Alicia Read was recently interviewed by TheCelebriy.Online Magazine and here is the Q&A session we had with Alicia.
Alicia Read As Cover Story – May 2026 Magazine Edition
How do you introduce yourself?
I’m an actor, producer, and consultant working at the intersection of traditional film/tv and vertical microdrama. I came back to acting after a long career in brand building, and now I’m part of a space that’s actively reshaping how stories are made and who gets to tell them. I also co-founded the Vertical Film & Short Series Alliance to support the growth and structure of this emerging industry.
Struggle – What hardships have you gone through in life?
Oh, gosh. The biggest challenge wasn’t a single moment – it was all the things that give us opportunity to grow from. Like many people I was terribly bullied while growing up, I stepped away from acting to raise my daughter alone, and build a stable life, which meant letting go of something I deeply loved to attend to something that I loved even more deeply (her). And I survived domestic abuse, poverty, and then losing my savings during the Pandemic. There was a quiet grief in all of that, and when it came to my dreams of acting – in thinking you’ve missed your window. Coming back to that later in life meant facing both that fear and the reality of an industry that doesn’t always make space for women beyond a certain age. Rebuilding from all of that required resilience, humility, and a willingness to start again without guarantees. What saved me was my Grandmother’s mantra: “Make life so beautiful, there is no room for anything else”.
What do people usually not know about you?
What doesn’t show up when you Google me is that I’m also a certified clinical counsellor, hatha yoga teacher, and that I can walk down a street and spot a four-leaf clover without stopping.
What sets you apart from others?
My clinical counselling education taught me that we are all far more similar than dissimilar. But if you mean what sets me apart from other actors, I might say that I bring two full careers into one space. I understand the craft of performance, but I also deeply understand audience behavior, market dynamics, and how industries make decisions and evolve – that’s from both my marketing background and my clinical counselling. That allows me to move between acting, strategy, and industry-building in a way that’s not typical. I’m not just participating in the vertical microdrama space – I’m helping shape how it moves into the next wave.
What are your upcoming major events?
My next show with Franky Cammarata and Haley Lohrli is about to drop on GoodShort! I believe it’s called I Found My Daddy at The Construction Site (sometimes they change the titles). I’m also speaking at the Microdrama Summit June 24 – 26. Meanwhile, I’m currently based in Los Angeles, focusing on expanding both my on-screen work and my involvement in vertical and traditional film and television. I’m continuing to develop projects, collaborate with platforms, and build out the work of the Vertical Film & Short Series Alliance as the industry scales.
What expert advice would you like to give?
Don’t wait for any industry to validate your timing. The global landscape is changing faster than the rules that used to define it. If you can find a space where the barriers are lower and the pace is higher, use it. Build skill. Build volume. Build confidence. And understand that your path doesn’t have to look linear to be legitimate. Sometimes the detour is the preparation. Above all else: don’t live anyone’s truth but your own.
Your social media handles and website links?
- Website: alicialoveread.com
- Instagram: @alicialoveread
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alicialoveread/
- IMDb: https://imdb.me/aliciaread
Jose R. Harwood is a the Chief Editor and Author at TheCelebrity.Online and expert in Entertainment Industry working with TheCelebrity.Online Magazine – You can reach Jose R. Harwood via Contact page! – Read more on our About Us page.
