Ask an Insider

The Hollywood Closet

I now have a chance to go to Hollywood, but I've been told I need to go way back into the closet if I want to be a leading man there.

Worst Acting Conditions?

"Once I hit the stage and experienced the hot glare of the lights, the oppressive heat transformed me into a fountain of sweat, with my leather pants sticking to every inch of my lower body."

Giving Notes?

"Giving notes to actors is a craft unto itself. It's about efficiency and timing. Knowing how and when to give a note is sometimes more important than the note itself."

Common Mistakes

"Doing too much in their montages. Even having a montage. Directors and casting directors really want to cut to the chase with you, not see little bits of everything you've ever done."

A Day In Your Office

"If you are able, I recommend that every actor should intern at an agent's office for at least a week. I started in this business as an actor interning for the agency who represented me."

Should I Sign with a Rep?

"Be wise to those who coast on their reputations, are always looking backward, or hold themselves out as a friend. You want a friend, get a dog."

Costumes and Props at an Audition?

If dressing in character or carrying a phone works, use it! The time an actor spends in the audition room is that actor's time to get the role.

Approaching a Role with an Accent

My actors are required to master accents. They use dialect CDs offering a step-by-step approach with specific drills and exercises.

Typed Out?

I want to stretch, to play parts that challenge me, but I seem instead to always be cast in similar roles. It's undermining my self-confidence. Am I kidding myself about my acting talent?

How Do You Collaborate With Actors?

I  like to think of a play as a blueprint for a house. All of the people involved in the production help build the house. In the context of a new play, the actors are the heavy lifters—they are the ones laying the foundation, brick by brick, of the ...