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Born and raised in Urbana, Illinois, Wool knew that she wanted to be a performer at a young age. She starred in numerous theatrical productions throughout her elementary and high school career, before her talent landed her a musical theater scholarship to Wagner College. While there, she transitioned from theater to short films, starring in the Columbia University graduate short, Dandelion Fall. Her desire to pursue acting after college took her to New York City, where she spent ten years performing in theater, reciting Shakespeare, doing sketch comedy, and avant-garde movement dance before relocating to Los Angeles. Since making the move, she has continued to nurture her craft by taking a weekly class at the Imagined Life Theater.
Outside of acting, Wool enjoys taking long trips on the open road. When she’s not traveling, she spends her time practicing Bikram Yoga, playing volleyball, drawing, and taking piano lessons.
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Hi Breeda please tell us about you?
I’m originally from Urbana, Illinois. I lived in NYC for ten years before migrating to Los Angeles to pursue my acting career. I did everything from Shakespeare For Kids, performance dance, street performing, and commercials before I ventured into film and television. My father was a wild, Irish guitar-playing scientist and my mother is a California, artist beach-babe who studied in Ireland where they met. I’m also the youngest of three girls! Our house was always filled with lots of love and with an equal amount of craziness that has played a huge part in making me who I am. And that’s the story so far!
How did you get involved in acting?
Performance was something I have always been interested in. I grew up with rooted interests in dancing and playing “imaginary.” My father would always say that if you can make a profession from your childhood interests, you would have a much better chance at being creatively successful. I’ve always looked up to him in that regard because when he was a kid, he built a chemistry lab in his attic and then went on to become a chemist! My mother would also have art exhibits and she used to give me a little corner to put on performances and entertain people! They were all very obtuse and usually involved a picture frame. Let’s just say I’m glad there were not such thing as camera phones back then, so I can keep pretending those performances were cool. With the support of my parents, I’ve been able to dream to have a career that plays to my passions, so with that, I decided to get involved in acting.
Did you go to acting school?
I studied Psychology and Theater in college. It was a nice pair actually. They both contain a similar sense of curiosity about the human condition; one analytical and the other physically expressive. I continue to study today with Diana Castle at the Imagined Life theater. She has been a great influence on my artistic endeavors.
Did your family support your decision to become an actress?
When I was graduating from college I avoided the idea of becoming an actor. I applied for grad schools to be a director, and I even pondered becoming an art therapist for a split second. I even thought at one point I would be a politician. But as I got closer to graduation, I realized what I really wanted to do was act. I decided to “break” it to my parents at my graduation dinner. I was nervous because acting is a wildly unstable career choice; It’s like choosing a career with the concept of possibility. I was a bit hot around the collar when I decided to tell my parents, but before I could tell them, they said “Breeda, we have something important to tell you… We think you should be an actor!” They’ve been very supportive. I even bring my mom as my date to a lot of the events I go to!
What was the first role you ever did?
I was Tinkerbell when I was about five years old in a community play. I died a horrible death played out modern dance style, and then the audience clapped their hands and I rose up from the ground, escaping death. The long-standing metaphor of this experience haunts me on a daily basis.
Are you working on any current projects?
I just did a really fun project last week with Mia Lidofsky, Jemaine Clement, and Zoe Chao called Strangers. Its going to be really good! I also have some other fun stuff coming up, so stay tuned!
Tell us about the Amazon’s hit web series “Betas” and your character Victoria?
Betas was a great project to work on. We shot in L.A. and San Francisco and I got to work with amazing people like John Daly, Maya Erskine, Karan Soni, Joe Dinicol, and Charlie Saxton. They are all so much fun. I also got to work with Ed Begley Jr. on that project which drove me straight into Joytown U.S.A.! We connected about being vegan, which was awesome. In the story, as Victoria, I’m a venture capitalist who maneuvers young companies around millions of dollars. In the story, I have a lot of experience, a ton of money, and thrive on high risk power plays. It was so different from UnREAL, which was quite fun!
You are also working on “Lifetime” and “UnReal”, please tell us about it?
UnREAL is a brilliantly conceived, masterfully written TV show about the nature of TV shows. I think Sarah Shapiro and Marti Noxen created a show that highlights stereotypes of women in television, specifically reality television, and also obliterates them. In the show, I play Faith DeLuth and I am a contestant on a reality dating show called “Everlasting.” Faith is a southern, awkward, and a six foot tall virgin.
Now tell us about your lead role in ”AWOL” and what is this film about?
I’ve been working on AWOL for a long time and I am very excited about it. This film is directed by Deb Shoval and follows a recent high-school graduate (played by Lola Kirke) from a small town in Pennsylvania who falls in love with my character, who is a married woman with two kids. Lola’s character decides to join the army as a way to escape her town and then asks my character to go awol with her. The story is about love and people’s efforts to improve their lives for the better. I was also in the short version of the film that went to Sundance in 2011 and won several awards. I think it will be beautiful.
If you could choose, what three actors/actress would you really want to work with?
I’d really like to work with Daniel Day Lewis. His process seems mysteriously magical. Edie Falco I think is an acting heavy-weight of our generation, so I would love to work with her as well. Louis CK would also be great.
Where do you see yourself in a few years?
My main goal is to continue to make interesting projects with people who have very strong points of view. Sometimes I think about having babies, but I’d like to make a few more movie-babies before I do that.
Who is your favorite actor/actress? Why?
When I was a kid, I used to come home after school and watch AMC. Back then, they played mostly old movies. I remember I saw All About Eve and quickly became entranced by Bette Davis. She had power and bravado that still resonates with me today.
How’s your typical day?
There isn’t any form of regularity in my life. It definitely keeps things interesting!
Best advice ever given?
My grandmother Nora would always say “Remember who you are.” It has become a family saying.
What’s your song of the day?
“The Rip” by The Brinks https://soundcloud.com/thebrinksmusic
Who is your celebrity crush?
Constance Zimmer
Do you have any hobbies?
I have dance parties in my house every day.
What do you think of the exposure on Social Media in these days?
We’ve created technology in this generation where millions of people can share thoughts and ideas with each other in a split second. What the long term effects will be on society, I have no idea. I think it is a reflection of how potent the human desire towards togetherness is. There are very great things and very bad things that come in tandem with the explosion of social media. I do feel that allowing governments to track and observe people through our devises might end up being problematic in the future. The same platforms that have been used to expand human voices and ideas could also be used to squelch them.
Where we can follow you?
Twitter: @breedawool
Facebook: facebook.com/breedawool
Instagram: @breedawool
WhoSay: Breeda Wool
Quote: “The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven.” John Milton, Paradise Lost.
Holiday Destination: Martha’s Vineyard
Restaurant: Crossroads
Food: Vegetarian
Movie: Tig. It just came out on Netflix and I think it’s great.
Drink: Coffee from Casbah
Music: Pitbull
[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][vc_column_text]Photographer: Carlo Alberto Orecchia
Make-up: Nathalie Fratti[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
