Q&A with Deanna Giulietti

Can you share a personal experience or moment that inspired you to become an advocate for body confidence and self-care?

To be honest, I have always been this way. I have always had an extreme amount of confidence and I have seen first-hand how me, unapologetically loving myself and my body has helped others love themselves, too. I feel I’ve always lived life by this quote:

“as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same”.

The more I started sharing my true personality online, my morning affirmations and hype woman energy, the more it resonated with everyone watching. I started getting videos from my followers of them hyping themselves up and using my affirmations! After I saw this impact, I knew this is what I was supposed to be doing.

In an industry where appearance is often scrutinized, how do you maintain body confidence and self-assuredness as an actress?

The industry can be ruthless. I truly focus on the art. As an actress, I am always prioritizing acting classes, dance classes, and my voice lessons because that is what matters. Your body is the least interesting thing about you. The more confident I feel when going into an audition that I know the material backwards and forwards, and I know I can sing the heck out of this audition song – that is all I need. It doesn’t matter what my body looks like, it matters how I can master telling the story in the audition and the lasting impact I’ll have when I strut in that room.

Self-care practices vary from person to person. What are some self-care rituals that you find most beneficial for your mental and emotional well-being?

Don’t skip your morning affirmations. Tell yourself you love yourself out loud – in every mirror you pass. Compliment yourself. Say three things you are grateful for – every day! Drink your water. Celebrate the small wins. Your mental and emotional well-being is the most important step. Take time for you – this is your life after all. When you feel good, everything else truly will fall into place. I love you #sayitback.

How do you believe body confidence and self-care contribute to women’s empowerment, both in the entertainment industry and in society at large?

Everything you see in the media is made to make you feel bad about yourself. “Your pores are too big so buy this. Your jeans are too tight buy this. Your butt isn’t big enough so buy this.” It’s not true. You are the main character of your life. This is your world, and we are all living in it. The more women realize they are perfect exactly as they are; they will realize the limit does not exist. Women of all shapes and sizes are exactly as they should be. Everyone deserves to feel good in the skin they are in.

Dealing with criticism is a common aspect of public life. How do you handle negativity or criticism related to your appearance, and what advice would you offer to others facing similar challenges?

I put my entire life online. You see the good, the bad, and the gorgeous. So naturally, I get a lot of opinions from all around the world on what I am sharing. My best advice when dealing with negative comments on your appearance is that your body is the least interesting thing about you. Don’t let the thought of a random stranger from across the globe saying a negative comment about your appearance stop you from sharing your art. Keep sharing, keep being vulnerable, keep putting yourself out there. There are so many people who want to see you (I am one of them).

“Do not accept criticism from someone you would not ask advice from.”

In your view, how can the entertainment industry play a role in promoting body positivity and diversity, and what changes would you like to see in this regard?

Imagine the impact of seeing a plus size transwoman of color leading a broadway show. That’s what I’m looking for in this industry. Showing real people telling their stories. We are not all skinny white men.

I would love to see women of color writing, directing, and casting shows. I would love to see trans women and men, and people from the plus size community sharing their stories in this industry. That is truly the only way we will see beautiful diverse stories and learn more about each other and appreciate and respect one another. I have faith a new wave of art is coming, and I cannot wait to be a part of it.