Actress Anna Hindman On ‘American Siege’, New Music, And Upcoming Project

This actress is making the LGBTQ+ Community proud!

Anna quickly got our attention after starring alongside action icon Bruce Willis in the 2022 film “American Siege”. Now, with over 3 Million likes on social media, we are very excited to see what this talented actress does now.

We had the absolute honor of talking with Anna on her recent role, being a teacher, and more!

Anna, your journey as an artist is unique, you might as well be a renaissance woman. From actress to LGBTQ+ advocate, to singer, and even a teacher. There are so many details to talk about. But let‘s start from the beginning. Where did your passion for the creative world start?

A: “Thank you so much! I’ve had a passion for the creative world since I can remember. My dad is an artist and musician, so I grew up around a lot of creativity. I got to do a local commercial when I was 6 and was hooked. When I was in fourth grade, my mom saw an ad for the local community theater, and I immediately fell in love with musicals. It was the first place I got to do all my favorite things at once. I’m so grateful to my mom and dad for validating my dreams from such a young age!”

You recently had your first role in a major feature film “ American Siege”. How was your experience working in the film opposite huge actors like Bruce Willis, Rob Gough and Timothy V? 

A: “It was incredible! Everyone who worked on “American Siege” became like a big family. Bruce Willis was down to earth and friendly; he is a professional. Rob Gough and Timothy V. Murphy was so welcoming. Getting to work on scenes with them was a dream. Our director, Edward Drake, and cinematographer, Laffrey Witbrod, were also an absolute dream to work with. I knew I was in good hands with both, and it made my job a lot easier!”

Could you tell us a little bit more about your journey as the strong Grace Baker in “American Siege”? How do you connect to the character? What things about Grace do you see in yourself?

A: “Grace Baker was a lot of fun to play. She knows what she wants and won’t let anyone get in her way. I connected with her love of family, which really drives her through the film. I’m drawn to stories of the anti-hero, characters with good intentions who are determined to protect family or others, but who’s dark past or upbringing makes them a little rough around the edges. In Grace, I see the parts of me that are protective and determined, as well as caring and loving. She doesn’t want to show it much, but those softer qualities are there. That tension of “good” and “bad” is what I loved so much about her character!”

If you had to highlight three of your favorite moments while filming “American Siege” what would they be?

A: “My absolute favorite was the fight scene choreographed by Bobby Laenen. I had a lot of fun learning about everything that goes into making a fight look real on camera. My second favorite moment was when Grace breaks down at one point. I felt this freedom playing Grace, and that scene felt so great to film. I didn’t second guess myself and I was able to just experience the scene. My third favorite memory was walking around Fitzgerald, Georgia with our cinematographer Laffrey Witbrod. On top of being an incredible cinematographer, he is a great friend! We walked to this giant chicken that is being built in town, and it was so much fun.”

We know that you are also a Science Teacher back in Nashville. Do you believe your experience as a teacher has nurtured your acting? If yes, how?

A: “Yes absolutely! I think that allowing myself to have experiences other than acting has been extremely helpful for my craft. Being a teacher really reminds you of your humanity, and you become a more empathetic person seeing all these different kids and the things they’re going through. You become more aware of everyone’s stories, and how they become who they are.”

You recently released your single “Dislove” on Spotify. How did your passion for music start? Could you tell us how this single was born?

A: “Music was the first creative thing I loved. I used to play around on my dad’s keyboard and write random songs when I was young. I continued to do that as I got older when I learned guitar and started doing musical theater. “Dislove” was written by me and another musician, Kit Nolan, in Nashville, after we had been talking about toxic relationships. At the time, I was saying how weird it is that someone can hurt you so badly, but you just want to forget it happened and be with them. Writing that song was a great experience, because all those emotions were kind of released and gone. By the time we released the actual song, about two years after, I didn’t connect to it in the same way. I still love the work Kit and I did on it. It was interesting to experience and relate to a song so differently at certain times in my life.”

As mentioned before, we know you are a huge advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. What type of changes would you like to see in the entertainment industry related to the LGBTQ+ community?

A: “Yes! I would love to see LGBTQ+ stories and characters normalized. I want to see a sitcom with two dads, a princess movie with two women, a cheesy Christmas movie with a queer couple – where sexuality isn’t the plot. I think stories of coming out or stories of hardships queer people face are so valid and important, but I also want to see queer people represented in casual ways where it isn’t a big deal. I think that the more we see casual queerness in the media, the more casual it will be in real life. I’ve had so many well-meaning people say “congratulations, I’m so proud of you!” when I say I have a wife, but the same reaction doesn’t happen when a woman says she has a husband. I think the more it’s seen in TV and movies the more commonplace it will be in people’s day to day.”

What is in the works for this new year? Any projects?

A: “Right now, I am developing my script “Daughter”, where the main character finds out a secret about her late father that changes her life. As I mentioned, I love anti-hero characters – stories of strong women with a dark past who are on a mission. That comes up in “Daughter” as well.”

You recently gained huge popularity on social media. What are your thoughts about social media as an actress?

A: “I think social media can be tricky, but as an actress I love TikTok specifically. It gives people a platform to express their creativity in so many ways, and the way that audiences engage in your work is unique on TikTok. It’s so great because as an audience member, your feed pushes new content to you, instead of scrolling a feed where you know everyone or have followed everyone. TikTok will cater to your interests and send you random things. I think that’s great for people to be discovered! You don’t have to have a huge following to go viral, and it pushes the focus to quality content instead of notoriety.”

Where do you see yourself 5 years from today?

A: “Hopefully, a series regular on a dark TV show reminiscent of Ozark or Westworld! Getting the chance to tell stories of characters like Ruth Langmore or Dolores Abernathy would be a dream come true. I also hope to have a family with my wife, Jess!”

Photo Credits: Lindsey Michelle

Jojo Gentil–Entertainment/ Celebrity  Reporter- Joaquina (Jojo) is a Latinx actress, podcaster, writer, producer, and creative, who trained in France and in the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, where she also has been working in Production and in the Industry Relations Department for the past 3 years. She is a bit of a traveler and adventurer, having lived around the world. In her free time, Jojo loves watching Formula 1, going Wine Tasting, hiking, and watching a good episode of a crime show.