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Originally from rural Illinois, Callie spent 12 years working in Chicago theatre where her passion for the arts originated. She has an award-winning theatre career (Joseph Jefferson Award: Cameo Appearance) and hopped into the Dick Wolf universe quite a few times. In fact, the writers of Chicago Med loved her version of frantic, tortured mom so much that they brought her back a few episodes later to shake up the baby ward.
With roots in rural Illinois and a drive to pursue acting as a career, she attended Columbia College Chicago earning a Bachelor in Fine Arts in musical theatre. She had an incredibly varied theatre career, stretching from leading ladies in avant-garde cult classic musicals like Stephen King’s Carrie, to playing Ophelia and Desdemona. Callie won a Joseph Jefferson Award for her cameo appearance in Porchlight Music Theatre’s production of Pal Joey. Not stopping there, she can also be seen as a recurring guest star on NBC’s Chicago Med, and featured in Chicago P.D. as well as popular Peacock series A Frend Of The Family!Callie is on a lifelong journey to cultivate meaningful connections with others, and most importantly, herself; she fully believes that striving to be a wholehearted human being in life is a crucial part of effective storytelling in art.
Outside of her acting career, she is a fun-loving cat and dog mom and always finds time to hang out with her precious, furry friends. She also loves anything outdoorsy, and would never pass the opportunity to go hiking, snow-shoeing, swimming in waterfalls and camping! Alongside her passion for outdoor activities, she is passionate about taking care of the environment, recycling and doing what she can to make small differences to help the world around her. Aside from her lighthearted hobbies, she is constantly supporting charities that are important to her, making monthly donations to her ancestral Indigenous tribe and The Brothertown Indians. Callie currently resides in both Atlanta and Chicago.
Hi Callie, thank you so much for coming to OLC! You started your career in theatre, so what drew you to the stage and what did you love about it?
Thank you for having me! I’ve been a performer from a very young age, having grown up dancing, so I’d performed for a live audience dozens of times by the time I started acting in plays and musicals. I’ll be honest, though – I think what drew me to the stage when I was little was the idea of being the STAR of the show! It was surprising to me when I wasn’t automatically cast as the star of the show haha. Going off to college and spending twelve years in the Chicago theater scene, however, I soon came to appreciate and value the idea of being a part of an ensemble and having the chance to create things with other people. There really are few things more special than that.
What would you say has been the most challenging part of your career?
Artists’ careers are like icebergs – most people only see the very tip, but there are miles and miles of ice below the surface. Actors put in years and years of work and have to learn to navigate the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Not to mention – being your own boss is hard! Actors really have to be self-motivated to advance in this career.
How did you get your big break on the small screen?
I had a guest star role on Chicago P.D. back in 2015; It was my first time on a SAG-AFTRA contract, so it’ll always have such a special place in my heart. My role on Chicago Med in 2017, however, took a more surprising turn: initially, my character, Joanna, was only slated for one episode. In the first episode, she goes into early labor and has to make some painfully difficult decisions regarding her baby’s survival. I was on set for four days, and all four days were extremely grueling emotionally and physically. I think I was on a gurney the first day for about 8 hrs; lots of crying and pushing for the labor scene. I’m so grateful to Marlyne Barrett and Torrey DeVito (two of the show’s series regulars) for being so supportive that day. They really got me through. Then a few weeks later I got a call from my agent saying that the writers loved my work and wanted to bring me back for another episode to continue my storyline (spoiler alert: it doesn’t end well for her). I was totally thrilled, to say the least! That experience is still such a highlight in my career so far, and my footage from those episodes still serves as meaty content in my reel.
You now star in the upcoming Apple TV+ film ‘The Beanie Bubble’, can you tell us a bit about the movie and who you play?
Sure! It’s inspired by stories in a book by Zac Bissonette following Ty Warner and the meteoric rise of Beanie Babies (if you were alive anywhere near the 90’s, you’ll probably remember those signature red, heart shaped “Ty” tags). The film, however, actually centers around the female characters who helped make these toys such a phenomenon but didn’t make billions or get their names on the tags. My character, Linda, is a suburban Chicago mom whose cul-de-sac becomes ground zero for the craze – with Linda at the center. She may seem like just a soccer mom, but below the surface she’s a fierce entrepreneur with a knack for finding ways to creatively capitalize on the “Ty” brand. For me, this film really explores the female relationship to the American Dream and how it’s often undermined. People can expect a very beardless Zach Galifianakis, bright colors, lots of shoulder pads, and a totally killer soundtrack!
You were a Beanie Baby fan during your childhood, so what preparation did you do for this role?
My godmother (fairy godmother, as she’s known in our family) was my Linda – ground zero for the Beanie Baby takeover in our lives. I swear, she bought my brother and I every. Single. Beanie Baby. We had hundreds of them, and I remember rotating out which ones we carried around with us. A Beanie Baby entourage, if you will. So, getting the chance to be reminded of how much we cherished them and how fun it was for my godmother to share those memories with us feels like a really special way to honor my relationship with her. As far as preparation, I read the book the film is based on, The Great Beanie Bubble: Mass Delusion and The Dark Side of Cute by Zach Bissonette and I watched the Beanie Mania documentary that came out on HBO a few years ago, both of which have detailed stories that are closely linked to my character in the film, Linda. I also purchased a vintage Beanie Baby fan magazine from 2000, which was like a snapshot in time! It really gave me insight into the Beanie Baby secondary market at the time.
What was the most memorable moment for you being a part of this movie and working with such incredible talent like Zach Galifianakis?
Zach was so fun to work with. Once we’d rehearsed the scene a few times, I felt such freedom to improvise with Zach; not necessarily improvise by changing the words but changing expressions and intentions. He is such a pro in that regard – he takes his work seriously, but he doesn’t take himself seriously. At the end of the day when I was wrapped, amidst the chaos of changing over to the next scene, I heard Zach call out to me from across the room to give me a big thumbs up and a “Great job.” It made me feel so proud of the work I’d done! I definitely had one of those look-yourself-in-the-mirror-“You-Done-Done-It-Kid!” moments when I got back to my trailer.
Who is someone you’d love to work with given the opportunity to and why?
Off the top of my head – Tim Robinson. Whatever brand of humor “I Think You Should Leave” is, leaves me in stitches. I think he is so wildly, brilliantly, absurdly funny, and I can only imagine working with him is as much of a fever dream as it is watching his sketches unfold.
You also have a charity you support, can you tell us a bit about that and why you are passionate about it?
My paternal grandfather was a member of the Brothertown Indians, a tribe located in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Brothertown is a tribe that descends from Christian Indians from seven separate villages in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Long Island, New York, which included Mohegan, Pequot, Niantic, Montaukett, Narragansett, and Tunxis tribes. I love learning about my family’s history, and it’s become very important to me over the years to support the work this tribe is doing. They host and partake in national powwows, contribute to the local community, and are committed to keeping the language and culture alive. My ancestor’s lives and stories are allowing me to live out my own story, and I look forward to finding more ways I can honor their legacies.
What advice would give your younger self knowing what you know now about the entertainment industry?
1. Be the CEO of your business
2. Trust your instincts
3. What’s meant for you is meant for you
4. Have a life outside of acting
5. Cultivate a gratitude practice
6. Learn how to prep for tax season – keep those receipts!
Do you have any more projects in the pipeline you can tell us about?
One of the projects coming up that I’m most excited about is called The Other Black Girl, which will be on Hulu sometime this September. I had such a blast on the set of that show; the cast, crew, and director were so amazing and collaborative; even the few days I spent on set felt like I was part of something special. Really looking forward to seeing the final edit! Another cool project, Dark Matter, will be airing on AppleTV+ sometime this year. I was psyched about this one; I’m very drawn to grounded sci-fis like Westworld or The Leftovers, and this is very much in that realm. Plus, it stars Jennifer Connelly – so you know it’s gonna be good.
How do you like to spend your down time when you’re away from acting?
I live a very quiet life – sitting in my big, comfy, bright orange chair with a cup of coffee and a kitty on my lap is my idea of a perfect way to spend the day. Reading (horror, memoirs, sci-fi, I’m all over the place), watching true crime documentaries, listening to true crime podcasts (My Favorite Murder, Crime Junkie), spending time with my partner (we have a non-negotiable bagel and coffee outing once a week), yoga/weights/Peloton, and being outdoors! I used to think that I didn’t need any other hobbies or interests, because DUH, my work is my interesting hobby (…right?). Over the years, I’ve really had to focus on cultivating a life outside of work for myself, and I truly cannot stress enough how important that is. Just because you love what you do, doesn’t mean you are what you do.
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DISCLAIMER: THIS INTERVIEW WAS CONDUCTED AHEAD OF THE SAG STRIKE
Neill Frazer
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