Introduced to audiences as Shirley in the classic coming-of-age comedy Superbad<\/a><\/em>, she’s worked consistently on television, including the Marvel universes\u2019 Agents of Shield<\/a><\/em> and the police procedural NCIS<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2016, she wrote and helmed her first project, the profoundly personal Speak<\/a><\/em>. Since then\u2014and in no small feat during a pandemic\u2014she’s been hired to direct two other short projects, The Coupon<\/a><\/em> and The Baldwin Archives<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For all those actors thinking about stepping behind the camera, Laura was gracious enough to sit down with us to explore her journey and her process. Given her love and interest in acting, writing, and directing, the first thing on our minds is: How would she define herself as an artist?<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019d say I\u2019m a storyteller who is driven by vulnerability. I think it\u2019s one of the most connective energies we have. So, when I take on different facets in storytelling, especially ones I haven\u2019t done before, I\u2019m challenging myself to this end. It\u2019s my job as an artist to face discomfort\u2014my responsibility even. So, I seek it out ceaselessly.<\/p>– Laure Seay<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s apt she describes herself as seeking out discomfort as her background reveals someone who’s utterly fearless. She grew up in three different countries before the age of eight. She was also a child Shakespearean actor and has been known to jump on stage to do stand-up comedy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even the roles she\u2019s often asked to do on television are intensely emotional. Not to mention the mere act of guest-starring on an established show puts you immediately at a disadvantage not knowing the cast, crew, or culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We wondered what motivates her to step up to the plate and go to these vulnerable places.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019m gonna sound like a broken record here, but if something scares me, I move toward it. Obviously not in terms of putting myself in literal danger . . . I mean challenging my brain’s comfort zone. Moving around so much was certainly not my choice, but it did sort of give me adaptive superpowers. Observing people and determining their motivations quickly is a good skill when you\u2019re switching schools so often. Varied rhythms and aesthetics cemented themselves into little-Laura-brain early on with living overseas. <\/p> When we finally settled in the states, the Seattle Shakespeare Company was where I fell in love with acting. The artistic director there at the time, Stephanie Shine, was doing the heroic work of teaching a bunch of pre-teens the power of The Bard. She was fearless. She was the one who told me to keep going.<\/p> I\u2019ve acted for so long that it feels very familiar to me. I\u2019ve definitely done my fair share of crying on television. I\u2019m grateful to have been trusted with those roles by my co-stars and great directors. Richard J. Lewis<\/a> is a big hero of mine in the television directing space.<\/p> Directing and writing came later when I was in a stagnant period with representation. I wasn\u2019t auditioning, and I\u2019m grateful for that time. It forced me to find my voice.<\/p> I started doing stand-up at the end of 2019 for similar reasons. I wanted to learn another way of storytelling, and to really clarify my writing skills. Stand-up is all about accuracy. You need to know exactly what you\u2019re saying and why. Plus, I missed the high-wire energy of the live stage. When you bomb, it\u2019s nauseating. But, when your material works, that\u2019s an immediate high you just can\u2019t beat. Both scenarios are really valuable in the feedback they offer.<\/p>– Laura Seay<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Here, Laura does <\/em>a deeper dive <\/em>into what motivates her storytelling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Actress](\"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/TheCoupon_Still.png\")