Q: Do you have any advice for getting over my jitters when I walk into an audition waiting room and everyone in there looks like me? I start doubting myself and assume the other women in there are prettier and more talented than me. —Jamie L., Chicago
Self-doubt is a universal human issue, and overcoming it is a lifelong goal for everyone. I think it’s a safe bet that those other actors have their own insecurities. In actuality, the vast majority of our anxieties and fears aren’t based on real evidence, they’re simply created in our minds. So let’s take a look at the situation with a different perspective.
The fact of the matter is that no matter who you are, there will always be someone “prettier,” more “talented,” more whatever than you. But this is as true as it is inconsequential; it’s also an indisputable fact that the prettiest or most talented person doesn’t always get the job. Every CD, producer, director, and executive on the hiring side is choosing the actor for a role with a certain amount of subjective, intangible taste and criteria.
Sitting in that waiting room, you can’t possibly know what they’re looking for or what their taste is. Perhaps it’s you, perhaps it isn’t, but you were asked to audition, so it’s not so unreasonable to think you may very well be just what they’re looking for.
Don’t allow yourself to get sucked into the dark vortex of comparison, control, and competition. You can’t compare yourself to anyone else on the planet, because you are unique. Your singular mind, beauty, talent, and flaws are what make you special—so recognize, celebrate, and own it all.
You can’t control anything in this situation other than being as prepared as possible and doing the best you can. The rest is out of your hands. Take your focus off the other women in that room and ask yourself why you chose to be an actor in the first place. It wasn’t because you wanted to be the most beautiful woman in the room. It wasn’t because you wanted to be the best actor in the world. Remind yourself why being an actor speaks to you and thrills you. This is what attracts others to you, and what will get you the jobs that are meant to be yours.
Marci Phillips is the executive director of ABC Casting. The opinions expressed in this article belong solely to Marci Phillips and do not necessarily reflect the views or endorsement of ABC, Disney or any of its subsidiaries. Marci is the author of “The Present Actor – A Practical and Spiritual Guideline to Help You Enjoy the Ride” available on Amazon.com.
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