Today we’d like to introduce you to Josie Axelson.
Hi Josie, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – To start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
Thanks so much for having me! I was born in the Twin Cities, and I am beyond thankful to have had such a nurturing place as Minnesota to grow up in. I started acting when I was 7 years old in community theatre with my sister and mother. Very soon, I knew that acting, dancing, and singing made me feel a way I had never experienced before. I began to act professionally around age 9 when I was cast in “Bye Bye Birdie” at Chanhassen Dinner Theatre. My passion for dancing and singing grew exponentially alongside acting, and I discovered a new love for film acting around age 11. I am blessed with the most supportive parents and sister, and their love for each other and the world around them motivated me to continue finding what made my inner fire burn bright.
Throughout school, I volunteered with my church and the National Honor Society. Being able to directly impact the people of Minnesota and give back to my community was another experience that yielded the same fiery feeling as theatre and film acting gave me. Around my sophomore year of high school, I realized that I had an opportunity to make a lasting impact on my community and the world around me through acting. I could help write and highlight the stories that make up our world, and I knew that I needed to pursue this passion as my full-time career. Flash forward to now, and I am finishing up my third and final year of university training at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. I am graduating a year early, and (if all goes well!) I am graduating Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drama. I am deepening my new roots in New York, beginning to volunteer at my new church and other various non-profits, and I am so excited that I have been able to continue sharing stories from Minnesota in my new home.
My most recent feature film, “After the Gunflint,” is a Minnesota-made story directed by J.D O’Brien about a daughter, father, and grandfather who fight to stick together when faced with fatal obstacles while hiking near the Gunflint Trail of Minnesota. I had the honor of playing the lead, Jenna, and I was also able to co-write a scene involving sharing Jenna’s biggest insecurities with her father. Our film had its world premiere at the Twin Cities Film Festival on October 29, 2022, and we won the Indie Vision – Breakthrough Achievement award. Since then, we have received immense praise throughout the US and European film festival circuit. Our most recent success was receiving Best Cinematography at the New York True Venture Film Festival. I cannot wait to continue highlighting inspiring Minnesota stories and bringing them to a larger audience in New York and beyond!
My most recent feature film, “After the Gunflint,” is a Minnesota-made story directed by J.D O’Brien about a daughter, father, and grandfather who fight to stick together when faced with fatal obstacles while hiking near the Gunflint Trail of Minnesota. I had the honor of playing the lead, Jenna, and I was also able to co-write a scene involving sharing Jenna’s biggest insecurities with her father. Our film had its world premiere at the Twin Cities Film Festival on October 29, 2022, and we won the Indie Vision – Breakthrough Achievement award. Since then, we have received immense praise throughout the US and European film festival circuit. Our most recent success was receiving Best Cinematography at the New York True Venture Film Festival. I cannot wait to continue highlighting inspiring Minnesota stories and bringing them to a larger audience in New York and beyond!
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There have been some struggles along my journey! Being a young woman in this industry, you are constantly faced with rejection and criticism about your appearance and abilities. This has caused me to struggle with anxiety and insecurities about my self-worth.
Having a decade of industry experience under my belt has helped me feel more secure in my abilities, but I still work daily to train my brain to lean away from those insecurities. I am very passionate about mental health advocacy, both in this industry and outside, and this is a key reason why I felt so kindred to my character Jenna in “After the Gunflint.”
Jenna feels like in our society, we all have “red pens” that we use to grade and criticize each other, and it is almost impossible to feel good enough. As I grow and progress in the film and theatre industry, I hope to continue advocating for mental health awareness and the importance of rising against the little voice that many of us have in our heads telling us, “We aren’t good enough.”
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a film and theatre actress who specializes in highlighting stories surrounding Minnesota, Mental Health, and Female-Centered experiences. I believe that what sets me apart from others is my drive to be as multi-faceted as possible.
I recently discovered a love for writing while studying at NYU, and I have a dream to write, direct, and star in a semi-autobiographical feature film set in Minnesota. I am most proud of my ability to push past negative self-talk and advocate for self-confidence for women of all ages.
I am proud of my Minnesota upbringing and am very thankful to call Minnesota my home, no matter where my career takes me.
We love surprises, fun facts, and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Many people who know me and my career know my passion for acting, but a surprising element some may not know about me is I am a competitive runner! I am on the intramural running team at New York University, and I primarily run 5ks.
This year, I will run my first Half Marathon with my team, and I plan on running the New York Marathon in the next 5 years. I have competitively run for 6 years now, and this sport, alongside dance, has been an incredible mental health booster.
I love to find new ways to move my body and stay active, and I am a huge advocate of finding forms of movement that help you celebrate your body!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.josieaxelson.com
- Instagram: @josie.axelson
Image Credits
Martin Wheeler Photography, Haleyann Hart (Rehearsal for the NYC Workshop of “The Last Days of Victor Greymore, “), After the Gunflint (Official movie poster for “After the Gunflint”), Kelly Gritzmacher Photography (Studio 292 Headshot session), Shea Baasch (Promo for NYU Pulse Dance Project), Quinn Smith Photography (Twin Cities Film Festival interview 2022), Dan Norman Photography (Children’s Theatre Company’s production of “Cinderella” 2016).
