe choices. In many of my videos, I’m playing two characters engaging in one scene. This presents an acting challenge that, while demanding, is incredibly rewarding when it comes together in the final cut. It’s surprising yet gratifying to see how each viewer forms a different relationship to each character, often having a favorite, despite knowing that I’m playing each role.
Creating online content has pushed me outside my comfort zone, sharpened my skill set, and allowed me to capitalize on a great acting opportunity in new media.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
The most important lesson I’ve learned, especially this past year, is that someone else’s idea of success does not define your own. I’ve learned to be comfortable with my decisions, even when others may see them as failures.
Summer of 2021, I moved out of LA and back home to Texas. I did this to be closer to family during the pandemic, save money, and pursue new career opportunities like my Youtube channel. LA will always hold a special place in my heart. My whole life, I’d dreamt of moving there for acting once I was eighteen. And that dream came true! And I recognize how fortunate I am for that. While moving out of LA was undeniably painful, it doesn’t mean that I gave up on my dreams.
This year, I redefined what success means to me, with happiness taking priority. Especially in this industry, the path to “success” is unpredictable and non-linear. I’ve realized that I didn’t need to cling onto a specific place in order to be successful or happy. It’s better to follow your opportunities than expect them to come to you. And to my surprise, after the pandemic hit, I was finding more opportunities in the beautiful state of Texas than I had been in Los Angeles.
I knew that upon moving back to San Antonio, I’d be met with a lot of judgment, criticism, and even pity. I’d have to continually confront the question “Are you done with acting?” I felt frustrated that no one shared my excitement for my decision. When I’d tell my neighbors, acquaintances, and even friends they’d often respond with well-intended but condescending statements like, “It’s so hard to make it in LA.”
I believe that in any creative field there will be people rooting for you to fail, especially when you don’t conform to their expectations. But it’s easy to forget that there are also people rooting for you to succeed. When you surround yourself with supportive people, it’s significantly easier to care less about the “haters”. Your idea of success and what makes you happy doesn’t need to align with someone else’s. I’ve learned that true success lies in honoring your feelings, following your passions, allowing yourself to fail, and letting go of what doesn’t serve you.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://linktr.ee/presleyweber
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/presley.weber/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/c/PresleysWorld1
- Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6044953/
Image Credits
BK Rose Studio Jerry Cardenas Photography
