Very often, children are forced into certain professions by their parents, even if they have no interest in it. Only a handful of individuals have the courage to stand up for themselves and pursue what they are passionate about instead of what their parents want. These individuals are the ones who make a difference, Amanda Van Annan is one such an example.
Amanda’s Life Journey
Amanda Van Annan born to a family of politicians, diplomats, and intellectuals. Yet she did not want to follow suit, which is why she set onto her own journey of independence and success while pursuing her passion in the arts.
At age 16, she was enrolled at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, London. In her first year there, Amanda was coached by the makeup artist Susie Sollis who introduced her to the world of fashion modeling, where she fast rose to success. Amanda landed her first campaign for Vidal Sassoon, within two weeks of signing up with Unique Model Management. This campaign was not only her debut as a model but was also Vidal Sassoon’s introductory campaign to appeal to ethnic consumers, hence Amanda was on her way to breaking stereotypes, early on.
Soon after, Amanda was signing up for shoots and walking runways all over the world, including major fashion cities such as London, Paris, Milan, and New York, wherein she finally got to pursue her dream of acting.
In Los Angeles, she joined the prestigious Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute. There, on the Strasberg stage, Amanda was introduced to a whole new world of possibilities. She began auditioning for several roles, exploring the genres of Drama and Comedy. The experiences albeit scary and exhilarating were very fulfilling for Amanda.
What The Young Star Is Now Up To
Taking a break from acting, Amanda Van Annan has started a podcast titled “Beauty and the Beat” which is centered around the idea of personal development. The podcast aims to discover topics such as mental health, body image positivity, and other such issues. “We’ll be talking everything from fashion to life purpose, to love lessons, career ups and downs, and hard-won industry lessons,” said Amanda.
The podcast will also feature Betsy Dane, a style coach, and Sophia Brad a makeup artist as well as a body positivity influencer. Along with Amanda’s experience as a model and actress, they hope to offer honest and real advice for those who need it. “This is, raw, real, and upfront,” said Amanda. “We dissect and debunk the beauty myths, get face to face with reality and pierce beneath the veil of the beauty and fashion industry.”
The thought is to introduce a balance between the idea of beauty, and self-preservation. Amanda says “We want listeners to take away from the podcast, the fact that, ‘they are enough’; there are people interested in their stories and will be encouraged by them.” What we get to see on our screens and in magazines is really a filtered version of what happens behind the scenes.
In reality, no one can develop a positive outlook on their career or life unless they have that positivity within themselves. With this podcast, Amanda says “We want to empower women and men with a new outlook on beauty through personal development, body acceptance and spiritual balance”.
Needless to say, such podcasts are much needed for times like these when we are so brain-washed with the seemingly ‘perfect’ things we see. We need someone to talk about real issues, real feelings, and real lessons that we need to learn. Which is exactly what “Beauty and Beat” is about.
The podcast is available on iTunes, Spotify, and Amada’s website, www.beauty-and-the-beat.captivate.fm.
