Confessions of a Much Too Serious Actress; Part 1

I have something to confess. I'm just confessing. I'm not enacting, or decreeing. This is what I have to confess; co-star auditions scare the crap out of me.

Hold on! I'm not saying that I don't want any co-star auditions. I'm just being honest about how they make me feel.

That's part of what these blogs are for, confessing.

Going in for a lead in a film or a guest lead on an episodic is fun to me. I actually get to create someone, there is more of an arch. It's more about the acting.

However, having to go in and read for a two line part of a techie guy/girl, a reporter, a lab rat, a receptionist..?

They're so vague and general to me, especially when there are two of each actor type sitting there in the waiting room competing for the same part!

Oh Look! There's two Caucasian females, two Asian females, two Hispanic females. And look over there! There's two Caucasian males, two Asian males, and two Hispanic males, all up for the same part. Why?

It's not that I can't do it, or that anyone in that room couldn't do it, it's just that I find myself thinking that no matter how well anyone does in that audition, it's really all about type. It's like winning the lottery.

But here's the real rub, I feel like if I can't even book a two-line part on an episodic, every time, what business do I have being an actor? Hard on myself much?!

And those one or two line parts are usually there to pass along information, which means the dialogue hardly rolls off the tongue like honey off a Pooh Bear.

An elderly actress once told me years ago, "There's no such thing as small parts, only small actors!"

Then she giggled, cackled really, as if she had just tickled herself silly inside and out. I think my response was looking at her weirdly, and then looking away.

Maybe I'm being much too serious? Maybe I should just be myself in those moments? Maybe I should just go in, say the lines, and leave.

If I happen to collect a pay check from it, then great. It's like winning the lottery, right? It's not about you, just the luck of the draw. And an opportunity is an opportunity, right?

I'll try to keep my disagreeable thespian behind the curtain...for now.

(photo courtesy of punchstock.com)

Yours Truly -- Ann Hu

Comments

[Kali Kirk]

I am totally the same way! You are so right about it being like the lottery.

[Kali Kirk]

I am totally the same way! You are so right about it being like the lottery.

[Lonnie Hughes]

Your point is well taken and well respected....those are the times I go in and be all of myself cause I know I can't figure it out and yet still sometimes I walk out beating myself up...so I usually go to the gym or a run right afterwards just to remind me there's more in life than a co-star...I try to go somewhere with a view to clear my head!

[Rodney Siau]

You know the best part about Basie tunes? The one note he plays.

[Justine]

Yeah, some say those type of auditions can be the hardest because there's a tendency for actors to want to do *too* much. But they're usually there to serve the character who has a larger role, so it's best not to do overdo. Just to keep it real.