I’ve always found Instagram to be the perfect sandbox for my niche ideas. Two ideas that reached viral success were my novelty Instagrams, @ILookLikeLauraDern1 and @CreepyAmericanGirls.

@ILookLikeLauraDern1

I used to get told I looked like Laura Dern a lot, like, a LOT. When Jurassic World came out, and Jurassic Park was playing nonstop on syndicated TV, I had strangers approaching me at bars, on the subway, on the street, truly everywhere, telling me how much I looked like her. I created the Instagram account as a goofy side project. I’d cosplay her roles in shows and movies, and recreate my favorite photoshoots as low-budget as humanly possible. Prior to Laura Dern’s resurgence into the mainstream, my account had a cult following that consisted of a fun intersection of my comedy fans and her fans. But after her Emmy win, my account took off, gaining me national attention and getting my work featured in the New Yorker, The Chicago Tribune, Entertainment Weekly, The Daily Mail and more, and earning follows from celebs like Jennette McCurdy and Blake Lively.

@CreepyAmericanGirls

During Quarantine, I wanted to get better at sewing, but fabric is expensive now. So, I busted out my old creepy American Girl dolls and started sewing clothes for them. I recreated scenes from my favorite movies and shows and set up another novelty Instagram, getting shared by writers, directors, and actors, notably from Showtime’s Yellow Jackets.