There is an illusion we all buy into about the entertainment industry—that once we achieve our dreams, all our hard work will melt away and it’ll be all “champagne wishes and caviar dreams.” (Thanks “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” for that crippling and impossible ideal.) But I’m here to tell you it’s BS, and there is a much more practical and awesome way to live your life and create a career.
I was recently a guest on the actor’s roundtable episodes of the Inside Acting Podcast and mentioned that this business is definitely not all “roses and red carpets.” This phrase struck a chord with a lot of people because there seems to be an inescapable moment that happens to a lot of us in this business when it’s gotten to be too tough, and we either decide to throw in the towel or continue on.
It happened to me a couple of years ago. I was still living in the land of thinking my “big break” was right around the corner, but the reality was that nothing was happening the way my “vision board” looked on my wall. Call it karmic intervention or a slap in the face, but I went to a panel event and saw Emmy award-winning directors and producers and successful working actors talking about their journeys in the business. While they were all very proud of their achievements and had immense gratitude, I also noticed a very clear theme: They all seemed to be saying that maintaining a career in this industry doesn’t get easier. Ever.
It wasn’t until I saw that panel and heard those particular stories at that particular time that I really understood the journey I was on. I just kept thinking to myself, Crap, this doesn’t get easier? It won’t suddenly become all “roses and red carpets” and easy peasy? The struggle might still be a struggle 10 years from now? Yup, I woke the eff up.
So why am I sharing this and what does this mean for you?
It’s all about perspective. Just because I wasn’t a series regular on a show yet didn’t mean that I couldn’t enjoy a fulfilling career in this business. While this career path may never get easier, there are so many ways to truly be an entrepreneur and rock it. If you stay open and aren’t afraid to take the road less travelled—even if it means building it yourself brick by brick—you can create a whole career that never has to do with being an a-list movie star and feel just as fulfilled. The digital world has given us incredible gifts to get out there and to make our art and be seen, and you don’t need to have a million hits in order to feel fulfilled as an artist. That’s why we are all in this for the long haul, right? The art? If it’s fame or money, there are a lot of other ways to achieve that.
If you love to write, write. If you love to travel, travel. If you always wanted to start a side business as a florist, do it. All of these things can make you a better actor because now you are someone who has experience to draw on and other skills to add to your bag of tricks. And on top of all that, you are living a full and beautiful life. So if there is something else that calls your heart whether it’s directing or producing or starting a non-profit…explore it. There is no one right way to go about having a career in this business and you can be an actor even when you are pursuing other things in your life.
For me, breaking this illusion meant that I stopped being terrified to go out of town on a trip in case I missed an audition. It meant sending myself to “producer school” made up of self-researched curriculum in order to up my game. It meant starting Ms. In The Biz and surrounding myself only with like-minded people who would help me grow as a person and as an artist, not just an actor. I put myself in a position of power rather than a place of need, and since then I’ve had a whole lot more fun, booked more roles, and made some incredible connections.
Yes, learning about marketing and branding, taking acting classes, and building a great team of representatives around you are all important, but so is your life. So go out and live it so that in those moments when it is all “roses and red carpets,” you can enjoy it that much more.
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