Similar to Schitt’s Creek, HBO’s The Righteous Gemstones is unapologetically funny (and, at times, filthy). And if there’s one actress who never ceases to make us laugh out loud, it’s Cassidy Freeman, who plays the one and only Amber Gemstone.
In honor of The Righteous Gemstones season two, we sat down with the 39-year-old actress to learn more about her life and career. From her impressive resume to her theater beginnings, here are five things you (probably) didn’t know about Cassidy Freeman.
Freeman is widely known for playing Amber Gemstone on The Righteous Gemstones, which documents the trials and tribulations of the world-famous Gemstone family. Prior to the HBO series, the Chicago-native starred as Tess Mercer on Smallville, Sage on The Vampire Diaries, Abby Burris on Doubt and Cady Longmire on Longmire.
Freeman revealed that she “grew up dancing ballet in Chicago.” The actress joked that she was much larger than other kids her age, so her mom told a little white lie to get her into classes. “My mom lied when I was three and said that I was five,” she told PureWow. “That’s how huge I was. It was so that she could get me out of the house and into ballet classes.”
While pursuing dance, Freeman developed a passion for performing. “I loved being on stage,” she explained. “I loved the whole camaraderie of stage.”
Freeman confirmed that she comes from a family of performers. “Both of my older brothers are actors as well, so I sort of was surrounded by it,” she said. “My dad took me to the Lyric Opera of Chicago when I was little. But it wasn’t until I was about 11 years old that I realized you could do it for like movies and television.”
Freeman started auditioning at a young age, but she wasn’t very successful at first. “I had an agent quite young, and I never booked anything big,” she explained. “You get close to things and when you're a teenager, it kind of breaks your heart.”
She continued, “I took a little time off, and I decided to stay in school. I studied theater in college and high school and beyond and have always loved being on the stage. I always knew it was something I wanted to return to.”
After college, she took her brother’s advice and went to Hollywood to pursue on-screen roles. “My eldest brother, who was on Broadway and living in New York, said to me, ‘You know, I’m losing parts to TV actors. So, you might as well go to Hollywood and see what you can make happen,’” Freeman said.
Although she was hesitant at first, Freeman didn’t look back once she had started. “There’s nothing like being onstage, as an artist or as an individual. It’s one of the most rewarding experiences,” she added. “But there’s something also really cool about reaching a wider audience through film and television. So, I started as soon as I graduated college, and I never stopped.”
The Righteous Gemstones season two is now streaming on HBO Max, with new episodes dropping every Sunday.
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