Casting Fashion

This winter and in general when I dress for cast and audition I do the fitted pants , boots, simple not overpowering coat or jacket and a statement designer accessory . My go to for that would be my bag Rocco as shown ( In New York I love Alexander Wang , in LA same with the bag and maybe casual looks from Zadig Voltaire with a beanie or other hat  and something from Alex on my feet.) In NYC this winter I wore Wang's  black,mid calf ponyhair boots.

Everything I wear for casting is designer fashion mixed up with street wear... but nothing is WEARING ME. The client must see me , my vibe, my stature and intentions....feel my energy , not be freaking out over my shoes . I save show stopping impressions for nights out . I wear a good bra. Add one piece of jewelry. 

I show my site and portfolio on a new large size I pad . Most agents are requiring digital presentations from models and talent . Most clients have already seen your book but it's nice to pull it up and be prepared to talk about a recent shoot or your reel if asked . 

I always wear perfume but as with the above rule of thumb it should not be WEARING YOU. And fragrances like Tom Ford , Coco , no5 , God forbid Angel or 80 s Obsession . No. Save that and get something beautiful clean and lemony I love L Occitane they have a lemoney scent that nobody has an adversion to .

Casting beauty is simple with groomed, chic hair and natural make up i.e. A finished face . Also clean beautiful manicure and hands . I always brush my teeth before I arrive I always have toothbrush 💯 .

Smile if it's commercial and pout like you hate them if it's a fashion client or an editorial casting director. ( I'm slightly kidding) 

#getdatmoney  

Most intense shot

In 2013 I had the pleasure of working with actor Murphy Guyer . I was understanding in advance that Murphy was a very seasoned professional . He was to play a terrifying character opposite mine and our scene was a brutal domestic fight between characters as well as a clash and control of power . His audition was absolutely explosive.

Murphy arrived and we did not mix up in any way prior to shooting . Our director Bob staged an actual combat scene and the build of rage in the room was so intense when we were running it that production designers  and other grip left the room . The location was an old, haunted, mansion .

I was feeling actually drunk on my imagination and emotionally triggered.

I purposely had stepped into Murphy's hand as we were running the scene and he smacked me hard in the face.  That was controversial of me but later I felt it was a choice that was made that came from logic.  

And that choice to step in and get smacked , I owned it and damn , it worked.  Guyer and his character were pissed. I was triggered to a place I could not even imagine prior . At a certain point the line between actor and characters was extremely thin as Guyer was shouting at me and raging and I was sobbing and screaming and fighting back until he finally took control of my arms  as per the directions in the scene , put me on my knees ,and took a prop pair of kitchen scissors and cut my hair off (a wig) 

I was shaking in my boots in real life at the first sight of Guyer.  He comes with the energy he just brings it . I felt it before I even saw him off set . I was in Day 2 of about 50 shots before working with Guyer so I was completely and totally broken down and in the right place to do the scene. 

It was sick and evil . I felt true grit.

I won't forget that experience . Ever .Thank you to my fellow actor and director.

Afterward, Guyer left quietly. There was no one having a laugh after the "cut". There was no tea happening at the catering table . I hope to run into him again ...

Awards Season in the Industry

I post this pic below of me at Cutler salon and I'm going to let you all in on a little secret about this notion that as actors we are all getting our hair done, doing press , and walking red carpets a lot of the time. ....

That is a mythical fantasy that is the stuff of tabloids. 😆

Promoting our work and appearing for press and attending awards season is arguably separate from an actor's working process .

As actors there is an artist process operating to do the work and then there are our industry dealings ( the business of the industry ) Awards belong mostly to industry business dealings but it is the level of our process and structure of production that creates visibility and eligibility.

Some qualities I believe are needed for acting in spades to ultimately get to participate in awards season are 1 empathy 2 honesty 3 a tolerance for extreme uncomfortability 4 imagination 5 good memory 6 to be able to be both private and uninhibited quickly and directly 7 quick wit and or timing 8 A proper amount of eccentricity on camera or stage i.e. je ne sais quoi 9 A grande and colorful emotional Rolodex 😜10 Committment to pursue studies and push to expand our personhood. (State of "doing") 11 the actual cast for the job !

Wishing good luck to my fellow actors, participating directors , writers and producers this awards season. 

I am a Sag union actor with WGA eligibility and looking towards my 4th short film production this year. * 

And ...my hair needs a trim 💜💗❤️

Forward moving!

In 1940 the release of "His Girl Friday" directed by Howard Hawkes and starring Cary Grant and 4 time Oscar nominated actor Rosalind Russell was a noteworthy film . This film has more words spoken per minute than any other In American film history .The effect and the chemistry between the two stars make it the kind of film that has you glued to your seat in anticipation . The pace is fast,  the professionalism and synchronicity between Grant and Russell is absolutely irresistible . It is FUN.

I worked with a great Hollywood producer named Bob Degus who directed me on Theatre Row. Bob had me study Roselind in scene one of "His Girl Friday ". Specifically Russell's confidence , her pace and get -down -to -business attitude . She was elegant and held upright but she was on a mission in scene one to begin her life again with promises from a new fiancé.

Rosalind played Hildy in this scene with dignity but moving as if her life depended on it . Hildy's fiancé had more holes in his plan than Swiss cheese but Russell's character Hildy was racing into her bad decisions beautifully. Hildy reminded me of a large cat dodging across the wild, ducking down, swerving around like a Panther. I imagined her as the sleek Panther moving as fast as flash of lightening for the things she never got out of marriage #1 to none other than Cary Grant who, in this film foils her plan perfectly . 

As an actor , film study is part of the job. To see other actors and their choices and physical qualities expands our possibilities in the present and informs us in stage or on camera . Recalling our own feelings as we watched can certainly spur our imagination just as reading a great novel can conjure images .

Seeing Rosalind with her head high over and over , looking closely, feeling her feeling , imagining her story, recalling stories from my own life in my past of urgent times and need to "move forward", I  fused all of this and whipped up an emotional soup. I brought those qualities and energy to My character Rita Hayworth every night as I moved "with purpose"  onto the stage for my scene 1.

Thank you to Bob for that super direction. Ironically , "Forward Moving" is a theme in my 2018. Let's move it kids!

Hildy and her forward moving energy.

FAVE EMOJI ? what yours says about you🙏🏻

When emojis started replacing text I was upset . I wondered how it can be possible to reduce valuable human emotion to a little symbol and it frustrated me . As I got used to them I think they are cute and are a good way to quickly express my sentiment . My favorite and most used are the praying hands . I imagine myself saying "Namaste"when I use that emoji. I also punctuate a comment using that symbol as a way to say "I respect you." ANOTHER and most important way I use it is if I'm expressing that I will be praying or wishing well or "hoping"  for you , the person I'm speaking to.  AS FOR THE HEART EYES .... i like to use it for love and not talking about guys using it for TROLLING ! it means "I see you I love you I feel you i love what you are expressing "

That day I was feeling Carmen Miranda ❤️

Do you ever get style inspired by a favorite performer ?