-Words Lauren Kramer Photography Lia Crowe
At 38, Vancouverite Chelsea Hobbs is already an accomplished film and television actress whose credits include HBO香蕉视频直播檚 Transporter, CSI: Miami, Lords of Dogtown and Make It Or Break It.
Chelsea, also a mother of four, is a talented actress who loves her work. But she also loves the fact that she香蕉视频直播檚 not a Hollywood superstar. It means she can walk around Vancouver with her family without attracting much attention, and live the normal, grounded life she wants.
As a child Chelsea loved dressing up and putting on shows for family and friends. When she was eight, a family friend watched one of her performances and suggested she try acting.
香蕉视频直播淢y parents had just divorced, and my mom thought acting would be a great distraction for me,香蕉视频直播� Chelsea recalls.
Over the next few years, she acted in over 100 commercials, among them advertisements for Barbie dolls and Sky Dancers toys.
The commercials helped pay for the lessons in jazz, tap, ballet, musical theatre and lyrical dance that Hobbs loved more than anything. At Vancouver香蕉视频直播檚 Magee Secondary School she enrolled in a young artists program that allowed her to leave school at noon and dance for the rest of the day.
香蕉视频直播淚t was competitive, and it held me accountable and kept me out of trouble,香蕉视频直播� she recalls.
However, scoliosis香蕉视频直播攁 curvature of the spine香蕉视频直播攑ut an abrupt end to Chelsea香蕉视频直播檚 dream of becoming a dancer, so instead, she began to focus on acting. By Grade 10 she was attending an actors香蕉视频直播� studio program in Gastown, and interacting with other actors who were in their 20s. Her first leading role occurred at 16, when she starred alongside Bridget Fonda (niece of the renowned Jane Fonda) in Hans Christian Andersen香蕉视频直播檚 Snow Queen.
香蕉视频直播淚 turned 17 on that set and it was a real coming of age experience for me,香蕉视频直播� she says. 香蕉视频直播淚 was filming alongside adults, working 12-hour days, travelling and shouldering the responsibility of carrying a miniseries. When you take something like that on, you grow!香蕉视频直播�
You also miss a lot of school work. Snow Queen took Hobbs out of the classroom for three months. Eventually, she homeschooled for the rest of high school, graduated and moved to Los Angeles.
It was 2003 and Chelsea香蕉视频直播檚 agents and managers adopted the young, promising star, inviting her to stay in their homes. They drove her to her auditions and cared for her as if she were a family member.
香蕉视频直播淭here are really good people in LA, and I was blessed,香蕉视频直播� she reflects. 香蕉视频直播淭here was a love between me and my agents early on. They believed in me and wanted to do everything they could to support my career.香蕉视频直播�
One of them, Jennifer Millar of Paradigm Talent Agency, remains Chelsea香蕉视频直播檚 agent to this day.
Soon after moving to LA, Chelsea booked her first television role in a Fox pilot called Save the Last Dance. One role followed another and success came quickly and easily over the 11 years she lived in LA. Eventually she moved out of her agents香蕉视频直播� homes and into an apartment in Hollywood.
Life as an actress in LA exposed Chelsea to all the social evils that ruin the lives of many Hollywood stars, she says. But luckily, she did not fall victim to any of them.
香蕉视频直播淢y mom always scared me about the dangers of using drugs and it was really important to me that I not disappoint her or let her down,香蕉视频直播� she says. 香蕉视频直播淎t one point I dabbled in things, but I very quickly understood that it was not for me, and that the people who were around me at that time weren香蕉视频直播檛 right for me either.香蕉视频直播�
At 20 she married and had her first child, a milestone that gave Chelsea new insight into her work.
香蕉视频直播淚t gave me a new passion for my career, and I really began to appreciate everything more,香蕉视频直播� she says.
One of the roles she landed was the lead in the television show Make It Or Break It.
香蕉视频直播淎s an actress that香蕉视频直播檚 a role you dream about getting,香蕉视频直播� she confides. 香蕉视频直播淭he successes I had after becoming a mother have been the best of my career.香蕉视频直播�
When Chelsea was expecting her second child, she realized she was homesick for Canada and her family.
香蕉视频直播淟A can be a very isolating place, and I香蕉视频直播檇 been raising my kids with no family around me at all, which can be very lonely,香蕉视频直播� she recalls.
With family support she was able to leave an unhealthy marriage and return to Canada to raise her family in North Vancouver.
香蕉视频直播淚 loved being back in Vancouver, discovering myself as a woman on my own and raising my kids in a safe, beautiful place. It gave me a feeling of control over my life. And as an actress I liked being a bigger fish in a smaller pond.香蕉视频直播�
Chelsea knew she香蕉视频直播檇 make less money in Vancouver than if she had stayed in LA, but money and stardom were not her motivation.
香蕉视频直播淚 truly love living a normal life and being able to walk down the street without being hassled. Being back in Vancouver I could take a deep breath, do what I loved to do and have a family and the lifestyle I dreamed of.香蕉视频直播�
Acting remains a big part of her life, and she香蕉视频直播檚 loving the roles she gets to play.
香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檝e developed a really beautiful relationship with Hallmark and am loving what this network has become as their material and storytelling changes. It香蕉视频直播檚 been awesome to be a part of that,香蕉视频直播� she says.
Recently Chelsea starred in The Holiday Sitter, a gay romantic comedy where she played the sister of the lead character. In her most recent movie, Dream Moms, she plays a single mom who wanted to be a Broadway dancer but put aside her dreams in the name of motherhood.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a beautiful story about finding your passion again, and something I can really relate to,香蕉视频直播� she says.
Chelsea is remarried now and has a bustling family life, with children spanning ages one through 17. When she香蕉视频直播檚 not working, she香蕉视频直播檚 a full-time mom. When work calls, with its rigorous 15-hour-long days on set, it can be a major challenge to find a nanny who can fill in.
香蕉视频直播淏ut you just figure it out,香蕉视频直播� she says.
Chelsea is also learning how to use her voice to propel causes that are near and dear to her heart. After her last pregnancy, and a premature delivery that resulted in a two-month hospital stay, she became more interested in women香蕉视频直播檚 health. She joined the BC branch of the Young Women香蕉视频直播檚 Council and is also working with a Canadian fertility group.
香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檝e realized I can use social media to bring awareness to causes I香蕉视频直播檓 really passionate about. And to have my kids see me do things that can help others makes me feel really good as a mom.香蕉视频直播�
For the next 10 years Chelsea hopes to continue acting, and to sell two series she has written.
香蕉视频直播淏eing the person who decides what香蕉视频直播檚 on the camera really appeals to me, so I want to work towards that,香蕉视频直播� she says. 香蕉视频直播淏ut I also want to be the most present mother I can be to my children.香蕉视频直播�
When she香蕉视频直播檚 not on set or packing lunches for the kids, Chelsea香蕉视频直播檚 favourite thing to do is slip into her hiking boots and take to one of the many trails near her home in Deep Cove.
香蕉视频直播淚 hike to a mountain top and look down at this beautiful place we get to live in,香蕉视频直播� she says. 香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 my meditation, my religion and my peace.香蕉视频直播�
Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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