Michelle Randolph 'can’t believe' she is living her acting dream
Michelle Randolph is still in disbelief that she is living her dream of being an actress.
Michelle Randolph "can't believe" she can call herself an actress.
The star - who signed with Wilhelmina Models and starred in small films as a teenager, before she landed her big role as Elizabeth Strafford in the neo-western TV series 1923, in 2022, whilst still at Arizona State University - is proud that she is living her dream and does not want it to stop.
Michelle - who graduated from Arizona State University in 2023 - told InStyle: "Sometimes I still can’t believe I get to say I’m an actress. That it’s really full-time, I think that’s a big bucket list goal that I checked off. I hope I continue."
The Landman cast member loves her job and hopes "to do it forever", but Michelle, 28, understands the challenges of being an actress.
She continued: "Honestly, I always say this, but I have so many really incredibly talented friends who are in this business, and it’s incredibly competitive and difficult, and there are peaks and valleys."
Michelle added: "I’ve been in this industry for a long time, and I know how competitive it is and how lucky I am to have a job, but not only that, a job with such a huge audience that’s given me other opportunities. And there’s that part of you that’s like, OK, how do I make this last?"
With her dream of being an actress ticked off her bucket list, Michelle is now determined to ensure that her career success does not define her.
The star - who is nominated in the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series category for Landman at the 2026 Actors Awards - added: "So I think the biggest goal for me is to just not define myself based on my career success, which is hard to do when you care a lot."
Amid navigating fame, Michelle has learnt not to read things about her - but sometimes she is forced to.
The Resort actress explained: "It’s hard not to, because it’s so in our face, and everyone’s online. So you see things that you don’t necessarily want to, and then it puts you in a bad mood for the rest of the day or hurts your feelings. And it’s not smart to let that define you, because that’s not real."
Another thing Michelle has learnt about being famous is not having her love life play out in public.
It comes as her older sister, Cassie Randolph, 30, and her ex-boyfriend Colton Underwood, 33, struck up a romance on season 23 of The Bachelor, but later broke up, with the fallout from their split being all over the media.
Asked what she has learned from Cassie's experience, Michelle - who, according to multiple outlets, is rumoured to be "casually" dating 37-year-old actor Glen Powell - said: "That I don’t want to share what it is I’ve probably learned.
"It’s just…I don’t think anything good comes from that, because it’s your personal life. It should be personal and reserved for yourself and those who are close to you. So, ironically, I think I’ve learned that I want to keep it private."
In the interview, Michelle was not interested in talking about her speculated romance with The Running Man star - whom she was spotted with at a bar in Austin, Texas, looking cosy, in November 2025.
Speaking about her personal and professional lives, Michelle - who, in a TikTok video, was seen dancing with Glen, who had his arms wrapped around her waist - said: "I think, for peace of mind, those are really important for me to keep separate.
"How people perceive you publicly is not who you are."
