WEBVTT - The Spirited Actor - Yolanda Hunt (02/08/2020) 0:00:00.120 --> 0:00:03.320 Hello, and welcome to the Spirited Actor Podcast with me 0:00:03.520 --> 0:00:06.440 Tracy Moore. I was a casting director for film and 0:00:06.519 --> 0:00:10.640 TV and commercials for over thirty years. I transitioned to 0:00:10.680 --> 0:00:14.240 a celebrity acting coach after I cast a film New 0:00:14.320 --> 0:00:19.440 Jersey Drive with executive producers Spike Lee and director Nick Domez. 0:00:20.079 --> 0:00:24.479 I auditioned every rapper from biggiees Balls to Tupac, and 0:00:24.560 --> 0:00:28.240 I realized that rappers and musical artists they needed help 0:00:28.280 --> 0:00:32.640 transitioning to acting. My clients consist of musical artists from 0:00:32.800 --> 0:00:37.440 Buster Rhymes to Eve, Missy Elliott, Angela Yee from The 0:00:37.440 --> 0:00:41.120 Breakfast Club, and Vanessa Simmons, to name a few. I 0:00:41.280 --> 0:00:45.120 also coach sports stars and host as well. I feel 0:00:45.320 --> 0:00:48.760 I have the best of both worlds. As a casting director, 0:00:48.800 --> 0:00:51.360 I know exactly what they're looking for, and as an 0:00:51.360 --> 0:00:53.880 acting coach, I can coach you to be remembered in 0:00:53.880 --> 0:00:57.120 that room. Now. I know, I know actors want to 0:00:57.160 --> 0:01:00.240 get the job. I get that, but being remembered by 0:01:00.360 --> 0:01:06.720 casting director that is powerful. Meditation of the day opportunity 0:01:06.840 --> 0:01:11.880 does not send letters of introduction, Naomi Simms. We need 0:01:11.920 --> 0:01:14.759 to be able to recognize the signs that are before us. 0:01:15.280 --> 0:01:19.000 Miracles have a way of appearing through other people, or 0:01:19.040 --> 0:01:23.160 through something as simple as reading an article in a newspaper. 0:01:23.840 --> 0:01:26.640 When I am against the wall, I sit back, quietly 0:01:26.760 --> 0:01:31.440 and patiently wait for the right answer. I have learned 0:01:31.680 --> 0:01:35.840 to not only recognize the signs, but to expect them. 0:01:36.440 --> 0:01:40.160 I will have my antennas out and ready to grasp 0:01:40.360 --> 0:01:45.120 the right opportunity. Welcome to the Spirited Actor Podcast with 0:01:45.240 --> 0:01:49.840 me Tracy Moore, and going along with our theme this month, 0:01:49.880 --> 0:01:54.720 which is January is renewing your talent. I would like 0:01:55.600 --> 0:01:59.440 to renew your thoughts with my guests today. I get 0:01:59.680 --> 0:02:03.000 warm and fuzzy when certain people come into the room 0:02:03.120 --> 0:02:09.800 because casting director, truly casting director extraordinaire, Yolanda Hunt is 0:02:09.840 --> 0:02:14.239 with us today. And Yolanda is one of those people 0:02:14.280 --> 0:02:17.320 that I don't have to see her every day, but 0:02:17.400 --> 0:02:21.640 when I see her, the spiritual connection is there, and 0:02:21.680 --> 0:02:23.800 then I miss her more and wonder why don't I 0:02:23.840 --> 0:02:27.600 hang out with her? But I know she's busy, But 0:02:27.800 --> 0:02:31.960 this is a reconnection renewal. I'm just so happy to 0:02:32.040 --> 0:02:35.920 have you here, Yolanda Hunt. Thespians, put your hands together 0:02:36.000 --> 0:02:40.160 because you are about to hear the truth and We're 0:02:40.160 --> 0:02:43.959 going to dispel these myths because the truth is sitting 0:02:44.200 --> 0:02:46.799 and you're listening to the truth right now, Yolanda Hunt, 0:02:46.800 --> 0:02:47.600 put your hands together. 0:02:48.000 --> 0:02:49.320 Thank you. 0:02:50.680 --> 0:02:57.400 I am beyond thrilled. Oh yeah, yeah. Are we going 0:02:57.480 --> 0:03:00.040 to schedule something because we're going to eat and we 0:03:00.120 --> 0:03:04.240 gonna chat. Yes, they're not ready. No, they're not ready 0:03:04.280 --> 0:03:07.440 for you, Yolanda. I'm going to start out by asking 0:03:07.480 --> 0:03:09.680 you to, you know, tell us a little bit about 0:03:09.840 --> 0:03:12.440 how you started as a casting director, your journey as 0:03:12.480 --> 0:03:16.600 a casting director, and then I need actors to whatever 0:03:16.760 --> 0:03:20.120 you use to document, whether you're physically writing on pen 0:03:20.200 --> 0:03:22.800 and paper or in your phone. There's going to be 0:03:22.880 --> 0:03:26.040 so many jewels dropping right now. Treasure Chess is here, 0:03:26.160 --> 0:03:28.240 Treasure Chess here we go, hope. 0:03:29.560 --> 0:03:31.880 Well, just to give you a little bit of a brief, 0:03:32.160 --> 0:03:33.000 you know, my journey. 0:03:33.280 --> 0:03:36.080 I started off on this little project called Poetic Justice 0:03:36.120 --> 0:03:39.440 as an intern, really little yes, And for one week 0:03:39.480 --> 0:03:41.760 I interned and Robbie came to me and said, we 0:03:41.800 --> 0:03:42.880 want to hire you as my sister. 0:03:43.040 --> 0:03:45.640 Okay, and that's Robbie reed, ladies, and I'm sorry. 0:03:45.720 --> 0:03:48.480 Robbie read, by the way, one of my mentors and 0:03:48.600 --> 0:03:52.040 along with my journey of my career has been fundamental 0:03:52.480 --> 0:03:55.240 to my career and especially my growth and to this day. 0:03:55.440 --> 0:03:59.000 And that started my journey. I got bit by the 0:03:59.000 --> 0:04:00.640 bug and it was. 0:04:00.720 --> 0:04:02.040 You know, no holds back. 0:04:02.320 --> 0:04:04.040 And then I you know, went on to did another 0:04:04.040 --> 0:04:05.960 project called Minister Society with Tony. 0:04:05.800 --> 0:04:07.280 Lee, another little project. 0:04:07.560 --> 0:04:10.280 Well, she was Robbie Read's associate, and then he became 0:04:10.320 --> 0:04:12.560 casting director for that. He brought me on that project 0:04:12.640 --> 0:04:16.200 and just kept going. And then Ralph Farquhar came into 0:04:16.240 --> 0:04:19.640 my life. Oh, and he gave me the opportunity to 0:04:19.720 --> 0:04:21.080 learn the back into production. 0:04:21.240 --> 0:04:24.239 Okay, so he brought me in a Moesha. So I learned. 0:04:24.240 --> 0:04:26.120 I was his assistant and I learned to do all 0:04:26.120 --> 0:04:26.400 of that. 0:04:26.560 --> 0:04:29.760 And he asked me when I wanted to you know, 0:04:30.200 --> 0:04:32.360 when the show got picked up, what did I want 0:04:32.360 --> 0:04:32.560 to do? 0:04:33.080 --> 0:04:33.920 I want to do casting. 0:04:34.080 --> 0:04:36.280 I mean, that's what I do, right, And so he 0:04:36.360 --> 0:04:37.799 got me and Kim Harden together. 0:04:38.000 --> 0:04:38.200 Wow. 0:04:38.279 --> 0:04:40.240 I love Kim Harden. Shout out to Kim Harden. 0:04:40.320 --> 0:04:41.080 Loved Kim Harden. 0:04:41.160 --> 0:04:43.719 That's another one of my mentors that definitely you know, 0:04:43.920 --> 0:04:46.920 is influential in my life today as well. She hired 0:04:46.920 --> 0:04:49.960 me and it's a funny story. She hired me to 0:04:50.000 --> 0:04:53.360 do Moesha, and at that time she didn't feel I was. 0:04:53.320 --> 0:04:57.000 Ready to be an assistant and she fired me. 0:04:57.640 --> 0:05:00.560 But you know what, that was an experien for me 0:05:01.480 --> 0:05:05.480 to know that I had to do better. So right 0:05:05.520 --> 0:05:08.359 after that, I got hired as an associate on with 0:05:08.480 --> 0:05:10.280 recub Bradmon Garcia, another. 0:05:10.120 --> 0:05:13.960 Vent Billy Hopkins, Yes, Billy Hopkins. 0:05:13.480 --> 0:05:16.480 And Garcia, they were partners. And then she branched off 0:05:16.480 --> 0:05:18.680 and did her own thing. She was doing Speed Speed Too. 0:05:18.800 --> 0:05:20.880 Oh okay, So I got put on and I wasn't 0:05:20.880 --> 0:05:24.400 the associate for Speed Too, and I was an associate 0:05:24.920 --> 0:05:29.840 for The Flood, starring a minie driver and Rickay Harris 0:05:29.880 --> 0:05:33.320 ress in Peace, one of my favorites all time. And 0:05:33.680 --> 0:05:35.479 it was just kind of like I just kind of 0:05:35.480 --> 0:05:38.360 took off from there. And did you know, I planted 0:05:38.360 --> 0:05:40.200 seeds to myself that I wanted to do, said I 0:05:40.200 --> 0:05:41.719 want to do a movie in New York. Two years 0:05:41.760 --> 0:05:45.360 later I was doing Crookland. I was here as an 0:05:45.360 --> 0:05:48.760 associate in Crookland. I mean, I've had such a great journey. 0:05:48.800 --> 0:05:52.200 Then after that Best Man, Yes, Best Man kind of 0:05:52.240 --> 0:05:54.599 really put me on the map. 0:05:55.120 --> 0:05:57.080 I was a true associate on that project. 0:05:57.120 --> 0:06:01.159 I was like hands on from day one and just 0:06:01.200 --> 0:06:05.320 seeing how the handpick and bringing that great talent to 0:06:05.839 --> 0:06:07.640 Malcolm and Sam. 0:06:08.000 --> 0:06:10.160 It was just Malcolm brilliant. 0:06:10.200 --> 0:06:10.440 Yeah. 0:06:10.560 --> 0:06:12.680 Sam, by the way, and. 0:06:12.640 --> 0:06:14.840 I worked with Monica Calhoun. I coached you. 0:06:14.920 --> 0:06:19.760 Yes, Monica Calhoun is is. She's an extraordinary actress and writer. Yes, 0:06:20.279 --> 0:06:21.920 it's one of also one of my close friends. 0:06:21.960 --> 0:06:22.279 Wow. 0:06:22.320 --> 0:06:25.200 And she's still writing right now to this day, so 0:06:25.680 --> 0:06:27.200 she's got a lot of things going on with her 0:06:27.240 --> 0:06:30.599 as well. And that cast it just brought people to 0:06:30.760 --> 0:06:33.159 pay attention to what I was doing and what I, 0:06:33.279 --> 0:06:36.160 like I knew I had is that I had a 0:06:36.240 --> 0:06:39.000 mine for talent right and it was like, Okay, we 0:06:39.040 --> 0:06:39.760 can take a chance. 0:06:40.320 --> 0:06:42.640 And that's all. That's how she wrote. 0:06:42.680 --> 0:06:46.000 I moved to New York sixteen years ago and I 0:06:46.080 --> 0:06:48.320 was working at BET and I've been there in house 0:06:48.360 --> 0:06:49.800 freelance casting director ever since. 0:06:50.640 --> 0:06:54.400 That's a brilliant, brilliant journey and actors, I need you. 0:06:54.480 --> 0:06:57.880 I always stress for actors to IMDb dot com so 0:06:57.920 --> 0:07:00.520 that they can see the credit, to know the credits. 0:07:00.520 --> 0:07:04.640 But Yolanda, you have been a part of UH cinema, 0:07:04.720 --> 0:07:08.360 Black cinema history, like, these are classics that you're talking about. 0:07:09.000 --> 0:07:11.040 I feel so, you know, there's a lot that I've 0:07:11.080 --> 0:07:12.040 left out. Black Panther. 0:07:12.120 --> 0:07:15.760 Yeah, I was gonna say those are all like I 0:07:15.800 --> 0:07:17.920 felt like when I was coming up into this, I 0:07:18.000 --> 0:07:22.560 was I was in the gut of great African American 0:07:22.720 --> 0:07:24.720 art being actually being on TV. 0:07:24.880 --> 0:07:25.400 Absolutely. 0:07:25.400 --> 0:07:27.280 So I was given that opportunity to work with the 0:07:27.360 --> 0:07:30.360 Keenan Irvy Wayians right and working on his variety show, 0:07:30.440 --> 0:07:32.680 and then I had that gave me a little real 0:07:32.760 --> 0:07:34.320 fast track of how I had to you know, got 0:07:34.320 --> 0:07:35.640 to call at ten o'clock in the morning and I 0:07:35.640 --> 0:07:36.600 had to have a cast by four. 0:07:36.840 --> 0:07:37.200 Wow. 0:07:37.240 --> 0:07:41.239 So that really gave me my my like chops. Yeah, 0:07:41.280 --> 0:07:44.760 and then you know, working on those kind of shows. 0:07:44.840 --> 0:07:47.920 And then I mean, my journey has been so long. 0:07:48.040 --> 0:07:50.600 Kingdom come getting to work, you know, with everyone. 0:07:50.560 --> 0:07:52.960 And she still looks the same. Ladies and gentlemen, you 0:07:52.960 --> 0:07:58.040 don't see her, but she doesn't. She look to say, yes, well, 0:07:58.080 --> 0:08:02.440 I think Paul and Will and may Hunt I attribute 0:08:02.480 --> 0:08:05.200 that to my care when we thank them too. Yes, 0:08:05.400 --> 0:08:07.760 but this journey has been so great. But I'm not 0:08:07.840 --> 0:08:12.480 done having that's my journey. I'm just getting right there. 0:08:12.560 --> 0:08:15.680 And now that I'm really starting to teach my acting 0:08:15.720 --> 0:08:19.800 classes here in the Tri State and we need coaching, 0:08:20.040 --> 0:08:24.400 and it's just been a whole other platform when I'm 0:08:24.440 --> 0:08:26.520 like so happy that I'm being able to share to 0:08:26.560 --> 0:08:29.520 people what I'm looking for in the room when they're 0:08:29.520 --> 0:08:32.240 coming to audition for me, as opposed to what you think, 0:08:32.640 --> 0:08:35.160 because you got those three minutes to shine, and if 0:08:35.200 --> 0:08:37.920 you don't give me those three minutes of what I 0:08:38.240 --> 0:08:40.119 remember you, then. 0:08:40.360 --> 0:08:42.040 You're going to need the fundamentals and I'm gonna try 0:08:42.080 --> 0:08:43.000 to give you to that. 0:08:43.280 --> 0:08:46.040 So one of the things that you said, and I 0:08:46.080 --> 0:08:48.560 can honestly say I went to one of your classes 0:08:48.880 --> 0:08:52.640 and you were a totally different you are as a 0:08:52.679 --> 0:08:55.520 caustie director, which I love. Yes, I mean, this is 0:08:55.559 --> 0:08:57.240 what we're talking about. We're talking about the truth. 0:08:57.320 --> 0:09:00.840 So absolutely, I feel like I'm unorthodox. 0:09:01.160 --> 0:09:03.640 You're not gonna go get oh, this super training and 0:09:03.800 --> 0:09:06.920 I'm going to get this kind of the Meisner technique, right, No, 0:09:07.120 --> 0:09:09.520 you're gonna get the technique of Yolanda that's telling you 0:09:09.640 --> 0:09:10.880 this is what you need to do when you get 0:09:10.880 --> 0:09:12.280 into a room to get a call back, which you 0:09:12.360 --> 0:09:13.280 know that's. 0:09:13.040 --> 0:09:13.480 What I know. 0:09:13.720 --> 0:09:15.920 This is what I'm I'm I'm actively working. This is 0:09:16.040 --> 0:09:19.000 I'm still casting. I'm still looking for talent, right, so, 0:09:19.040 --> 0:09:21.280 and I'm I'm looked to as the person that brings 0:09:21.480 --> 0:09:25.040 new talent. So I'm always looking for the underdog or 0:09:25.080 --> 0:09:28.280 somebody that hasn't had that exposure, or doesn't have an agent, 0:09:28.360 --> 0:09:31.120 or doesn't have a manager, doesn't have headshots. Those are 0:09:31.160 --> 0:09:34.920 the ones that really are the underdogs, right, And I'm 0:09:34.960 --> 0:09:37.360 always looking for those. And that's why I give that 0:09:37.360 --> 0:09:40.480 that platform and I do my acting classes to you know, 0:09:40.600 --> 0:09:43.520 give them the pillars that they need and the points 0:09:43.520 --> 0:09:46.760 that they need and those kind of molding that they 0:09:46.840 --> 0:09:49.679 need to become an actor, a real Thespian. 0:09:50.080 --> 0:09:50.520 Thank you. 0:09:51.400 --> 0:09:54.840 And the thing about that casting room that you know 0:09:54.880 --> 0:10:00.000 we live in it, right And so I transition direct 0:10:00.640 --> 0:10:03.439 ninety seven ninety eight when I just came on board 0:10:03.480 --> 0:10:07.400 and really live with Buster runs and Eve as their coach. 0:10:07.559 --> 0:10:11.920 But the generation shift and they change. 0:10:12.640 --> 0:10:13.280 I want to. 0:10:15.040 --> 0:10:19.000 I want to you guys don't see the soul, but 0:10:19.160 --> 0:10:23.880 I want you to talk about because Yolanda, I feel 0:10:23.880 --> 0:10:26.679 like because I started my career in eighty seven at 0:10:26.800 --> 0:10:30.520 MTV and it was just myself and Kevin Powell. So 0:10:31.200 --> 0:10:35.240 in terms of people of color, Okay, I'm exaggerating, but anyway, 0:10:35.520 --> 0:10:37.400 there weren't a lot of people of color at that time. 0:10:37.880 --> 0:10:41.760 So work ethics and me and my work ethics and 0:10:41.760 --> 0:10:45.720 how I pushed myself beyond what the expectations were and 0:10:45.800 --> 0:10:48.120 I felt that that is the position that I was in, 0:10:48.440 --> 0:10:51.640 and so generationally, I just I want you to tap 0:10:51.679 --> 0:10:55.720 on some of that, but also talk about this generation 0:10:55.840 --> 0:10:59.480 that your experience in your casting world and their work 0:10:59.520 --> 0:11:01.320 ethics or beliefs. 0:11:01.840 --> 0:11:04.880 When I started out, you know, you had to do 0:11:04.960 --> 0:11:07.160 the work. You had to put the work in. You 0:11:07.600 --> 0:11:10.280 looked at you know, TV shows, you looked at movies, 0:11:10.320 --> 0:11:13.160 you you studied actors. You had to know actors' names. 0:11:13.200 --> 0:11:15.720 You had to know who people were. You had to 0:11:15.720 --> 0:11:17.760 know their resume. You had to know producers, and you 0:11:17.800 --> 0:11:19.600 had to know dire directors. You had to do your research. 0:11:19.840 --> 0:11:23.079 And I didn't have that Internet to do that when 0:11:23.120 --> 0:11:26.120 I was coming up, So I needed to do my research, 0:11:26.760 --> 0:11:29.800 you know, go look at their resume and really get 0:11:29.840 --> 0:11:31.959 you know, the actual work. 0:11:31.760 --> 0:11:32.640 Of what they things. 0:11:32.760 --> 0:11:34.560 Facts exactly exactly. 0:11:34.920 --> 0:11:37.280 The computers were, you know, we were just tapping into those. 0:11:37.320 --> 0:11:40.040 We were still using typewriters when I started work process, 0:11:40.320 --> 0:11:44.559 so exactly. You know, so I see that this generation, 0:11:45.240 --> 0:11:48.079 this wave of actors that I have seen lately, I 0:11:48.120 --> 0:11:51.720 feel like they're old. It's I'm not supposed to wanting 0:11:51.760 --> 0:11:54.880 to do the work. They don't want to do the research. 0:11:55.400 --> 0:11:57.960 And I really when doing this last project that I 0:11:57.960 --> 0:12:02.480 worked on one night in Miami, Gina King's directorial debut. 0:12:02.640 --> 0:12:04.520 Associated on that along with. 0:12:04.559 --> 0:12:08.160 Kim harden Is, the casting director, and I noticed that 0:12:09.000 --> 0:12:12.000 it took me about four months just to you know, 0:12:12.040 --> 0:12:16.720 get people to really audition correctly for Muhammad Ali and 0:12:16.800 --> 0:12:19.160 actually he was Cash's Clay at that time, so it 0:12:19.280 --> 0:12:21.000 was like people wanted to come in and they wanted 0:12:21.040 --> 0:12:23.480 to come in as Muhammad Ali, but it was like, 0:12:24.160 --> 0:12:26.160 did you do your research? Did you know who Cash 0:12:26.200 --> 0:12:29.840 as Clay was the Muslim? So it's like you have 0:12:30.120 --> 0:12:32.319 why he did that exactly, Like you need to do 0:12:32.360 --> 0:12:34.800 your research and know who these these talents are, who 0:12:34.960 --> 0:12:37.280 who Jim Brown really was, and then you know at 0:12:37.280 --> 0:12:40.560 that time and who Malcolm X was and what he 0:12:40.640 --> 0:12:42.840 was making the transition of leaving the Nation of Islam. 0:12:42.960 --> 0:12:44.760 People were not paying attention to that and they had 0:12:44.760 --> 0:12:47.280 to do their research, and I noticed that that's what's 0:12:47.400 --> 0:12:51.840 being done. It's like, if you're doing a bio on 0:12:52.000 --> 0:12:55.240 someone that is an existing person, wouldn't you want to 0:12:55.280 --> 0:12:57.360 do your research on them and be like them? And 0:12:59.559 --> 0:13:02.240 it's a highway. You guys have it now. You guys 0:13:02.240 --> 0:13:04.480 can go on the internet. You guys can go to Netflix, 0:13:04.760 --> 0:13:07.760 you can go to Hulu. There's so much YouTube. You 0:13:07.760 --> 0:13:09.160 can go to so many places now to do your 0:13:09.160 --> 0:13:11.320 research on actress. But they still still like, you know, 0:13:11.840 --> 0:13:14.040 it's the little baby steps that are going to get 0:13:14.080 --> 0:13:16.920 you the job and the work. No, and especially when 0:13:16.920 --> 0:13:19.640 you're dealing with a director that is an actor that's 0:13:19.679 --> 0:13:23.000 a child actor that comes it knows the journey that 0:13:23.040 --> 0:13:28.400 they have taken. So it's like an oscar exactly immy 0:13:28.679 --> 0:13:33.400 multi actress actress. So it's like you have to know 0:13:33.440 --> 0:13:35.760 that you're coming into audition for someone like that, then 0:13:35.800 --> 0:13:38.200 you have to she's done her. 0:13:38.160 --> 0:13:40.319 Work, absolutely, you do yours, That's right. 0:13:40.440 --> 0:13:42.680 So I try to push my students to do the 0:13:42.760 --> 0:13:44.920 research and to make sure that they know what they're 0:13:45.000 --> 0:13:47.200 doing when they step into the room, because I know 0:13:47.240 --> 0:13:49.480 what I'm doing and so they need to learn how to, 0:13:49.880 --> 0:13:52.640 you know, to do the research an actors period, and 0:13:53.160 --> 0:13:54.280 if you're doing a biopic, and. 0:13:54.320 --> 0:13:58.920 If you're creating a character, do the research stuff with 0:13:59.000 --> 0:13:59.520 your friends. 0:14:00.040 --> 0:14:02.960 I have done so much to try to help actors, 0:14:02.960 --> 0:14:04.880 and little do you know, people that my friends that 0:14:04.920 --> 0:14:08.520 are actors, they take my personality and it will create 0:14:08.559 --> 0:14:10.000 a character that has happened. 0:14:10.360 --> 0:14:12.160 I believe that it truly happens. 0:14:12.400 --> 0:14:13.320 That's great though, that. 0:14:17.040 --> 0:14:18.559 It truly happened. So I know that. 0:14:21.440 --> 0:14:23.680 I know that that's what you people you draw from. 0:14:23.720 --> 0:14:25.480 So that's why I try to act. You know, I 0:14:25.520 --> 0:14:29.720 try to teach my my my, my students. You know, 0:14:30.000 --> 0:14:33.400 the first choice is the best choice. Don't overthink it 0:14:33.800 --> 0:14:37.880 as an actor, right and just do your research. You know, 0:14:37.920 --> 0:14:41.360 you can never be too perfect at acting. We have 0:14:41.960 --> 0:14:45.960 the Denzel Washington still get coached. There's you know, there's 0:14:46.000 --> 0:14:48.200 actors Nicole Kidman's they still get coached. 0:14:48.280 --> 0:14:51.760 Jennifer Lopez introduced me to her acting coach on The Hustler. 0:14:52.080 --> 0:14:54.200 She was like, Tracy, I've been with him twenty years. 0:14:54.600 --> 0:14:55.480 Why would I leave him? 0:14:56.080 --> 0:14:56.760 That's the point. 0:14:56.800 --> 0:15:00.000 If you really are truly dedicated to this, then that's 0:15:00.000 --> 0:15:01.800 that's what you do. You do the work. And I 0:15:01.880 --> 0:15:03.960 also have come across and this is going to be 0:15:04.000 --> 0:15:08.960 a very touchy subject. Oh yay, that actors domestically are 0:15:09.160 --> 0:15:13.040 not so great with international actors. You know, our British actors. 0:15:13.040 --> 0:15:14.520 They feel like the British Is are coming over here 0:15:14.520 --> 0:15:17.080 and doing all the work. But guess what, British actors 0:15:17.120 --> 0:15:20.040 are doing a lot of work because they're learning our tongue, 0:15:20.200 --> 0:15:22.680 they're learning our native song, they're learning how to be 0:15:23.520 --> 0:15:25.760 to do our dialect. So why is it so hard 0:15:25.760 --> 0:15:27.320 for you to learn to do their dialect? They go, 0:15:27.480 --> 0:15:29.760 they come over here to do they do, do training, 0:15:30.720 --> 0:15:32.200 over go abroad and do training. 0:15:32.480 --> 0:15:35.480 There should be no and you should want to as 0:15:35.520 --> 0:15:40.600 an actor to work outside. I worked in Amsterdam recently. 0:15:40.640 --> 0:15:43.400 I taught a workshop, and why not go to Amsterdam? 0:15:43.440 --> 0:15:47.680 Why not explore outside of America to do work. But 0:15:48.000 --> 0:15:49.920 one of the things that I wanted to touch base 0:15:50.320 --> 0:15:52.680 when you were talking about the audition and people not 0:15:52.760 --> 0:15:56.400 doing their work, do you find that actors don't read 0:15:56.480 --> 0:15:58.200 action insides? 0:15:58.600 --> 0:16:00.720 No, they don't read the stage direction at all. 0:16:00.840 --> 0:16:02.960 Oh okay, they. 0:16:03.800 --> 0:16:05.400 No, it's not you. Oh it's not. 0:16:05.640 --> 0:16:07.720 And that's another thing that I teach my read the 0:16:07.720 --> 0:16:10.920 stage direction. It's telling you what to do in the scene. 0:16:11.320 --> 0:16:14.120 I mean, it's the most self explanatory thing ever. 0:16:14.840 --> 0:16:18.440 So I was coaching this actress and Gossip Girls coming 0:16:18.520 --> 0:16:22.760 back and I said, yes, but but they were cussing 0:16:22.920 --> 0:16:25.840 in the sides, and I said, ce w, it's on 0:16:26.040 --> 0:16:26.760 HBO Max. 0:16:26.800 --> 0:16:28.840 Oh yeah, they did. They picked it up and so 0:16:29.160 --> 0:16:31.360 it's like a reboot. There was some cuss it. 0:16:32.160 --> 0:16:35.800 So I said to the actress, you know Gossip Girls, 0:16:35.960 --> 0:16:38.080 you know it was out before and she was like, yeah, 0:16:38.240 --> 0:16:40.960 I know. And I said, well, have you seen any 0:16:41.000 --> 0:16:44.400 episodes of the and she was like no. And I 0:16:44.440 --> 0:16:46.800 was like, so what I'm gonna need you to do? 0:16:47.120 --> 0:16:48.840 And I'm gonna need you to see the episodes so 0:16:48.880 --> 0:16:51.600 that you understand they're bringing it back. So just so 0:16:51.640 --> 0:16:53.960 you can get an understanding, right, there was a line 0:16:54.280 --> 0:16:57.560 the character is an African American girl, and what the 0:16:57.560 --> 0:17:00.520 information that we did not have is who she was. 0:17:00.920 --> 0:17:03.040 But she has a line that she says to this 0:17:03.160 --> 0:17:06.440 white girl, Jane. She says, well, who are you an 0:17:06.480 --> 0:17:09.679 heir to the Kogate dynasty or the niece of the 0:17:09.680 --> 0:17:13.840 Earl of Kensington. So I said, do you understand the 0:17:13.880 --> 0:17:17.080 wealth of the school that you're going to? And she 0:17:17.200 --> 0:17:18.640 was like, oh, you know, it's like, you know one 0:17:18.640 --> 0:17:21.840 of the schools in Manhattan, like a private school, said no, no, no, no, no, no. 0:17:22.880 --> 0:17:27.200 The air Cogate air if you get fortune five hundred 0:17:27.320 --> 0:17:30.360 the richest people in the world. When that addition comes out, 0:17:30.760 --> 0:17:35.199 they list the heirs of like Walmart, Pampers, you know, 0:17:35.440 --> 0:17:37.800 and hers, Okay, all of them, and these people are 0:17:37.880 --> 0:17:41.199 like seventy eighty ninety. But when you deal with that 0:17:41.240 --> 0:17:44.240 type of money, you're getting installments, like every two or 0:17:44.240 --> 0:17:47.960 three years, you're getting millions, like you know, eighteen, you're 0:17:47.960 --> 0:17:50.399 getting millions twenty one. Like and I have a friend 0:17:50.760 --> 0:17:53.120 who is an heir, so I don't know how much 0:17:53.119 --> 0:17:55.719 she gets, but like she gets this money in increments. 0:17:55.960 --> 0:18:00.479 So these people seventy eighty nineties Kogate still getting money. 0:18:00.560 --> 0:18:01.840 So I said, you have to do. 0:18:01.800 --> 0:18:06.240 Your research to understand. And then it says the Earl 0:18:06.520 --> 0:18:10.960 of Kensington, this is not a sat earl and the information. 0:18:11.880 --> 0:18:12.280 I guess. 0:18:12.320 --> 0:18:17.360 My challenge is how do we help actors today because 0:18:17.440 --> 0:18:19.960 in this climate, I know what it's like to stand 0:18:20.080 --> 0:18:26.840 up for like twelve hours exterior Chicago coaching eve On 0:18:26.920 --> 0:18:31.120 barbershop sixteen hours a day six days a week, and 0:18:31.160 --> 0:18:35.040 I wrote this book on my day off for three months. 0:18:35.320 --> 0:18:37.280 So what do we do about the work ethic of 0:18:37.320 --> 0:18:37.960 these actors? 0:18:38.040 --> 0:18:41.240 I mean, we have platforms like this right here to 0:18:41.240 --> 0:18:44.239 be able to promote what they need to know. 0:18:44.640 --> 0:18:46.680 It's just it's on the receiver. 0:18:47.720 --> 0:18:50.720 And I could beat you in the head all day 0:18:50.760 --> 0:18:54.000 long and tell you know it's green, but you're gonna 0:18:54.000 --> 0:18:55.359 say it's blue no matter what. 0:18:55.600 --> 0:18:56.080 Right I can't. 0:18:56.119 --> 0:18:57.840 I can only give you all of the fundamentals that 0:18:57.880 --> 0:19:00.320 you need, okay, And I'm giving you all of those things. 0:19:00.680 --> 0:19:02.080 It's not in the orthodox way. 0:19:02.400 --> 0:19:05.720 It's the way that I know, as a working casting 0:19:05.760 --> 0:19:08.840 director expert in what you do, that this is. 0:19:08.760 --> 0:19:10.840 What I need to see. I need to see this. 0:19:10.960 --> 0:19:13.959 I'm telling you that this is whatever casting directors need 0:19:14.000 --> 0:19:16.119 to see as well. When you were walking into a room, right, 0:19:16.720 --> 0:19:18.520 I try to teach you the etiquette. You know, It's 0:19:18.560 --> 0:19:21.720 like I make you feel like when you walk into 0:19:21.720 --> 0:19:24.919 my room, like you've known me for years, but you 0:19:24.920 --> 0:19:27.960 don't know me. So there's a there's there is a boundary, 0:19:28.440 --> 0:19:31.320 there's a personal way of you coming in, be it 0:19:31.400 --> 0:19:34.439 feeling comfortable because I would be doing a disservice if 0:19:34.480 --> 0:19:37.399 I made you uncomfortable to myself and you because I 0:19:37.440 --> 0:19:39.680 need to cast a role. So if you're not comfortable 0:19:39.720 --> 0:19:42.000 in doing the character, how am I going to How 0:19:42.000 --> 0:19:46.000 am I going to get my cast role? So I 0:19:46.080 --> 0:19:48.720 set that promise, But people need to know the etiquette 0:19:48.720 --> 0:19:48.879 of it. 0:19:48.960 --> 0:19:49.720 You know, it's not you. 0:19:49.640 --> 0:19:52.080 Know, hey, home girl, no you know. And I've come 0:19:52.119 --> 0:19:54.040