Actor Stories: Ann Dowd Perseveres, Getting Her Big Break at Age 56!

By Webmaster

  • Actor Stories:
    Ann Dowd Perseveres, Getting Her Big Break at Age 56!

    Mrs. Dowd refused to give up no matter how long it took

    (arranged by AM Staff)

    We strongly encourage all actors to read this inspirational story, first posted in Glamour Magazine. Ann Dowd’s career first took off when she was cast in the 2012 film, Compliance.

    Critically-acclaimed roles on HBO’s The Leftovers and Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale soon followed, each earning her Primetime Emmy Award Nominations.

    (Ann Dowd in Compliance)

    What is remarkable about Dowd’s story is the perseverance and courage it took for her to reach these heights. According to Dowd, she had to watch her classmate reach stardom, while she struggled for decades! But she refused to quit.

    Here’s a sample from the piece:

    “I want to tell you a brief story, if I may. When I was a young actress, 30 or so, I was on the way to my waitress job in my black pants and my white shirt and my black tie—glamour is not the word that would come to mind at all. Feminine? No. Nothing. ”


    (Ann Dowd in Handmaid’s Tale)

    “I looked across the street, and there were several limousines parked outside the theater. And I looked at the marquee and it said, “About Last Night starring Elizabeth Perkins,” who was my classmate. I was going to wait on tables, and she was going to a premiere of her film that would launch her into stardom.”

    “I got through the shift, and I went home on my porch, and I wept and screamed into the night, “When?! When is my turn?” And it was one of those dark nights of the soul—we’re all familiar, I’m sure. And a voice—I’m not kidding—quiet, probably from the inside, said, “It will all be fine. It will all be all right. You will be in your fifties. You will be 56.”

    And I said, “Oh no! No, no!”—missing the whole point of the voice—I said, “I’m not waiting until my fifties. I have no intention, so you can take that message and…”

    “Well, as it turns out, I was in my fifties, and I was 56 when I did the film called Compliance, which shifted things for me tremendously.”


    A voice—I’m not kidding—quiet, probably from the inside, said, ‘It will all be fine. It will all be all right.’

    (Ann Dowd)


    How uplifting and inspiring!

    Here are a few other passages we found poignant:

    “For some reason I had an unshakable faith that all would work out. I don’t know if it’s because of that voice, which I tried to stop and kill, or because I just thought, I am an actress, and that is what I’m going to do.”

    “Celebrate the small victories. Every time I got a role, I thought it was the greatest thing in the world.”

    “When I didn’t have an audition or anything happening, I would go straight to the bedroom, I would take out my monologues, and I would do them. And I would remind myself in the mirror, “You are an actress, and you are in charge of your life.”


    Celebrate the small victories. Every time I got a role, I thought it was the greatest thing in the world.


    Perseverance, determination and willpower! Mrs. Dowd refused to give up no matter how long it took. Her patience is now being richly rewarded and she is certainly living her best life!

    Please read the entire article here and be inspired: Glamour Magazine


    You Might Also Like:
    Actor Stories: Jenna Fischer Recalls Her First Day in Hollywood


     

    Recommended Posts

  • Ad

  • How Denzel Washington Got Started in Acting

    How Denzel Washington Got Started in Acting A look at his journey in showbusiness (By Carmichael Phillips) (Denzel Washington in Fences) Denzel Washington, one of Hollywood’s most respected and accomplished actors, began his…

    Three Different Scenes for a Self-Tape! 

    Three Different Scenes for a Self-Tape! Is that asking for too much? (By Javier Guerra) (Photo: Andrea Piacquadio | Pexels) An actor friend of mine received a breakdown for an audition recently. The…

    ACTOR STORY | “Just Show Up!” 

    ACTOR STORY “Just Show Up!” How Terry Crews became a famous actor, simply by making himself available (By Carmichael Phillips) “If you just show up, a lot of times your opportunities are there.”…

    OPINION | Same-Day Auditions Feel Disrespectful 

    OPINION  Same-Day Auditions Feel Disrespectful  Don’t they understand that we all have lives?  (The Anonymous Actor) (Photo: Andrea Piacquadio | Pexels) Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m certainly grateful for each and every…

    ACTOR STORY | “It’s About Nothing!” 

    ACTOR STORY “It’s About Nothing!” How Jason Alexander landed the role of George Costanza on ‘Seinfeld’ (By Tonya Tannenbaum) (Jason Alexander) Jason Alexander once had a self-tape that he thought was going to…

  • Ad

  • ACTOR STORY | Mark Ruffalo was Hiding in Plain Sight 

    ACTOR STORY Mark Ruffalo was Hiding in Plain Sight How Hollywood finally discovered Mark Ruffalo (By Carmichael Phillips) (Mark Ruffalo in Zodiac) When casting directors saw Mark Ruffalo perform, they couldn’t believe how good…

    Did Method Acting Break Will Smith? 

    Did Method Acting Break Will Smith? Perhaps Will Smith was still in character during the infamous “slap”… (By Carmichael Phillips) What caused Will Smith’s now infamous slap at the Oscars? What made him jump…

    ACTOR STORY | A Casting Director Hunted Me Down for a Self-Tape 

    ACTOR STORY  A Casting Director Hunted Me Down for a Self-Tape  (The Anonymous Actor) (Photo: Andrea Piacquadio | Pexels) I got in trouble with my agent for not submitting my self-tape recently. A…

  • Ad

  • ACTOR STORY | I’m Officially Done with In-Person Auditions! 

    ACTOR STORY  I’m Officially Done with In-Person Auditions!  I hope to never have this experience again! (The Anonymous Actor) (Photo: Liza Summer | Pexels) I hope I NEVER have to go to another…

    ACTOR STORY | Have I been booking out too much? 

    ACTOR STORY Have I been booking out too much?  You have to be all the way in or all the way out…  (The Anonymous Actor) (Photo: Jorge Salvador | Unsplash) In the past,…

    ACTOR STORY | I Got an Acting Job Without Auditioning! 

    ACTOR STORY  I Got an Acting Job Without Auditioning!  Why repeat customers are the best customers  (The Anonymous Actor) (Photo: Razvan Chisu | Pexels) I recently got a job without auditioning for it!…

    Do Casting Directors Even See Our Self-Tapes? 

    Do Casting Directors Even See Our Self-Tapes?  All that anticipation for nothing!  (The Anonymous Actor) (Photo: Ryoji Iwata | Unsplash) My self-tape, on more than one occasion, was not seen. How do I…

    My Self-Tape Evolution 

    My Self-Tape Evolution  A brief history of how my self-taping improved  (By Kesha Tyler) (Photo: Cottonbro | Pexels) My early self-tapes were a rather shitty affair. I’m embarrassed to say it, but it’s…

  • Ad

  • Natalie Martinez: “Just keep working hard, because the struggle never stops.” 

    Natalie Martinez:  “Just keep working hard, because the struggle never stops.”  (Arranged by Carmichael Phillips) (Natalie Martinez) “Just keep working hard, because the struggle never stops.” Model and actress, Natalie Martinez, talked about…

    ACTOR STORY | My Girlfriend Was My Reader for Self-Tape Auditions 

    ACTOR STORY  My Girlfriend Was My Reader for Self-Tape Auditions  We Just Broke Up!  (The Anonymous Actor) (Photo: Alena Darmel | Pexels) My girlfriend and I just broke off a nearly five-year relationship. But…

    ACTOR STORY | How the Late Michael K. Williams Almost Gave Up on Acting 

    ACTOR STORY  How the Late Michael K. Williams Almost Gave Up on Acting  Michael K. Williams’ struggles and triumphs, as an up-and-coming actor (by Carmichael Phillips) (Michael K. Williams) In honor of the…

  • Ad

  • OPINION | What Annoys Me the Most About Casting Directors? Ambiguity! 

    OPINION  What Annoys Me the Most About Casting Directors? Ambiguity!  I want specifics! I’m trying to book this thing. (The Anonymous Actor) (Photo: Pixabay | Pexels) You know what annoys me the most…

    ACTOR STORY | Technical Difficulties Ruined My Virtual Audition! 

    ACTOR STORY  Technical Difficulties Ruined My Virtual Audition!  I never even got the chance to act…  (The Anonymous Actor)  (Photo: Daniel Reche | Pexels) Do you want to know how crazy my last…

    ACTOR STORY | My First Zoom Callback 

    ACTOR STORY My First Zoom Callback  Let me tell you how it all went down…  (The Anonymous Actor) (Photo: CoWomen | Unsplash) I just had my first virtual callback audition! Let me tell…

    ACTOR STORY | Ice-T’s Wild Toilet Audition 

    ACTOR STORY  Ice-T’s Wild Toilet Audition  How Ice-T got his start in movies and television (by Carmichael Phillips) (Ice-T) File this one under “your big break can happen anywhere, at any time”. That’s…

    One Fact About Post-Audition Fears That You Should Always Remember 

    One Fact About Post-Audition Fears That You Should Always Remember  More likely than not, the casting director thinks you did fine!  (by Javier Guerra) (Photo: JJ Jordan | Unsplash) Look, it’s normal to…

  • Ad