We recently had the chance to connect with Eliana Ghen and have shared our conversation below.
Eliana, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Recently, I’ve been finding so much joy in taking care of the ducks that have made my backyard their home. There are about 23 of them, including a mother duck with her ducklings, and it’s been such a peaceful escape watching them grow and interact. They’ve gotten so comfortable that they’ll even come up to me and eat right out of my hand. It’s been a really grounding experience that brings me a lot of happiness outside of my creative work.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Eliana Ghen — I’m an actress, filmmaker, and storyteller who has been fortunate to connect with over 16.9 million people across TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. Many know me for my viral acting challenges and original content, but I’m also a classically trained actress with credits including Netflix’s Insatiable, Cobra Kai, Hulu’s The Girl from Plainville, and more.
I love creating stories that inspire people to feel, reflect, and connect. That passion has carried me through projects ranging from feature films like The Christmas Cowboy (now streaming on Amazon Prime) to digital series that blur the line between traditional film and interactive storytelling.
Right now, one of the projects I’m most excited about is my upcoming fiction book, which I’ll be releasing within the next couple of weeks. My audience has been eagerly anticipating it, and it feels incredible to share a story in a new medium that I know will resonate deeply with them.
For me, everything I create — whether it’s on screen, online, or on the page — comes back to storytelling and building real connections through art.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Before the world told me who I had to be, I was a girl who had lived all over the world — Africa, Belize, Mexico, Israel — because of my parents’ work as doctors. Growing up in so many different cultures gave me such a wide view of life and people, and it shaped me into someone who could connect and adapt anywhere.
From a young age, I knew I wanted to act and tell stories, and I chased that dream with everything I had. For 15 years, I pushed in Hollywood, landing small roles in big shows and films, always waiting for that big break. When I finally booked my first major lead role in a well-known series, I thought the moment had arrived — until I lost it five days before filming. That nearly broke me.
But before the world’s expectations and disappointments could define me, I was someone who just loved performing, loved stories, and believed in their power. And when I finally brought that raw version of myself to social media — vulnerable, creative, and unfiltered — that’s when everything changed. Within six months, I went viral, and I found my way back to the storyteller I had always wanted to be.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Yes — there was a moment when I almost walked away from acting completely. I had spent 15 years in Hollywood chasing that big break, getting small roles in big projects but never quite landing the part that would change everything. Then I finally booked my first major lead role in a well-known television show. It felt like the breakthrough I had been waiting for. But just five days before filming, I lost the role. That moment crushed me, and I seriously considered giving up on my dream altogether.
What kept me from quitting was my husband encouraging me to take a chance on myself in a different way — by putting my work online. At first, it felt scary and uncertain, but within six months, I went viral. That moment taught me that sometimes the path forward looks different than you expect, and that resilience isn’t about never falling down — it’s about choosing to get back up and find a new way to keep going.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
It’s a funny question, because a lot of what I do online is through characters that I build. So yes — it is authentic, because when I step into a character, I put my whole heart into it and I’m authentically being that person in the moment. Whether it’s horror, comedy, or drama, everything I create comes from a pure place. My mission is always the same: that my work leads people back home to themselves, that they can see a piece of their own story reflected in mine, whether it’s through laughter, fear, or simply entertainment.
That same heart is who I am off-screen, too. People probably see the most of my authentic self in my behind-the-scenes moments or when I’m just talking directly to my audience. What you see is what you get — I’m kind, I love connecting, and I genuinely enjoy meeting people in person. It’s always a little sad to me when someone wants to come up and say hi but doesn’t because they’re afraid I’ll be unapproachable. The truth is, I’m usually more excited to meet them than they are to meet me.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
What I understand deeply — maybe more than most people — is how essential self-development and self-growth really are. I believe that the moment we think we have it all figured out, we put ourselves in a dangerous place. Growth is ongoing, and if we’re not striving to become better every day — better within ourselves, better in our relationships — then life, no matter how full it looks on the outside, can feel unfulfilling on the inside.
You can win an Academy Award, you can star in major films, but if you’re still carrying resentments, regrets, or unresolved pain, none of that success will truly set you free. One of the most powerful things I’ve learned is the importance of clearing those things up — calling the person you haven’t spoken to in 15 years, even if you never talk again afterward. It’s not about the outcome, it’s about the release. That release makes you available for a freer, more powerful, and more fulfilling life.
I think society is often obsessed with being “right” — pointing fingers, proving others wrong, boosting our own egos. But at the end of the day, you don’t get a reward for being right. You just stay stuck in the same cycle. Resentment is like drinking poison and hoping the other person will die. Through my own self-development work, I’ve come to see that letting go of those resentments and regrets — writing them down, addressing them, having those conversations — opens the door to seeing the possibilities right in front of you with clarity and freedom.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Elianaghen.com
- Instagram: Eliana_Ghen
- Facebook: ElianaGhen
- Youtube: ElianaGhen
- Other: TikTok ElianaGhen
