From Actress to Pickleball: Carol Ann DeMarco’s Comeback Story
“Aged out.” “Put out to pasture.” “Been there and done that.”
Once upon a time, with stars in my eyes and dreams of a grand Broadway debut, I was your young, textbook, struggling actress – fluent in waiting tables, while auditioning and working temp jobs where “acting experience” meant mastering the art of looking busy enough to convince everyone, “Yes, you really do need me an extra week.”
A scene from Carol Ann’s TV pilot
My star, however, was rising – until life called a timeout for a couple of adorable kids. After my stretch as the dutiful and loving wife and mom, which had many rewards, I faced a long, winding detour through divorce court — which was decidedly less gratifying — and found myself at an impasse. I discovered a burning desire to prove that middle age wasn’t the end of the show … even though I had no idea what the heck was actually in store. So, I packed a few boxes, left my Virginia home of 20 years, and secured an apartment in the Big Apple.
From Broadway Dreams to Cape May
A few years in the bustling city gave me a jolt of life. I found myself taking improv classes with twenty-somethings. That taught me two things: one, my “what’s happening?” face was award-worthy, and two, half the time I was trying to keep up with references that apparently were ancient history. But I secured an agent, a manager and I actually booked some notable work, including every actor’s rite of passage: Law and Order: SVU. I mean who doesn’t want to chit chat with Ice T during breaks? The struggle, the wins – they created a buzz for life in my fifties! I was firing on all cylinders.
Then COVID hit. The industry basically ground to a halt, jobs disappeared overnight, and everyone became isolated. I quickly realized this wasn’t going to be a two-week pause – I had no idea what to do next. By Fall 2020, I gave up the lease on my apartment to wait things out in my seasonal home in Cape May, NJ.
Discovering Pickleball During the Pandemic
In 2021, little did I know, a chance introduction to a woman with a backyard pickleball court would ignite a new passion – one that somehow perfectly mixed my love for acting with a surprisingly addictive sport.
On my first lesson, I met 3 ladies – all newly retired, beginner players. Our unofficial motto quickly became, “Just one more game.” We often forgot who served last after a long rally, and the scoring felt way more complicated than high school algebra. But boy did we laugh! And though I had never been the most athletic — on the pickleball court I played like Andre Agassi (if he was hitting backhand shots with a walker and no sense of direction!) But I was fired up to learn, to be competitive and the most rewarding prize was I found a pickleball community that cheered me on and supported everyone on and off the court.
From Court to Camera: Pickleball is Life
The poster for DeMarco’s pilot, Pickleball is Life: Dill With It!
With the industry at a standstill, artists were always counseled to create their “own work,” inspired by something personal from the heart.
Thus, began a two-year project where I played pickleball by day and filled my nights writing draft after draft, researching how to produce a TV pilot and assembling a team. I booked a crew from New York City to spend four days shooting in Cape May. Word of mouth about the project grew, and as established and respected actors read the script, they were eager to be part of this pilot. That is how indie darling Cathy Curtin (Stranger Things, Orange is the New Black), Sharon Lawrence (NYPD Blue, Joe Pickett), David Lansbury (Oz), Johanna Day (two-time Tony nominee, Madam Secretary), and Tonya Pickens (Gotham) all came on board to star in the comedic mockumentary Pickleball is Life: DILL with it! For me to star alongside such talent was an incredible experience!
Cape May businesses happily donated their locations for shooting. The entire Jersey Shore pickleball community eagerly came out as extras and volunteered as the best production assistants Hollywood had ever seen! It truly took an entire village to produce this pickleball pilot, which went on to win numerous awards throughout film festivals in the US, England and France.
I didn’t know a single soul when I first moved to Cape May in the fall of 2020 and by spring of 2024, over 250 pickleball players attended the premiere of Pickleball is Life: DILL with it!
Pickleball as a New Beginning
“Aged out.” “Put out to pasture.” “Been there and done that.”
A photo of Carol Ann DeMarco
Nah- I’d rather grab my paddle and join this remarkable pickleball community, where the game is just beginning. Together we support each other, run fundraisers for Breast Cancer Warriors, collect shoes for kids, hold food drives for our neighbors – all side by side both on and off the court.
Who knows – one day, you may flip on the TV and spot me in a brand new pickleball series.
“Just Getting Started.” “At the Top of my Game.” “Breaking New Ground.”
Those are my new mottos! And of course, Zero, Zero Start!
Actor/Filmmaker/Baker and Pickleball Bad Ass
If you’d like to follow along on Carol Ann’s journey, you can follow her on Instagram.