Thank you so much for joining us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
Being an actress in Hollywood was something I dreamt about since I was a kid. I remember watching Shirley Temple and classic films and documentaries about filmmaking and being completely enamored. It seemed magical. And it’s true – I always feel there’s magic on set. There’s a special energy.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started this career?
I was given an incredible opportunity to work on a video to raise awareness for domestic violence. When I started working on it, I learned how pervasive the issue is. Research shows one in every four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime. I realized this could be one of my friends, someone I work with, one of my neighbors. It opened my eyes.
Each year, women experience about 4.8 million intimate partner related physical assaults. Most often, these assaults are not isolated but instead continue.
Every day in the US, more than three women are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends. Disclosing victimization experiences is a necessary first step for victims to be able to obtain the resources and services they need. However, according to research findings, most domestic violence incidents are never reported.
After the video was released, I started getting messages on social media. Some even found my email. There were groups and forms for domestic violence victims who reached out to me. There were additional videos that were made referencing this video amongst the youtube Beauty Guru community. It seemed like everyone who watched it wanted to help pass the message along.
Together we made a difference. According to an analysis of data provided by the thehotline.org, since the video went viral, the online visits of the National Domestic Violence Hotline website went up by 309%, reflecting an increase of over a million and a half online visits per year. When you keep in mind that each one of these visits is an opportunity to save a life, the scope of the impact is staggering! Just by us talking about it, hopefully, we’ll inspire one of your readers to take the first step and ask for help. Or remind ourselves to be more sensitive to those around us who might need our support in order to get the courage to ask for help.
The Hotline : https://www.thehotline.org/
The video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WL3rfk2iFww
You went to win a Webby Award for your performance in the video, and when you received it, you had to deliver a five-word acceptance speech, a trademark of the show. You said, “Life unfolds according to courage,” Can you elaborate on that?
I think our life is a compilation of decisions and is a reflection of the choices we made along the way. Before making an important decision, ask yourself if you are making that choice out of fear or out of courage because our life unfolds according to the courage of the choices we make.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
I am working on developing an idea for another video to raise awareness for domestic violence, pitching to brands for a potential partnership to sponsor the production and airings.
I truly hope I can channel the critical acclaim the video into more meaningful work for significant causes.
Who are some of the most interesting people you have interacted with? What was that like? Do you have any stories?
I loved working with Shemar Moore on SWAT for CBS. He was goofing around and kept the energy high between takes, but also knew how to be serious and focus sharp when we were working. He has excellent work ethics, and it’s really inspiring. Everyone from the cast and crew was very professional and humble. After I wrapped, the executive producers sent me a card thanking me for my contribution. Do they realize they were the ones who gave me a wonderful opportunity to work on a fun character?!
I was also ecstatic to work with Quentin Tarantino. Working on his set was truly a one of a kind set!! The energy, the excitement, the magic – I always feel that when I am on set. This was BIGGER. This was a celebration of all those feelings. Once Tarantino knew we had the shot, we would do another take, and he had us all yell in joy “because we love making movies”.
Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?
Know you are exactly where you need to be. At any given moment. Everything you want and desire in life will happen once you are ready for it. Really ready for it. Because in a way, subconsciously you create your reality. So know you are at the exact place in life you are most comfortable at, which is the best place to be in at this very moment. Respect that. Now if you want to shift, come out of your court zone and be ready for the new, as you attract into your life what you are ready for. Our body language speaks louder than words to the people we meet, and a lot of our behavior and body language is unconscious and is affected by our inner dialogue. So to make that shift, we need to change our internal dialogue to match. Be more kind to yourself and others. How we judge others is a reflection of how we judge ourselves.
Can you share with us a personal story of an emotional struggle?
After serving in the IDF, I had post-traumatic stress. I had nightmares about having to go back for reserve service and reliving some of the bad experiences I had. It wasn’t an easy time in Israel. There were a lot of terrorist attacks. I didn’t share this with anyone as I thought, who am I to have PTS when there were guys who served front line risking their lives?!. I saw a therapist, and it came up. She said not to devalue my feelings.
Before embarking on an international acting career, the Israeli actress completed her mandatory service in the Israel Defense Forces. She served as an Electro-Optical Technician, fixing sniper’s equipment and was the first cycle of women to complete a training program equivalent to the men’s.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
My mom who has always been supportive of me and my dreams and my sister who showed me by example that we can make our dreams come true. She is my source of inspiration.
Some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might see this.
Halle Barry because she is groundbreaking and extremely talented.
How can our readers follow you on social media?
Follow me on Instagram @Inbal_Annabelle https://www.instagram.com/Inbal_Annabelle
And you can keep up on what project I’m working on IMDB
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3170451/
Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational!