The following Career Dispatch essay was written by Chinenye Ezeudu, who plays Viv in ‘Sex Education’, the third series of which premieres on Netflix on 17 September.
Firstly, I’d want to go back and thank my younger self for being so bullish and courageous. That being said, I know that she wouldn’t listen to me if I tried to give her advice. So I would give her this quote, slip it in her school blazer and hope she sees it:
“Shoot for the moon and if you miss, you will still be among the stars.”
How ‘Sex Education’ Got Made For the longest time I knew I wanted to act and be creative, I just never knew how to cross that bridge. I was lucky enough to find institutions like Guildhall and the National Youth Theatre, that held my hand as they took me a quarter of the way across. But of course, as institutions must, they have to let you go. The safety bubble pops and you’re alone, often agent-less or with an agent that just doesn’t get it, or you. So in essence, still alone.
Months, maybe years pass and your phone hasn’t rung once. Somehow you stay motivated even on the hardest days when you see your peers run past you and get to the other side, reminding yourself of the rabbit and the hare. But who gives a fuck about the rabbit? You should be with them too, because you're just as talented. As Viola Davis said, “the only thing that separates women of colour is opportunity.” So what do you do? You get creative!
I got inspired by theatre, film and TV. Films like City of God, Pan’s Labyrinth, Hot Fuzz and The Grand Budapest Hotel sparked my creativity and reignited my love for the industry again. Films often reflect life and challenge it, and those I mention do this in the best ways.
So I did deep dives into who cast those films and others I enjoyed on IMDb Pro, and I would write to those casting directors asking for general meetings. A couple replied, most did not. I’m always struck by the kindness in this harsh industry – people are willing to go for a coffee and give helpful advice, you just have to ask. These meetings put a lot of things into perspective for me, and I realised that I needed to work harder.
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I started writing and kept myself busy with the temp jobs that all actors need to survive. I worked as an usher at Oval House Theatre, which has now been knocked down and turned into a hotel – gentrification at its best – and if you came there, I probably served you. The good thing about working there was that I could watch plays for free, whether good or bad, and I realised that I needed to take risks. So, go to that press night, walk up to the director and say “I want to work with you, can I have your email?” The worst that can happen is they say no, and we’re all used to no’s by now. So just do it. I did!
The auditions started coming through until I landed a job, and then the thrill of landing the job wears off, and you’re like, shit, this job is no longer metaphorical, it’s real. And it starts next week. But you put in the work and this is your time.
I’ve very much skimmed the surface of my story, but the point is I had to create my own story. I put myself out there, I kept on failing and stayed in my lane. And by no means am I across that metaphorical bridge, but I’m loving the journey as I walk on it.
I’ve babbled so forgive me! Back to the original question. What advice would I give my younger self? Simple: “Just keep going.”
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