"I decided I wanted to become an actor at two different times in my life. Creatively, I knew at the age of 5 or 6. I was in love with pretending or becoming another character. However, I logically made the decision at the age of 28, which many said was late. I ignored the negative comments and moved forward, and to Los Angeles, where I'm now a proud SAG member, always looking for the next opportunity. Confidence makes a huge difference. I needed the time and experience to gain it. Now I'm looking forward to playing more roles on television!"—Leslie Ivarson, Los Angeles
"The summer before my senior year of high school, I took an acting intensive class. I was sitting under a tree after a particularly memorable scene-study class, and it dawned on me that acting was what I wanted to do more than anything. I had always been interested in acting, but ballet was my main focus. I started auditioning for the plays in high school. But it definitely wasn't until that day, under the tree, I finally admitted to myself that I was going to be an actor."—Jen Bailey, Los Angeles
"I was 14 years old and had just started playing Dungeons & Dragons. I loved making up the characters and their attributes. It was different each time, and it never got old. I could do or say anything, because it was character-based. That meant that I could be as off-the-wall as I wanted. I honestly could not get enough of it. Soon after, I begged my mom to let me enroll in acting classes. That was really the beginning!"—Seregon O'Dassey, New York
"I decided to become an actor when I first saw Julie Andrews in 'The Sound of Music.' I thought, Wow, I want to sing, dance, and act just like that! I grew up watching old musicals such as 'Annie' and 'Oklahoma!' I remember I would dance and sing around my living room, reciting all the lines from every musical. Unfortunately, I am not the greatest singer, so I decided to stick to straight acting. I soon transitioned from watching musicals to studying the great film actors, like Laurence Fishburne, Angela Bassett, Al Pacino, and Johnny Depp. Now I am a professional actor in Los Angeles!"—Davon Clark, Los Angeles
"Years ago, I chose to sacrifice a six-figure executive career in order to pursue a career in acting. But the actual decision to be an actor was made in sixth grade. My teacher had just handed the class an assignment: what I want to be when I grow up. I thought about all the things I ever wanted to be: a fireman, an astronaut, a zoologist, a cartoonist, and even an Olympic swimmer. That's when I knew—suddenly and with absolute certainty—I would be an actor. When I left my executive career, I closed my eyes and smiled, because I could hear that little boy cheering."—Dave Lankford, New York