Episode 88: Seana Kofoed
Learning to Love the Flaws and Uncertainties of Life.
There is theme that quickly emerges from my conversation with Seana Kofoed. If you want something in your life, you can’t sit around waiting for someone to recognize your worth. Go out and create it for yourself. And in the pursuit of creating that something that can sometimes be elusive, you can’t be afraid of failure. Because the failure is the byproduct of actually doing the work; sometimes you fall. Now you start to understand why a little girl who wasn’t always encouraged to be an actor has starred in two Broadway shows alongside Matthew Broderick (Night Must Fall) and Jennifer Jason Leigh (Proof). Been nominated for the prestigious Drama Desk Award for Best Featured Actress in a play, starred in multiple television series - including her latest role as Commander Chase on NCIS Hawaii – and started her own production company Film Camp Productions, that has produced the two feature films 30 Miles From Nowhere and Clearmind.
She’s also used the platform that she has created to elevate the voices and skills of women and people of color. She believes that the creative arts (in front of and behind the camera) should represent the world we live in today. They should be a celebration of the diversity that exists in our world and has always been there. For Seana, this idea of representation mattering isn’t politically correct banter. It’s a core principle she has held for most of her life. Her perspective is that as you honor your gifts, you need to bring others along with you. This is the true leadership moment.
And if a thriving career wasn’t enough, Seana says that raising her two kids is the most important role she has. Her lessons for them (and for us)? Hang onto the people we love. Lift up others. Be kind.
Looking at the broadness and diversity of her life today, Seana says “I’ve reached a point where I’ve learned to love the flaws and the uncertainties of life. I’ve been surprised by not needing to cling so tightly to what I thought I wanted for myself and my trajectory.”
