Georgakopoulos embraces calling as Medieval Ashley

For a while, Ashley Georgakopoulos saw acting as nothing more than a hobby. The native East Tennessean initially took a far more practical approach to her career aspirations. After getting her degree in nutrition science from the University of Tennessee, she would have her own business as a lactation consultant where she found comfort and stability. But something was still missing; something she wouldn’t recognize until the 2019 Tennessee Medieval Fair in Harriman, Tennessee, where she landed a role playing Lady Marian in a stage production of “Robin Hood.”

Georgakopoulos says “I honestly don’t know that there would’ve been other stepping stones that would lead to me taking the plunge as a content creator in this specific way. That really kickstarted the ‘permission,’ if you will, to dig deeper and play around more with ideas in this niche.”

She continued to hone her skills at acting with more roles and opportunities at local fairs and other productions until Covid would indefinitely shut down live performances. Like most in the acting and theater space, Georgakopoulos had to think quickly on her feet for ways to keep the dream alive. Virtual spaces, like TikTok, quickly became a safe haven for her to begin posting monologues and eventually full wardrobe reveals to go along with her characters.

Now known as @medievalashley, she’s learned to embrace that new calling and all the ups and downs that come with it. Though, she says fantasy as a genre is on the rise in 2024, which isn’t all that surprising. When reality gets overbearing, it’s common for people to pursue escapism in the worlds and characters created here.

Georgakopoulos says “It’s important to reflect on the ‘why.’ For me, it’s community, it scratches the creative and acting itch, and the platform provides a lightness to the mundane.”

She’s also helping others get into the genre as well. When she’s not playing one of her original characters like Estrid the Armorer or Eleanor, Baroness of Gloucester, at a live show she can be found giving tips and tricks for wardrobe updates. There’s an endearing mix of entertainment, education and just general advice that comes with her characters.

Though, living in a fantasy world does come with its hardships. Georgakopoulos has a lot to juggle between a busy home and work schedule. By day, she may act as a bridge between fantasy and reality, but sometimes those characters break when she’s taking her daughter to cheerleading practice or supporting her husband who works in the restaurant business. To top it off, she also owns and maintains a hobby farm where she cultivates a love for food and nutrition. Clearly, she’s got a lot on her plate.

Georgakopoulos says “Consistency and time have been, and still are, a huge challenge. It’s important for me to stay grounded and live life not 100% glued to my phone or computer.”

Putting yourself, and especially putting your imagination on display can also bring its fair share of critics. Especially in the digital age, it’s easy for some to point at flaws with no remorse or repercussion. Thankfully, the “block” button has helped silence those voices a little.

Georgakopoulos says “You learn, hopefully, right away that comparisons will drive it into the ground. I could be a much larger platform; I know this, but the most successful ones tend to be those that can share the burden with a partner, or they’re young and this is their predominant responsibility. I have to remind myself that almost daily, and be grateful that I have beautiful reasons to not be glued to my phone.”

For now, her career goals seem to be lending themselves to the flexibility she’s displayed throughout the journey. She’s constantly re-working her content to make it the best it can be, while simultaneously looking at new ways to promote the events she loves. Recently, she’s been using her platform to promote the events she participates in as well as being a resource for those wishing to attend. Her journey has had a number of twists and turns, though the thesis of it all seems to tie back to a favorite quote of hers from Jennifer Dukes Lee. “In a world where you can be anything, be kind.”