Lauren Buglioli is a face you may recognize. An actress with a heart of gold, incredible talent, and a passion for mindfulness, she is a rare one to come by. We had the privilege of chatting with her again to talk about Netflix’s hottest new series, Florida Man, coming April 13th, the importance of spreading mental health awareness, and why she wants to work with female powerhouse companies like Hello Sunshine, Shondaland and Array. Thanks so much for chatting with us again!
1. You play Kaitlin Fox in the upcoming Netflix series, Florida Man. What can you tell us about this exciting new project?
Thank you! I play Kaitlin Fox, an ambitious Orlando news anchor who is surrounded by shady characters in Florida, and when she catches wind of nefarious activity, is determined to find a story to change her career that ultimately threatens to derail everyone’s criminal plans. The series has an incredible cast including Edgar Ramírez, Abbey Lee, Anthony LaPaglia, Clark Gregg, Paul Schneider, Emory Cohen, Lex Scott Davis, Otmara Marrro, Sibongile Mlambo, Michael Esper, Isabel Gamers and Isaiah Johnson. It was created by the amazing Donald Todd and is produced by Aggregate Films. The entire cast and crew were a dream to work with and I can’t wait for everyone to see it!
2. You’ve played opposite some incredible names in your career. What are some of the best tips you’ve picked up from those you’ve worked with over the years?
I had a conversation with Pam Grier (queen!) about the importance of the attitude and energy we bring and contribute to the industry. She is such a light and it led me to ask her how she emanates such fantastic energy. She said it all comes back to gratitude and perspective (bow down, ammiright?!).
3. You’re dedicated to spreading mental health awareness and mindfulness. What does mindfulness look like to you?
For me, mindfulness is a practice that involves acknowledging my feelings, recognizing they will pass and being discerning about what I give meaning to. I think it’s important not to believe everything we think. I like to ask myself, “does this serve me and move me closer to my goals/align with my future self?”. I remind myself the importance of caring for my nervous system on the mountain top and in the valley and asking myself what a given experience is preparing me for that I can’t see yet. My brain wants to be “done” and somehow have reached nirvana and graduate “life school”. I guess that’s not how it works?! Healing and evolving is a process and I just try to be kind to myself and others— sharing what helps me along the way to hopefully make the road easier for others.
4. What are some ways that people can prioritize mental health in their everyday lives?
I have a short list of tools that help me feel my best. These include meditation, walking my dogs, journaling, hanging out with a friend, tapping meditations, listening to an uplifting podcast and moving my body. I remind myself that I often don’t feel like doing what’s best for me (welcome to being a human!) but if I start doing something that will ultimately serve me for just two minutes, I create momentum and end up feeling better.
5. How do you maintain healthy boundaries and a positive mindset? Especially in an industry that is notorious for pushing actors past boundaries in a negative manner.
I’m a big fan of kindly communicating my needs. I had to get to a place of high self worth before I felt confident understanding and stating my needs. When I was younger, I was afraid to speak up but as I’ve gotten older and my self worth isn’t enmeshed with my work and what others think of me, I feel more confident setting boundaries. This is a practice, however. Sometimes I call a friend to walk through what might be a tricky conversation beforehand.
6. You recently started a business coaching other actors about mindset, and why it’s so important to maintain a good headspace when they’re acting. Has coaching always been a passion for you?
The teacher in me loves to encourage others. It’s been such a beautiful way to fill that void now that I no longer have my own classroom. I recently heard Marie Forleo say that often our ideal coaching client is a younger version of ourselves and that really rang true for me. I think I wish I’d had someone that felt like a space place to be honest about some of the challenges I faced when I was younger, who wanted to build up my self esteem. That’s what I hope to give to my clients. I believe in an honest, kind, supportive “mama bear” approach to come up with a strategy to navigate this wild biz.
7. Are there any actors, directors, writers, etc. that you aspire to work with in the future, and why?Yes! I have a long list, but for the sake of a reasonable word count I’ll mention the production companies Hello Sunshine, Shondaland and Array. I love the storytelling from these powerhouse women and would love to be a part of the stories they tell and learn from such icons in the industry. Working with Aggregate Films, Dick Wolf Productions, Tyler Perry Studios and Doozer Productions were very much bucket list moments for me and I hope to work with them again!
8. Do you have any other projects coming down the pipeline that you can tell us about?
Next up I’ll be in Bill Lawrence’s Bad Monkey for Apple TV+ and the feature Cinnamon for Village Roadshow Entertainment opposite Damon Wayans.
Photo Credit:
Photographer: Storm Santos
Hair and Makeup: Cat Sherwin
Stylist: Anna Schilling
