A former Manhattan elementary school teacher, Ridloff secured her first stage role without even knowing she was up for the part. Lauren Ridloff does nothing halfway. One of the actress’s earliest screen appearances was in Love Me Now, John Legend’s poignant music video that has amassed over 15 million views. She appeared shortly after in the Palme d’Or-nominated film Wonderstruck, directed by Todd Haynes and starring Julianne Moore and Michelle Williams. It’s only fitting, then, that Ridloff’s first professional stage gig should be a leading role on Broadway. The Brooklyn-based former Miss Deaf America recently made her theater debut in Mark This story is from Kinfolk Issue Twenty-Eight Buy Now Related Stories Arts & Culture Films Issue 35 At Work With: Shahira Fahmy How did one of Egypt’s leading architects end up walking the red carpet at Cannes? Arts & Culture Issue 23 Elisa Humble, hard-working and taking on Hollywood: Rising actor Elisa Lasowski talks to Pip Usher. Arts & Culture Issue 47 Alice Sheppard On dance as a channel to commune with the body—even when it hurts. Arts & Culture Issue 47 Dr. Woo Meet the tattoo artist who's inked LA. Arts & Culture Issue 47 Walt Odets The author and clinical psychologist on why self-acceptance is the key to a gay man's well-being. Arts & Culture Fashion Issue 47 A Picture of Health Xiaopeng Yuan photographs the world’s weirdest wellness cures.
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