Dress for the Role You Want
To sit with Lord is to understand the joy of "dopamine dressing." Her wardrobe is a collection of vibrant colors and playful pieces that bring her joy.
For the premiere of A Little Jaded, Lord arrived with unique flair. She wore a simple white dress that became a literal canvas, reflecting her childlike imagination and creative freedom—symbolic of the heart of the film.
But embracing fashion as self-expression wasn't always easy. For years, Lord admits she dressed to make other people comfortable instead of expressing who she truly was.
Becoming the Character
Lord's appreciation for the transformative power of wardrobe was forged in the fast-paced world of New York's entertainment industry. During her years doing background work on hit productions like You, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Severance, and SNL, she quickly discovered that wardrobe often determined the story you were there to tell.
On her very first day working on You, a wardrobe mix-up transformed her from an upscale party guest into a background hippie. It was a simple costume change, but it revealed just how quickly appearance could redefine a character. For years, she found herself repeatedly cast as the quintessential party girl or sorority sister, navigating the limiting boxes the industry so easily draws around young actresses.
Refusing to let appearance define her range, Lord sought something deeper. She enrolled at the historic HB Studio in Greenwich Village in New York. She immersed herself in theater, classical training, and the creative process.
When she received a last-minute phone call asking her to replace a missing actress on opening night of a play, she agreed. With only a few hours to prepare, she stepped onstage carrying the script disguised as a sketchbook and pretended to paint while reading her lines. The gamble paid off. The production team expanded her role and eventually wrote an entire spinoff production centered around her character—a 1940s Disney animator.
Lord approaches characters much the same way she approaches fashion—trying them on, discovering how they fit, and allowing each one to reveal a different side of herself.
Her versatility has carried her to a multitude of roles, from fierce werewolves in gritty horror films to theater productions, lighthearted sketch comedy, and just about everything in between. She's been a nurse, a lawyer, a rockstar, a celebrity, a Space Queen, a cheating fiancée, an abuse survivor, and even a lifeless body on an investigative crime series. Along the way, she's portrayed characters from nearly every decade since the 1940s and occasionally steps in as a stand-in for A-list actors—a unique opportunity to experience their roles from the inside out.
Yet beneath the excitement of every new role was a growing desire for something deeper. Kelley wanted to spend months—not hours—bringing a character to life, allowing them to change as she changed. It was the kind of story she could no longer wait for someone else to write.
Creating Your Own Opportunities
Rather than waiting for someone else to hand her the next opportunity, she reclaimed her narrative.
Kelley put that mindset into practice after discovering that others had overlooked her substantial contributions to a documentary project.
Instead of accepting the oversight, she advocated for herself and ultimately earned the Emmy recognition she deserved.
When early digital platforms hesitated to put her on camera, she partnered with a fellow comedian to launch a YouTube channel, producing her own work until the industry had no choice but to notice.
"You have to really advocate for yourself in this world," Lord says. "No one just becomes a movie star. You start dressing like a movie star."
That same determination brought her to Utah, where she now writes, produces, and stars in her own independent films. Her newest film, Travel Vloggers, is equal parts thriller, comedy, and love letter to Ogden Valley—a place that became the backdrop for her own unexpected transformation. Inspired by her fish-out-of-water journey from Manhattan to the mountains, the film celebrates the remarkable women who welcomed her into their wilderness and became part of her story.
Becoming Yourself
Whether she's scouting mountain locations, polishing a screenplay, directing actors, or simply tying on another colorful bandana before heading out the door, Kelley Lord approaches life the same way she approaches every role—with intention.
She's learned that identity isn't something handed to you. "Life is a choose-your-own-adventure," explains Lord. Sometimes, becoming the person you're meant to be begins by dressing as though you've already arrived.
"It feels really good to step into this character," she says with a smile. "Because this is me."
Kelley Lord’s creative journey is far from over. Follow her as she continues bringing stories to life through upcoming film projects, networking events, and collaborations on Instagram at @KelleyLord. And be sure to watch for the upcoming ZepFest screening of A Little Jaded.
You have to really advocate for yourself in this world. No one just becomes a movie star... You start dressing like a movie star.
Life is a Choose Your Own Adventure —Kelley Lord