Circle: Kate (far left) and some of her Beta Delta sisters.
KATE GODFREY (Beta Delta-UCLA) Student and Actor Making Her Mark
By Hayden Wiggs (Iota Omega-Ole Miss)
From balancing classes and sorority life to starring in some of television’s hottest new shows, Kate Godfrey (Beta Delta-UCLA) can do it all. While her demanding schedule can be exhausting at times, Kate believes every moment is worth it.
“[Being an actor] is the best job ever,” she shares.
Kate’s love of acting began when she was nine years old. With encouragement from her mom, she performed in a community theater production of “Beauty and the Beast.” “A dancing fork,” Kate laughs. “That was my breakout role, and I ended up loving it. I caught the theater bug and was in every show with that theater until I was probably 12, and then it was time to retire.” After aging out of the children’s community theater, Kate began pursuing roles in local theater, TV and film. When auditions started pouring in, her mom relocated the family to Los Angeles to support Kate’s budding career. Kate quickly fell in love with L.A. Now, she studies at the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) while also pursuing a professional acting career. “At first, I didn’t know if I wanted to go to college. A lot of child actors don’t pursue higher education while also continuing their acting career — it’s a lot to manage. However, education has always been extremely important to me. I knew I could do both.” At UCLA, Kate is studying sociology and film, all while appearing on shows like “9-1-1,” “Nashville” and Hulu’s latest hit, “Paradise.” In “Paradise,” she stars alongside Sterling K. Brown, known for “This Is Us,” and Julianne Nicholson, known for “Mare of Easttown,” who have shown her the ropes. “I feel like I didn’t even know what acting was until I worked with some of the actors on “Paradise,” she says. “There are so many details to consider, like where you’re sitting in the lighting, how loudly you’re delivering your lines and whether you’re making things easier for your scene partner.” Julianne Nicholson plays Kate’s character’s mother in the show. Kate learned a great deal from her simply by watching her perform on set. From her line delivery to every subtle movement, Kate made mental notes to build upon her own skills. “Actors like Julianne are so prestigious. I admire her so much for finding a way to make acting a career." At 22, Kate is already on her way to doing the same. On days when memorizing lines and studying for exams becomes all-consuming, she leans on her Alpha Phi network. She currently lives with three Alpha Phi sisters — two pre-med students and one English major — who are just as passionate about their fields as she is about hers. Surrounding herself with equally driven women reminds Kate that anything is possible if she sets her mind to it and has a supportive community to cheer her on. “Alpha Phi does such a great job of connecting women. All my closest friends are Alpha Phis, and getting to come home after a hard day and have your best friends there for you is so important.”
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