debor009

I'm one of those actors who never sees much benefit from audition classes....probably because I've never understood the phrase "make bold choices."  Like what the heck is that? But watching top-level actors auditioning for roles they got (or maybe didn't get) is gold free for the mining.  I've figured out more about auditioning from that than anything else. YouTube has a lot of audition tapes and other tapes can be found at various sites online. Below is Steve Carell auditioning for The Office, and here's a link to more.

I don't often just repost an email, but David Patrick Green  of HackHollywood.com , has a particularly wise piece of advice this week that I'd like to share. For actors, dealing with career anxiety comes with the territory ( Here is a very funny spin on that at Buzzfeed ).  We are frequently told to keep ready headshots, business cards, a change of clothes, etc. and to be prepared to jump on a set at a moment's notice. When we don't, this is typical: One anxious actor wrote to Green that he'd "made a mistake last night. A personal manager of one of the biggest A-listers asked if I had a headshot and resume on me so he could have it for possible future opportunities. I did not have one on me!!! I usually do, but I did not last night. Mistake, yes. Career ending mistake, no, but possible missed opportunity." Here's how Green responded: "I actually think the fact you didn't have your headshot on you is a good thing. First, anything is good if yo...

Taped the Season 1 finale of CapSouth , the web series about the antics of Congressional staff, i.e. those who really run Washington. Since yours truly plays their nemesis,  Congresswoman Gracie Todd Englewright , and we taped in a popular DC pub, it required me to essentially be "in-character" through the four hours it took to shoot my scenes. Whew!  Pretty tiring. The series has a fine cast though and it was a lot of fun. As I tweeted earlier today, I'm an introvert and a non-drinker (well, a rare drinker) and the scene involved me giving a nearly 5 minute speech to a big crowd in the pub announcing my intention to run for re-election - oh, and it had to be funny. I was feeling a little pressure. Here I am with the principal cast. (L to R) R. Michael Oliver, Kathryn Browning, Andrew Heaton, and Naomi Brockwell