Today, we’re stepping inside the audition room with Cindy Busby, an actress who has built an incredible two-decade career with more than 20 leading roles across film and television. From her breakout role as Ashley Stanton on the beloved series Heartland, to starring in fan favorites like Unleashing Mr. Darcy and Royal Hearts, to her current series lead on When Hope Calls, Cindy knows what it takes to build a career with real staying power.
In this episode, Cindy takes us all the way back to the theater school assignment that unexpectedly landed her first agent and a role on MTV’s Undressed, and the nationwide search that changed her life when she booked Heartland. But she also gets candid about what happened when the momentum stopped, including a grueling two-year career slump that forced her to completely rethink her relationship with the business. Cindy shares how studying the Meisner technique, doing deep mindset work, and creating her own recovery rituals helped her rebuild her confidence, return to Heartland 11 years later, and ultimately step into a new chapter as the lead of When Hope Calls.
These are the unforgettable stories that landed Cindy Busby right here.
About Cindy Busby:
Cindy Busby (pronounced “Buz-bee”) has been a prominent presence in film and television for over two decades. She is best known for her series regular role as Ashley Stanton on Heartland, one of Canada’s most successful television series, syndicated in more than 81 countries and a longtime fan favorite on Netflix.
Most recently, Cindy stars as leading lady Nora Anderson in When Hope Calls. The series recently wrapped its third season, with a fourth officially announced for Great American Pure Flix and Great American Family. The first two seasons will also debut on Netflix in the U.S. and Canada on September 14. Cindy will next star in Great American Media’s holiday film Christmas Wrapped in Love.
Over the course of her career, Cindy has starred in more than 20 leading roles, including Unleashing Mr. Darcy, which premiered to over three million viewers and broke the network’s social media record, and Royal Hearts alongside James Brolin. Her film credits also include The Big Year with Steve Martin, A Life Interrupted with Lea Thompson, Honey Girls with Ashanti, Picture This with Ashley Tisdale, and The Wrong Daughter with Sydney Sweeney.
On television, Cindy has held recurring roles on Hallmark’s first original series, Cedar Cove, alongside Andie MacDowell, and ABC’s Somewhere Between. She showcased her comedic talents as a series regular on Date My Dad, starring Barry Watson and Raquel Welch, and has made memorable guest appearances on Supernatural, Psych, The L.A. Complex, and The Vampire Diaries.
Originally from Montreal, Quebec, Cindy now lives in Los Angeles with her husband and rescue dog, Suzie. A passionate supporter of animal welfare, she volunteers with organizations including the ASPCA and donates all proceeds from her Cameo appearances to animal rescues.
Credits:
- When Hope Calls
- Heartland
- Date My Dad
- The Big Year
- When Calls the Heart
- Cedar Cove
- Royal Hearts
- Supernatural
- Psych
- The L.A. Complex
- The Vampire Diaries
Guest Links:
- IMDB: Cindy Busby, actress, producer
THAT ONE AUDITION’S LINKS:
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