Biography

Carrie Maxwell Wrigley is an actress, singer/songwriter, and mother of five. She is also a professional counselor and speaker, who holds degrees from the University of Utah in Theatre (BFA) and Social Work (MSW). Carrie entered film work in the second half of her life, drawing on the various roles and responsibilities she carried out in the first half. She is a skilled, trustworthy, and compassionate professional, who brings to her film work the credibility, vision, and strength she developed through decades of personal, family, and professional life experience.

In 2017, as her children grew up and left home, Carrie was recruited by a local talent agent, and began to be cast in local film projects. She studied film acting with award-winning filmmaker Rob Diamond, and was cast as a supporting lead in a feature film, "Fall City," scheduled for release December 2018. Carrie also appeared in a number of short, independent, industrial, and student films. Carrie's early enjoyment of stage acting blossomed into a passion for film acting. Her real-life experience in family and professional roles brings rich credibility into her screen portrayal of a wide variety of characters, including various tough and tender professionals, mothers, and wives. Carrie's intimate exposure as a counselor to the deepest pains, triumphs, and connections of many struggling souls, brings into her acting a rare authenticity, compassion, and capacity for connection.

Carrie was the oldest of seven children, and began acting at the age of 14 when she was cast as the lead in a local musical theatre production. She did theatre throughout high school, and in her senior year in Utah State competition was named "Best Actress." After high school graduation, she studied at the University of Utah, and earned her BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) in Theatre, completing both the Acting Emphasis and Musical Theatre programs at that university. She also served as a Guest Artist at the Young People's Theatre program at the U. This program featured the motto, "Developing Character On and Off Stage," igniting in Carrie a passion for using the power of the arts to build positive strengths in youth and others.

Carrie married Steve Wrigley, completed a Masters of Social Work (MSW) degree, and bore and raised her 5 children while developing a private counseling practice, writing and performing hundreds of songs, and acting and directing in local musical theatre productions. She directed a children's choir at her children's school for over a decade, writing original music for choir performances that taught responsibility, hope, inclusion, kindness, anti-bullying, and a positive sense of community. As a counselor and speaker, she has helped thousands of people over the years to overcome depression and anxiety, strengthen marriage and family relationships, and find hope and positive purpose even in difficult times. The reach of her counseling and speaking work has recently extended more broadly to an internet audience, through YouTube videos and various websites. Carrie also recorded several CD's of her original songs, which are now available on CD Baby, Amazon, iTunes, and her official website. She and her husband Steve celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary September 2018.

Carrie's many years as a professional counselor, speaker, mother, wife, and performing artist provide rich resources now for film work, as she brings the insights and emotional experience from those longtime roles into the intimate and powerful arena of acting onscreen.

- IMDb mini biography by: Carrie Maxwell Wrigley