Smack Talk

People have been talking smack. I had a very interesting conversation with someone I had just met the other day, and she said something to the effect of,

"I really want to be on Broadway, but its too risky. Nothing is guaranteed, I know people who have been auditioning every single day for a year and haven't booked anything. Its impossible to be an actor and support yourself."

I found myself getting upset at this girl, who was admittedly uneducated and inexperienced in the creative arts, making bold negative statements against my career. Who is this person and why are they an authority on the matter? Because she decided against this path for herself, why does she have to take a stinking dump on it for everyone else? We started politely arguing.

Being an actor is not about being on Broadway, its about fulfilling a deep need....to be an actor. To create every single day. To connect to the larger human condition by being completely vulnerable.

Yes, this career is financially risky at its onset. You may work infrequently, and for small sums of money; but you learn to bridge those gaps with jobs you care less about because you get so much happiness from your art. Professionals understand the sacrifices and prioritizing necessary. You learn to appreciate all aspects of the journey as part of your career path.

Being an actor is not the same as being a doctor, or lawyer, or dental hygienist. It requires street smarts and creative and emotional heart, and fortitude as a person in the face of endless rejection. Your career is not protected by tenure and it is not guaranteed that you will get a job at the end of your schooling.

Why do we do it? Because we are crazy in love.

If you are willing to make big choices, have a positive attitude, be persistent, and have the skills to back it all up; it is entirely possible and plausible that you will live a comfortable life as an actor.

I can't stand it when people talk smack about acting; its like you are talking smack about my boyfriend.