We got to chat with up-and-coming actress Livi Birch about playing a lead role in the movie “TULSA” and the advice she has for aspiring actors.

When did you become passionate about acting? 

It started when I was 5, and I asked my mom if I could have guitar lessons. She said no. I kept on asking and asking, and when I was 6, she finally gave in, and we got a guitar and lessons. Then, when I was 7, my friend wanted me to do a musical theater camp with them, and I loved it. I stayed there, and I got so excited because they were doing a production of Cinderella. I really wanted to be Cinderella, but I didn’t get the part. So then I wrote a song called “So Say Hey,” and it was about how you don’t always get what you want, and I performed it at my music place’s “unrecital.” After I performed, people were coming up to my parents and asking them, “Who’s she with?” “Who’s her agent?” And then my mom agreed that we could send out my resume and some headshots. Then we were super lucky to find Jacob and Corey at Privilege. They asked us to do some sides ( I had no idea what that was), and after we sent them through, they took a gamble on me, and now I am living my dream.   

Tell us a bit about TULSA. Why did you want to be involved in the film?

From when I first got the audition, I loved the script and the story. I thought that people would really like this movie, and it has a good message, not to give up!  When I met everyone at the callback, I loved it even more, and I thought it would be a challenge but also fun. 

Could you relate to your character Tulsa?

I couldn’t even imagine what Tulsa was going through, so I couldn’t relate to all of her life, no. But I am like Tulsa because she is bossy, caring, and brave. And I think that Tulsa and I are both strong  and I feel we are both alike, even if we aren’t in the same situation

What was it like working with your co-star Scott Pryor and building a father-daughter bond?

It was fun to work with Scott. We shared a house when we were filming and would always leave each other notes in the fridge, and would have fun on set doing pranks and making jokes. I think we did have a father-daughter bond on set and off-set, and I hope that will continue until the movie premieres and after. 

The film has a heavy focus on family and faith. What do you hope audiences take away after watching the film?

I hope that people realize that even in this hard situation, there is always hope; you just have to believe there is light at the end of the tunnel and keep on going. Even if you lose hope in one thing, you can always find it in another, and having your family is the most important thing.

What advice do you have for aspiring actors?

That you should find an acting class that you like doesn’t have to be the best or the one everyone is talking about. Just find one that makes you happy, not others. Also, you have to remember that what will be, will be. If you don’t get one job, it’s not the right one for you, and there just might be the right one around the corner. Just like when I didn’t get Cinderella, I then played at the concert and got an agent, and then I got TULSA!  I haven’t gotten every audition, but even when I have been really sad and come close, afterward, something else has come up that is a better fit for me, so it all happens for a reason. One more thing, don’t let anyone change who you are. Be you no matter what, because it doesn’t matter what they think; it matters what you think. If you think you did great and you don’t get the job, that’s ok. Maybe you had blonde hair, and they wanted brown, or maybe you were amazing, but you just weren’t right for that part. But you did something good, you got into their head. If you weren’t right for that part, maybe they are doing another movie, and you are perfect for the lead. You never know in this business, but that’s the fun thing about it: everything is a surprise. Always be hopeful and humble, that’s what we say anyway! Always have hope!