There have been a few situations in my life where my back was up against the wall. Those were scary times, exhausting on both a physical and emotional level. But I got through them in one piece. You know how? By reaching out for help.
A few weeks ago, a client we’ll call Chuck came in to see me. He’s a character actor in his 50s, known for playing tough-guy roles. The public doesn’t know his name, but most people recognize his face.
It had been a rough year for Chuck, because it was the first time in ages he hadn’t booked a single job. And it’s not like he was doing anything differently. Acting careers can be cyclical, and, sadly, the wheel had turned in the wrong direction.
Chuck explained that he still had residuals coming in, but they weren’t enough to qualify him for union health insurance. So if he didn’t book another $2,000-job in the next 30 days, he would lose his coverage. This was major bad news because he was on several medications and he couldn’t afford to cover the payments without insurance.
Despite his age, Chuck is the kind of guy you’d want on your side in a bar fight. He looks like hell warmed over, and his stare alone would get most men to back down. This image made him a successful actor for several decades. And now he was sitting in front of me, hat in hand, looking embarrassed as he asked for my help. This wasn’t the sort of thing that came easily for him.
I felt a twitch in my chest as we made eye contact. There’s something very honest about another human being asking you for help. And this was someone I had known for years, a man who had put quite a few dollars in my pocket.
So I made it my mission to get him out of this tight spot. All the agents in my office made calls to the casting directors who’d hired Chuck in the past. We explained the situation. We told them Chuck was open to any and all roles, no matter the size or billing. And those casting directors rallied. Inside of a week, one of them booked him for a small part on her TV show, which worked for a week at scale plus 10. Problem solved.
Despite what you’ve heard, most agents aren’t monsters. We have feelings. They’re just buried under all the greed. But when one of our clients reaches out from a dark place, we can access those feelings, and we’ll do what we can to lend a hand.
Over the years, I’ve helped clients in all sorts of ways. I’ve been there for an actor fighting addiction. I showed a young and irresponsible performer how to consolidate his debts. And I even sat next to a frightened client as she waited to hear if she had breast cancer. (She didn’t.)
You know all those cop movies where the hero is stuck in a tight spot but he refuses to call for backup? Well, I call bullshit on those scenes. I don’t care who you are or what you’ve been through. We could all use a little help when the going gets tough.
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