Adrianne Palicki on Friday Night Lights, Being Underestimated & Finding Her Voice

And you've spoken about knowing what it feels like to be underestimated as a young actor, and I think women in general are often underestimated.

Yes.

[laughs]

Were you trying to prove yourself back then? Like, did you feel this pressure to prove yourself?

I think there was a pressure.

You know, it's funny to go back to the fame thing.

I think, you know, there was a moment in time where you felt like if you're not famous, you're not successful.

You know? If you're not on the cover of magazines, you're not successful, which means you're not famous, which means you're not all these things.

And I just feel like that was, that was kind of difficult to get away from that feeling.

And I think once I let go of it was when things got much simpler.

That make sense? Where it was like, oh, it's, being famous isn't success.

Success is success.

You know, being a working actor is success, and the other portion really doesn't matter.

So success now, obviously 20 years later, being a working actor is success, which is what you just said.

What is your definition of success? Because it does change, like as we get older, obviously, we really, we do become wiser.

One of the great things about getting older.

How do you feel about success now and, and pressure and, and pressure to prove yourself?

You know, I think as we get older, there's a pressure, like women not to age or what that looks like or where you should be.

I think that, and right now where the industry is, it's very different than where it was, and it's scary, and not everybody's working.

And so I feel like success is obviously being a working actor and getting opportunities.

Um, but that's also why I got into producing, you know, and trying to facilitate my own work, which I think is really important, and helping other people do that same thing.

Um, especially people who are not necessarily seen by everybody.

'Cause I think that's a also a hard thing.

You know, you turn on Netflix or you turn on something and sometimes it's the same person in every movie, and you're like, "Okay." But there are other actors in the world, you know? And people who are underestimated or not seen, and so I think that's really important and getting to be a part of that and, um, I don't know, just continuing.

As long as I continue to do this and be able to do this, then I will be successful, and keep a good head on my shoulders.

And you've spoken about knowing what it feels like to be underestimated as a young actor, and I think women in general are often underestimated.

Yes.

[laughs]

Were you trying to prove yourself back then? Like, did you feel this pressure to prove yourself?

I think there was a pressure.

You know, it's funny to go back to the fame thing.

I think, you know, there was a moment in time where you felt like if you're not famous, you're not successful.

You know? If you're not on the cover of magazines, you're not successful, which means you're not famous, which means you're not all these things.

And I just feel like that was, that was kind of difficult to get away from that feeling.

And I think once I let go of it was when things got much simpler.

That make sense? Where it was like, oh, it's, being famous isn't success.

Success is success.

You know, being a working actor is success, and the other portion really doesn't matter.

So success now, obviously 20 years later, being a working actor is success, which is what you just said.

What is your definition of success? Because it does change, like as we get older, obviously, we really, we do become wiser.

One of the great things about getting older.

How do you feel about success now and, and pressure and, and pressure to prove yourself?

You know, I think as we get older, there's a pressure, like women not to age or what that looks like or where you should be.

I think that, and right now where the industry is, it's very different than where it was, and it's scary, and not everybody's working.

And so I feel like success is obviously being a working actor and getting opportunities.

Um, but that's also why I got into producing, you know, and trying to facilitate my own work, which I think is really important, and helping other people do that same thing.

Um, especially people who are not necessarily seen by everybody.

'Cause I think that's a also a hard thing.

You know, you turn on Netflix or you turn on something and sometimes it's the same person in every movie, and you're like, "Okay." But there are other actors in the world, you know? And people who are underestimated or not seen, and so I think that's really important and getting to be a part of that and, um, I don't know, just continuing.

As long as I continue to do this and be able to do this, then I will be successful, and keep a good head on my shoulders.