Meet Marla Robison

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marla Robison.

So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Being born into a small town makes it difficult to be “seen,” at least in the entertainment industry. Since I was little, I have always had an interest in the camera. I grew up in a small town in Canada only to move to another small town in the state of Idaho. I was always interested in acting but didn’t acknowledge that it was possible to go further with the career. I could go to school for that? I didn’t realize it was an option, so I choose the career of Dental Hygiene.

After working a couple of years in the field, I ended up moving to the state of Arizona. I had never been. I just hopped in my car with one suitcase for a new start. I worked nonstop for a few years, as though still living like a college student and paid off all of my student loan debts. While I was working, I had been following a casting site. One day it dawned on me that I had been following the site for quite some time but had never taken the leap to apply for any acting jobs.

I finally decided to give it a try and quickly I got my first job as an extra. I thought, why not go for it? It seems like an easy way to test it out and try what was always my true interest, acting. Little did I know I was not going to be put in the back like most extras. I got placed right in front of the camera. I really had to show what I had, I knew it was in me, and it was my time to let it out. I had to get angry and throw a banana at the camera (yes, this really happened!).

It was liberating. Everything spiraled from then on. I got the courage to start going in for auditions, and I started booking more jobs. I got my first SAG commercial within five months, and now I’m with a great agency here in Arizona and also in New Mexico.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Vulnerability – the quality or state of being exposed to the possibility of being attacked or harmed, either physically or emotionally. As we are all very aware, as we grow, we learn to shelter our vulnerability. For some reason, we become trained that it’s not ok to be vulnerable. I’d say this is and continues to be a huge challenge for me.

Being vulnerable in this career is key. It’s not easy letting out your emotions in front of strangers, but the more I explore this career I find that being able to express your feelings in this art form is actually quite therapeutic. I really look forward to these challenges and watching the growth take place after all is done.

Another obstacle is having a good support system. I now see how very important it is to have that. If I am honest, I can’t say that I have always had support because I haven’t. I’ve always had to fight for what I have, and I am perfectly ok with that.

If you truly want something in life, there will always be obstacles. All the things that make it challenging only make it more beautiful in the end. The further I’ve grown into this career the more I have watched my support system blossom. It’s truly heartwarming having those around you to encourage you to keep going.

We’d love to hear more about what you do. What else should we know?
I love the diversity of this industry. One day I could be an intense dramatic character and the next day working on a print shoot for something fun and bubbly. There is a lot of opportunities to try out different characters and explore many emotions.

Do you feel luck has played a role in your life?
I personally believe that someone can be somewhere at the right time or the right place or even worse, at the wrong place at the wrong time, but ultimately this industry requires a lot of hard work. I know they say that about everything, but seriously you have to be so strong to be in this industry.

There are many emotional roller-coasters constantly happening like not getting a job, constantly being turned down, being vulnerable in front of people and the list goes on. Each person has their own path as well. I’ve learned that there isn’t one way to do it.

There is no special formula. Everyone has their own journey, and all you can do is focus on your own.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.iammarlajean.com
• Email: bookings@iammarlajean.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/iammarlajean
• Facebook: www.imdb.me/marlarobison
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/iammarlajean
• Other: https://resumes.actorsaccess.com/MarlaRobison

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