Actor Stories: Tiffany Haddish Here is Tiffany Haddish’s story of homelessness and triumph. Let this story inspire you! (By AM Staff) ________________________________________________________________________________________________ If you think your acting journey has been more bad than…

  Don’t focus on HOW you say your lines. Focus on WHY you say your lines. Once you understand your character’s “why”, you will naturally emphasize words based on that “why” (by Tonya…

  Headshots Are Like Bread They can get “stale” over time. (By Carmichael Phillips) You may have heard all the reasons for why it might be necessary to change your headshots. Perhaps you’ve…

What is a “Callback Ratio”? (by Darryl Green) A “Callback Ratio” is a two-number combination that represents the number of callbacks an actor receives, relative to the number of auditions the actor went…

Quote of the day: “I created a production company out of necessity, because if I literally waited for Hollywood, I would still be [playing] mama [roles]” (Viola Davis)     ________________________________________________________________________________________________ This quote…

Actor Stories: Ann Dowd Perseverance, determination and willpower! Mrs. Dowd refused to give up no matter how long it took. Her patience is now being richly reward and she is certainly living her…

5 Actor-Turned-Politicians (by Darryl Green) It’s election time! It’s time to see which politicians will win and which ones will lose, which party will gain power, and which one will lose it, which…

“Every single character an actor takes on, they need to treat that person as if they were real, in order to feel the correct amount of responsibility for their existence, because your job…

What is an “Audition” (By AM Staff) An audition is a brief performance meant to demonstrate an actor’s suitability for an acting role that must be cast. Breaking it down: To fill an…

Quote of the day: To develop a character, I try to figure out who the person is, where he’s from. Who were his parents? How did he relate to his parents? Where did…

On this day: First Interracial Kiss on Television It might be hard to imagine today, but once-upon-a-time, interracial kissing, particularly between a black person and a white person, was an absolute “no-no” on…

Don’t audition to get a job. (Bryan Cranston) According to Primetime Emmy Award-winner Bryan Cranston, best known for his role as Walter White on the A&E Drama, Breaking Bad, actors should not go…

  Editorial: Geoffrey Owens and an actor’s right to privacy and survival (by AM Staff) One of the most difficult things about being an actor is the lack of appreciation that people outside…

“When you play an evil man, look to see where he is good. When you play an old man, look to see where he is young”. (Konstantin Stanislavski) This quote from Konstantin Stanislavski…

Don’t join SAG-AFTRA (too fast)! (By Webby) (CAUTION: THE FOLLOWING IS A TOP SECRET ACTING TIP. TELL NO ONE OF THIS!) Joining the union and getting a SAG card (now SAG-AFTRA), has long…

  What is a “Breakdown”? (By AM Staff) A “breakdown” is a brief description of a forthcoming production, along with the characters and roles featured in that production. It is created and released…

Quote of the Day: “In a well-written script, what people say to each other – the dialogue – is what a character’s willing to reveal, willing to share with another person. The 90%…

  Top Secret: Wear your audition outfit to the callback! (By Webby) (CAUTION: THE FOLLOWING IS A TOP SECRET ACTING TIP. TELL NO ONE OF THIS!)   _____________________________________________________________________________________ After an audition, don’t wash…

Casablanca On this day, in 1942, Casablanca premiered in Hollywood. The film, starring Humphrey Bogart, in his first romantic film, and Ingrid Bergman, won an Academy Award for Best Picture. Set during World…

What is an “Objective”? Objectives help actors make strong character choices and deliver more interesting performances. (by Tonya Taylor) An “Objective”, in acting, refers to something (or some things) a character wants and…

Embrace Your Age! Don’t Try Be Young Forever Alright, you perpetual 25-year-olds! You can’t be young forever! Yes, showbusiness has a long history of actors lying about their age. And why not? Hollywood,…

  Acting Quote: “The problem is not that acting is hard. The problem is that there are over 100,000 members of SAG-AFTRA, and only hundreds of jobs” (David Carradine)   (The late David…

Beware Career Advice From Family During the Holidays (by Carmichael Phillips) Going home for the holidays can be a social minefield for actors, sometimes. It can be replete with uncomfortable stares, snide remarks,…

Editorial: Crazy Rich Asians Should Set A New Trend Will Hollywood begin to produce more Asian-themed films and more substantive roles with Asian characters, than it has in the past? (by AM staff)…

  What are “Sides”? (by AM staff)   The term “sides” usually refers to a small section of a larger script, used by casting directors to audition actors for a role that must…

  “Acting is reacting” (Stella Adler)           _____________________________________________________________________________________ Stella Adler (February 10, 1901 – December 21, 1992) became one of the most influential teachers of acting theory, an influence…

  Neil Simon passed away at 91, due to complications with pneumonia. (By AM Staff) American playwright and screenwriter, Neil Simon, passed away, due to complications with pneumonia. He was pronounced dead at…

SAG-AFTRA is holding as much as $48 million for 96,000 members it cannot find A recent study by Deadline found that the largest actors’ union in the U.S., SAG-AFTRA, is holding millions of…

  Never tell casting directors that your main area of interest is “acting” (by Webby) Oftentimes, an actor will be interviewed before an audition. The purpose of the interview might be to get…

  7 Basic Facts about Actor Labor Unions (By AM Staff) Do you know why SAG merged with AFTRA? Do you know why Actor’s Equity Association was created? Do you know how unions…

  Screenwriting Star William Goldman dies at 87 The writer of the screenplays for Misery, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All the President’s Men and Marathon Man died at 87, after a…

Find Your Paragon Actor (Don’t Be A Boat Without a Sail) It is difficult to achieve any big dream. It is especially difficult to be a successful actor. Consider this: *Most Actors Never…