“I’m a booker, I book all the time”
This working actress is where most actors would like to be - she is a full time actress. No part-time gigs. She is lucky and talented enough to be one of the few as she puts it "that gets to play dress up all day."
She's no stranger to hustling in Hollywood. In fact you've probably seen her in films and on TV and you'd probably recognize her face and her voice. You may be wondering "Who is she?", but that question isn't really important, because this person has given us more then just a name, they've given us a sneak peak into the real world of auditions, casting directors, studio executives, agents, managers and the life of a Hollywood actress.
1. You grew up in L.A and have mentioned in other interviews that you always knew that you would end up in this industry. What was it that first drew you to acting?
I've always loved entertaining. I was the kid who did all the plays and musicals. I'll admit I was a bit of a ham, and I guess as I got older I knew that I wanted to work in the entertainment industry in some capacity. I wasn't so sure that that was acting at the onset, but I knew that I loved the creative process and the family element of working on a show. I've always gravitated to that team element -- which is of course, the end result, but ironically the process of auditioning could not be more isolating.
2. You’ve talked about how important it was to have great representation, when you were first starting out, how did you get someone great to sign you with a limited resume.
I was fortunate in that I was "discovered" in a sense. A manager saw me and asked if I was an actress and wanted representation. I was in the right place at the right time, and though I am no longer with that manager, he 100% jumpstarted my career. But let me be clear in saying that "great representation" does not mean the biggest name or the fanciest office space. If they are working for you, and you matter to them -- if they send you out often, and believe in you....THAT is great representation. It would be silly to be with a name brand company if they are shelving you. Trust me, I've been there often. It's a waste of time.
3. When you first started out, how did you go about hustling to get jobs in Hollywood?
"Hustle" to me means not giving up, and somehow making it work. You don't have gas in your car, so you borrow a friend's car or take the bus. That's hustle. You don't have money for headshots, but you need new ones so you get a little side job or baby-sit, or do a work-study with a photographer. That is hustle. It's not necessarily about networking or going to countless seminars. It's about taking the opportunities in front of you and going for it.
4. How many years did you hustle before becoming a full-time working actress?
I've been acting for six years, and it's only in the past three that I have been able to make a full living as an actress without any side job. It is a combination of luck, tenacity, talent, and hustle.
5. In the last year, you have adopted the mantra “I’m a booker, I book all the time”, has this new positive view assisted you in booking?
Yes. Your attitude in the room and approaching the audition matters. When you're working a lot and don't need a job, you book it. Because you walk in that room exuding that you're above it, or that you don't care. Desperation is unattractive in any world -- but certainly in the entertainment industry. So I think the trick is to be somehow exude this sense of confidence and certainty that they will not get anyone better than you.....even when you have $5 in the bank, are PMSing, and have a breakout all over your face. It doesn't matter. What books the job is what you exude from within.
6. Recently, I interviewed an agent for the blog, who told me that if you are not 18 -24 years old, hot and gorgeous, he probably won’t put you on is roster. How important are looks in Hollywood? Do you ever feel pressure
to sustain a certain look or weight?
Well that agent is stupid. You can tell them I said so. Yes, there is a niche for the hottie. There always will be. But there always needs to be the "best friend," and you'll find that the people who have longevity in their careers are not the sexpots, but the girls who are relatably pretty. The ones that you want to be friends with. And if you watch TV now specifically, actresses are not pin thin, nor are they drop dead gorgeous. They are pretty, talented women who have stuck with it. Of course there is pressure to stay looking fresh and good. So buy some eye cream. You are going to book work because of your essence. And someone -- some agent --
will get it.
7. Have you ever been put in a situation where you felt that you rather
lose out on a part then compromise your beliefs/morals?
No, because I haven't put myself in that situation. If you don't feel comfortable with something about a project then you should pass. Don't go to the audition, don't waste anyone's time. Trust your gut and pass. There will be more.
8. How much of making it as an actress is luck or training?
Probably 50/50. You have to be able to act. You don't have to be the best, but you have to be able to utter a sentence with some believability. The rest is luck. Timing. Being what the writers imagined when they conceived the role. And that moment could happen five months into your career or five years into it. January Jones is a great example. She's a good actress. She had been hustling for years in this industry, booking bit parts and being best known for having dated Ashton Kutcher. Then "Mad Men" came along and she was just perfect for it. Not because she was the best actress in the world, but because she is Betty Draper through and through. I bet she walked in the door and they knew it was her role.
9. What types of networking do you do in order to keep top of mind of casting directors, producers etc.?
I don't do much networking. I have to go to premieres and industry events, and of course you see some of those people when you're out, but I have built my relationships in castings. I see the same CDs or test for the same producers. It's a process that takes time, but then it's so familiar that they become the people you hug and ask about their kids. They become your facebook friends. It's just the natural course of things because they are real people, and there's no reason to be intimidated by any of them.
10. You’ve been in the industry for a while, can you tell me about any common mistakes that you see actors do during auditions or on set?
Biggest mistakes: not focusing, not knowing your material, getting too nervous, not being able to take direction, being in your head, comparing yourself to others, and needing it too much. You can want this like crazy, but you can't need this like crazy.
11. What type of advice do you have for people starting out in this industry that want to make their mark?
Evaluate if this is what you really want, because it is not all glitz and glam. It is perhaps one of the most emotionally challenging jobs out there. You need to be prepared for rejection....almost every single day, and not having a lot of money... for a long time. You have to be prepared for having your scenes cut, for crying, for wondering when it will break, and you have to be prepared for failure. Because there is no guarantee that it will work. I've said it before -- don't give it five minutes if you're not gonna give it five years. It is a full commitment, and it is do-able, but you have to be prepared to fight the good fight...and of course, to hustle.
12. Where can someone go if they want to find out more about “The Working Actress”?
http://theworkingactress.blogspot.com/
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