When making your mark in both acting and singing, people go to extreme lengths to achieve their dream. Others put in a lot of hard work and become very driven until they meet their goal. Today we come across one lovely lady who has everything that is mentioned above. She has done everything from acting to singing to doing it all in the entertainment field. This lady happens to go by the name of Glen Ellen and I can assure you all that this is a woman we will not forget about in years to come. Glenn Ellen is here to tell us about her story and where she is in her career building a name for herself in both film and music.
Q: First off, Glenn Ellen is a name you don’t hear every day, how did your parents come up with that?
A: My dad’s middle name is Glenn, and my mom’s great-grandmother’s name was Ellen. They put the two names together as a name option while my mom was still pregnant with me. One evening they went out to dinner and were offered the wine of the night, which was Glen Ellen wine. So it was a sign. Of course, my mother had to pass on the wine being pregnant with me and all. But she did take them up on the name.
Q: You are from the south originally is that correct?
A: Born and raised.
Q: Where in the south are you from?
A: I grew up along the gulf coast, in a little hippie beach town called Foley – right by Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. It was only a drive away from the “Flora Bama line.”
Q: How old were you when you moved out to Los Angeles to pursue your career in music and acting?
A: I moved out to LA a few years after I graduated high school. I didn’t go to college. I had been professionally working in film, television and voiceover since the age of 13, and music at age 15. So I went straight to work. Instead of college courses, I took workshops, intensive coaching and training, acting classes, even dance classes. After competing on American Idol, I met with a music label who offered me a distribution deal on my first album. They were in Los Angeles, so I made the decision to make the move.
Q: I see you have had a string of projects since moving to Los Angeles, tell us about them?
A: I happened to book Stranger Things right before moving to the west coast. We wrapped season one just a matter of weeks before I moved cross country. I hit the ground running the second I had settled into my place. Amidst the masses of auditions, callbacks, getting pinned and unpinned, etc. I’ve been very fortunate to work on several phenomenal projects.
Being on FOX’s 9-1-1 was definitely a highlight, as I’ve been a huge fan of Ryan Murphy’s work since Glee. Plus, the cast is outstanding to work with. I’d have to say one of my favorite filming experiences in LA was when we shot NBC’s Timeless. Being onset of the Paramount lot, which time-traveled us straight back to the early 1900’s with its set design, was otherworldly.
One of my favorite casting offices is John McAlary’s. He and Matt are seriously the kindest, coolest guys. He cast me after my first audition at his office, and has brought me in for so many outstanding Blumhouse projects. That’s been a dream come true.
Q: What was it like working on the set of Stranger Things?
A: Phenomenal. Best cast and crew, and the most positive experience. We filmed in Atlanta, so we were all lodged at the Georgian Terrace. I felt like a baller the entire time. Shawn Levy is an icon I’d been dying to work with, and the Duffer Bros are geniuses. I could go on and on, but I’ll spare you the rant because you can pretty much read about everything on my Reddit AMA.
I have my brother to thank for making me do that one, because I’m not nearly cool enough to have thought of that myself. That thing answers pretty much any questions you’d have. Seriously, that show changed my life and opened up a slew of doors for me. I’m forever grateful.
Q: I see you also have a few projects on Amazon under you belt? What were they?
A: Yes! I play Mary Lennox in a steampunk film adaptation of The Secret Garden. That was a dream role of mine since very early childhood, and this rendition of the classic story is so unique. It’s available for streaming on Amazon Prime.
Q: Along with acting, you are also involved in the music scene?
A: Music is actually my greatest passion. It’s really the driving force behind my love for performing above anything else. When I turned 15, I auditioned for American Idol and sang for Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler. They loved my voice but told me to come back after gaining some experience since I was so young. So, I went on tour that same summer.
My vocal coach’s band was doing an east coast tour, and she offered to let me sing backup vocals plus a couple solos at the shows. I wanted to start making money doing what I loved, but more than anything I wanted to gain the experience.
Shortly after that, I was cast in the ION Television Christmas movie, Mandie and the Forgotten Christmas. I wrote a song for it called “Not Forgotten,” which is featured during the end credits and on the film’s soundtrack. It all just had a positive domino effect from there.
Q: What have you done in the music scene? Music Videos, Albums, Recordings, Etc?
A: Too much to fit into one answer. The TLDR version is this: I flew myself to Miami to audition and began performing in professional musical theatre when I turned 18, then re-auditioned for American Idol and made it to Hollywood. After competing, I released my debut original album called Perspective. It sold online and in stores at Target, Best Buy, Barnes & Noble and smaller local shops, and we filmed 2 music videos for the singles featured on the record.
I wrote and performed my song Afterglow, which was produced by an awesome French/German duo called Cosmow. It hit #4 in Greece for a while, then #14 on the dance charts. We filmed the music video for it in LA and it still does so well, especially overseas. I’m also the featured artist on VIVIR’s latest single, Heavy Heart. Titus Burgess followed me and reposted it on Instagram… Titus!!!!!!
Q: When not working, what do you like to do in your spare time?
A: Other than talk to myself and my puppy around my apartment all day? Normally, with Covid out of the picture, I take myself to one of my favorite local coffee shops or bubble tea houses to do laptop work and journal. I absolutely love Pilates, so I got myself a reformer machine for home workouts a couple years ago. It’s amazing. I love to go to the beach, and dive into the saltwater.
Love to get lost in a bookstore or library. I thrive on meeting up with friends for brunch, window shopping and doing fun DIY projects. Quoting cinema with family and friends is something I’m big on, too. I’m a big social butterfly who deeply cherishes my friendships, but I also deeply cherish my alone time and demand it often. Riding horses is something I used to do far more often than I get a chance to do now (fun fact: I actually prefer bareback to saddle).
Traveling is also one of my passions, whether it’s going somewhere only a couple hours away or somewhere far away. I plan to stamp my passport like crazy once we’re no longer dwelling in the kingdom of corona. Walking, biking, reading and sketching are also on my list of things I love to do. Oh, and building my 5-star island and hosting island visits/parties on Animal Crossing: New Horisons has become a top priority of mine.
Q: Seems like you are on the right track to your dreams, where do you see yourself in the future? Do you see yourself residing in Los Angeles or do you see yourself going to another city?
A: I’ve always had my heart set on New York. I know that I will end up there somewhere along the way, and I don’t predict it being very long from now. Los Angeles is beautiful in many ways people do not expect, and I wholeheartedly love the life I have made for myself. It’s where my career and Creator called me. I would definitely purchase property out here so that I can always come and go as I please. I also love New Orleans. Would love to maybe spend a year there. I have a deep rooted desire to visit various places throughout Asia for an extended period of time, too. And as cliché as it sounds, Paris is somewhere I will give my heart for a good while as well. Got to get that fix, and won’t die till I do.
Q: What should we be on the lookout from you?
A: Since quarantine, I co-wrote my current single called Plagued with a songwriter named Allywaze. It’s one of my proudest projects. We just released the music video for it on Halloween and it’s already made such a strong impact. The creative director behind it, Taylor Krause, seriously captured all the song’s vulnerability onscreen.
It was imperative to me that the video for it be portrayed as raw and vulnerable, with a dark fantasy twist on reality. Covid has confined us all to our quarters, forcing us to find ways to thrive while trapped with limitations.
I’ve been plugging into all of my creative outlets, and honing in on myself as an artist, as a brand and as a human. Musically, I have more in store for my fanbase now than I ever would have had it not been for this awful virus turning our lives upside down. Currently, I’m working behind the scenes on my EP. There is a lot I have underway for everyone to see + hear. The kingdom around us is falling, so I’ll continue to rise inside my tower. My art is keeping me thriving, and that’s what I’m sharing with the world. I have hope.
Glen Ellen is already on the road to early fame and success. With her talent and drive, it’s not wonder she has done so much already at such a young age! No surprise of what she has accomplished and from here on, she will continue to surprise us in the years to come. For anyone wanting to keep up with Glen Ellen, follow her at the following social media pages below!
SOCIAL MEDIA:
http://instagram.com/glennellen
http://songwhip.com/glennellen
http://glennellenanderson.com
