Emily Merrell  00:00

Hey, my name is Emily Merrell. I’m a taco loving people connector, and I’m obsessed with playing the name game and all things networking. I’m the founder of second degree society, a female focused networking community, as well as a business coach for female business owners, passionate about bringing their business to the next level with the help of events, community and connections. I crave deep conversations and am continuously curious to see what makes people tick, and I’m invested in uncovering their stories with some life lessons along the way. This podcast is aimed to inspire and educate as you tackle your busy day. So join the conversation and tune in for the second degree podcast. I’m your host, Emily, and today I’m so excited to have my friend Natalie linnez. She is an actor, a podcast, host of the most amazing podcast called the ground up and just all around, phenomenal human beings. So Natalie, welcome to the show.

 

Natalee Linez  00:59

Thank you so much for having me.

 

Emily Merrell  01:01

Do you find it hard to be interviewed when you’re used to interviewing people?

 

Natalee Linez  01:06

No, not at all, because with acting, I’m interviewed, but in different ways, not always just on a podcast.

 

Emily Merrell  01:13

That’s true. I feel like I’m like a backseat driver when I’m on a podcast, I’m like, ooh, they should ask me this question.

 

Natalee Linez  01:22

That’s funny.

 

Emily Merrell  01:23

Yeah, that’s me in, like most circumstances, you should see me at a, like, a proper event where I’m, like, close the kitchen door, or, like they’re not bussing fast enough, like I’m overly aware, which is why

 

Natalee Linez  01:37

you’re a coach, because people get organized on all of those little details, true exactly,

 

Emily Merrell  01:42

and I get paid to micromanage, but you know, yeah, exactly. You just can’t do it to the people who don’t pay you, like your family, who’s

 

Natalee Linez  01:50

like, Please f off and right, like, I did not hire you. You’re like, I’m doing it for free. Lucky you.

 

Emily Merrell  01:57

You know, my number one thing, my husband tells me, is, like, be less helpful.

 

Natalee Linez  02:03

What sounds like? Do you need help cooking?

 

Emily Merrell  02:05

He’s like, please leave.

 

Natalee Linez  02:07

I’m like, that too. It’s like a controlling aspect. But I think it’s more just, I’m the same way organizational. I’m like, let’s put this away. Like this would look so much better like this, or people can access the room better this way. Or like, you know, whatever it

 

Emily Merrell  02:20

1. Will you do that at friends houses? Like, would you go to a friend’s house and start Feng shuiing?

 

Natalee Linez  02:24

I clean for sure, or, if I don’t see, like, a trash can that is, like, fully out. I’m like, that’s necessary. Like, we need, you know, something where people can throw things away. I hate seeing empty cans or plates around. It’s just so simple to, like, get it out of eyes view. But I’m a natural host. Like, I love hosting events, or, you know, my own, my own events at home, game nights, whatever. So I think it’s just a natural thing, too, same.

 

Emily Merrell  02:57

I think there’s the people who can host, and there’s the then the people who can also host and make people feel like they’re at a home away from home, and and I think it sounds like you’ve got both of those qualities, where you’re able to make people feel comfortable and like at home, versus, I think sometimes you can host but not like be inviting into the People, right? It’s

 

Natalee Linez  03:20

all uncomfortable, like they can’t walk around. Yeah,

 

Emily Merrell  03:23

they made the food, but that’s it. Yes, funny, I have a friend. I appreciate this about her. Like, I think she’s the only person that, like my husband and I are both, like, a little scared of too, where? Well, she’ll come to our house, she’ll open our fridge and be like, you haven’t cleaned out your fridge in in a while, I’m doing that right now, and we’re like, okay, yeah. And then she’ll come in and be like, I don’t like the setup of your your couch. Why don’t you try the couch?

 

Natalee Linez  03:53

Oh, my God, that’s next level. But I do that the fridge thing. If you’re a family member, like, if I’m super comfortable with you, right? I wouldn’t do like, a friend, but like, I will go in the fridge at my mom’s and be like, This is gross. Like, throw all this away, or spices that are 12 years old when my boyfriend and I moved in together, when we were moving him out, oh my god. I was like. I was like, trash, trash, trash. Like, all of this amazing, isn’t it wild when you see ketchup and you’re like, oh my god, it it survived the apocalypse. Oh yes, 98 like, yeah,

 

04:30

you do not

 

Natalee Linez  04:30

see it taste the same, too. No, his stuff was 2016 I remember being like, mirando, this is really old, and he’s like, Well, I’m a bachelor. I don’t know

 

Emily Merrell  04:45

good my my best friend, who’s like a sister, she spends Christmas with us, and we used to go home to Connecticut together, and she would like as her gift, just organize my mom’s pantry. And it was always it was a walk in pantry, but with can. And everything, and the cans were to the point, like, from high school, or, like, I feel like pre apoca, like apocalypse, apocalyptical level of age. But anywho, which I could go down another rabbit hole. Have you seen fallout?

 

Natalee Linez  05:17

Yes, the

 

Emily Merrell  05:19

apocalypse one.

 

Natalee Linez  05:22

Wait, there’s fall guy, no

 

Emily Merrell  05:26

new TV show. So post apocalyptic life. So speaking of cans that can survive forever, yeah. But enough about cleaning. Natalie, you are an actress, and can you tell us a little bit about what you’ve been seen in what type of what type of projects you take on? Yeah, so

 

Natalee Linez  05:47

I do mostly TV. That was always my goal when I started pursuing this. I don’t know why. I think it was because I grew up watching like Vampire Diaries and Pretty Little Liars and all of those shows on CW and free form on my TV when we used to have normal cable and just scroll through, and have to wait until every Tuesday, when the show would come back out, and I would watch those, and it just really, I mean, I wanted to be an actor since I was really young, but those TV shows really sparked my, like ambition to start pursuing it in a real way, and so I knew I wanted to do TV, and that’s where my intentions were set to do so as you have it, that is what manifested specifically. My first show was on Freeform, which is literally what I put on my vision board. I printed out the freeform logo, and no other logo was on my vision board, but free form. So that was definitely not a coincidence. But so my first show was siren on Freeform, which is like a mad like a mystical, like realism, magical realism type of show about mermaids, but they live on land, and I was in the military in that show, kind of trying to catch the mermaids, but I was undercover in this small town, and it was just some an amazing first experience. Took me six years of auditioning before I booked that first TV role, which is crazy. Probably, I always say, you know, auditions are a lot less these days, just for the climate of the industry, but back in the day, you know, I would think easily, you know, 100 auditions a year. So that was like, that’s including commercial so I would say, went on 300 TV auditions before I booked one. What

 

Emily Merrell  07:44

do you think it was about that audition that was different from any other audition you did?

 

Natalee Linez  07:49

I think a lot of it has to do with timing, right? I would. I don’t call it luck, but luck is when preparation and opportunity meet. So I was prepared and the opportunity was there, and the only way to be prepared is to continuously do it and get good at, you know, memorizing and figuring out your character and and doing an audition. So I honestly, if that was my first audition ever, I don’t think I would have booked it, even if I did a similar take, because I wouldn’t have been as comfortable, right? Because I had been auditioning for six years. So what I did differently is, I think I definitely understood this character, Nicole, very well. She’s very just kind of To the Point natural, and she has a little mystery behind her, because she is undercover. So I think it was all of these things that I was really naturally good at. And, you know, the casting director was nice enough to do it with me multiple times, which is rare and, you know, so it was just kind of stars aligning, of like her seeing something in me and being able to work with me in the room three times, four times, you know, she clearly had a clear idea of what the character was. And when I walked in, she and started doing the scene, she definitely was probably after now, knowing how casting directors work, like, Oh, this is someone who could very possibly be the character. And after that, you know, they send your tape off to producers, which has to get approved by them, and then get sent to network which has to get approved by them. So,

 

Emily Merrell  09:30

oh my gosh. So you auditioned. You went through it four times. Now it’s this waiting process. And how long did you have to wait from the audition before you heard back Ooh,

 

Natalee Linez  09:41

for my siren audition,

 

Emily Merrell  09:43

maybe a week. Okay, so pretty fast moving. Yeah,

 

Natalee Linez  09:47

TV moves pretty quick. Film could take a while, because they could be auditioning, and then all of a sudden, the funding doesn’t come through. And then, you know, four months later, you can get a call with TV. It’s really rare to hear much later. Or a guest star, recurring guest star, you’re gonna get pinned the following day, you know, two days, three days later, they usually cast about maybe a couple weeks out from filming. Wow, yeah. And

 

Emily Merrell  10:14

so then after Cy Well, I have so many questions. I think it’s so fascinating, because as a consumer of television, we really don’t know what goes into it and the behind the scenes of you know, What? What? What actually happens? I always think of when I’m in New York, I always feel like everyone is straight from central casting, where, like, the homeless guy is perfectly placed in the corner, and the crazy lady with the parrot on her head. You’re just like everyone is perfectly cast for this part of life in New York, but to emulate that life in New York, like there is someone who is actually casting for those particular roles. So it’s fun to peel back the layers as someone who has no idea of how the Hollywood industry works, and like, see the different pieces. And, you know, as an individual like you, who started, weren’t you 19 when you started audition?

 

11:07

Yeah,

 

Emily Merrell  11:08

so you’re 19. You you start pretty much fresh out of high school, like, auditioning for these shows. What are you doing in the interim? Like, how are you a, keeping your hopes up and be like, What are you doing to survive? Yeah,

 

Natalee Linez  11:24

I think that I was really tunnel vision on this goal, which is, I think number one that kept me going. I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I actually skipped senior year of high school so I could start pursuing it. I didn’t move to LA right away because I still had to save money, but I was just like, I just knew I didn’t need senior year. I don’t know. I was just like, I don’t need to walk. I don’t need any of it. There’s also drama going on. I think I was a lot, a little bit more mature than high school. I have two sisters who are much older than me, so I just knew that I was going to be living in LA in a few years and like this didn’t matter. So I think that’s number one, is just really having tunnel vision on this goal. And then I, you know, knew I had to support myself financially, so that was hosting at a restaurant. You know, that’s what actors did. Now, everything is on self tapes, but 10 years ago, when I was pursuing this, I was in person audition. So the only job that I could physically have was in the evening, because if you get an audition on Monday, it’s going to be on Tuesday or Wednesday. And if you have a normal job, that’s not enough time to tell your you know corporate leader, that you’re not going to be showing up to work, so it had to be a restaurant in the beginning. When I was like 1918, to 22 I was also modeling, but I’m not your standard model, right? I’m five six. I have more of a commercial look. So I was trying to do that, but I went to every open call to sign with a modeling agent, and not one person would sign me ever like and I went multiple times because a lot of modeling agencies, they’ll have an open call Tuesdays from four to 5pm and a bunch of people go, they take your photos. And so I was never that look, but I would email e commerce websites and say, you know, I would love to model for your clothing line. And I did that from like, yeah, 18 to 22 and I would charge like, $30 an hour. I had a lot of little clients that I would do. So when I was living in Orange County, which is two hours south of LA. I would drive up for my E commerce clients and and I worked at Buffalo Wild Wings in Orange County. So you know, you’d usually be done by five o’clock, six o’clock shift. And that’s how I saved up, like $3,000.03 to $5,000 to move to LA, and then at 20 I moved, and it was gone in the first month,

 

Emily Merrell  14:10

yeah, the parking tickets,

 

Natalee Linez  14:12

literally, I didn’t read the signs properly outside my apartment, and I was parking just right in the wrong section of my permit. And I got so many tickets that first month, and then moving out on your own, you don’t know about, like, like, my registration was due for like, six months on my car, and I, like, didn’t know that, so I also owed AAA, like, $1,000 it was like, yeah. And then the other thing too, I feel like people don’t talk about, is, like, the first month’s rent and the last month’s rent, and the security department, security deposit and the insurance and, like, all the little ugly renters insurance, yeah, I had to my rent was 1080 and I that was like, so much to me, so much, yeah. And I was, like, sharing a room or sharing an apartment with two girls. Shared a room. I had my own room. And I think, you know, also, when you’re 20, it’s it’s easier to be going to auditions during the day and working at night, and you’re just kind of, I was definitely bright eyed and bushy tailed at that time. Also, social media wasn’t huge, so I don’t know how I would pursue this today, starting tomorrow, I even find, like, my new endeavors that I pursue, it’s, it’s hard because of social media and stuff, um, so I think just really being intentional about like, my goal and getting through the hard days of like, not having money or whatever. But eventually I saw success in like, booking commercials and stuff, kind of early on, how incredible to look back

 

Emily Merrell  15:43

and be like, Wow. I thought 1080 was so much money, and I just got a paycheck for a lot more than that. Yeah, you know, being able to know that like you, you made it you, you’ve made a name for yourself. And one of the fun things about when I met Natalie. I just finished binging this show called Tell me lies, and then I met Natalie in person, and she’s in Tell me lies. And I was like, This is wild to be in LA. It was like, I swear to God, I had probably finished it two days before I met you. And I was like, What are the odds that you know this event is happening at this person’s house? Who knows you? And I think it’s interesting again, being outside of the Hollywood world and life and to be consumers of television, and then also to know someone who is an actress, and realize like stars, they’re just like us, like you are very much a normal person. You’re a grounded person. You just do your work in a different way than, say, an entrepreneur does their work or a corporate employee does their work. So how do you keep yourself grounded when you are in a place that can be inflated in their egos and in the who’s who of the industry?

 

Natalee Linez  16:58

I think it’s always been really important to me to create my own routine and structure, because I protect myself right from outside noise and entities I always have. I think that I don’t know I might have just been the way that I was raised, but also my genuine values and hobbies. Like I just really enjoy being a homebody, and I enjoy just working really hard for what I have and what I’ve accomplished and getting it that way. I knew really early on, when I moved to LA that I can go down two paths. I can either go down the clubbing with Justin Bieber, and, you know, get lost in the sauce, and at the end of the day, there’s no longevity to that. It’s very short lived, and you go home feeling so empty and like shit. Or I can go down this other path that it’s going to take way longer, but I’m going to build a name for myself, and I’m going to be the one that is going to get the table at the club, if I wanted, and like, have people at my table, right? Because that feeling of like, going somewhere and it’s like, oh, you can’t sit with us, is very real. And that’s how Hollywood works. Not saying that that was the goal to like, you know, make enough money to be able to do this. But it’s just I knew that I wanted to, like, work for it, because I just strongly believe that that’s the only way to truly find success in this industry. No one’s going to give you a handout. It’s just not how life works. It really isn’t. It’s going to it’s so quickly going to fade. Even if you do blow up overnight, it will not last. So yeah, and I’ve always known that, and so no one’s going to give me a job. A producer isn’t going to give me a job if I go to dinner with them, unless they want something more. And I learned that early on, just by my I could feel it in my intuition, in my gut, what felt good and what didn’t like. I knew that meeting people out wasn’t feeling good. It wasn’t really giving me the fulfillment that I needed, which was, like, you know, finding representation and really getting auditions that I’ve earned and booking them. Which

 

Emily Merrell  19:15

is so surprising, because you would think that Hollywood is a who, who, you know, type of industry, and I imagine there are aspects of it, but to your point, like, it is so easy to get caught up in the young producer inviting you out to dinner, and maybe, if I, you know, charm him with my wit, he will cast me in his next movie. And you’re very smart and aware to know that, like, it’s probably not as well intentioned as you want it to be. Also, a way to look at it is like

 

Natalee Linez  19:46

it’s even, let’s say his intentions were good. He has to get a he still has to get you approved by like 20 other coaches, you know, unless you’re the executive producer, director, writer, all of those things, probably not that good of a film. If. You’re the one doing everything, totally but unless you’re all of those things, you really can’t cast me as the lead. They they can cast you as, you know, oh, I got you this cool part as the waitress in this movie. They could probably swing that, but that was just never my goal either. So I think to really be now, like you said, there’s aspects of it, like nepotism is a real thing that’s inevitable, um, and then, yeah, I guess if you go to enough, no, I think it’s just nepotism. Thank you to like now when you start working, then networking comes into play. Sure you finally build that, that IMDb profile, and you have a body of work, then it’s nice to go meet with people, because you can meet directors and really, you know, cultivate those relationships and be like they can think of you for their next film or something like that. So that’s a thing, or meeting agents and, you know, connecting, but in the beginning, I just don’t think that that’s the case.

 

Emily Merrell  21:03

I think there’s this aspect of movies where you hear, like, the big break, where you’re just, like, out getting lunch, and you’re scouted, and they’re, you know, this director sees you, envisions you for plucks you from the middle of Nebraska for a part. And, like, that’s really, that’s cool, if that were happens. But generally speaking, like, I don’t think that’s the case, unless they’re recruiting you to, like, work the door at Abercrombie and pitch.

 

Natalee Linez  21:27

Yeah, it used to happen, by the way, it used to happen. It doesn’t happen anymore, because, like, now we’re just way past that. There’s two there’s social media. Now it doesn’t exist. But like, think about in the 90s, people and early, 2000s people were totally scouted at Starbucks and the mall. That stuff is real, but it’s just so not the case anymore, because everyone wants to be famous, everyone wants to be an actor, everyone wants to be Tiktok, Instagram. So there’s no longer that. What’s the word that like mysticism, or that thing that scouts would feel then they found someone. Everyone loves to discover someone. My agent says that she found me at boa, you know, like, and she did like we met there, you know, when I was a hostess. But she loves that part. You know, that she like, you know, we met through, like, emails and a few people and stuff like that, but she would come into boa and stuff like, people love discovering,

 

Emily Merrell  22:30

yeah, it’s like, they love saying that they knew you before, before the theme or before the change happens. What advice do you have for people who are deciding to start out in the acting world like, if you were to go back to 19 year old Natalie and prepare her with like a toolkit, what would be included in the tool in the toolbox?

 

Natalee Linez  22:50

I think just taking a ground up approach and knowing that that is going to best suit you. So like getting your I call I haven’t found a word for it. I say getting your shit together, which are three things you need, your headshot, you need footage of you acting, and you need a resume. So those are the three things you need to get started. You need a photo of yourself. You need to throw yourself on tape against a wall and so that someone could see you talking and acting. And then you need a resume, even if nothing is on it, you just need to build one out and have your stats, you know, your height, your hair color, all that stuff on there, your training. So I would say that’s number one. If that’s not number one, then number one would be getting into an acting class right away, like your local one, even if you live in Nebraska, finding the closest one, because that’s where you’re going to find community. That’s where you’re going to get answers or questions answered. Everyone else is going through their own thing of getting agents and managers. So you really learn a lot through that way as well. I would say that would be number one. And then also, like, something I wish that I knew, but you just really can’t know without experience, is just really going into auditions, like using your special sauce and what makes you you? Because if you try to be what the casting director wants or the agent wants or something, they’re going to feel that, and it’s not going to come off authentic and good, honestly, it’s going to feel contrived. So like I would have loosened up way more, um, in the beginning,

 

Emily Merrell  24:38

yeah, yeah. Yeah. Those are, those are wonderful tips. And I you had mentioned also when you started, you didn’t have social media, so you were able to preserve that tunnel vision of not comparing yourself to the other Natalie that looks just like you, who has more followers, and you know you have. A ton of followers on Instagram compared to like the normal human being, and you have even gone viral before. What has been what has going viral done for you? If anything? Yeah, absolutely nothing.

 

Natalee Linez  25:15

I have, yeah, I’ve probably one of a video of my boyfriend and I has garnered over 50 million views. I have a video of my mom that’s done 30 million views across all platforms and absolutely but I knew that I think everyone has a different head on their shoulders, right? And neither is good nor bad. I I just knew that it wasn’t going to do anything. I mean, also, it’s not niche. So I think that if you’re going viral on your niche, and you are continuing to stay consistent and posting about, for example, motorsports, and you are like, I went viral 2 million views, and the next day, I’m posting again, similar to my viral one, but some new tips in there, or whatever, and then you post again the next day, and it’s getting 10,000 3000 20,000 you know that is building something that’s momentum, and you might feel a different way about it. My videos were lifestyle things, and I don’t have a huge interest in pursuing becoming an influencer. I’m not saying that I would hate to have 2 million followers or something like that, right? Like that opens a lot of doors, and I would love to have that soon in the future, whatever. But actually, yeah, yeah. But I think that, as far as you know, it making you feel happy or something? If it’s not obvious, yeah, definitely it does not fill you up in the way that I think people think it would. Also, to be totally honest, you don’t get brand deals after that. People aren’t hitting you up. You have to understand so many people are going viral these days, so many so I think unless you hone in on, like, something that you want to start building in a niche, and you unapologetically, like, authentically start posting in that light, then that’s something that could possibly make you feel a little more full and like you’re finding your purpose.

 

Emily Merrell  27:17

Yeah, I think thank you for being so candid about it, because I’ve seen so many people put a lot of pressure and a lot of energy in in building their Instagram following, and then also just kind of like crossing their fingers and hoping something magnificent happens from it, when in reality, I do truly believe that, like, Instagram is more of a billboard. It’s free advertising, but unless you’re doing the work behind the advertising, like you’re not typically going to just have clients pop, you know, drop down from the sky because of Instagram, yeah, well,

 

Natalee Linez  27:50

I think that’s something you’re so good at talking about and teaching is like, you don’t need to have, you know, 50,000 followers To build a business. Someone with I have 50,000 someone with 2000 could be way be making way more money on their entrepreneurial endeavor than I am on my entrepreneurial endeavor. Acting wise, I am a full blown working actor. There are probably quote, unquote, actors who have 100,000 followers who do not make nearly as much as I do through acting, specifically because I put my head down and I just audition, like and book and you know, yeah. So I think that’s a great thing to point out, is like, client wise or coaching wise, like, it’s staying consistent with your community. And like, yeah, yeah. And

 

Emily Merrell  28:44

you do a great job of engaging with the people. I think your followers feel connected with you and like they they know there’s a human on the other side. You’re not, you’re not so big that you’ve, like, delegated it out to a minion to manage things, but which was I, I made the mistake. And I know this is a very controversial thing, where people love the show, but I freaking hated it, but I watched love island for the first time the other day. Oh yeah, Natalie, like my brain melted in real time. It like hurt my it hurt my ears to hear them talk, watching them. I just couldn’t even wrap my brain around it. And every conversation I’ve had following it, the people are like, I love it. It just like my brain. I love turning my brain off and watching it. And so, hey, I’m curious. What is your take on love Island? Let’s start there. How

 

Natalee Linez  29:36

many episodes did you watch? Only like

 

Emily Merrell  29:38

one. And I, I was working, and my friend put it on, and I was just like, Is it over yet? Like, oh, it’s still going. They’re still talking. Oh,

 

Natalee Linez  29:46

yeah, yeah. So my original thing is, like, I would never have to watch it. Like, I’m not that type of person that watches reality TV, not that it’s good or bad. I just, I don’t watch TV often at. All,

 

Emily Merrell  30:00

which is so funny. I love that. Yeah, I

 

Natalee Linez  30:01

know, um, but yes, we did start watching it, and it’s been really fun for my boyfriend and I to, like, while we make dinner, we cook a lot. So like, at night, oh, it’s 1111. At night, we’ll cook, and then we sit down and watch TV, and we’ll usually watch, like a cooking show or something. So we started love Island, and it really does suck you in. Yeah, yeah, yeah. The first few episodes are rough because they’re like, putting on a show kind of and the producers are doing that. I want to show about the behind the scenes, even though this whole show is behind the scenes. But the producers are producing these people totally. Well, it was a show. There was. I watched it unreal. Oh so good. That was, that was

 

Emily Merrell  30:49

so good. I really liked that. But I would, but I what I was gonna say in follow up with the violent these individuals who are fresh out of college, if they went to college, but they’re like 21 to 25 maybe, I think, is the oldest one. If you look at their Instagram following, they now have in the millions, yeah. And so you think about, like, the careers of this generation now, where you’re not pursuing, like, I cannot imagine any of them working corporate nine to five, like Deloitte jobs. I can’t imagine them like going to a job interview after having their titties hang out on television. Yeah. So now this is like a choice to make this into a career and talk about leveraging like brand deals and whatnot. But I do find it in like reality television is such an interesting parallel to like, sophisticated acting,

 

Natalee Linez  31:44

yeah, yeah. Um, everything is rapidly changing, like, in front of our eyes, especially if I’m 29 so, like, I’m a I’m a millennial, I’m on the kind of the CUSP I think a Gen Z is, like 26 or 27 um, but I very much, you know, grew up not in this day and age that we’re in right now. So things have changed so much, and I think Instagram makes it really hard. Like my nephew, who’s 16, you know, what do you want to be when you grow up? I want to be a YouTuber. So that’s what a lot of these kids and like, you’re watching these though, like, wouldn’t you want to be that, like they’re making so much money, they look like they’re having so much fun? And I think it’s really and it’s a whole other conversation difficult for these young kids, right, who are seeing this, and they’re trying to find their purpose, because it’s human to want to know what you’re made to be doing. But it’s just not everyone can be Instagram famous, right? Because then that would mean it would mean nothing. So I think it’s a really interesting thing to like battle. And then as far as reality television and acting, I think there will always be both things, and they are so different. And love Island has created a fan base that is unheard of. You know, it’s because it’s psychology. You’re watching these people. Once you get into it, these people start becoming real people. They’re not the like titty bouncing slow mo thing that was in the intro. And you just it’s not real housewives, where they’re like, throwing shit at each other and screaming, and they don’t get drunk the whole the whole 40 episodes, none of them. So it’s just this show where you’re watching in real time. You can’t write this shit. It’s like the tears are real. Everything is so raw and real, and it’s about love, and you these people become characters, right, like in a movie. So I think that with social media being such a huge aspect of everyone’s life, this is like a medium between social media and TV, and it’s just like shown on TV. So it’s just become so popularized, I think that scripted television isn’t going anywhere, but there’s a lot happening behind the scenes in our my industry entertainment, like traditional entertainment with AI and those kinds of things where it’s really going to start shifting and just less, yeah, quality content is being created, and that’s just something that I’m having to, like, roll with the punches on, yeah,

 

Emily Merrell  34:28

you kind of have to grapple and be like, do I want to hold out for something that I have integrity with? Or good jobs, a

 

Natalee Linez  34:35

job? Yeah. I think advice to actors is just like, your team is a really big deal. Like, the definition of a manager is someone who manages your career and your longevity and your trajectory. So, like, they’re supposed to be like, hey, no, we’re not, you know, we’re not doing this project. It’s not up to our level. Or like, Hey, you’re in the beginning. I think this is something really fun that we can do. So. So in their pitching, they’re figuring out what is good for you. There’s not an audition that comes into my inbox personally at this stage that I need to approve or not approve. It’s always approved because they’ve already sifted through it. You know, my team, it’s always something that I’ve but I’ve been with my team for like, five years, so we’ve cultivated a little dance that works for us.

 

Emily Merrell  35:25

Yeah, and you got to the point too where you’re not hustling and as scrappy as you were at the beginning of everything, you can sit back and, like, hopefully, get the invitation, have the audition sent to your inbox, pre vetted that this makes sense for you, or, like, I’m not touching that with a 10 foot pole.

 

Natalee Linez  35:42

Yeah, exactly. And someone commented on my podcast Instagram recently, because someone said, one of my guests said it took 10 years to become a series regular, which is like, you know, the top of the line for TV acting. And someone commented and was like, you know, really booking anything is it is a huge success. And you know that’s true, but if you’ve been pursuing something for 12 years, you have every right to be like, No, I want my series regular. Thank you. Like, I don’t a guest star. I still do guest stars. I love them top, you know, on a great procedural or whatever. But booking that 10 years later is going to be exciting, and I love being on set, and I love working, but it’s not going to be I’m talking about it on a podcast, and I’m so freaking stoked, and it’s this milestone, because it’s just not where I’m at anymore, you know. And again. So grateful for those guest star roles. I don’t want to tell the universe that, like, I don’t want them, but there is something to be said for like, leveling up your beliefs and your beliefs around booking, because if you want to stay in the mindset of co star your whole life, which is under five lines, that’s what you’re going to book. And if you’re okay with that, that’s fine. But once you get to a place where you’re like, Oh, I’m ready for that recurring guest, where I’m in four out of 10 episodes, ready for that lead. I’m ready for, you know, you gotta open up to that. Yeah, I’m

 

Emily Merrell  37:14

ready for the next thing. And you you’ve mentioned it a few times in this conversation, vision boards and manifestation. Can you talk a little bit about some practices that you have with that and advice for people who are potentially really new to this type of work?

 

Natalee Linez  37:30

Yeah, I think vision boarding is great for anyone, no matter what career you do. Also, it’s fun. It gets you out of your head. It gets you into your hands. It’s tactile. You’re like being creative. You’re letting your creative juices flow. So I think vision boarding is something I’ve done for the past. I think my oldest vision board is 2017 and it’s just a board where you put down all of your goals and dreams on it, and it can be abstract. Sometimes might tend to be very straightforward. And just like Netflix logo, I want to book that, you know, I like to get really specific about it. So like, for example, when you’re acting, there’s a call sheet and you have a number on the call sheet, the higher the number is, the more of a prominent character you are on that show, or the more you get paid, whatever. And so like on my my vision board, I have one through five meaning, like, I know what that means, no one else know what it means. But I want to be number one through five on the call sheet, right? Um, so it’s just something that you can look at every single day and remind yourself and the universe like what you are aspiring to do. And it’s just a positive affirmation of something that you created and made and that you set out to do, and then daily goal setting, like I have a notebook, and whenever I feel inspired to I write in it like intentions or goals, relationship wise, before the relationship I’m in now, I would always like every six months or two years, you know, dream man. He, you know, he looks like this, he acts like this. These are his values. It got so specific, you know, like, from the south, but lives in LA, you know, whatever you want that to be, and, and, and it’s fun too. There’s no like harm in it. I tell people I host vision boarding events, and I tell people, like, look, this doesn’t this vision board doesn’t have to go on your wall in your room. You know your husband might not want it in there, but just the fact that you intentionally are here right now, creating this board for this hour, and you’re doing this for you, for yourself. It’s self care. You’re letting the universe know what you want. You’re putting speed. Wrinkling this out there is enough. You can put it in your closet. It doesn’t have to be out. You don’t have to look at it and kiss it every single day. But you made it, and what’s going to happen is, in a few years, you’re going to look back on that board and go, Holy shit. Four out of six things that I put on here have come to fruition, and that’s what I’ve seen through all my vision boards. So I think it’s really just a lot of people go through the motions in life, and they never sit down and really set those intentions. And that’s what vision boarding is doing. I love

 

Emily Merrell  40:33

that. It’s kind of like a visual a visual checklist of things that you want to feel and see. I’m looking at mine. I’m like, What’s come what’s come to life so far this year, I have a lot of cheese on mine. For some reason,

 

Natalee Linez  40:48

you have cheese at your event. I

 

Emily Merrell  40:49

have so much cheese. I remember making that cheese board in front of you, and you’re like, oh, you know what you’re doing, yeah, yeah. You were helping me put it together. Well, Natalie, you are so inspiring, not only for people who are who are trying to be actors, or, you know, striving to be actors, I guess, is the right word, and then also for people who are just interested in hearing how things are built from the ground up. I know we touched on it for a second, but you host the ground up podcast. You also host vision boarding events. You’ve you’ve been a founder in the past. You You’ve coached people. You were just such a multifaceted, incredible human being. So how can people get more in touch with you and in your wheelhouse and world? Thank

 

Natalee Linez  41:36

you. Um, I’m on Instagram at Natalie Minette, that’s where I spend most of my social media time. I also have Tiktok under the same handle, but I love like responding to DMS and stuff. I chat with a lot of people, and a lot of times people inspire my podcast topic episodes, but ground up with Natalie is my podcast, and I interview actors, entrepreneurs and health experts on their ground up stories and so each episode is just super inspiring. I don’t think you could possibly listen to an episode and leave without being like, oh, I want to take action on my goals, which was my goal with it. So, yeah. And then I have a movie that just came out on Saturday called Blood beach betrayal on Tubi, which is free. And then my Show Tell me lies comes out in September on Hulu season two. And then my show raising Canaan is on stars, which comes out in November. So

 

Emily Merrell  42:34

excited. I have so much Natalie to be watching. Yeah, I know. I’m reactivating my Hulu for you. I need to,

 

Natalee Linez  42:42

I think mine is deactivated, and I will reactivate it the day before.

 

Emily Merrell  42:47

Yeah, you got it. I mean, I feel like we have so many streaming things now you have to, like, bounce around and pause one to then do the other one. Oh, presumed innocent, by the way. We need to. We need to sidebar on that one after, yes, you do well before we end, I’ve got some fast questions for you, so let me dive on in. But my first one is tell us an unknown fun fact about Natalie.

 

Natalee Linez  43:13

I don’t ever tell people my middle name, which is Louise. Oh, I like that. Louise Linus,

 

Emily Merrell  43:19

that could be a good stage name too.

 

Natalee Linez  43:22

It could. Yeah,

 

Emily Merrell  43:24

you’re going for like, a different type of Persona, yeah, Louise

 

Natalee Linez  43:27

Lynette, Natalie, Louise linnez, yeah. I just never do. I never write it on any of my paperwork, nothing. I don’t know why. Just,

 

Emily Merrell  43:36

we’ll drop it when you get married. Now,

 

Natalee Linez  43:37

you know,

 

Emily Merrell  43:38

now I know, um, who would be a dream person? Okay, the question I typically ask is, who would be a dream person to be connected with? But for you, I’m curious, who would be a dream person to act with? Selena Gomez, oh, which is a Waverly Place, the adult version, that could be fun.

 

Natalee Linez  43:55

Well, that would be a dream. Yeah, that’s, that was my favorite show growing up.

 

Emily Merrell  44:00

I Levin did a guest, guest show on that one, right? I guess I feel like I saw that. Um, What show are you? Are you currently, or most recently, watching,

 

Natalee Linez  44:09

presumed innocent? Is the last scripted television show I

 

Emily Merrell  44:13

watched, stressful. Um, have you watched your honor yet? No, that’s another one.

 

Natalee Linez  44:21

I got swayed because Brando watched the first episode and he was like, Eh, it wasn’t good. So I never went back to it. Okay,

 

Emily Merrell  44:29

okay, okay, Brando, we’ll revisit this conversation. What book are you currently reading?

 

Natalee Linez  44:35

The Heaven and Earth grocery store? Okay, it’s our book club pick of the month. It’s an Oprah book club, like all that, but my book club is reading it, so okay, I’ll

 

Emily Merrell  44:47

have to add that to the list. And then, what is your favorite or most used emoji? Ooh,

 

Natalee Linez  44:54

honestly, I’m kind of basic. I think it’s probably hard eyes. I love it.

 

Emily Merrell  44:59

Yeah, we’ve talked. Talking about this yesterday. We keep to like the main page. Don’t scroll too far. Yeah, too much time. Too much time. My final question for you is, what permission Do you want to give our listeners today?

 

Natalee Linez  45:13

Permission to create time and space for yourself and silence and no phone, so permission to really throw the phone in the closet for an hour, and what’s an hour of 24 you know, and really kind of tapping into that inner genius that you have and figure out what what it you know your body’s telling you what the universe is telling you in that moment, I feel like that is something that we not people we, myself included, are just not doing enough of 1,000%

 

Emily Merrell  45:51

agree. We’re so tethered to our phones, it’s terrible. Well, Natalie, you are a delight. Thank you so much for sharing your journey and more behind the scenes of the world of acting.

 

Natalee Linez  46:03

Thank you so much. Those were great questions that was fun. Thank you.

 

Emily Merrell  46:06

You’re welcome and listeners, thanks for joining us today. We’ll see you the next time on the second degree. Have a great day, everyone. You.