Jo Kelly
Interview
When did it all start?
The answer to this question is twofold:
It started when I was a child. I was playing all day long with my toys, and I was interested in what I was doing. I was not trying to be interesting when I was playing.
Fast forward a few decades, I was in Paris as a 22-year-old actress, and I was really passionate and hard-working. I was a good actress but I wasn’t great, which triggered my curiosity because, with all the passion I was putting into my acting, there was a constriction in me. And I could see that my colleagues struggled with the same thing. Of course, there were a couple of exceptions of brilliant actors, but most actors that I saw were putting in a lot of energy but had a blockage, fear, or pain when they acted.
That’s when my true obsession started and my purpose was revealed to me – this phenomenon triggered my curiosity and I just had to find the missing piece.
It started when I was a child. I was playing all day long with my toys, and I was interested in what I was doing. I was not trying to be interesting when I was playing.
Fast forward a few decades, I was in Paris as a 22-year-old actress, and I was really passionate and hard-working. I was a good actress but I wasn’t great, which triggered my curiosity because, with all the passion I was putting into my acting, there was a constriction in me. And I could see that my colleagues struggled with the same thing. Of course, there were a couple of exceptions of brilliant actors, but most actors that I saw were putting in a lot of energy but had a blockage, fear, or pain when they acted.
That’s when my true obsession started and my purpose was revealed to me – this phenomenon triggered my curiosity and I just had to find the missing piece.
What is your main motivation or inspiration?
The fact that we were all free when we were children. We were all beautifully and truthfully free when we were little. Then we got conditioned and, as adult actors, we feel tied up, protected, and reacting with learned behaviors and not with our true instinct.
Therefore, my main inspiration is the true, wonderful childlike aliveness and freedom that we all have deep down. I’m obsessed with helping people get what they deserve; getting their true self back. That’s what they come to me for; to explore that experience, not to be people-pleasers. None of us are here for that..
I get great joy from seeing people getting their true freedom back.
Therefore, my main inspiration is the true, wonderful childlike aliveness and freedom that we all have deep down. I’m obsessed with helping people get what they deserve; getting their true self back. That’s what they come to me for; to explore that experience, not to be people-pleasers. None of us are here for that..
I get great joy from seeing people getting their true freedom back.
Define yourself in less than 10 words
I am a beautifully fucked up human
Tell us about your career. Your best experience? And the worst?
My best experience is when an established actor comes to do this reset work. Even though they have been working every day of their life on a very high level, they come to me in pain. Doing the work of resetting themselves and waking up their instinct brings them to an incredibly satisfying place. And hearing them share how much it’s transformed their life and how they’re finally enjoying their career is really fulfilling.
The worst experience is that I’m not a great business person or CEO. It’s challenging for me to do the business side of things. I feel like a hummingbird in its prime time when coaching but when it comes to business, thankfully, I have people helping me out and taking care of that.
The worst experience is that I’m not a great business person or CEO. It’s challenging for me to do the business side of things. I feel like a hummingbird in its prime time when coaching but when it comes to business, thankfully, I have people helping me out and taking care of that.
Any idol or reference?
My reference is the pure child in every single one of us. That’s the ultimate reference. Everyone has one in them, and that’s what I stand for in every single person I work with.
What are your next projects?
I’m also a director so I’m currently working on a documentary that explores the pure expression of emotion. I’m also directing a pilot that is on hold due to the SAG-AFTRA strike but, hopefully, the strike will end soon, and I will be able to share my projects more openly.
How do you see yourself in 5 years? and in 15 years?
Probably in another country since I love to move. I’ve lived in four different countries so far; Belgium, France, Spain, and the US. I want to keep doing the same thing and work with humans, helping them get rid of everything that’s in the way of telling their beautiful stories. I also want to tell my own stories as a director.
But if I’m in another country, I’ll hopefully be even closer to the beach and still with a big community around me.
But if I’m in another country, I’ll hopefully be even closer to the beach and still with a big community around me.
Projects
About
For more than 20 years, Jo Kelly has guided actors to undo all social and emotional conditioning so that they can be reminded how to BE (and not act) in full authenticity and freedom, in order to deliver incredibly alive, raw, and truthful performances.
After having worked with some of the hottest actors, directors and other artists all around the world, Jo has guided and coached thousands of pro actors to land roles with the biggest studios like Netflix, HBO, Disney, Showtime, ABC studios, and more.
After having worked with some of the hottest actors, directors and other artists all around the world, Jo has guided and coached thousands of pro actors to land roles with the biggest studios like Netflix, HBO, Disney, Showtime, ABC studios, and more.