Caroline Morahan has admitted that her first few years in LA were “pretty dark”, and she still fears the uncertainty of Hollywood.
The Once Upon A Time star packed her bags and moved over to La La Land back in September 2009, after meeting her husband Daithi O Caoimh and deciding she wanted a change after six years presenting Off The Rails and taking classes with acting coach Conal Kearney.
“I met Daithi right as I was going through my ‘I need to do something different’ phase,” Caroline said.
The brunette told how Daithi was going over to LA for the premiere of a friend’s film and invited Caroline to join him, and while they were there Caroline had a thought: this is where she could pursue an acting career “and not be judged as ‘yer wan off the telly’.”
Change: Caroline told how her and her now husband picked up and moved to La La Land | VIPIRELAND.COM
The pair moved to Hollywood six months later, “It was ludicrous, completely bananas. We had nothing organised. I didn’t have a visa. I didn’t have a job. I didn’t have a place to stay. But it has all worked out.”
Caroline admitted that, “It has taken a long time to get established in LA,” and that it took time to get over that ‘yer wan off the telly’ perception.
“I’ve to spend a lot of time unplugging my mind from all of those kind of thoughts. And being an actor makes it all the worse because you’ve to get to such a vulnerable state for your work and for your auditions. You have to do the dance with all those different thoughts – and then try to develop this rhinoceros skin. But I am not at all uncomfortable about the TV persona and all that side of things,” she told the Sunday Independent.
Tough: Caroline admitted her first few years in LA were pretty dark | VIPIRELAND.COM
“I was uncomfortable about feeling that the people I really admire – actors, producers, directors, playwrights – wouldn’t accept me as an actress. That was a big issue for me: they are going to think I don’t have what it takes, that I am someone who thinks I can just walk into this. That was my own hang-up. The first few years in LA were pretty dark when I look back on them now.”
When asked how she would describe LA as being “dark”, she cited that the uncertainties of booking jobs really takes its toll – but thankfully, she’s had a good run in the last two years with her role as Queen Elinor in ABC’s Once Upon A Time.
“I didn’t know what was going on. There were so many uncertainties – and there still are, career-wise. I didn’t know what’s coming and what’s going on but I had the added thing of not knowing if I was doing the right thing. I think so now, because when I get to work it is so gratifying and hugely rewarding.
Happy: Caroline says the past two years have been a breakthrough for her | VIPIRELAND.COM
“This past 18 months have been a big breakthrough for me. That has changed a few things for me. It finally feels like, ‘Oh, things are happening at last.'”
After revealing that she hasn’t lived the easiest life in LA, Caroline was asked if she ever considered moving back to Ireland.
“No, I haven’t gone: ‘Oh, I need to come back, but I certainly would have a big emotional breakdown every so often where I am just going, ‘What am I doing?’ But I think that’s the artist’s way. I like things to be easy and comfortable so I don’t know why I have chosen to drive myself demented all the time,” she added.
