Harlan Drum of Sweet Magnolias on Enduring Rejection, Trusting Directors, and the Strength to Persevere

As a part of our interview series with the rising stars in pop culture, I had the pleasure of interviewing Harlan Drum.

Harlan Drum is a 20 year old actress, best known for her role as “Cece Matney” in Netlfix’s Sweet Magnolias. Harlan started out as a child model and eventually moved on to commercials. She started auditioning for film and television at the age of 14 and she has been steadily working in the industry ever since.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series Harlan! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

Thank you for having me! For as long as I can remember, I’ve always had an obsession with acting. As a young kid watching my favorite movie “Stand By Me,” I was completely and utterly inspired. River Phoenix’s performance, in particular, struck a chord in me. It’s something that’s hard to put into words, but his vulnerability and confidence as a young actor made me say, “I want to do whatever that kid is doing.”

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started this career?

I’ve had so many mishaps since the start of my career. Things like missed flights, cars running out of gas, and false covid test results right before I was supposed to work. Luckily, these incidents all worked out in the end, but I learned that shit happens and you just have to go with it.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I once booked a role in a film that had two female leads and I immediately assumed which role I had been cast in based on the character description. I spent several days memorizing the lines and doing background research for that character. It wasn’t until a conversation with my manager that I realized I had been studying and researching the wrong role! At first I was upset because I felt like I was casted incorrectly, but once we started to shoot the film I realized that I was, in fact, cast in the right role. I learned that actors should always trust the casting directors because they truly know what they are doing.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?

I recently wrapped an independent film called “Grace Point,” a coming of age story with the background of addiction and recovery. It was such an incredible and collaborative experience and I was able to work with an extremely talented cast and crew. I am looking forward to its release sometime this year.

Who are some of the most interesting people you have interacted with? What was that like? Do you have any stories?

I have been fortunate to have worked with so many talented directors, actors and crew members. During Season 2 of filming Sweet Magnolias, one of the episodes was directed by Mykelti Williamson. He’s been in many iconic films (like Forrest Gump) so it was definitely a little intimidating at first. It was such a cool experience to be directed by an actor so knowledgeable in the craft. In just a short time working with him he gave great acting notes that I can now bring into other characters that I play.

Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?

I always remind myself of the reasons I wanted to act in the first place. This industry can be rough, especially in the beginning. It can be really easy to fall into the trap of self doubt, but when I watch an incredible actor perform, or when I am lucky enough to be on set doing what I love, it is so invigorating and satisfying. My advice is to keep following that passion, focus on the craft, and try not to feed into those negative thoughts. And of course, never give up.

You have been blessed with success in a career path that can be challenging. Do you have any words of advice for others who may want to embark on this career path, but seem daunted by the prospect of failure?

There’s no doubt that this business can be intimidating and it definitely won’t be easy. But if you really do have something inside you telling you you’re meant to do this, you just have to go for it. There is a line in the play “The Seagull” where the character Nina states how acting is about “having the strength to endure.” I find myself coming back to that line constantly because it’s just so true! I truly believe that you will never regret failure as much as you would regret not trying at all.

Can you share with our readers any self care routines, practices or treatments that you do to help your body, mind or heart to thrive? Kindly share a story or an example for each.

For me, mediation has been something that has really changed my life over the past couple years. Staying grounded in the present moment and recognizing your thoughts can really help you gain useful introspection. I also work out and eat well to keep my body healthy. I read daily, as it helps to keep my mind sharp and I think it is important to use my free time to learn new things and better myself. I am particularly interested in philosophy, which I also find useful in my acting.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.

1. Have Patience. There is a lot of down time in between jobs and auditions and it is important to find other interests in order to stay motivated.
2. Pave your own path. Every actor has a unique story and there is no blueprint for making it in this industry.
3. Listen to the people who love you and want the best for you, but follow your intuition. I know who has my best interest in mind and I always stay true to myself.
4. Appreciate every opportunity given to you. Every job, no matter how small, is an opportunity to learn and become a better actor.
5. Stop doubting yourself. If I don’t believe in myself, nobody else will.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

“Knowing your own darkness is the best method for dealing with the darkness of other people.”- Carl Jung. I use this quote in acting, as well as in my personal life. For me, it speaks to the idea of empathy and having compassion for others and also for myself. As an actor, I always look for the good in the character I am playing, even when the role is for a villain or someone clearly flawed.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

I am so grateful for the many people who have helped me in this process so far. Mostly, the support of my family has enabled me to pursue my acting career. I am so lucky to have parents who have supported my passion since the beginning, and they continue to encourage me as I move forward toward my goals.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

I think as a society we should encourage young children to think for themselves and grow as individuals. If people would be more willing to think outside the box and be themselves the world would be a more interesting place. It’s something I always strive for, so I hope if I were to have any major influence one day, I could encourage people on a larger scale to do the same.

We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.

That is a tough question because there are so many people I’d love to have a discussion with! If I can only choose one, however, it would have to be Nicole Kidmann. She’s played such a wide variety of characters and has played so many great roles. She has an incredible career that has spanned decades which is extremely rare. She also just seems really cool.

How can our readers follow you online?

You can follow me on instagram @harlan_drum.

Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational!