Women Of Courage: Lyndon Smith-Talley – Tracee Nichols
Women Of Courage: Lyndon Smith-Talley

Women Of Courage: Lyndon Smith-Talley

 

Tell Us a bit about yourself...

Sure, hi! So I’m originally from Pensacola, FL and moved to LA about seven years ago after college. Since then, I’ve found myself mostly in the television world doing shows like 90210, Parenthood, Public Morals, and recently White Famous on Showtime. I’m currently filming Are You Sleeping with Octavia Spencer for Apple’s new streaming service, and I also had a really fun movie called Step Sisters come out on Netflix this year. Outside of work, I’m a fitness junkie and a homebody, so I’m either on a pilates reformer or hanging out at home with my husband, cooking or watching a show or just sitting on the front porch with a glass of wine.

 

"I didn’t have a game plan, and I didn’t have much money. And at the time, I didn’t think that was a “courageous” thing. It was just what I wanted to do. I had a goal and I just didn’t see any other option for my life."

What gives you Courage?

When I left Florida for LA, I literally fit everything I could in my Honda Civic and just drove. I didn’t have a game plan, and I didn’t have much money. And at the time, I didn’t think that was a “courageous” thing. It was just what I wanted to do. I had a goal and I just didn’t see any other option for my life. So I guess my ambition was and is strong enough to give me the courage to wake up and keep doing this every day. Even though after every job ends I think, “When will i work again? WILL I ever work again??” I just keep chipping away. 

 

Words to live by:

"You are enough." One of my college professors, turned mentor, said that to me when I was his student and those words have been my life raft many-a-time.

 

If you could have dinner with anyone in history, who would it be and what would you eat?

Elizabeth Taylor. I could just listen to her talk about her extraordinary life for hours. I’ve always wanted to play her! And it’s Liz, so we’d have to eat fried chicken and sip champagne.   

 

LYNDON'S STYLE 

What Inspires your style?

I love fashion, and I’m constantly soaking up inspiration from magazines (yes I still get print magazines!) and Instagram. I actually keep a huge stack of magazines in my living room, and whenever I’m struck by an image, I dog-ear the page and come back to it. I also follow countless style influencers and brands on social media, so my morning scroll with my coffee provides ample inspiration for the day.

 

"You are enough. One of my college professors, turned mentor, said that to me when I was his student and those words have been my life raft many-a-time."

What are your everyday jewels?

My wedding ring and a right-hand ring that my great-grandmother passed down to me. My husband, Steve, actually modeled my engagement ring after that heirloom. He found it through an estate jeweler and choose a vintage ring from the same time period. His only stipulation? It had to be bigger than my right hand ring. He literally proposed, held both of my hands up, and said “Suck it Grandma!” If that gives you any indication to his sense of humor!

 

Best gift you’ve ever received?

Steve surprised me with tickets to see Bruce Springsteen when he was last here in LA. We are mega-fans. Our wedding was “Born To Run” themed. But I had never seen him live, and it was one of the best nights of my life!

 

Biggest fashion splurge?

When Public Morals was picked up to series, I bought myself my first really nice bag - a classic Prada bucket bag. It has kind of started a dangerous “treat yourself” trend though whenever I book a good job!

 

My grandma passed down a necklace of hers - There’s a lot of emotion in the piece, there’s no other way to say it. And it has a strength and resiliency about it which I love.

 

What's your favorite family heirloom?

Well there is the right-hand ring I mentioned that my great-grandmother left me. But also, my grandma passed down a necklace of hers to me which I treasure. It was once her wedding ring, and after she got divorced she had the ring melted down into a pendant which created look of roughly hammered gold. It’s very imperfect and abstract, and it looks like the diamonds that once made up the ring were then flung onto the pendant. There’s a lot of emotion in the piece, there’s no other way to say it. And it has a strength and resiliency about it which I love. 

 

What is your daily uniform?

I work out in the mornings, so I spend the first part of the day in athletic wear. But then in the summer months that turns into cutoffs, a t-shirt, and sandals. And in the winter it's skinny jeans, a slightly oversized sweater, a leather jacket, and boots. I love to dress up and play in my closet, but most days I just don’t want to think about building an outfit and pull the same handful of items.

 

Favorite TN piece?

My silver Roman necklace! I wore one of your Roman necklaces in one of my very first photoshoots in LA, right after I started working on Parenthood. Feels like ages ago. Tracee and I reconnected through Instagram recently and she sent me my very own to have. It will always be attached with those early, exciting memories of the beginning of my career. 

 

 

I wore one of your Roman necklaces in one of my very first photoshoots in LA, right after I started working on Parenthood. It will always be attached with those early, exciting memories of the beginning of my career.