Beyond the Gates Star Lauren Buglioli on Acting, Advocacy & Embracing the City She Calls Home

For Atlanta-based actress Lauren Buglioli, the road to success hasn’t been linear, but a near-miss early in her career taught her the value of patience, resilience, and trusting the timing of her life. That mindset has carried her to booking standout roles in the likes of Netflix’s Florida Man and Apple TV’s Bad Monkey. Today, she’s not only captivating audiences with her layered portrayal of Vanessa in the hit series Beyond The Gates, but also finding purpose beyond the screen, championing causes like SHINE, an Atlanta-based nonprofit dedicated to uplifting women who have experienced domestic violence.

Rooted in gratitude for the city she now calls home, Buglioli continues to embrace Atlanta’s creative energy, tight-knit community, and the opportunities that have shaped both her career and her purpose. We sat down with Lauren to talk about the lessons that propelled her journey, the joy of bringing complex characters to life, and why giving back is at the heart of everything she does.

Can you share a pivotal moment in your career that really shaped your path?

I moved from London to New York at age 18 and screen tested for a contract role on a soap opera, and it went to another actress. I created a story around that experience of “almost having had made it” and subconsciously started telling myself that I’d failed somehow. While I’m sure that booking that role would have been an incredible experience, everything I’ve gone through since that audition has conditioned me to be fully in this moment and appreciate the privilege of getting to do what I love, with this phenomenal team that I adore and admire. It’s easy to look back and connect the dots, but I wish I could reassure my younger self that I’d one day be living my dream and that for the first time, I’d have a deep understanding of what it means to truly trust the timing of my life. I think part of my purpose is reassuring others that no matter how winding the road may be, we are right on time, and the roadblocks along the way truly give us a deeper appreciation for the opportunities that do work out. When I was younger, I didn’t understand the value of a slow burn and the vital knowledge you gain while working toward your dream.

What advice would you give your younger self just starting out in the industry?

I wish I could tell my younger self that seeing everything as preparation for the opportunities you can’t see yet and an unshakeable faith that everything is unfolding for your spiritual evolution are part of an invaluable mindset. There is a quote from the book A Course In Miracles that says, “those who are certain of the outcome can afford to wait and wait without anxiety”. I made that quote my guidepost when I moved to Atlanta, and it impacted my relationship to the entertainment industry drastically.

How did you prepare for the emotional depth and the messiness of Vanessa’s story?

I honestly think all the years of doing theatre and studying script analysis, character development, and various acting techniques created a grab bag of tools I draw on to bring her to life. The emotional depth and the messiness is the GIFT the writing team of Beyond The Gates have given our cast. I study the scripts and work with my coach to map out Vanessa’s arc and break down each scene, rehearse with my friend Mary-Katherine on Zoom, and then run scenes with my scene partners before filming. It truly has been a dream job because of how complex Vanessa is… and I love a “tricky” fictional lady!! I prefer to keep my real life as drama-free as possible!

Beyond the Gates films in Atlanta, What’s it like filming in Atlanta compared to other cities you’ve worked in?

I love Atlanta. I grew up moving around a lot, but we visited Atlanta for major holidays from the time I was born because my grandparents lived here. For that reason, it feels like home. I also love Atlanta as a city, and I love the community here. I am so grateful to be based and working here! I’ve lived here for seven years now, and while I love going back to visit New York and LA, Atlanta feels like home.

As an Atlanta-based actress, what do you love most about the city?

I love the friends I’ve made here, the restaurants, the trails, weekend trips to the mountains, and how easy it is to travel from Hartsfield-Jackson Airport!

How has Atlanta’s growing film scene influenced your opportunities and experiences on set?

It completely changed my life. I’ve had amazing experiences and opportunities here. New York, LA, and London all shaped my work ethic and who I am, but Atlanta has provided me with unprecedented opportunities thanks to my incredible team at Privilege Talent, DGRW, and Dan Green Management. This market has been very good to me, and I never take it for granted.

What’s your perfect day off in Atlanta look like (favorite things to do, restaurants. etc)?

My perfect day off in Atlanta would include grabbing a coffee and a long walk with my dogs, a pilates session at Kinfolk Pilates with owner Kemberly Deane, lunch on the Beltline with friends, a little shopping at Ponce City Market…a nap… and dinner with friends at Little Bear, before heading home to snuggle with my pups and watch an episode of my binge-worthy show of the moment.

Can you tell us more about the mission of SHINE and why it resonates with you?

I began volunteering with Shine this past Christmas. I was telling my incredible hairstylist on Beyond The Gates, Christy Miller, that I was looking for somewhere to volunteer on Christmas. She mentioned that her son, Scott Miller (also a hairstylist on Beyond the Gates), started an organization with his dear friend Lindiwe Famodou, called Shine, and they work with women who have experienced domestic violence. When she told me that they’d be volunteering in a shelter on Christmas Day, I asked if I could contribute by offering child care for the residents of the shelter. Their mission is “to bring joy and confidence to women’s lives through pampering. All year round, they connect with safe houses, women’s centers, and households throughout Metro Atlanta, gifting women with a day filled with beauty, self-care, and empowerment”. Witnessing the powerful work they do this last Christmas made it the most meaningful holiday I’ve had yet, and I look forward to continuing working with their organization, and low-key being their publicist to celebrate the incredible work they do. It has always been a dream to do what I love as an actor and have any kind of platform to celebrate and share the mission of organizations like Shine, and to champion phenomenal human beings like Scott, Lindiwe, and Christy.

How can others support or get involved with SHINE?

You can sign up to volunteer on their website at shineforme.org, where they also accept donations!

What does giving back mean to you personally, and how do you balance advocacy with your acting career?

I’m passionate about volunteering because I had a near-death experience after being admitted into the ICU with bilateral pneumonia. A volunteer with The Good Dog Foundation visited me with their therapy dog while I was hospitalized. The impact that experience had on my own recovery led me to get my first dog, Marilyn, and volunteer with The Good Dog Foundation for 10 years while I was living in New York. I always think about volunteering as a way to pay the impact that that volunteer (and their pup) had on me forward. They didn’t have to take the time out of their day to show up for me, but the fact that they did truly changed the course of my life and instilled a love of service in me. Volunteering also keeps me rooted in perspective. I have a Post-It in my office that says “I’m not in a hospital today” because it’s easy to forget what really matters when the stress of adulting creeps in. When my shooting schedule is demanding, I am able to volunteer during our time off, and thankfully, social media allows me the opportunity to continue to bring awareness to organizations that I believe in. For example, you can find me at lauren_buglioli on Instagram, where I share an aggressive amount of photos of my dogs as an excuse to tag Lifeline Animal Shelter here in Atlanta. While I like to believe I birthed my children (aka dogs), I did in fact adopt them from this amazing organization.