Biography
Cindy Copeland is born and raised in Los Angeles County in the city of Pico Rivera, the same city mentioned by Tom Cruise in the Movie Collateral. As a child Cindy loved to entertain the neighbors with her own productions of Shirley Temple and westerns like Calamity Jane. She once mentioned that the TV show Mr. Ed was an inspiration as a child because as a horse lover if she could act she could be on film with Mr. Ed. As she grew, she was in the school choir and eventually starred in the high school production of "You're a Good Man Charley Brown" as Lucy. The Drama Teacher at the time was Squire Friddel, an actor of stage and film himself, playing the Toyota spokesman in the TV commercial in the 70's for several years. After, high school, Cindy pursued her acting under the encouragement of Squire. At first she studied Panotomime under Richmond Shepard, a graduate of Marcel Marceau the French actor and most famous mime. Over a period of 2 years, Cindy performed professionally with Richmond Shepards Professional Mime Troupe performing as a supporting mime to Richmond in The Big Top at the Mark Taper Forum. During her days with Richmond a couple of actors and comedians joined the class. Bill Kirchenbauer, who eventfully went on to perform his comedy on the Johnny Carson show and had a TV series entitled Just the Ten of Us. Also, Cindy became friends with Walter Olkewicz an actor of film and stage, even performing with his comedy troupe at The Comedy Store in Los Angeles. Walter continued his career in film and TV as a guest star in several popular shows like Seinfeld, Cheers, Love Boat,even having his own series with Jeff Conaway, Wizards and Warriors. Cindy decided that film, TV and stage was more a desire than mime, so she began her studies at the Van Mar Academy under Ivan Markota. Ivan enjoyed having Cindy in class as she brought her comedy as well as her dramatic abilities to his class, He encouraged her to pursue and get and agent, even admonishing her that she was good enough in his opinion the have her own comedy show like Carol Burnette. Thrilled, Cindy started on her journey. However, a change of circumstances changed her direction at an early age of 23, when she joined the US Army. From there she traveled to Germany to work as a Power Generator Mechanic at the Hoechst Signal Battalion. Before long, Cindy met and fell in love with Bill Copeland, a SP5 specialist in top secret communications. Within 6 months the 2 were married by a German Official and months later the 2 were back in the US with an infant. Though Cindy did not pursue her acting career during her marriage to Bill and while raising her child, Cindy helped her husband through college by writing a play inspired by true events landing Bill and A in his class. She has written several poems of her own life experiences as well as poem for friends and family. One poem was written for a dear friend at a dinner party of 10 special Christian friends, bringing tears to their eyes. One of her good friends passed, and the officiant of the service asked if he could read her poem at the funeral for all as her dear friend felt it was what most depicted the life and beauty of their lost friend. Cindy has touched the lives of her friends through the years, even helping homeless individuals have a place to stay for the night to keep warm and fed. Eventually, Cindy and Bill divorced as their daughter turned 18, back in 1998. In 2002, Cindy decided to move to Atlanta where her sister, Vicki Van Der Hoek a mentor to her friend Leon, who since he was 6 she has mentored and helped to become a black pilot. He is 21 desiring to be a pilot for Delta. Once in Atlanta, Cindy worked for a flooring store as a sales representative, finding a love in installing floors and tile herself. Cindy has always been creative and is definitely hands on and the son her father never had. Cindy can move walls, build small buildings with running water and electricity, remodels and designs, owns a tool belt and lots of tools. Handing with a circular saw,miter saw, tile saw, etc. She has redone bathrooms for friends from to top bottom involving her friends in their own projects to help build confidence and a sense of pride within them. She amazes most men when they see her accomplishments in such a creative and unbelievable work. Cindy, under the influence of her sister Vicki, started to invest in rental property for her eventual retirement. Cindy has acquired several properties now, and had decided it was time to pursue her dream. Little did she know, that Atlanta has become one of the film and TV capitols of the US and it's still growing. What a place to be here in Atlanta. Back in 2015 Cindy pursued a friendship with Bob Harter, an actor, mentor, instructor in comedy and drama, as she had learned, that back in the 70's Bob studied with Ivan Markota at the Van Mar Academy in LA, a few years after she joined the Army. She didn't know him then, but she realized it could be a good connection if she could just meet him. And she did. Bob opened up The Theater in the Square,of Marietta, which had been closed nearly 4 years, and posted on Facebook he needed volunteers to assist in cleaning up the theater. Though I had taken some classes in acting prior, she was discouraged in her desire to act and thought maybe this connection with Bob could encourage her. And it did. Bob had an open house, and Cindy met Tony Smithey, an incredible stage actor and costume and set designer who hired Cindy on the spot for a play he was doing in the newly opened theater, BIrdcage. Cindy played the birth mother, a drag Queen, Carmen and the Irish maid to the Senator and his wife. After this play, Tony Cast Cindy Belle and Spirit of Christmas Past as Belle, which she was honored and created an underlying theme as the Spirit of Xmas past as the instigator to the big spirit in the sky, to brings these spirits to Scrooge believing in his heart and he would change. Her most loved role so far in a Tony Smithey play was Ouiser Beadreaux in Steel Magnolias. This play was a hit at the Vineyard Cafe dinner theater in Marietta, and at the Canton Theater in Canton. Cindy loves stage and working and perfecting her craft and love of acting. She studies under Michael Cole, Atlanta working actor taking his On Camera Audition Class. Cindy is now studying under David Cox, Meisner acting coach, in McDonough, Georgia. David Cox and Mark Holliway, actor and producer, is also owners of Rising Star Film Studios. She is thrilled to have met these 2 individuals, where she did so as a member of the GPP Georgia Production Partnership, at a Mixer this past summer. Cindy has landed a role as a victims mother, in Your Worst Nightmare produced and cast through Jessica-Fox Thigpens production company Crazy Legs Production. She was also cast as a News Reporter in a TV pilot being shot in 2017 entitled Sindustry. After 3way Studios saw her taping, they offered her the part which she readily accepted. Cindy is busy auditioning and networking. Life is good.
