Why ‘Big Sky’ Actor Brooke Smith Is Running Her Own Emmys Campaign

The following Career Dispatch essay was written by Brooke Smith, who stars on ABC and David E. Kelley’s “Big Sky”—and who isn’t afraid to admit she’d like an Emmy nomination for it!

My mom always said, “Work begets work,” and she was right. Actors need to act. You never know who you’ll meet or who will see your work along the way—or where that could lead.

I answered Backstage ads to get my first play over 35 years ago. I did a couple of student films. I was a PA on the film “Orphans,” and my job was to get Albert Finney from his trailer to the set when he was needed. I once mentioned that I wanted to be an actress. From that day on, Albert Finney told me every single day to quit my job and “go act somewhere.”

The best training I ever had was playing Sonya in André Gregory’s long-running workshop of “Uncle Vanya.” Those four years of rehearsals were unlike anything I’d ever experienced. The only rule was that we had to say the words. There was no blocking or costumes. We just wanted to work on the play and explore the characters. André was up for anything, and so was I. The cast became my artistic family. We had the luxury of time; we were all about process and had no plans to ever perform the play. 

I learned so much, because there was no way to fail. I could try anything, fall flat on my face, and do whatever I felt—as long as I said the words. I think it’s imperative to find a place where you can experiment in that way without fear of failure. To survive in this business, actors have to have a thick skin to handle all the rejection and somehow, still, be completely vulnerable in the work.

In John Patrick Shanley’s play “Four Dogs and a Bone,” someone tells a story about a mama bear giving birth to a bunch of baby bears. She was licking them clean, and right before she got to the last bear, she died. And that bear went into show business. I think of that line every single time I’m on a set. I look for the unlicked cubs.

When I was cast on David E. Kelley’s new show “Big Sky,” my part was supposed to be minor, but it was turned into a pivotal part of the season. But my name is never mentioned in press releases because of the type of contract I originally signed. In the past, I may have just accepted that I would “fall through the cracks” when it came to an Emmy campaign. But not this time. I am proud of my work and want people to see it. That’s why I’m doing a DIY Emmy campaign. It’s important to advocate for yourself.

READ: Emmys 2021: Everything You Need to Know

Ruth Nelson, who played Sonya’s old nurse, Marina, in “Uncle Vanya,” had been one of the original members of the Group Theatre. Her husband, director John Cromwell, was blacklisted because Elia Kazan had given his name to Joseph McCarthy and the House Un-American Activities Committee. Soon after, Ruth was cast as Linda Loman in Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman,” directed by Kazan. She turned it down out of solidarity with her husband—which brings me to the most vital thing I’ve learned: Ultimately, life is more important than work.

This story originally appeared in the June 17 issue of Backstage Magazine. Subscribe here.