Actress Gabrielle Walsh chatted about starring as Lacey in “Found” on NBC.
An NBC procedural drama, “Found” follows Gabi Mosely (played by Shanola Hampton) and her crisis management team as they seek out missing people that are often overlooked by law enforcement and the media, with Gabi herself being a former missing person.
Experience in ‘Found’
On her experience in “Found,” she exclaimed, “It has been incredible; it has been amazing. ‘Found’ has been life-changing, and all of these things.”
“This show keeps you on the hook; it is good with that. Keep on expecting for the ride to be bumpy and keep climbing,” she said.
Playing Lacey in ‘Found’
On playing Lacey, Walsh said, “What I love about Lacey is that I love her heart. Lacey has a beautiful heart. She has the ability to see the light in people, and the light in situations.”
“Lacey is new and growing, and she is definitely coming into her own. I love to see her journey to be able to smile and be happy and to keep the childlike spirit through the trauma that she has gone through. I feel that Lacey is a badass,” she elaborated.
Lessons learned from ‘Found’
On the lessons learned from “Found,” she reflected, “It taught me to go for it! When you go through something that is very difficult, you need to recover, and there is nothing against recovery.”
“These people are literally superheroes because they don’t stop. Now we are on a network (NBC television), so basically, they don’t sleep and they still look so fabulous, even on the next day,” she admitted.
“There is something about leading a purpose-driven life and the energy that it gives you to keep going, and I love that about the show, and I love that about each of our characters,” she elaborated.
“No matter how hard you get hit, you keep going because you know the reason why you are alive, and they don’t miss that,” she added.
The digital age
On being a part of the digital age, Walsh said, “Sometimes, I feel like an old lady. I can’t keep up with everything; there is so much information out there, which is beautiful.”
“There are so many different ways that we can now connect with other people, with ourselves, and with these shows. There are so many opportunities to build and to grow,” she noted.
“I love having those connections, but then again, it is so hard and it’s hard to keep up with the growth,” she added.
Importance of mental health
On the significance of mental health in this digital age, she said, “I think we can connect so much with the outside world, but it is important to not forget to connect with ourselves.”
Walsh continued, “I think it’s beautiful that we get to see beautiful places and beautiful people that we admire and love. Don’t get caught up with those images that seem perfect.”
“Everyone has a story; I have a story,” she said. “In the journey of acting and life, there are struggles that we don’t get to see on social media that are very personal. Everything is not a social media highlight reel; it is not all glitz and glamour.”
“Life is hard, and it can be tough,” she admitted. “So, knowing that what you just see came with something or it could be a mask, so don’t get too caught up in that. Instead, let it inspire you to lead your best life. Don’t use it as a calling card to judge yourself and compare your life to someone else’s. Also, take care of yourself and your own authenticity.”
Walsh on being a mental health advocate
Walsh is using her platform to raise awareness on mental health. “I’ve been through a lot in my life,” she disclosed. “I had my daughter from a very young age; I went through a lot of toxic relationships and even a toxic relationship with myself.”
“There are thing within this story that I hope to share with other people, not just through the media of storytelling, which I love and think is beautiful. We get to see ourselves in these characters and people,” she explained.
“Also, I want to give people some tools to help them handle the challenges when they face them,” she noted.
“We should push forward and remember who we are and strive to live to our highest potential in this life. We only get one life, and we don’t know how long it’s going to be,” Walsh said.
“So, let’s share that gift that we have of life; enjoy it, and see how we can just be able to impact others and be free and liberated from all the things we’ve been through and all the challenges we will face,” she elaborated.
Advice for young and emerging actors
For young and emerging actors, Walsh said, “If you don’t believe in yourself and that you can do it, nobody else is going to. It’s an energy exchange.”
“You have to make sure that you are instilling within yourself that person — that is you — that has accomplished these things that you desire,” she noted.
“See yourself as that now and go and approach everything in life as though you are that person that you see… that future self that you see; it is so important,” she underscored.
Stage of her life
On the title of the current chapter of her life, Walsh revealed, “Living your potential.”
Superpower of choice
Her superpower of choice is “to be just like her character Lacey.” “I would zap into people and make them see the light in life and not the darkness, so I would be like Lacey,” she said.
Success
Regarding her definition of the word success, Walsh said, “Success means living in your potential.”
“No matter what happens or what obstacles you may face, you keep stepping forward in faith,” she said. “You may not always be your best, but if you are putting your best foot forward every single day, you are succeeding.”
Favorite mottos to live by
Her favorite mottos to live by are “Just do your best,” as well as “Faith over fear,” and “Let’s Go!”
Alternate career choice
Walsh’s alternate career choice would be a “motivational speaker.”
Closing thoughts on ‘Found’
For fans and viewers, Walsh concluded, “At the end of the day, we are all people, and we deserve to be loved, cared for, and protected, and everyone deserves to be found.”
To learn more about actress Gabrielle Walsh, follow her on Instagram.
