Meet Tess Talbot | Actor & Wine Enthusiast

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tess Talbot and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tess, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
A career as an actor is something I have legitimately always wanted. As a kid my ambition was always to be performing on the stage in some capacity. Dress up was my favorite game, my twin sister and our friends were always coming up with soap opera dramas or dance routines, and we’d film them on my dad’s gigantic video camera.
My parents have been constant in their support of my acting career, and made sure that I got an education that included the arts (I’m an alumni of the School for Creative and Performing Arts), and my mom has been to every single performance I’ve ever participated in.
I think having support has made it easier to move with confidence, and I’m happiest when I’m working on a production.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I wouldn’t be where I am professionally without my connection to Bruce Cromer. He was one of my acting professors in college, and had made his career as an actor/educator. I was impressed by his continued ability to work on the stage and thought “I want to go work wherever he has been.” So I began my post graduate career at Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati by utilizing my connections to him.
I used to pride myself on being the person in the room who would be the best of everyone. I wanted the top title badly, and I maneuvered myself to make sure I worked harder than anyone. I wanted a career in Cincinnati so I made moves to network as much as I could.
I think those networking connections along with hard work have helped get me to the place I am today, where I have enjoyed continued work since 2012.
I’ve learned to calm this hellacious competitive streak and embrace the ensemble of people I’m surrounded by. Art is not made by one person, but by many. I’ve learned to enjoy the rehearsal process and not just the final product. I’ve learned to be vulnerable and have gotten more comfortable with failure. I love the Cincinnati theatre community.
As far as “legacy,” I’d be happy to be known as someone who is versatile, powerful, kind, and enthusiastic.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Going out for food and drinks is my favorite pastime.
We would start by going to 1215 Wine Bar and Coffee Lab, where I’ve been working as a bartender since 2018. We would enjoy the city’s best espresso Martini, the “Top Model” and then a bottle of French red.
We’d hit Safi Wine Bar, Lost and Found, Abigail Street, Young Buck Deli, Baba India, Longfellow for some Amaro, Mt. Adams Bar and Grill for a burger, and Lemongrass. On the weekend we would go to Findlay Market, stopping at The Rhined, Dean’s Mediterranean, and Deeper Roots.
We’d explore Eden Park and the Fine Art Museum, take a tour through Union Terminal, see a show at a local theatre (they’ve all hired me I can’t pick a specific place!), take a walk down in Smale Park, go across the river to The Party Source for the largest selection of beverages in the country.
We’d go into Covington to the Kentucky Bourbon Bar and grab pizza at Goodfellas.
We would walk through Washington Park, relax on their patio listening to the water fountain splash. If the weather is beautiful, we’d try to get to a Reds game.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My parents, Tom and Terry deserve a huge shoutout for their continued enthusiasm around my career as an actor. My twin sister Tania deserves a shoutout for motivating me to pursue our passions.
My teachers at SCPA, Wright State University, and each of the Producing Artistic Directors in Cincinnati who have hired me.
Joseph Zettelmaier and Erynn Dalton for casting me in “American Cryptids” and the team of local indie film producers who continue to reach out about fun projects.

Image Credits
Dan R. Winters, Mikki Schaffner, Kevin Cristaldi, Ashley Hernandez, see_what_i_see225 photography