Photo credit- Storm Santos
Styling- Anna Schilling
Glam- Kimberly Bragalone
Before she made her mark on Hollywood, Susie came very close to a career as a professional tennis player. Receiving a full scholarship to Duke University, she was one of the top ranked players (#6 in the US) helping her team earn a number one ranking and NCAA title during her freshman year. Not long after, however, fate had a different plan when she sustained an injury that changed her course. Along the road to recovery she discovered her passion for performing outweighed the tennis court–and off to Hollywood she went to pursue a career in acting.
Despite the obstacles that she’s faced on the path to success, Susie has proven her resiliency. We had a chance to sit down with her to speak further about what matters most, her exciting new projects, the lessons she’s learned, and of course, how she maintains that radiant glow!
You have an incredibly inspiring story given you narrowly escaped the Malibu Fires. What did you learn from that experience, and do you feel it made you more resilient?
Absolutely, I really found that whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I learned that I had a choice to look at things in a unique way and reframe the way I saw things. I can either spend my time wallowing and feeling sorry for myself, (which I did from time to time) or I can use this energy and create something with it. And that’s exactly what I did. I will say the fire was one of the best things to ever happen to me. It feels weird to ever say that, because when I was going through it, I couldn’t see past the pain of losing everything I had ever owned, and losing my home, but there were so many lessons from this experience.
One: all the stuff I owned was just an illusion and that there was old energy attached to that stuff that I was holding on to. And I never needed any of it to live the life I wanted.
Two: it taught me so much about humanity, that people are inherently good-yes humans are flawed, but that most of us, want to do good in the world. The majority of people wanted to help me in whatever way they could. In whatever form that looked like. It was extraordinary the humanity and support I got to experience.
Three: I learned about alchemy. That you can turn anything that is really challenging or terrible and somehow make it into something positive. To be able to use that vast amount of energy and turn it into gold and figure out how I can use the fire to my advantage. Also that there is a balance to life… whenever something bad happens, good is also happening simultaneously.
So many people these days are getting back to a new normal… what did you take away from 2020 and what are you excited for in 2022?
After going through the fire and losing everything, I could only go up from here. I had already experienced my timeout for an entire year of rebuilding, and I knew how to use terrible things to my advantage and make the most of what opportunities lay before me. I no longer felt I was at the effect of my circumstance. I could use everything as a tool to grow, learn, to make myself stronger and better.
I used that time to finish projects, learn Spanish and piano, dance, write, cherish family and friends, redo my yard, my home, cook etc. I really tried to embrace everything I could and I feel grateful for that time out I got to experience because it gave me so many lessons. And from those lessons, I’m grateful to be working on projects I love. I’m very excited to be working with GAC family.
You star in a new holiday movie, MUCH ADO ABOUT CHRISTMAS. What can you tell us about the film?
It’s based on the play Much Ado about Nothing, and it’s a Christmas predicament gone awry, and my character has to figure out how to undo the chaos. I had a blast making it with an incredible cast.
What are your favorite holiday traditions? Anything you’re particularly looking forward to?
I love spending time with family. It’s my favorite ever and that’s what’s really important in life. That’s what really matters at the end of the day.
Let’s talk beauty! You have gorgeous skin… what’s your go-to routine, and what products are you loving?
Wow thank you so much!! La Mer is a lifesaving cream that I have been using for over 10 years now.
Why do you think it’s so important for people to prioritize self-care?
Because if you don’t care of you, who will? There’s only one you. Self-care is an extension of first caring about yourself, so you can care for you loved ones, your community, the environment, and the rest of the world. But everything starts with you.
On the career front, which project has been the most exciting? Who have you loved working with the most?
Will Smith was a dream to work with. He is the real deal.
What would your dream role be?
Creating shows I’ve put my soul into, that I’m passionate about and fully believe in. And I get to work with the best people in the industry, with people I immensely respect and get to create, write, produce and star in it with.
What’s something that many people may not know about you?
I think that people sometimes have this idea of who I am and want to put in a box, but it’s hard to ever put me in any one box. It changes for everyone, I found, and all I can ever be is me, and there’s so much to each individual, where we can be all contradicting things, and many things at once which is hard to grasp, which is true for a lot of humanity. That’s probably a longer conversation but we are all complex creatures and the more we can understand that, the better off we will be.
Any advice for anyone looking to chase their dream?
Understand your why and really ask yourself and go deep with what it is you are looking for. What is your higher purpose/calling in life? The better you understand you, the better you will understand your why of why you’re pursuing your calling.
You can follow Susie on Instagram @susieabromeit and catch her in MUCH ADO ABOUT CHRISTMAS premiering October 30th on GAC FAMILY
