Multi-Talented Krista Hovsepian, Brainchild of Show Wholesome Foods, I Love You…Is That Okay?
Krista Hovsepian, On Acting, Film Making to Healthy Living
Multi-talented Krista Hovsepian is an award-winning actor, writer, executive producer and she is also the brainchild of the award-winning series Wholesome Foods, I Love You…Is That OK? (WFILY). She plays Julia the lead actress in the show, and in a Q&A she shares how her acting began, nutrition and fitness tips to creating a show about healthy living.
Q: Which came first your passion for acting or film making?
Definitely acting. I fell in love with being an actress at the age of three, whereas even though I went to film school, I didn’t want to pursue anything behind the camera professionally until my late 20s.
Q: Where did you get your inspiration to create this show?
A: It’s a heightened version of my life… I’ve always loved organic supermarkets and really do pop in to buy fresh groceries at least 4 or 5 times per week. I’ve driven 45 minutes out of my way to go to a particular store just because it’s an especially aesthetically pleasing location or they carry a product I can’t find anywhere else. And I think love is at the core of everything. Love doesn’t always have to be romantic, so the heart of our story is romance, but there’s a lot of love between my character and her roommates/friends at the store too.
Q: Tell us who is the show for?
I created it for women in their mid-20s to mid-30s – especially those who are into health/fitness/nutrition, but we’ve gotten an incredible response from women and men ranging from 20-70 years in age. People who “get” this world love it because it’s relatable to them… and those who aren’t active members of our community find it hilarious in a kind of absurd way.
Q: How important is nutrition?
A: In my experience, properly caring for and supporting our bodies in all endeavors is extremely important. Whether we’re athletes or using our minds a lot, the body responds so much better and runs so much more efficiently when we’re eating predominantly nourishing whole foods, drinking enough water, and getting enough sleep. I’d actually put sleep in the number one priority spot, followed by keeping hydration levels in check and then honing in on nutrition, but they can all move the needle in a positive direction depending on what the desired outcome is.
Q: Can you share some fitness tips?
I think that no matter the activity (I was a competitive swimmer for years, ran, currently lift, practice yoga, dance, box, etc), it’s so important to listen to your body. It’s great to push ourselves when we’re training with a specific goal in mind (a marathon, muscle gain…), but it’s unsustainable in the long term. I train far more intuitively now. Movement makes me feel good, but if I’m feeling really low-energy, I might go for a long walk or a gentle swim, honoring what’s going on with my body on that specific day vs. powering through just because I scheduled a time for a higher intensity workout. Same goes for fuelling your body – some people do better with carbs, some do better with fats, and so forth. If you know that your body prefers a certain type of fuel, tube into that over following whatever program everyone else seems to be on. It’s okay to do your own thing… our bodies hold so much wisdom. We just have to practice actually listening to them.
Q: Tell us about the awards and what does it mean to you?
It’s always nice to be recognized for the work that we do, but at the end of the day, awards are just ego boosters. Not winning or being nominated doesn’t mean that you’re not doing great, meaningful work. But it is always an honor to have someone appreciate the efforts you’ve made so much that they want to present you with an award. I’ve won awards locally in Ontario, and we’ve seen 10 nominations come in in 2019 alone (Miami, LA’s Indie Series Awards, Sicily, and Seoul), with winners and more nominations to be announced soon.
Q: What is next for you?
A: My team and I just shot our second series, fête, and I’m working on fleshing out a few new concepts while we continue doing our Wholesome Foods… festival tour.
She will be at the Toronto International Film Festival from August 28 to September 15.
