A Conversation with Susie Abromeit on Greatness, Growth, and Finding the Gold in Everything
- adriana
- Nov 7, 2024
- 5 min read
In this captivating interview with Miami Living Magazine, we sit down with Susie Abromeit, a multifaceted talent best known for her breakout role as "Pam" in Netflix's Jessica Jones. As she prepares to launch her podcast "Great Ones" , where she explores the stories of remarkable individuals, we delve into her creative evolution and the lessons she’s learned along the way. Join us as Susie shares her inspiring journey and the passion that drives her work.
Miami Living (ML): Susie, it’s such a pleasure to have you with us! You’ve had an incredible journey, transitioning from an aspiring tennis player to a professional singer to making your mark as an actress in Hollywood. And now with your new podcast "Great Ones" having just launched on October 22nd, what is a surprising lesson you’ve learned about yourself along the way?
Susie: I’ve learned that on my own path to becoming the best version of myself, I constantly notice areas where I can improve. It’s called “Great Ones” because I’m trying to be great in all aspects of my life. I get to learn, grow, and talk to the best people in their craft/career to break down how to become great. The podcast has shown me where I’m strong and where I could grow. What has been so great is that I get to have amazing, intimate, and unsafe/daring conversations with guests, and it pushes me to grow in my own intimacy with myself and with others. Conversation is an art form and when done well you can learn and grow from those conversations and become better. When you’re striving to walk with God and the divine, you often see where you might fall short, but on the flip side of that you keep getting a chance to improve every day. I feel like I get a little better each time I record, which is growth. If I can get a little better every day, then I feel I’m fulfilling my purpose.
ML: Your new podcast, "Great Ones", focuses on the study of greatness, featuring a wide range of guests from different fields. What prompted you to start this podcast and how do you choose who to invite?
Susie: I had been kicking this idea around for years. I've been blessed with having some of the best people as friends in my life, and we would have the most intimate conversations. I felt so lucky because they would constantly make me better after having them. I would have these slices of life moments where I thought, “I wish people could hear this conversation because I think it would help them as much as they help me”. Malcom Gladwell was a mentor of mine, and we would have these amazing conversations about life and the podcast he was doing. I think we even chatted about whether I should do one myself. Either way, he definitely inspired me to do one. So then here we are years later.
ML: What are some of the standout moments or insights you’ve gathered from your guests on "Great Ones" that you’re most excited to share with your audience?
Susie: There have been so many, and each conversation I have I learn so much. I had a three-hour conversation with Erin Moriarty from The Boys, and we talked about everything and anything. I think people will be surprised by her and how dynamic, vulnerable, beautiful, authentic, brilliant, and real she is. I had an amazing conversation with Preston Smiles about moving past our fears and trauma, and how to manifest your dreams. And Picabo Street was able to explain down to a science how she won the gold medal in the Olympics for Ski Racing and broke down what happens when you get what you want.
ML: You’ve recently taken creative control behind the camera. What inspired this shift, and how does it influence the storytelling process for you?
Susie: Storytelling is so important in my life and is a calling for me. Moving behind the camera to produce and write felt like a natural progression. I’ve been telling stories since I was five, whether through drawing, painting, or writing. Being a singer/songwriter, producer, writer, actor, or podcaster is all about telling stories. You get to tell your own stories and sometimes other people’s too. I just love it. And I love helping create.
ML: You’ve transitioned into producing and writing as well. Can you tell us about a specific project you’ve worked on that felt particularly meaningful to you, and why it stood out?
Susie: “Grief Looks Good on You” is the semi-autobiographical story of mine, about the 24 hours after my mother suddenly passed away. This one is especially meaningful. It’s about friendship, love, life, and why “grief looks good on you.” The concept is that even though something is terrible, horrible, and painful, it can also be beautiful, mystical, and spiritual. We’re in post-production on our project. I co-wrote it, produced it, funded it, and starred in it, and it’s something that is deeply personal and something I’m proud of. It’s both a love letter and a goodbye to my mother.
ML: In your experience, how has the landscape of Hollywood changed for women in their 40s and older? What challenges and opportunities do you see in the industry today?
Susie: I don’t think women are phased out like they used to be. Actresses used to find that after 30 they would then play smaller roles or only play grandmothers, but now that isn’t the case anymore. Before our time, we used to rely on the stories and wisdom that is passed down from our elders and we lost some of that by clinging to a youth obsessed culture. I also think we don’t talk about death enough. It’s a cycle of life, but we’re so terrified of dealing with it or talking about it. I think if we had a healthier relationship with death and getting older, we wouldn’t have shunned older people so much. But I think we’re seeing a shift where we’re celebrating the wisdom that comes with age and balancing that with our desire to continue living our best lives, and staying healthy and youthful. People are hitting their strides in their 50s and 60s. I mean, look at Viola Davis or Octavia Spencer, Nicole Kidman. If you’re living life right, you keep getting better with age.
ML: You’ve mentioned saying “yes” more in life to honor your mother. Can you talk more about this and share an example of a recent opportunity you embraced that you might have otherwise shied away from?
Susie: I think making this podcast or doing the film “Grief Looks Good on You” are both examples of that. I am taking big leaps and putting my money where my mouth is, and I’m already seeing the massive benefits and growth in my life. I also got to scratch off some bucket list items this year: a private helicopter tour in Greece, and trips to Spain and Amsterdam. Last year I visited Japan, which was incredible, and the year before that while in Iceland I got lucky enough to see the Northern Lights four times.
ML: Looking back at your diverse career, is there a lesson or insight from your journey that you hold particularly close to your heart, and how does it shape the way you approach new projects today?
Susie: I learn so much every day, but I would say the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that when terrible things happen in your life, you have the power to use that experience to metaphorically alchemize it and turn it into gold and an opportunity for something good. There is always a flip side to everything, even hardships, and it’s about your attitude and your mindset on how you want to use that experience. The death of my mother was one of the hardest things I’ve gone through, but by turning it into a film I’ve made a very painful and terrible loss into something great. Now I can find the lessons, the learnings, and the gold from that experience. Always find the gold in everything because if you look for it, you will find it.
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