“Mustering up enough self-esteem to say, ‘I want to be an actor,’ was a big turning point.” Julia Roberts [Parade mag. Nov 9 2008] Many creative people report feeling incompetent, inadequate and having low self esteem or self-regard at times. But there are ways to shift those feelings. A number of film actors report they [...]
Amber Riley is one of the dynamic actor-singers on the musical/comedy series Glee. She recalls her rejection from American Idol: “My life was crushed when they told me ‘No.’ But I was 17, it was a long time ago and rejection like that only makes you stronger, gets you asking — how can I better [...]
Emma Watson Acting in the final two “Potter” movies, and thinking about choosing college (maybe Columbia University), Emma Watson recently talked about criticism of her work as Hermione, and modulating her perfectionism. “I will look back on this part of my life and I know it will be special, but it used to be that [...]
Ellen Page and Diablo Cody on taking risks Ellen Page, to “Juno” screenwriter Diablo Cody: You have to take risks and go against conventional wisdom and structure. What was that like. Diablo Cody: I guess I didn’t see the point of adding another conventional story to the pile; there are so many. I guess I [...]
“It’s all been a big sham.” “Sometimes I wake up in the morning before going off to a shoot, and I think, I can’t do this; I’m a fraud. They’re going to fire me — all these things. I’m fat; I’m ugly…” Those admissions by Kate Winslet [Interview mag. Nov 2000] were made after her [...]
Being told who you are “You can’t be yourself because you’re always being judged.” That is a line from “Ellie Parker” about an actress trying to get a start in Los Angeles, played by Naomi Watts, who also produced the film. That sort of uncertainty of identity and insecurity affects many artists on the way [...]
Nervous excitement “With any film and even theater, you never get over being scared and overwhelmed, because it’s a new character and that brings on a whole new set of circumstances.” Alison Lohman is talking about one form of anxiety that actors experience, and may try to avoid or stifle. But there can be value [...]
Jenna Gavigan’s role in the William Inge play “Come Back, Little Sheba” is the “vixen” Marie. Gavigan is on academic leave from Columbia University to pursue acting. A recent newspaper interview [Shedding the wings, by Amy Kaufman, Los Angeles Times, July 9, 2007; photo: Myung J. Chun] notes that “she wants to major in something [...]
Holly Hunter says about developing her talent as an actor, that she was “trying to get as much experience as I could. But very early on, I was always extremely particular. From the beginning, I was never desperate. “I did other things for money; you know, the normal, boring stuff – I temped, I did [...]
Elisabeth Shue is working on her ambition to play tennis professionally. “I like the road toward excellence. I like that it requires work. Everyday work. And it’s fulfilling to reach a goal of being as good as you can possibly be. And to push yourself.” Shue’s husband, Oscar-winning documentarian Davis Guggenheim (”An Inconvenient Truth”), directed [...]
Especially in such an ageist arena as entertainment, it is refreshing to hear some positive views on accepting, even embracing, our inevitable aging. Felicity Huffman thoughtfully expresses her perspectives on aging as an actor. [She stars in "Desperate Housewives" and the new film "Georgia Rule" (source of the photo) with Jane Fonda and Lindsay Lohan.] [...]
Rex Lee plays assistant Lloyd to a “rabid boss” – agent Ari Gold (Jeremy Piven) on HBO’s hit series “Entourage.” In an article on Lee [Memoirs of a Gaysian, by Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times April 12, 2007] the author notes “Lloyd has become something of a pop icon — thanks in large part to [...]
Melora Hardin [Jan Levinson in NBC's "The Office"] is also a musician, and in our interview several years ago, she talked about how actors and artists – especially women – are responded to and labeled. “I have never ever felt when I walked into a room as a brunette that anybody was testing my intelligence. [...]
Jenna Fischer [Blades of Glory; The Office] went to college as a pre-law history student, but in her junior year switched to a theater major. Since “there wasn’t a film/TV department at Truman State, Fischer and a few other students got a camcorder and started writing and editing shows that they would then present on [...]
Although being in a career that involves more attention than most, actor Melanie Lynskey admits she doesn’t like it, and has always been shy. “I hate when people look at me! I hate having my picture taken. I don’t like being the center of attention. It makes me anxious. I think a lot of actors [...]
When I was substitute teaching in New York City public school…I kept getting offered full-time teaching jobs, and I kept going, wow, I could leave this acting thing and have benefits and a regular income, and (laugh) make a difference in the world, and feel good about my work. And not have to worry about [...]
Renée Zellweger on the protection of a character Speaking of her role in the new film “Miss Potter” as Beatrix Potter (1866–1943), the English author and illustrator of the Peter Rabbit books, Renée Zellweger [right] commented, “I’m not a performer. I don’t want to hop up on a stage and go ‘Look at me! I’m [...]
I had to sort of figure it out for myself Ellen Pompeo was four when her mother died, at age 33. A new article says “her five older siblings were dissolved in grief; her father.. was wracked by a sorrow he was unable to articulate.” It was “a very, very vivid, painful memory,” Pompeo says. [...]
“Actors are rogues and vagabonds. Or they ought to be. I can’t stand it when they behave like solicitors from Penge. … I’m a would-be rebel. The good girl who’d like to be a bad one.” Helen Mirren [imdb.com, unknown date] But being “bad” [at least in a good way, not self- or socially-destructive] can [...]
[Q: I really want to be a singer/actress, but how do u get started?] Hayden Panettiere: First, I would make sure that you really love it because it makes you happy and not because you love what you think you might get from it. It is hard work, but if you set your mind to [...]
Evan Rachel Wood Evan Rachel Wood [“Running with Scissors”] recalls getting beat up in elementary school for being an actor. “I think it was because my SAG card fell out of my bag, and [the kids] asked what it was and I explained to them, and no more than ten minutes later I was getting [...]
Weeding out the weak? In a Backstage article [Crossing the Line by Nicole Kristal] acting coach Carolyne Barry comments, “I think that there are a lot of teachers out there who are on power trips and ego trips and truly believe that by demeaning people they can make [actors] work harder. Well, that will work [...]
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