This summer has been amazing. And I’m just taking it all in.

I recently booked a lead role on a new web series and let me tell you, these talented folks also happen to be amazing people. A director who really cares about the authenticity of a scene, who lets the actors play, and a cast and crew who truly collaborate – I can only say that I’m still riding the high of it all.

I’m playing a very high-maintenance type but she’s protective of her family and does what she thinks is best for them. I can completely identify with being protective of my family, and bringing myself into a role (that is quite different from who I am) is part of what I enjoy about acting.  And when you’re around people who subscribe to that as well, it truly makes life all the more enjoyable.

This little reminder also came about in a commercial acting class that I’m taking: just be yourself. That type of vulnerability is what matters the most because it’s the most real thing we can contribute as actors in an imaginary world. That authenticity is what brings people in.

Despite this knowledge, I wasn’t always aware of this. For a long time I didn’t really think commercials could be my thing because I’m a very serious person and being bubbly just isn’t me. But I don’t have to be bubbly. I have to be real. With the tools from this class teaching me that being myself (and allowing myself to smile in the process) is the key to making the copy work, then of course I can do it!

It’s easy to forget that you can just drop the walls – that dropping the barrier is what actually helps you and draws the right people into your life, creates fans of your work, and let’s you enjoy the process…because being yourself isn’t the least bit difficult.

That’s a reminder I’m going to take with me as I continue to seek representation, when I network at these industry events, and especially when I’m performing in front of the camera. Me being me is going to get me where I need to go, and I won’t be afraid to allow others to take all of that in.

— Posted on July 27, 2015 at 10:22 pm