Danielle Hartman
From Designing Campaigns to Starring in Them: Meet the Talented Danielle Hartman
If there’s one thing you should know about Danielle Hartman, it’s that she is not one to be pigeonholed. While you may recognize the Pennsylvania local from advertising campaigns and magazine covers (including FLL’s 10th anniversary issue!), there is a lot more to her than meets the eye. In fact, when asked how she entered the world of entertainment, she was refreshingly hesitant to consider herself a part of it—despite more than a decade of success.
“I never set out to act or to be an actress,” she shared. “My background is actually in graphic design. That’s what I went to school for and what my degree is in. I also have a digital photography certificate from Pennsylvania College of Art & Design. By day, I’m a senior production artist for Godiva Chocolatier. I got into modeling a little over 10 years ago, but just local things. Every photoshoot turned into another and another. I'm not even sure when the switch happened.”
Eventually, however, it did. Modeling jobs became promotional videos, which in turn, became commercials. The ball was officially rolling. Since then, Danielle has shown no signs of slowing down. In addition to her position at one of the world’s largest gourmet chocolatiers, Danielle continues to juggle a list of ongoing projects.
“I don’t really know how I balance it all,” she mused. “I run around like crazy between my full-time job, side jobs, and social life, but I can't sit at home on the couch. There’s plenty of time for that later in life. I want to go out and do and see as much as I can, while I can. As Bette Davis said, ‘I want to die with my high heels on, still in action’.”
And action is exactly what her career has seen. In the past, Danielle has appeared in Dispatches From Elsewhere on AMC, been a stand-in on Servant (one of the first television shows for Apple+), and worked on Kate Winslet's newest HBO drama series, Mare of Easttown.
As the host of “Poured in PA,'' a local series available on YouTube, Danielle helps to provide viewers with an inside look at Pennsylvania’s craft beer community. The series—which is a spinoff of the Emmy-nominated documentary “Poured in Pennsylvania”—highlights the people, places, and innovations shaping Pennsylvania’s beer industry. From learning how breweries pivoted their business models during the pandemic, to sipping beers in a once-was church, Danielle introduces it all.
“I love beer, and I'm a total beer nerd,” she confessed. “The first thing I do when I travel anywhere is scope out local breweries. I was extremely nervous when auditioning because I assumed they would probably want to go with a male host, but it turns out they didn’t! They purposefully chose to go with a female [host], which was really exciting.”
So what’s next for this local go-getter? Well, it sounds like a lot. Next year, Danielle is looking forward to the release of her first full length feature, After Sophia, which was filmed under strict COVID-19 guidelines with an entirely local cast. Although she couldn’t reveal too much about the project, she did say that in the film—which follows a burnt-out novelist on the brink of suicide—she plays a stern, all-business publishing agent. She’s also working on a few other projects, including a web series called Kill the Messenger and a comedy sketch show called Gold Old Fashioned Comedy, which begins production in Lancaster in June 2021.
When speaking to Danielle about her exciting (and certainly busy!) schedule, we couldn’t help but ask if she had any advice for Lancastrians who may be interested in branching out beyond their traditional careers. As someone who seems ready to take on the world, we weren’t surprised much by her answer.
“Do it! What's stopping you? If you have the energy and the drive, there are endless opportunities all around,” she said. “You just have to be willing to look for them. I have been eligible for my SAG/AFRA card a few times, but right now, I just don’t want it. I love being able to do smaller roles for local films and TV shows. They're more fun, more sincere, and in my opinion, more fulfilling to be a part of. People in this area are so supportive of each other. So my advice is definitely to network and put yourself out there.”
To keep up with Danielle, be sure to check out her website daniellehartman.com, follow her on Instagram, and—of course—tune into “Poured in PA.” We're excited to see what she'll be up to next!
By Sam Maracic
