Strive Daily to Choose Light: Interview with Actress Annalynne McCord

Several years ago, I interviewed actress Annalynne McCord in an interview originally published in Thrive Global. Here is an excerpt from our interview:

Adam: What failures, setbacks, or challenges have been most instrumental to your development and success?

Annalynne: At one point, I was on a show, and during my hiatus I was cleared for a job. I had completed all but one week of filming on the project when I was informed by the producers who cleared me that I was “no longer cleared” and that I would have to come in for a table read and makeup test. More than being upset about the potential loss for my project, I was really bothered because of the principle of the matter. I do not make promises I cannot keep. I demand the same amount of respect in my professional life. I chose to rebel against the threats being made regarding my alleged “breach of contract.” Ultimately, I was able to do both projects because I stood up for myself. I learned the power of living by an individualized personal code and enforcing it no matter the costs. This belief has continued to earn me respect throughout my career. I also learned to set a precedence early in the process of beginning a new project. That way no one even has an opportunity to question where I stand.

Adam: In your experience, what are the common qualities among those who have been able to enjoy success in the entertainment industry?

Annalynne: Remaining down to earth. Keeping the ego out of things. Caring about the craft opposed to the BS that can come with being in the public eye. Finding outlets to use the incredible platforms being an artist can provide. Using those outlets to create a sense of meaning that helps keep one sane while having the added benefit of helping others.

Adam: What are the best lessons you have learned through your career in entertainment that are applicable to those who will never earn a living in front of or behind the camera?

Annalynne: There are so many things that I’ve learned, but there is an exercise from Ivana Chubbuck (author of The Power of the Actor) which made me feel that every human should take at least one acting class in their life. The author has you use visualization to return to a time when you felt unsafe during childhood or your early life. She asks you to imagine yourself at your current age walking into the scenario, scooping up your ‘little self’ and rescuing him/her from whatever the situation was. She then encourages the reader to console, soothe, and show protection and support to that little one in the way that you needed back then. It is an extremely powerful exercise which has healed me in so many ways. I draw from it a lot.

Adam: Who is the best leader you have been around and what have you learned from them?

Annalynne: Somaly Mam, the founder of my organization, together1heart, is a survivor of human trafficking, sexualized violence, domestic abuse, and pretty much every horrible thing you can imagine. In the mid 90’s she began working to rescue girls from the very brothels in which she experienced such abuses. And, to date, she has recused over 7,000 girls. I like to say, “7,001.” Because she rescued me, too… in so many ways. Not everyone gets the chance to call their hero their best friend. I feel very lucky to have such a mentor. From her, I have learned to give a hand up not a hand out. She does not coddle. She inspires, encourages, and demands that her survivors stand on their own two feet, and because of her we can do that.

Adam: Who have been the biggest influences in your life and why?

Annalynne: Somaly Mam, for all of the reasons previously stated, and Angelina Jolie. Both have seen darkness and strive daily to choose light. Beginning in early life, both have seen some of the worst that the world has to offer and chosen to give back the best of what they can give. Both are tireless women who use radical, unorthodox, and powerfully profound methods because evoking change holds higher importance than whether or not the masses agree.

It was a serendipitous moment for me when I discovered that “Ms. Jolie” (as they call her in Cambodia) had written an article in Time Magazine about Somaly. This solidified my adoration and utmost respect for the woman who has become a mother to so many though she admits that she never believed she’d be a good mom (a belief I’ve carried my entire life due to fears surrounding my early childhood trauma). I hope to have become half the women these heroes of mine by the time my time here on this earth is through.

Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received?

Annalynne: Somaly always tells me, “When you hold onto anger against others it is like holding fire in your hand. You get burned.” She says, “I am an ocean. I cannot be burned.”

Adam: What can anyone do to pay it forward?

Annalynne: If you save or change for the better even one life, your entire life is worth having been lived.

Adam: Is there anything else you would like to share?

Annalynne: I strongly value the freedom of choice. There are so many brands and forms of branding out there these days. But, to me, the ones who make the choice to use platforms or products in a socially conscious way hold a special place in my heart. I’m thankful not only to the Thoughtfully Initiative for choosing to support together1heart but for being a role model against a backdrop of “capitalism at all costs.” Capitalism and giving back are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they go hand in hand. The one grows the other while the other provides a sense of meaning for the one.


Adam Mendler is an entrepreneur, writer, speaker, educator, and nationally recognized authority on leadership. Adam is the creator and host of the business and leadership podcast Thirty Minute Mentors, where he goes one-on-one with America's most successful people - Fortune 500 CEOs, founders of household name companies, Hall of Fame and Olympic gold medal-winning athletes, political and military leaders - for intimate half-hour conversations each week. A top leadership speaker, Adam draws upon his insights building and leading businesses and interviewing hundreds of America's top leaders as a top keynote speaker to businesses, universities, and non-profit organizations. Adam has written extensively on leadership and related topics, having authored over 70 articles published in major media outlets including Forbes, Inc. and HuffPost, and has conducted more than 500 one on one interviews with America’s top leaders through his collective media projects. Adam teaches graduate-level courses on leadership at UCLA and is an advisor to numerous companies and leaders. A Los Angeles native, Adam is a lifelong Angels fan and an avid backgammon player.

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