1 00:00:02,360 --> 00:00:07,760 Speaker 1: Get a I'm Laala Berry, nutritionist, author, actor, TV presenter, 2 00:00:08,039 --> 00:00:14,000 Speaker 1: and professional oversharer. This podcast is all about celebrating failure 3 00:00:14,520 --> 00:00:17,160 Speaker 1: because I believe it's a chance for us to learn, 4 00:00:17,720 --> 00:00:22,119 Speaker 1: grow and face our blind spots. Each week, I'll interview 5 00:00:22,200 --> 00:00:26,120 Speaker 1: a different guest about their highs as well as their lows, 6 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:29,760 Speaker 1: all in a bid to inspire us to fearlessly fail. 7 00:00:34,120 --> 00:00:39,640 Speaker 1: Welcome to the pod. Lee Kilton Smith, teacher and on 8 00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:42,640 Speaker 1: set acting coach, and I am lucky enough to train 9 00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:47,840 Speaker 1: with her in Ala as well. I know any actor 10 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:50,279 Speaker 1: listening to this will understand when I say it's so 11 00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:56,600 Speaker 1: hard to find a teacher that lets you as an actor, 12 00:00:56,800 --> 00:00:59,640 Speaker 1: lets you kind of like really find the truth within 13 00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:05,440 Speaker 1: yourself and come to a character from that truthfulness and 14 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:10,440 Speaker 1: that freedom. And that's Lee's whole jam. Lee literally teaches 15 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:16,320 Speaker 1: you curiosity, freedom, being present and kind of like getting 16 00:01:16,319 --> 00:01:20,520 Speaker 1: out of your own way in a sense. And there's 17 00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:22,800 Speaker 1: a thing that we do at the start of one 18 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:26,200 Speaker 1: of the classes, and that is we write on a 19 00:01:26,200 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 1: piece of paper, stick it on the mirror or on 20 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:30,440 Speaker 1: a wall somewhere. You're going to see it all the time. 21 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:34,120 Speaker 1: I am just beginning and Lee talks about the importance 22 00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:37,440 Speaker 1: of having a beginner's mindset. So this episode is for 23 00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:41,720 Speaker 1: anyone with a dream, anyone with a passion, any creative. 24 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:47,000 Speaker 1: I think you will find this so insightful and so helpful. 25 00:01:47,520 --> 00:01:51,120 Speaker 1: She also has audition Theory coming up, which is a 26 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:55,000 Speaker 1: four week course. I've done it and it is a 27 00:01:55,040 --> 00:01:58,240 Speaker 1: game changer for a creative. So if you just so 28 00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:01,320 Speaker 1: happen to be in LA, definitely check it out. I'm 29 00:02:01,320 --> 00:02:03,840 Speaker 1: going to pop all the details in the show notes. Lee, 30 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:09,960 Speaker 1: you've flippen wonderful. Welcome to the pod, Lee, Thank you 31 00:02:10,200 --> 00:02:15,640 Speaker 1: Kilton Smith, teacher and onset acting coach. And can I say, 32 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:18,080 Speaker 1: as a student of yours, it is an honor to 33 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:19,880 Speaker 1: be sitting opposite you right now. 34 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:21,480 Speaker 2: You're too kind. Thank you. 35 00:02:22,160 --> 00:02:26,440 Speaker 1: I don't know where to start, because you've been a 36 00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:30,360 Speaker 1: joy to interview, to not to interview, shy. I'm hoping 37 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:31,720 Speaker 1: I can say that at the end, but a joy 38 00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:34,680 Speaker 1: to research. Oh my goodness, so many pods out. 39 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:40,160 Speaker 2: There, crazy right, I can't. I'm always astounded that anybody 40 00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:41,760 Speaker 2: thinks that I have something to say. 41 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:47,320 Speaker 1: You have so much beautiful wisdom and knowledge to share. 42 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:50,120 Speaker 1: But let's rewind a little bit. If you've been in 43 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:52,080 Speaker 1: the industry for over thirty five years. 44 00:02:52,919 --> 00:02:56,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, closer to forty forty one years if you count 45 00:02:56,520 --> 00:02:59,400 Speaker 2: my time in New York, and you trained as an actor, 46 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:04,240 Speaker 2: originally trained as an actor until I really sort of 47 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:08,560 Speaker 2: received the information that I was not an actor. And 48 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:12,320 Speaker 2: then I started moving in the direction of coaching and 49 00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:16,760 Speaker 2: teaching and found that I had a gift for articulating 50 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:20,720 Speaker 2: what my teacher at the time could not articulate well enough. 51 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:24,560 Speaker 2: He sort of stayed behind the podium in his explanations, 52 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:26,560 Speaker 2: and I found that I could sort of cut through 53 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:29,160 Speaker 2: the bullshit and deliver it to the students in a 54 00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:31,960 Speaker 2: different way that made sense. And that was fun. That 55 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:37,200 Speaker 2: was fun. I liked acting. I have a certain kind 56 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:40,720 Speaker 2: of personality that you would think would lend itself. But 57 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:44,080 Speaker 2: I gotta tell you the few times that some director 58 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:47,000 Speaker 2: some actors drug me out from behind the camera. Oh 59 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:51,720 Speaker 2: it's a shit show. It's devastating. It's just like, sure, 60 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:54,960 Speaker 2: I'll do it if you want your movie ruined. No, 61 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 2: because I can articulate and see what you guys are 62 00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:00,440 Speaker 2: up to, and I think I understand the East more 63 00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 2: than I am the Beast. 64 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:03,840 Speaker 1: But you're trying with William Espa right. 65 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:07,360 Speaker 2: William Asper Bill Esper. My guy, my guy. He beat 66 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:10,000 Speaker 2: the shit out of me daily. Really well. 67 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:10,600 Speaker 1: He was just. 68 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:15,120 Speaker 2: Honest, and because I had just gotten there from Texas, 69 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:18,040 Speaker 2: I really didn't have any point of reference. So all 70 00:04:18,080 --> 00:04:20,000 Speaker 2: I knew was that he was the hottest acting teacher 71 00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:24,960 Speaker 2: in town. And I was lucky to be studying with him, 72 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 2: and so I did the full two year program and 73 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 2: then he he was the one that kind of ignited 74 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:35,440 Speaker 2: in me a desire to think about He didn't he 75 00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:37,600 Speaker 2: never told me I should be a teacher, but he 76 00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:46,040 Speaker 2: did say you're not an actor. But he made suggestions like, 77 00:04:46,200 --> 00:04:49,880 Speaker 2: you know, read this book, or you know, talk to 78 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:52,680 Speaker 2: me about that. Don't don't don't come into me my 79 00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:55,839 Speaker 2: office with your actor questions. Asked me about the technique, 80 00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:58,720 Speaker 2: asked me because he was Meisner through and through and 81 00:04:58,760 --> 00:05:01,680 Speaker 2: through and through and through. So it was he was. 82 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:04,960 Speaker 2: He was my hero, he really was, even though he 83 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:06,200 Speaker 2: just brutalized me. 84 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:09,840 Speaker 1: I have to share with you how I came to 85 00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:13,640 Speaker 1: find you, because I was I had just come out 86 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:16,839 Speaker 1: of an intense acting training here in LA and I 87 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:19,800 Speaker 1: caught up with a beautiful friend for lunch, Ash Brewer. 88 00:05:20,480 --> 00:05:23,279 Speaker 1: Oh my god right, who I know you love? And 89 00:05:23,920 --> 00:05:25,720 Speaker 1: she's like, how's everything going. I was like, mate, I 90 00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:26,440 Speaker 1: got to hang. 91 00:05:26,760 --> 00:05:27,440 Speaker 2: The boots up. 92 00:05:27,480 --> 00:05:30,240 Speaker 1: I was like, I have been ripped to shreds in 93 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:34,359 Speaker 1: this class. And she said, hang on a moment, audition 94 00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:36,840 Speaker 1: theory is coming up with Lee Kilton Smith. You have 95 00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:38,200 Speaker 1: to do and I was like, I don't think I 96 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:39,880 Speaker 1: can get up on a stage right now. I was like, 97 00:05:39,960 --> 00:05:43,600 Speaker 1: I just my confidence and my self worth was just 98 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:45,200 Speaker 1: at a bit of a law at that stage. And 99 00:05:45,240 --> 00:05:48,200 Speaker 1: she goes, don't worry, it's audition theory. You get to 100 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:51,080 Speaker 1: sit in a theater and hear Lee talk and I go, 101 00:05:51,440 --> 00:05:53,160 Speaker 1: you mean I don't need to get up on No, 102 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:57,000 Speaker 1: She's like absolutely not. Like within twenty minutes of finishing 103 00:05:57,000 --> 00:06:01,160 Speaker 1: that lunch, she'd sent me the enrollment to enroll and 104 00:06:01,200 --> 00:06:01,960 Speaker 1: I enrolled on this. 105 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:03,000 Speaker 2: I didn't know that. 106 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:07,040 Speaker 1: Yeah that was last year. And then I went back 107 00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:08,359 Speaker 1: because I do a lot of training when I go 108 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:10,039 Speaker 1: back to Australia. And I went back to my teacher 109 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:12,599 Speaker 1: and I said, oh, my goodness, a and I've found it. 110 00:06:12,640 --> 00:06:15,719 Speaker 1: And he goes, what And I said, finally a teacher 111 00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:21,159 Speaker 1: that makes me feel free when I'm working on a 112 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:24,400 Speaker 1: scene or and he goes to tell me what's different, 113 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:28,720 Speaker 1: And I said, I feel like we're inspired to lead 114 00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:31,720 Speaker 1: from a place of curiosity, and I feel like that's 115 00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:33,200 Speaker 1: one of your hallmarks. 116 00:06:33,240 --> 00:06:37,200 Speaker 2: Would you say, absolutely? Absolutely? Curiosity is the cure for 117 00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:40,760 Speaker 2: everything that ails an artist, really, you know, it's it's 118 00:06:40,839 --> 00:06:45,479 Speaker 2: the I don't understand teachers who feel the need to 119 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:51,440 Speaker 2: ask an artist to perform at their very highest level 120 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:56,320 Speaker 2: while all the while they are being sad upon or 121 00:06:56,440 --> 00:07:00,599 Speaker 2: criticized so mercilessly. It's a freedom from me is the 122 00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:03,200 Speaker 2: key to seeing who you are as an artist. And 123 00:07:03,240 --> 00:07:07,279 Speaker 2: if I create an environment that the basis of which 124 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:10,520 Speaker 2: is freedom curiosity, then I can see who you are 125 00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:12,440 Speaker 2: and then I can sort of see where we're going 126 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:15,280 Speaker 2: or where we might need to go. Right Otherwise, I'm 127 00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:18,480 Speaker 2: just watching you try to satisfy me, and that's dull 128 00:07:18,520 --> 00:07:19,280 Speaker 2: as dishwater. 129 00:07:21,320 --> 00:07:24,160 Speaker 1: I have to say. I was I checked that I 130 00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:25,040 Speaker 1: was allowed to use this. 131 00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:27,360 Speaker 2: Quote about you. Oh my gosh, the. 132 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:34,520 Speaker 1: Beautiful m Kreta says she's a spark. She teaches freedom 133 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:36,480 Speaker 1: as opposed to teaching acting. 134 00:07:37,080 --> 00:07:40,840 Speaker 2: Oh wow, right, going to make me cry. 135 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:44,280 Speaker 1: But it's so true. And I think as an actor 136 00:07:44,320 --> 00:07:47,360 Speaker 1: that has always held on to the training so hard like. 137 00:07:47,360 --> 00:07:48,800 Speaker 1: And I've always been one of those ones' like, look 138 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:51,560 Speaker 1: at all the hard work I've done. He goes like, 139 00:07:51,640 --> 00:07:53,400 Speaker 1: here's the hard work I've done. And I think a 140 00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:56,080 Speaker 1: lot of actors do it because it makes us feel 141 00:07:57,080 --> 00:08:00,400 Speaker 1: weirdly a little bit more secure in our works, even 142 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:04,800 Speaker 1: though it's all bas and this feeling of like letting 143 00:08:04,880 --> 00:08:08,480 Speaker 1: go and trusting the preparation and then just being in 144 00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:11,040 Speaker 1: a state of like connection and presence. I feel like, 145 00:08:11,280 --> 00:08:13,880 Speaker 1: this is what I've learned from being a student of yours. 146 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:18,760 Speaker 2: Oh my god, you thank you. I hope, so, I hope. 147 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:25,520 Speaker 2: So it seems to me that if we can, if 148 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:29,880 Speaker 2: we can embrace the art form without losing the information 149 00:08:30,040 --> 00:08:32,880 Speaker 2: of the individual, it's a better art form. And I 150 00:08:32,920 --> 00:08:35,920 Speaker 2: think that what happens a lot of times in people 151 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:40,520 Speaker 2: whose teachings and guidance are a little bit stuck in 152 00:08:40,559 --> 00:08:44,360 Speaker 2: the past. I feel like, you just don't you don't 153 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:47,160 Speaker 2: get to know who that artist is. And I feel 154 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:50,679 Speaker 2: like freedom. I'm so grateful that Emily said that, that's 155 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:54,760 Speaker 2: so sweet. I people come to me, Lola, and they 156 00:08:54,840 --> 00:08:57,679 Speaker 2: want to know my technique, and they want to know 157 00:08:57,920 --> 00:09:00,319 Speaker 2: you know, point A and how that leads to be 158 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:03,640 Speaker 2: inhabit and they want to make it mathematic. And I 159 00:09:03,840 --> 00:09:05,840 Speaker 2: say to people, listen, there are a lot of teachers 160 00:09:05,880 --> 00:09:09,079 Speaker 2: out here who have formulated the art of acting, and 161 00:09:09,160 --> 00:09:12,280 Speaker 2: they can give you points, a through point and you 162 00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:15,000 Speaker 2: can sit there and do all those exercises. But with 163 00:09:15,160 --> 00:09:18,559 Speaker 2: my life being an on set coach, I think I'm 164 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:21,439 Speaker 2: a different kind of teacher because I see what's called 165 00:09:21,480 --> 00:09:24,040 Speaker 2: for on these sets, and what's called for on these 166 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:30,400 Speaker 2: sets is not how your to your fabulous boutique training 167 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:33,679 Speaker 2: went for you. You know, we could give two shits less. 168 00:09:33,920 --> 00:09:36,000 Speaker 2: It's like it's two o'clock in the morning. Everybody wants 169 00:09:36,040 --> 00:09:37,480 Speaker 2: to go home and you got to get this take. 170 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:42,600 Speaker 2: And so for me, I do pride myself on teaching 171 00:09:42,679 --> 00:09:47,520 Speaker 2: something a little different. Freedom, absolutely curiosity. You know, in 172 00:09:47,640 --> 00:09:50,439 Speaker 2: the class that we've just finished, there are people that 173 00:09:50,679 --> 00:09:53,599 Speaker 2: still come to me who want the formula of it, 174 00:09:53,840 --> 00:09:56,760 Speaker 2: and I you know, they wind up being very disappointed 175 00:09:56,800 --> 00:09:59,240 Speaker 2: because they're sort of standing there kind of even though 176 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:01,800 Speaker 2: they're not chill, but they're standing there saying, I did 177 00:10:01,840 --> 00:10:04,400 Speaker 2: all the work, mom, Why why aren't you like what 178 00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:06,760 Speaker 2: I've seen? What I've done, and it's so hard to 179 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:10,079 Speaker 2: drag them away from their desire to be right, to 180 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:14,080 Speaker 2: do right versus to be truthful and do truthful. 181 00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:15,640 Speaker 1: It is so fascinating. 182 00:10:15,880 --> 00:10:16,040 Speaker 2: Love. 183 00:10:16,679 --> 00:10:18,600 Speaker 1: I love that when we do scene study we get 184 00:10:18,600 --> 00:10:21,520 Speaker 1: to then order all these other amazing scenes. But it 185 00:10:21,640 --> 00:10:23,880 Speaker 1: is also beautiful when you get to see an actor 186 00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:27,360 Speaker 1: just be so open as well. Yes, and like when 187 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:30,400 Speaker 1: you give us these beautiful notes to just kind of 188 00:10:30,520 --> 00:10:33,120 Speaker 1: like play with and try on, you can see those 189 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:36,240 Speaker 1: actors that are just like hungry and it's so fun 190 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:38,800 Speaker 1: to watch and then see them the next week have 191 00:10:39,040 --> 00:10:41,400 Speaker 1: like devoured all of those and just like they're just 192 00:10:41,559 --> 00:10:45,360 Speaker 1: playing and trying it on. And so I think, and 193 00:10:45,440 --> 00:10:48,240 Speaker 1: that's a testament to you creating this space where we 194 00:10:48,400 --> 00:10:51,959 Speaker 1: feel safe to do that. And another thing that you 195 00:10:52,080 --> 00:10:54,160 Speaker 1: have taught me that I want to hear you unpack 196 00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:57,439 Speaker 1: a little is this beginner's mindset. I remember our first 197 00:10:57,800 --> 00:11:00,600 Speaker 1: week of audition theory. You were like, you've got home, guys, 198 00:11:01,160 --> 00:11:05,679 Speaker 1: go home. Put a sticky note on a mirror or 199 00:11:05,880 --> 00:11:09,000 Speaker 1: in the bathroom or on your bedroom door that says, 200 00:11:09,240 --> 00:11:10,160 Speaker 1: I'm just beginning. 201 00:11:11,120 --> 00:11:15,199 Speaker 2: Can you talk to me? Yeah. It's an old philosophy 202 00:11:16,640 --> 00:11:21,439 Speaker 2: It's something I stumbled into by helping an actor. She 203 00:11:21,600 --> 00:11:25,319 Speaker 2: was sitting at my desk here and crying, and I'm 204 00:11:25,400 --> 00:11:29,280 Speaker 2: looking at this woman who's Tony Award nominated actor, who's 205 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:33,920 Speaker 2: done multiple theater productions, is an amazing, incredible actor in 206 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:36,480 Speaker 2: television and film, and she just felt like there was 207 00:11:36,520 --> 00:11:39,120 Speaker 2: no place for her in LA And I could see 208 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:44,840 Speaker 2: that the schizophrenia of having an accomplished resume for New 209 00:11:44,920 --> 00:11:48,360 Speaker 2: York and then not having anything out here, and how 210 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:51,120 Speaker 2: that was starting to really she was starting to pay 211 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:53,079 Speaker 2: more attention to what she did not have than what 212 00:11:53,240 --> 00:11:56,599 Speaker 2: she did. And so I at a point where I 213 00:11:56,720 --> 00:12:01,080 Speaker 2: didn't helicopter landing in my backyard, at the point where 214 00:12:01,559 --> 00:12:04,320 Speaker 2: I was about to lose my shit, I just caught 215 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:08,280 Speaker 2: myself writing a note and sliding it over to her, 216 00:12:08,600 --> 00:12:11,199 Speaker 2: and it read I am just beginning. And what I 217 00:12:11,280 --> 00:12:13,880 Speaker 2: said to her was, I've seen these photographs of you 218 00:12:13,960 --> 00:12:15,680 Speaker 2: when you first got to New York, when you first 219 00:12:15,720 --> 00:12:20,040 Speaker 2: did your first show, and that light in the eyes, 220 00:12:20,720 --> 00:12:24,240 Speaker 2: the light in the beginner's eyes is so prevalent. And 221 00:12:24,320 --> 00:12:27,000 Speaker 2: I think about all the started beginning in process, all 222 00:12:27,040 --> 00:12:29,360 Speaker 2: the stories that I've heard about you guys, and how 223 00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:31,720 Speaker 2: you came out here with like, you know, a thousand 224 00:12:31,800 --> 00:12:33,640 Speaker 2: bucks in your pocket, and you found an apartment for 225 00:12:33,679 --> 00:12:35,800 Speaker 2: two hundred bucks, and you bought a car for two 226 00:12:35,800 --> 00:12:37,920 Speaker 2: point fifty and it broke on the way to the audition, 227 00:12:38,360 --> 00:12:40,199 Speaker 2: and you thumbed your way all the way back to 228 00:12:40,280 --> 00:12:42,599 Speaker 2: the audition, and you went in hot and sweaty, and 229 00:12:42,679 --> 00:12:44,800 Speaker 2: you performed your thing, and you gotten back and you 230 00:12:44,880 --> 00:12:47,400 Speaker 2: were itch hied, like all the shit that y'all go 231 00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:50,120 Speaker 2: through when you first get out here, that nothing is 232 00:12:50,200 --> 00:12:53,760 Speaker 2: going to fucking stop you. And that's the beginner's mindset 233 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:57,400 Speaker 2: that enchanced me. And I also find that the expert's 234 00:12:57,480 --> 00:13:04,280 Speaker 2: mind grows dim and scared and starts to only see 235 00:13:04,840 --> 00:13:08,199 Speaker 2: with limited vision. And it's a natural byproduct of being 236 00:13:08,280 --> 00:13:11,360 Speaker 2: rejected so much. You start to doubt yourself, and you 237 00:13:11,440 --> 00:13:14,120 Speaker 2: start to question yourself and you need the validity of 238 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:17,480 Speaker 2: an outside source to even tell you that you're okay. 239 00:13:18,120 --> 00:13:20,160 Speaker 2: A client of mine right now is in a situation. 240 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:24,079 Speaker 2: She's brilliant, she's a brilliant actress, but the producers have 241 00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:26,959 Speaker 2: ridden her so hard that when I go to see 242 00:13:27,040 --> 00:13:31,880 Speaker 2: her work, it's like watching a bird that has yarn 243 00:13:31,960 --> 00:13:34,400 Speaker 2: wrapped around its wings. Over and over and over again. 244 00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:38,800 Speaker 2: It's the saddest thing. And I worry for you guys 245 00:13:38,840 --> 00:13:44,360 Speaker 2: who face that and start to believe that you're missing something. 246 00:13:44,920 --> 00:13:47,880 Speaker 2: You're not missing something. They are missing the opportunity to 247 00:13:47,920 --> 00:13:50,839 Speaker 2: see who you really are and to see what a 248 00:13:50,920 --> 00:13:53,480 Speaker 2: human being looks like. That's not invented in a fucking 249 00:13:53,559 --> 00:13:58,120 Speaker 2: writer's room. Most people that are of interest cannot be 250 00:13:58,240 --> 00:14:02,360 Speaker 2: invented in a writer's room. You hire actors that are fascinating, 251 00:14:02,440 --> 00:14:07,000 Speaker 2: that are odd, that are quirky, that are unapologetically who 252 00:14:07,080 --> 00:14:10,240 Speaker 2: they are, and then these characters come to life and 253 00:14:10,320 --> 00:14:12,920 Speaker 2: we go like, oh my god, that movie hit me, 254 00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:16,120 Speaker 2: that TV show I'm binging, and it's And yet there 255 00:14:16,160 --> 00:14:19,800 Speaker 2: are still there are still an old school kind of 256 00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:23,080 Speaker 2: thought of like I didn't write I wrote that, so 257 00:14:23,160 --> 00:14:24,880 Speaker 2: could you please do it again this time say the 258 00:14:24,960 --> 00:14:27,160 Speaker 2: right words and you're like, yeah, could you step in 259 00:14:27,240 --> 00:14:29,080 Speaker 2: the parking lot and let me run over you? Yeah? 260 00:14:30,760 --> 00:14:33,440 Speaker 1: Is there also as an actor, I feel like there's 261 00:14:33,480 --> 00:14:36,040 Speaker 1: this art where yes, you do all this preparation, but 262 00:14:36,160 --> 00:14:37,800 Speaker 1: you have to be willing to just let go of 263 00:14:37,880 --> 00:14:41,280 Speaker 1: the whole, the whole, like at any given moment, like 264 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:45,000 Speaker 1: especially like on set or in an audition or in 265 00:14:45,080 --> 00:14:47,880 Speaker 1: a callback where things change on the spot, and just 266 00:14:47,960 --> 00:14:50,440 Speaker 1: being like so open to like, okay, I did all 267 00:14:50,480 --> 00:14:53,360 Speaker 1: that work. I remember I went for an audition co 268 00:14:53,600 --> 00:14:56,560 Speaker 1: hosting a TV show and I was so nervous about 269 00:14:56,560 --> 00:15:00,040 Speaker 1: the autoc league that I learned it by rope and 270 00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:02,560 Speaker 1: I was like, well, that way I'm going to feel confident. 271 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:04,560 Speaker 1: And as soon as I sat down, they put me 272 00:15:04,600 --> 00:15:07,000 Speaker 1: next to a comedian and they're like, Lola Limo, we're 273 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:09,840 Speaker 1: flipping your scripts and I was like, shit, I've just 274 00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:14,360 Speaker 1: learned the wrong person. No, right, But it ended up 275 00:15:14,360 --> 00:15:17,280 Speaker 1: being a beautiful lesson and it got me into acting 276 00:15:17,320 --> 00:15:19,480 Speaker 1: school because I remember I called up an acting school 277 00:15:19,480 --> 00:15:20,880 Speaker 1: and I was like, can I get into your TV 278 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:23,000 Speaker 1: presenting course? I just need to learn autok And they 279 00:15:23,040 --> 00:15:26,200 Speaker 1: were like, you should do acting training. The TV presenting 280 00:15:26,240 --> 00:15:28,480 Speaker 1: one is full and I go, I'd rather swim with 281 00:15:28,600 --> 00:15:31,240 Speaker 1: sharks and they said great sign And I've never stopped 282 00:15:31,280 --> 00:15:35,400 Speaker 1: training since. But I think it's this ability of being 283 00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:39,080 Speaker 1: able to do that preparation because I knew the other 284 00:15:39,160 --> 00:15:41,640 Speaker 1: person's lines just because I'd learned mine so well anyway, 285 00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:44,040 Speaker 1: but then also just letting it go and being like look, 286 00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:45,840 Speaker 1: I know I've done that prayer. 287 00:15:46,120 --> 00:15:48,680 Speaker 2: But you did that. You did that when you your 288 00:15:48,760 --> 00:15:51,240 Speaker 2: whole life had prepared you in a certain direction. You'd 289 00:15:51,320 --> 00:15:52,720 Speaker 2: landed in a place, and then you went to the 290 00:15:52,760 --> 00:15:55,080 Speaker 2: school and said I want to do TV presenting and 291 00:15:55,160 --> 00:15:58,200 Speaker 2: they said, nah, go into acting class. And you let 292 00:15:58,360 --> 00:16:01,840 Speaker 2: that thing go. Yeah, went over here. It's what we 293 00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:03,760 Speaker 2: do in life when we when we're faced with our 294 00:16:03,800 --> 00:16:07,680 Speaker 2: biggest adventures. I think we are in a state of trust, 295 00:16:08,160 --> 00:16:11,440 Speaker 2: or at least curiosity, right, And I do think that, 296 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:15,280 Speaker 2: you know, for since I've been teaching since the eighties, 297 00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:18,760 Speaker 2: it's you know, we put so much emphasis on an 298 00:16:18,800 --> 00:16:23,440 Speaker 2: actor prepares. There's a book, most famous book, The Actor Prepares. 299 00:16:23,760 --> 00:16:25,320 Speaker 2: I want to write the next book called the Actor 300 00:16:25,440 --> 00:16:29,000 Speaker 2: Lets it. The fuck got a book. I have thought 301 00:16:29,000 --> 00:16:31,200 Speaker 2: about this many a time. Oh my god, you'll have 302 00:16:31,280 --> 00:16:34,640 Speaker 2: to seize me how But it's it is. We prepare, 303 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:37,400 Speaker 2: and we prepare, we prepare. But the thing that's not 304 00:16:37,720 --> 00:16:41,040 Speaker 2: taught that I'm trying to instill in actors is that 305 00:16:41,160 --> 00:16:43,920 Speaker 2: the degree to which you prepare is the degree to 306 00:16:44,000 --> 00:16:46,760 Speaker 2: which you let it go. If you let it go, 307 00:16:46,880 --> 00:16:49,440 Speaker 2: it's in a place of trust and you're more open 308 00:16:49,640 --> 00:16:52,520 Speaker 2: not less open. And that's you know, explaining that to 309 00:16:52,640 --> 00:16:55,280 Speaker 2: directors and producers sometimes where they go like I don't 310 00:16:55,280 --> 00:16:57,240 Speaker 2: want them making all the decisions. I was like, no, no, no. 311 00:16:57,720 --> 00:16:59,800 Speaker 2: If they've prepared in the right way and they have 312 00:16:59,840 --> 00:17:02,600 Speaker 2: a pain in the ass coach like me, I will 313 00:17:02,680 --> 00:17:05,359 Speaker 2: remind them that now they are to trust all that 314 00:17:05,560 --> 00:17:10,240 Speaker 2: information and walk in tabula rossa clean slate. Throw it 315 00:17:10,320 --> 00:17:13,159 Speaker 2: at me. I am so ready for anything, because that 316 00:17:13,320 --> 00:17:15,639 Speaker 2: is a part of you, guys in your preparation is 317 00:17:15,680 --> 00:17:19,000 Speaker 2: you're preparing to take notes, You're preparing to be told 318 00:17:19,160 --> 00:17:23,000 Speaker 2: you're wrong, You're preparing to say to head off in 319 00:17:23,080 --> 00:17:27,440 Speaker 2: a direction that you didn't anticipate. That's part of the preparation, right. 320 00:17:27,840 --> 00:17:29,720 Speaker 2: I get in here and I work with some actor 321 00:17:29,760 --> 00:17:32,440 Speaker 2: and we just this morning, I was working with somebody 322 00:17:32,480 --> 00:17:33,840 Speaker 2: and we fell in love with a moment and I 323 00:17:33,960 --> 00:17:36,440 Speaker 2: saw both of us like with hearts shooting out of 324 00:17:36,480 --> 00:17:39,000 Speaker 2: our eyes, and I was like, oh god, no, stop, 325 00:17:39,280 --> 00:17:42,400 Speaker 2: stop it. We cannot get attached to this note until 326 00:17:42,440 --> 00:17:45,720 Speaker 2: your director says that's a great idea, and don't walk 327 00:17:45,800 --> 00:17:47,920 Speaker 2: onto a set saying my coach and I really think 328 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:52,240 Speaker 2: this is a great idea. No, no, no, bad news, 329 00:17:52,359 --> 00:17:52,840 Speaker 2: bad news. 330 00:17:53,080 --> 00:17:55,439 Speaker 1: I love that you just mentioned about walking on set though, 331 00:17:55,480 --> 00:17:57,840 Speaker 1: because you are an on set coach as well, and 332 00:17:58,040 --> 00:18:01,959 Speaker 1: you told this great story. It's in class where an 333 00:18:02,040 --> 00:18:04,320 Speaker 1: actor was getting a note and it was about like 334 00:18:04,760 --> 00:18:06,680 Speaker 1: I think that the note from the director was like 335 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:10,359 Speaker 1: you were growing through dirt or something, and the actors like, 336 00:18:10,480 --> 00:18:13,119 Speaker 1: I have no idea what that means. And I think 337 00:18:13,200 --> 00:18:16,159 Speaker 1: you said something like kick the dirt, Just kick the 338 00:18:16,280 --> 00:18:16,920 Speaker 1: fucking dirt. 339 00:18:17,480 --> 00:18:19,960 Speaker 2: Kick the fucking dirt. Say you're learning louder, But. 340 00:18:20,080 --> 00:18:23,119 Speaker 1: This is the way you can you can speak this 341 00:18:23,359 --> 00:18:26,600 Speaker 1: language where often there can be there sometimes can be 342 00:18:27,040 --> 00:18:30,840 Speaker 1: a disconnect because you'll hear of directors that are actors directors, 343 00:18:31,400 --> 00:18:34,200 Speaker 1: and that feels like a gift, right, oh my gosh. Right, 344 00:18:34,720 --> 00:18:36,560 Speaker 1: And so I feel like you, like you said at 345 00:18:36,600 --> 00:18:39,399 Speaker 1: the top of this, like you have this ability to 346 00:18:40,440 --> 00:18:43,720 Speaker 1: here to like see what's going on, hear the note, 347 00:18:43,880 --> 00:18:48,280 Speaker 1: and then somehow like make it completely digestible for the actor. 348 00:18:48,359 --> 00:18:50,760 Speaker 2: And that's the gig, right, that's the gig. I've never 349 00:18:50,840 --> 00:18:56,040 Speaker 2: worked with children because for obvious reasons, foul mouth, terrible person. 350 00:18:56,359 --> 00:18:59,639 Speaker 2: But I've always worked with adults, and the thing that 351 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:05,640 Speaker 2: happens all too often with actors, is that either there's 352 00:19:05,680 --> 00:19:10,359 Speaker 2: a disproportionate amount of fear placed upon the director and 353 00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:13,680 Speaker 2: the studio and the producers. So now the actor is 354 00:19:13,800 --> 00:19:16,359 Speaker 2: wanting to get it right, wanting to make sure that 355 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:19,320 Speaker 2: they're right. So now they're just basically a trained monkey 356 00:19:19,680 --> 00:19:21,680 Speaker 2: looking for a banana to be handed over to them. 357 00:19:23,440 --> 00:19:26,280 Speaker 2: What I say to producers that are thinking about hiring me, 358 00:19:26,720 --> 00:19:29,240 Speaker 2: I say to them, think about it this way. You 359 00:19:29,480 --> 00:19:32,280 Speaker 2: have somebody on set that you've paid good money to 360 00:19:32,440 --> 00:19:34,800 Speaker 2: to make sure this hair stays over on this side. 361 00:19:35,160 --> 00:19:37,720 Speaker 2: Somebody else to make sure this eyelash has the exact 362 00:19:37,720 --> 00:19:40,400 Speaker 2: same amount of mascara as the other eye. Somebody else 363 00:19:40,480 --> 00:19:43,720 Speaker 2: to make sure that them costuming is just perfect. I 364 00:19:43,880 --> 00:19:48,520 Speaker 2: was like, those are all very specific visions, very specific 365 00:19:48,720 --> 00:19:51,680 Speaker 2: lenses that people look through to watch the actor do 366 00:19:51,760 --> 00:19:55,080 Speaker 2: their work. There's nobody on this stage, on the sound 367 00:19:55,160 --> 00:19:57,960 Speaker 2: stage whose job it is is to watch and know 368 00:19:58,480 --> 00:20:02,920 Speaker 2: acting me. That's me. So while the director has forty 369 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:06,080 Speaker 2: seven hundred things going on all at once, all I'm 370 00:20:06,160 --> 00:20:09,320 Speaker 2: doing is thinking, was the last take natural? Does it 371 00:20:09,440 --> 00:20:12,359 Speaker 2: connect with the take before? Are we still tracking the 372 00:20:12,440 --> 00:20:17,200 Speaker 2: same story? Does the actor feel like they are telling 373 00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:19,720 Speaker 2: the story they want to tell, and as importantly and 374 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:23,480 Speaker 2: possibly more, are they in a state of listening. Those 375 00:20:23,560 --> 00:20:26,600 Speaker 2: are all things that's stupid acting school shit that I 376 00:20:26,720 --> 00:20:31,000 Speaker 2: say that not every director is going to be putting forth. 377 00:20:31,440 --> 00:20:34,879 Speaker 2: And even the good directors that I've worked with, the 378 00:20:34,960 --> 00:20:39,000 Speaker 2: ones that I would consider actors directors, even them, sometimes 379 00:20:39,040 --> 00:20:41,760 Speaker 2: they've looked at me and said fix it. And I 380 00:20:41,840 --> 00:20:44,440 Speaker 2: walk on the soundstage or sidle up next to the 381 00:20:44,520 --> 00:20:46,240 Speaker 2: actor whisper a few words in their ears, and we 382 00:20:46,359 --> 00:20:48,720 Speaker 2: usually get what we're looking for. And I love that. 383 00:20:49,119 --> 00:20:52,080 Speaker 2: I love the duality of making sure the actor is 384 00:20:52,160 --> 00:20:55,040 Speaker 2: doing work that they're going to be proud of and 385 00:20:55,720 --> 00:20:59,680 Speaker 2: satisfying the director's vision. You know, totally so fun. 386 00:21:00,240 --> 00:21:03,320 Speaker 1: You've obviously collaborated with so many greats and worked on 387 00:21:03,480 --> 00:21:08,480 Speaker 1: so many incredible movies shows. Is there like a moment 388 00:21:08,680 --> 00:21:10,560 Speaker 1: or a story where you've been able to like? You 389 00:21:10,680 --> 00:21:13,320 Speaker 1: shed so many moments and pockets of stories where you've 390 00:21:13,320 --> 00:21:15,680 Speaker 1: been able to like or an actor's been stuck in 391 00:21:15,800 --> 00:21:18,560 Speaker 1: something and you've been able to be like, yeah, actually 392 00:21:18,760 --> 00:21:21,600 Speaker 1: you fucking hate this, Like you know, you've turned the 393 00:21:21,640 --> 00:21:23,159 Speaker 1: scene on its head a little, and it's just. 394 00:21:23,400 --> 00:21:26,240 Speaker 2: Little pearls little things that come out of that come 395 00:21:26,680 --> 00:21:29,320 Speaker 2: to me out of the moment. Again, I don't really 396 00:21:29,400 --> 00:21:34,320 Speaker 2: have a regimented vocabulary and beyond listening and simple as 397 00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:37,879 Speaker 2: best and you know things like that. But yeah, watching 398 00:21:38,320 --> 00:21:41,600 Speaker 2: someone who has to cry all day long, and they've 399 00:21:41,720 --> 00:21:45,479 Speaker 2: just cried on all the master shots. They've cried as 400 00:21:45,600 --> 00:21:48,600 Speaker 2: the procession is coming into the church with the coffin. 401 00:21:48,720 --> 00:21:51,240 Speaker 2: They've cried sitting in the house. But now it's time 402 00:21:51,280 --> 00:21:54,119 Speaker 2: for their coverage and they are dry as a bone. 403 00:21:54,680 --> 00:21:58,800 Speaker 2: And I know the actor well enough to know that 404 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:02,960 Speaker 2: I don't to give them a big monologue, and so 405 00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:05,800 Speaker 2: I just step in and I squeeze her arms so 406 00:22:06,040 --> 00:22:08,600 Speaker 2: tight I probably bruised her. And I just said he 407 00:22:08,800 --> 00:22:12,320 Speaker 2: loved you so much, and she just looked at me 408 00:22:12,400 --> 00:22:14,920 Speaker 2: and burst into tears. And it just kept going and 409 00:22:15,040 --> 00:22:18,000 Speaker 2: kept going and kept going. That said, I've also stepped 410 00:22:18,040 --> 00:22:20,440 Speaker 2: in shit where I've like, you know, said the wrong 411 00:22:20,560 --> 00:22:24,439 Speaker 2: thing to somebody at the wrong time. But I'm always accountable. 412 00:22:24,600 --> 00:22:26,639 Speaker 2: You can always trust me to go like, yeah, that 413 00:22:26,800 --> 00:22:30,040 Speaker 2: wasn't so smart. But I love you, guys. I love 414 00:22:30,119 --> 00:22:33,919 Speaker 2: you guys, and I have a lifelong debt to repay 415 00:22:34,280 --> 00:22:36,919 Speaker 2: all actors you were the guys that got me out 416 00:22:36,960 --> 00:22:40,240 Speaker 2: of my situation in my home in Texas. You were 417 00:22:40,280 --> 00:22:42,480 Speaker 2: the guys that told me about the world. You were 418 00:22:42,520 --> 00:22:44,560 Speaker 2: the guys that said that there was a place called 419 00:22:44,640 --> 00:22:48,200 Speaker 2: New York or you know la. I learned all of 420 00:22:48,280 --> 00:22:50,119 Speaker 2: this from watching actors on television. 421 00:22:50,400 --> 00:22:53,200 Speaker 1: Do you know the first time I saw you, your 422 00:22:53,320 --> 00:22:55,640 Speaker 1: energy felt so New York to me, like, no bullshit, 423 00:22:55,760 --> 00:22:57,760 Speaker 1: this is who I am. Take take me or Levy 424 00:22:57,840 --> 00:23:00,480 Speaker 1: in my suit and my snakes, you know, like you've 425 00:23:00,520 --> 00:23:03,280 Speaker 1: got this, Like I also think that's the gift of 426 00:23:04,040 --> 00:23:07,440 Speaker 1: who you are. It's like, this is you and you've said, 427 00:23:07,480 --> 00:23:09,320 Speaker 1: you've actually said in class like this might not be 428 00:23:09,440 --> 00:23:12,720 Speaker 1: for everyone, and that's cool too, Like there's something so 429 00:23:12,880 --> 00:23:14,879 Speaker 1: freeing in that. And I still remember the first time 430 00:23:14,920 --> 00:23:16,359 Speaker 1: I did see study with you, I was holding on 431 00:23:16,480 --> 00:23:19,399 Speaker 1: so tight to the work, holding on, holding on and 432 00:23:19,720 --> 00:23:22,399 Speaker 1: the most I think the moment I came back and 433 00:23:22,440 --> 00:23:24,239 Speaker 1: did the next round, I was like, all I care 434 00:23:24,240 --> 00:23:26,600 Speaker 1: about is being relaxed and open and trust and in 435 00:23:26,640 --> 00:23:29,120 Speaker 1: a space of spaces, because that's how you grow, that's 436 00:23:29,160 --> 00:23:31,960 Speaker 1: how you k I love the way you talk about 437 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:36,479 Speaker 1: discovery and choice and can you share a little bit 438 00:23:36,520 --> 00:23:36,879 Speaker 1: about that. 439 00:23:37,280 --> 00:23:43,879 Speaker 2: Sure, Sure. I Basically I teach that every character is 440 00:23:44,560 --> 00:23:49,000 Speaker 2: walking into a scene to experience discoveries, and that goes 441 00:23:49,040 --> 00:23:51,600 Speaker 2: for the actor. So the actor is walking the character 442 00:23:51,680 --> 00:23:54,240 Speaker 2: into the sound stage or into the scene rather ready 443 00:23:54,280 --> 00:23:57,680 Speaker 2: to make discoveries. And discoveries are everywhere. Discoveries are past 444 00:23:57,760 --> 00:24:00,520 Speaker 2: the salt to oh my god, I have cancer. Like 445 00:24:00,600 --> 00:24:03,159 Speaker 2: those are big discoveries and small discoveries. But what I 446 00:24:03,359 --> 00:24:06,760 Speaker 2: like about that concept is that it moves the character 447 00:24:07,480 --> 00:24:10,879 Speaker 2: through the paces. So you're never allowed as the actor 448 00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:13,680 Speaker 2: to start thinking the thoughts of the actor. You have 449 00:24:13,960 --> 00:24:16,879 Speaker 2: to stay with the thoughts of the character because you 450 00:24:17,000 --> 00:24:19,560 Speaker 2: are discovering somebody's just passed the salt. You're like, sure, 451 00:24:19,600 --> 00:24:21,879 Speaker 2: here you go, there's the salt. I have cancer. Oh 452 00:24:21,960 --> 00:24:24,440 Speaker 2: my god, No, that's a horrible thing. So for me, 453 00:24:25,040 --> 00:24:32,280 Speaker 2: that is the crux of remaining human in an elevated exchange. 454 00:24:32,880 --> 00:24:36,840 Speaker 2: It really for me, the power of making discoveries. I 455 00:24:36,920 --> 00:24:39,080 Speaker 2: always say, like, let the character walk through a world 456 00:24:39,480 --> 00:24:42,679 Speaker 2: where the chairs are all upside down and there are 457 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:46,359 Speaker 2: animals bouncing all over the count across the wall, because 458 00:24:46,400 --> 00:24:51,959 Speaker 2: it's stay alive, pay attention. And then if I can 459 00:24:52,040 --> 00:24:54,560 Speaker 2: get an actor into that state and then watch the 460 00:24:54,640 --> 00:24:59,640 Speaker 2: actor experiencing their own work at the same time, rather 461 00:24:59,720 --> 00:25:03,480 Speaker 2: than presenting their work. And this is a very fine 462 00:25:03,520 --> 00:25:07,440 Speaker 2: line that I face all the time, anticipation because the 463 00:25:07,600 --> 00:25:11,440 Speaker 2: actor knows what's coming up, but the character cannot, must 464 00:25:11,560 --> 00:25:15,919 Speaker 2: not ever know what's coming up. So that little subtle 465 00:25:16,080 --> 00:25:19,200 Speaker 2: anticipation where I see that, Oh, you missed a discovery there. 466 00:25:19,840 --> 00:25:21,640 Speaker 2: You didn't know she was going to say that. Why 467 00:25:21,680 --> 00:25:24,760 Speaker 2: did you respond so quickly? Just need a moment, just 468 00:25:24,840 --> 00:25:27,520 Speaker 2: a moment, and to keep people thinking on their toes. 469 00:25:28,040 --> 00:25:31,600 Speaker 2: I think the best times I've ever had in watching 470 00:25:31,720 --> 00:25:36,080 Speaker 2: actors work is when they are so so chilled, so relaxed, 471 00:25:36,160 --> 00:25:38,760 Speaker 2: so in a state of trust that all I see 472 00:25:38,880 --> 00:25:42,800 Speaker 2: is a human being, comma being human, just like, Oh, 473 00:25:42,840 --> 00:25:48,240 Speaker 2: look at you, You're experiencing your own work. Oh, delightful, delight. 474 00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:52,399 Speaker 1: To cut completely. Oh, I have to ask. One thing 475 00:25:52,480 --> 00:25:54,960 Speaker 1: that was really hard when I first started training with 476 00:25:55,040 --> 00:25:57,680 Speaker 1: you is the way we learn our scripts. Wait one, 477 00:25:59,080 --> 00:26:02,880 Speaker 1: I wrote, right, I am. So it's like script analysis, 478 00:26:03,320 --> 00:26:05,920 Speaker 1: character development, backstory of the last ten years, you know, 479 00:26:06,080 --> 00:26:09,159 Speaker 1: like favorite song play, favorite Spotify player. It's like and 480 00:26:09,359 --> 00:26:10,760 Speaker 1: it's fun as all of that is. 481 00:26:10,960 --> 00:26:13,600 Speaker 2: All of that can be relevant. Yeah, but this. 482 00:26:15,320 --> 00:26:19,600 Speaker 1: The way the freedom that comes with learning by rote 483 00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:22,800 Speaker 1: and not putting, as you say, emotional fingerprints on the script. 484 00:26:23,000 --> 00:26:23,640 Speaker 2: Absolutely. 485 00:26:23,760 --> 00:26:25,720 Speaker 1: I mean, you can just take it in any direction. 486 00:26:26,480 --> 00:26:28,840 Speaker 2: It's there for you. It's there for the taking. So 487 00:26:28,920 --> 00:26:31,360 Speaker 2: when you meet the other half of the scene, that's 488 00:26:31,400 --> 00:26:35,760 Speaker 2: your scene partner, you're emotionally open. You haven't dotted every 489 00:26:35,920 --> 00:26:40,000 Speaker 2: eye and crossed every emotional t You're actually lining up 490 00:26:40,400 --> 00:26:43,800 Speaker 2: to experience it yourself. And that's the beauty of it. 491 00:26:44,080 --> 00:26:46,000 Speaker 2: And yes, there is a structure to scenes and a 492 00:26:46,040 --> 00:26:49,280 Speaker 2: structure to screenplays, and there are you know, obligations and 493 00:26:49,359 --> 00:26:52,480 Speaker 2: responsibilities that come into play, but again, the key is 494 00:26:52,560 --> 00:26:54,520 Speaker 2: to put those in a place where they do not 495 00:26:54,680 --> 00:26:59,280 Speaker 2: distract from the experience itself. You know, the idea of 496 00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:05,359 Speaker 2: watching an actor commit to their plan, you know, and 497 00:27:05,760 --> 00:27:07,359 Speaker 2: they knew how they were going to say it, so 498 00:27:07,440 --> 00:27:09,200 Speaker 2: now they're just going to say it the same old way. 499 00:27:09,680 --> 00:27:11,400 Speaker 2: Now they're just going to say it the same old way. 500 00:27:11,560 --> 00:27:13,920 Speaker 2: And you just go, like take three, you're still saying 501 00:27:13,960 --> 00:27:16,320 Speaker 2: it the same old way, and you're like, well, that's 502 00:27:16,400 --> 00:27:19,360 Speaker 2: just not recognizable as anything other than an actor who 503 00:27:19,400 --> 00:27:25,680 Speaker 2: overworked the material. Emotional fingerprints pre planned are not a 504 00:27:25,720 --> 00:27:29,000 Speaker 2: good idea. You can have an idea of what you 505 00:27:29,080 --> 00:27:32,399 Speaker 2: want to listen for and have that emotion stirred up 506 00:27:32,480 --> 00:27:35,040 Speaker 2: so that it's on call, but if you just pull 507 00:27:35,080 --> 00:27:36,600 Speaker 2: it out and throw it on the table, it's going 508 00:27:36,640 --> 00:27:39,240 Speaker 2: to be like a you know, dead fish in the 509 00:27:39,320 --> 00:27:40,440 Speaker 2: middle of a gourmet dinner. 510 00:27:40,840 --> 00:27:43,359 Speaker 1: I'm one thousand percent guilty of doing that because it 511 00:27:43,400 --> 00:27:46,800 Speaker 1: brings this weird false sense of security, and I think 512 00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:50,760 Speaker 1: it would have come with a lack of like trusting 513 00:27:51,080 --> 00:27:53,760 Speaker 1: the work and trusting myself. But definitely was like, well, 514 00:27:53,840 --> 00:27:55,159 Speaker 1: it's safe for me to do this. I'm just going 515 00:27:55,240 --> 00:27:57,359 Speaker 1: to intenate at the exact same position. 516 00:27:57,520 --> 00:28:02,640 Speaker 2: You're also covering your own vulnerability, which really and honestly, 517 00:28:02,680 --> 00:28:04,680 Speaker 2: the longer I do this, I believe is the core 518 00:28:04,760 --> 00:28:08,280 Speaker 2: of the best work. That when the actor is vulnerable, 519 00:28:08,840 --> 00:28:13,000 Speaker 2: the character is vulnerable and vulnerable to everything around them, 520 00:28:13,720 --> 00:28:16,639 Speaker 2: vulnerable to be alive, you know. And I think that 521 00:28:16,720 --> 00:28:19,120 Speaker 2: we get scared. You guys get scared, and I get 522 00:28:19,200 --> 00:28:22,520 Speaker 2: that because you are literally standing up there painting out 523 00:28:22,560 --> 00:28:27,760 Speaker 2: of your imagination. But if you memorize lines with emotional 524 00:28:27,840 --> 00:28:30,520 Speaker 2: fingerprints all over them, chances are good we're not going 525 00:28:30,560 --> 00:28:32,280 Speaker 2: to be able to break you away from them. And 526 00:28:32,400 --> 00:28:37,040 Speaker 2: it's akin to you know, a painter, you know, deciding 527 00:28:37,080 --> 00:28:38,960 Speaker 2: what they're going to paint on the canvas before they're 528 00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:42,120 Speaker 2: standing there. You know, of course a painter may sketch 529 00:28:42,200 --> 00:28:44,400 Speaker 2: and you know, do colors and that sort of thing, 530 00:28:44,640 --> 00:28:46,320 Speaker 2: But if they had none of that, you guys are 531 00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:51,080 Speaker 2: creating from such a pure childlike place of imagination and 532 00:28:51,200 --> 00:28:54,480 Speaker 2: putting it into behavior so that the line is not 533 00:28:54,680 --> 00:28:58,520 Speaker 2: the only aspect of this story that's being told. The 534 00:28:58,640 --> 00:29:03,320 Speaker 2: dialogue is floating on other ideas and other triggers that 535 00:29:03,440 --> 00:29:08,400 Speaker 2: are being brought about. As the actor slash character is listening. 536 00:29:08,800 --> 00:29:12,400 Speaker 2: You know, it's it's fascinating to me. Human behavior is 537 00:29:12,480 --> 00:29:14,880 Speaker 2: fascinating to me. Oh my goodness, I mean that's the 538 00:29:15,040 --> 00:29:17,960 Speaker 2: jam right, Oh my god. I have to ask a 539 00:29:18,040 --> 00:29:19,920 Speaker 2: really selfish question. Tell me everything. 540 00:29:20,160 --> 00:29:22,960 Speaker 1: You know how much I love comedy. It's my absolute 541 00:29:23,080 --> 00:29:27,160 Speaker 1: Oh me up, it's my absolute fav But what you 542 00:29:27,280 --> 00:29:31,200 Speaker 1: have taught me about that comedy needs to be grounded 543 00:29:31,360 --> 00:29:35,000 Speaker 1: in truthfulness. Yeah, to be funny, it is like a 544 00:29:35,080 --> 00:29:38,920 Speaker 1: penny was such a penny drop that it's like you're 545 00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:41,440 Speaker 1: not You're like just sitting in the truth of the moment, 546 00:29:41,520 --> 00:29:47,040 Speaker 1: and that is what makes things feel funny, right, Yes, Yes, Like. 547 00:29:47,320 --> 00:29:50,360 Speaker 2: Somebody who pulls out a bag of chips and a 548 00:29:50,440 --> 00:29:52,480 Speaker 2: scene that takes place in the car. You know that 549 00:29:52,680 --> 00:29:55,960 Speaker 2: the the how how you pulled out that bag of 550 00:29:56,040 --> 00:29:59,240 Speaker 2: tricks tells the story bag of tricks, bag of chips, 551 00:29:59,600 --> 00:30:01,920 Speaker 2: how you how you offer them to the to the 552 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:04,320 Speaker 2: person driving, how you look out the window and have 553 00:30:04,440 --> 00:30:08,800 Speaker 2: a memory. All of that needs truthfulness. It's the moment 554 00:30:08,920 --> 00:30:12,640 Speaker 2: you start going after a laugh that you're in danger, 555 00:30:12,880 --> 00:30:15,840 Speaker 2: you're in trouble. And I've been around comedy a lot, 556 00:30:16,920 --> 00:30:19,600 Speaker 2: especially when I lived in New York because I lived 557 00:30:19,600 --> 00:30:22,000 Speaker 2: down the street from the Improv Club and be such 558 00:30:22,120 --> 00:30:24,640 Speaker 2: trying to sleep with all the comedians. I saw so 559 00:30:24,840 --> 00:30:27,680 Speaker 2: many of them, and it was always a very sad 560 00:30:27,800 --> 00:30:33,120 Speaker 2: thing when somebody went for the laugh without maintaining their honesty. 561 00:30:33,840 --> 00:30:38,120 Speaker 2: And it's just it's it's miraculous, that delicate relationship between 562 00:30:38,200 --> 00:30:40,880 Speaker 2: what happens with comedy. And I do believe that comedy 563 00:30:42,320 --> 00:30:45,880 Speaker 2: is a bracketed event, that behavior is a bracketed A 564 00:30:45,920 --> 00:30:48,440 Speaker 2: Matthew Perry is a Matthew Perry is a Matthew Perry. 565 00:30:48,680 --> 00:30:50,960 Speaker 2: Alisa Kudrou is a Lisa Kudrow is a leader. So 566 00:30:51,160 --> 00:30:55,440 Speaker 2: there are brackets around these these these personalities. But to 567 00:30:55,680 --> 00:30:59,120 Speaker 2: keep that truthful and honest, you know, I I it's 568 00:30:59,160 --> 00:31:01,960 Speaker 2: a it's a task, but it's doable. You just got 569 00:31:02,080 --> 00:31:05,440 Speaker 2: to know what you want out of the person. You've 570 00:31:05,480 --> 00:31:10,440 Speaker 2: got to know that you are ahead of the event 571 00:31:10,880 --> 00:31:13,440 Speaker 2: that the audience can't see it coming. And that's how 572 00:31:13,480 --> 00:31:16,040 Speaker 2: you that's how you win them over. I think in comedy, 573 00:31:17,360 --> 00:31:19,200 Speaker 2: I could talk to you about this all day. You're 574 00:31:19,520 --> 00:31:21,320 Speaker 2: good at comedy. 575 00:31:21,440 --> 00:31:26,400 Speaker 1: Oh, it's my absolute, absolute favorite. I know a lot 576 00:31:26,440 --> 00:31:29,520 Speaker 1: of the time in class we work on plays for scripts. 577 00:31:30,520 --> 00:31:32,560 Speaker 1: How like, And I know this is a very hard 578 00:31:32,680 --> 00:31:35,320 Speaker 1: question to ask someoney, but what would you say? Is like? 579 00:31:35,440 --> 00:31:38,240 Speaker 1: The real difference is like, and I'm theater trained from 580 00:31:38,280 --> 00:31:41,120 Speaker 1: Australia before I came here, what you say is the 581 00:31:41,160 --> 00:31:44,440 Speaker 1: biggest difference between theater because we talk about like vocal 582 00:31:44,560 --> 00:31:49,880 Speaker 1: residents and energy levels versus acting for camera. Right, you know, 583 00:31:50,000 --> 00:31:51,880 Speaker 1: you could be in a tie, you know, Like, what 584 00:31:51,960 --> 00:31:54,160 Speaker 1: would you say is like, because I've heard you talk 585 00:31:54,160 --> 00:31:57,480 Speaker 1: about the two an actor as an actor, like you 586 00:31:57,560 --> 00:31:59,680 Speaker 1: can be you can be on a stage and then 587 00:31:59,720 --> 00:32:02,600 Speaker 1: be on as. 588 00:32:01,280 --> 00:32:04,680 Speaker 2: Long as it's truthful. You know, there are people, you know, 589 00:32:04,800 --> 00:32:07,760 Speaker 2: there's a there's a reason these these comedies from the 590 00:32:07,840 --> 00:32:11,120 Speaker 2: nineties are still being played to great success because the 591 00:32:11,200 --> 00:32:16,480 Speaker 2: ones that were really good are still relatable. You know, 592 00:32:16,720 --> 00:32:20,680 Speaker 2: the the Will and Grace. I never saw an episode, 593 00:32:21,000 --> 00:32:23,600 Speaker 2: but I love that Jack and Karen, you know, I 594 00:32:23,720 --> 00:32:27,760 Speaker 2: love their relationship. Just think how specific and bracketed they were. 595 00:32:28,200 --> 00:32:31,120 Speaker 2: And all of the Friends episodes were fantastic, and the 596 00:32:31,200 --> 00:32:34,720 Speaker 2: Frasiers and the Cheers. You know, there were so many 597 00:32:34,800 --> 00:32:37,840 Speaker 2: great There was such great character work in there. And 598 00:32:37,960 --> 00:32:42,400 Speaker 2: yet sometimes, yeah, sometimes I look at those and I 599 00:32:42,480 --> 00:32:45,320 Speaker 2: think we've got the potential for that, but we've just 600 00:32:45,400 --> 00:32:47,880 Speaker 2: got to stay the course and have a great story 601 00:32:47,960 --> 00:32:52,040 Speaker 2: and stupid in truthfulness, right, those those relationships were so 602 00:32:52,320 --> 00:32:54,960 Speaker 2: honest and truthful that we were like, yeah, we'll follow 603 00:32:55,040 --> 00:32:57,920 Speaker 2: you anywhere. Just keep telling us, keep telling us what 604 00:32:58,040 --> 00:32:58,440 Speaker 2: we're doing. 605 00:32:59,000 --> 00:33:04,480 Speaker 1: Relatable to feel like this little chunky yourself in these yeah, you're. 606 00:33:04,280 --> 00:33:06,000 Speaker 2: Like, oh, I know that part. Oh, I know that. 607 00:33:07,400 --> 00:33:11,240 Speaker 1: Another rule, not rule, but another thing that I remember 608 00:33:11,280 --> 00:33:13,120 Speaker 1: the first time you said, look, listen, I'm giving you 609 00:33:13,120 --> 00:33:16,000 Speaker 1: a play. Read the scene, but try to avoid going 610 00:33:16,080 --> 00:33:18,719 Speaker 1: home and researching and digging out the whole play now 611 00:33:19,320 --> 00:33:23,000 Speaker 1: a type personality work Ethick Lola was like, Oh, that's 612 00:33:23,080 --> 00:33:25,520 Speaker 1: really hard for me, which I still to this day 613 00:33:25,600 --> 00:33:28,760 Speaker 1: haven't done when I do it scenes with you, because 614 00:33:28,800 --> 00:33:31,200 Speaker 1: you describe them as a slice of life, like a 615 00:33:31,240 --> 00:33:34,160 Speaker 1: little slice of pie. And that's what that. Yeah, can 616 00:33:34,240 --> 00:33:35,000 Speaker 1: you explain that a little? 617 00:33:35,160 --> 00:33:38,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, It is the difference between a play and a teleplay. 618 00:33:39,040 --> 00:33:42,200 Speaker 2: I very specifically choose plays because I find the writing 619 00:33:42,320 --> 00:33:48,479 Speaker 2: more dense, and out of five pages of play script 620 00:33:48,920 --> 00:33:51,680 Speaker 2: there is probably, oh gosh, there's a lot of dialogue 621 00:33:51,960 --> 00:33:54,920 Speaker 2: and a lot of room. And with a teleplay, most 622 00:33:54,960 --> 00:33:57,320 Speaker 2: scenes that are long are only like three or four pages, 623 00:33:57,400 --> 00:34:00,240 Speaker 2: lying in their triple space. What have you? But the 624 00:34:01,240 --> 00:34:05,880 Speaker 2: thing that I worry with in class, and I will 625 00:34:05,960 --> 00:34:07,960 Speaker 2: tell people if you've got to read the play, read 626 00:34:08,040 --> 00:34:10,160 Speaker 2: the play, but just don't bring the play into the scene, 627 00:34:10,640 --> 00:34:13,720 Speaker 2: because the play that scene is a slice of life. 628 00:34:14,280 --> 00:34:17,279 Speaker 2: And you know, last month we had this wonderful woman 629 00:34:17,400 --> 00:34:20,480 Speaker 2: come in and by accident, she'd only gotten the first 630 00:34:20,560 --> 00:34:24,319 Speaker 2: page of her scenecene. Yes, she's only gotten the first 631 00:34:24,320 --> 00:34:27,120 Speaker 2: page of her scene. So she thought that the play 632 00:34:27,719 --> 00:34:30,080 Speaker 2: that she was going to be acting was one page 633 00:34:30,200 --> 00:34:33,080 Speaker 2: number one, but she also thought that it was. She 634 00:34:33,160 --> 00:34:36,120 Speaker 2: thought it was like a flirty, flirtatious scene, and I 635 00:34:36,200 --> 00:34:38,680 Speaker 2: almost leapt out of my chair because I was like, yes, 636 00:34:39,280 --> 00:34:42,520 Speaker 2: do that now. As she got the rest of the play, 637 00:34:43,239 --> 00:34:46,440 Speaker 2: she became less and less interested in being flirty. And yet, oh, 638 00:34:46,520 --> 00:34:48,719 Speaker 2: my gosh, what a great gift you would give this 639 00:34:48,840 --> 00:34:53,520 Speaker 2: play right to expand that character into that place. So yeah, 640 00:34:53,880 --> 00:34:57,000 Speaker 2: I will. You know, I've had it happen in New 641 00:34:57,080 --> 00:34:59,920 Speaker 2: York more than out here, although it has happened here, 642 00:35:00,120 --> 00:35:03,640 Speaker 2: well in LA where I'll see something in the scene, 643 00:35:03,640 --> 00:35:06,919 Speaker 2: I'll be like, what is that moment about? Sometimes there's 644 00:35:06,920 --> 00:35:09,279 Speaker 2: a you know, some chagrin in there, like, well, I 645 00:35:09,360 --> 00:35:11,400 Speaker 2: looked at the play and it turns out that this 646 00:35:11,600 --> 00:35:13,600 Speaker 2: is her father, and I'm like, yeah, but I don't 647 00:35:13,640 --> 00:35:15,839 Speaker 2: give a shit. Now give a shit because I'm looking 648 00:35:15,880 --> 00:35:18,600 Speaker 2: at this part of her life, this little slice, and 649 00:35:18,719 --> 00:35:21,000 Speaker 2: that is That's true. If you and I meet at 650 00:35:21,000 --> 00:35:23,560 Speaker 2: a fancy pants dinner party, we're only going to know 651 00:35:23,600 --> 00:35:26,640 Speaker 2: each other from that moment, and then we've shut down 652 00:35:26,680 --> 00:35:29,200 Speaker 2: and we see each other hiking and our grungy, sweaty 653 00:35:29,239 --> 00:35:32,040 Speaker 2: clothes up and Runyon Canyon, and now we know each 654 00:35:32,080 --> 00:35:34,640 Speaker 2: other from that slice, and it's you know, if you 655 00:35:34,719 --> 00:35:37,400 Speaker 2: look in the mirror mirror window of my house one 656 00:35:37,480 --> 00:35:39,520 Speaker 2: night you see me having a balls to the wall 657 00:35:39,640 --> 00:35:42,120 Speaker 2: argument with my husband, you'd be like, Oh, what a bitch. 658 00:35:42,480 --> 00:35:45,400 Speaker 2: So we are all these little slices of our lives. 659 00:35:45,719 --> 00:35:47,560 Speaker 2: And I think that what's important to me when the 660 00:35:47,640 --> 00:35:50,239 Speaker 2: actor is getting a scene is that we treated as such, 661 00:35:50,640 --> 00:35:52,800 Speaker 2: who are they in this moment? Who are they in 662 00:35:52,920 --> 00:35:54,719 Speaker 2: this moment? I don't need a play to tell me 663 00:35:55,080 --> 00:35:57,759 Speaker 2: who they should be or yeah, that should word is 664 00:35:58,680 --> 00:36:01,279 Speaker 2: I hate the should stop shooting all over the play. 665 00:36:02,239 --> 00:36:04,360 Speaker 1: I will say working on playscripts feels good because it 666 00:36:04,360 --> 00:36:06,520 Speaker 1: feels like meaty. You get to stick it in as 667 00:36:06,560 --> 00:36:08,880 Speaker 1: far as scenes go as well, like you get to 668 00:36:08,920 --> 00:36:12,120 Speaker 1: sink your teeth into something. There's so many pockets and 669 00:36:12,440 --> 00:36:14,799 Speaker 1: like little gems that you get to just like dive 670 00:36:14,920 --> 00:36:18,120 Speaker 1: into sometimes, Like if you're looking at a sitcom script 671 00:36:18,239 --> 00:36:22,520 Speaker 1: or something like that, it's a whole different experience and it's. 672 00:36:22,440 --> 00:36:24,239 Speaker 2: Its own line d page. 673 00:36:24,400 --> 00:36:27,640 Speaker 1: Right, it's a completely different ballgame. I really want to 674 00:36:27,680 --> 00:36:30,439 Speaker 1: talk to you about self doubt because I don't think 675 00:36:30,800 --> 00:36:34,120 Speaker 1: any actor kind of gets to maybe some do, but 676 00:36:34,680 --> 00:36:38,759 Speaker 1: gets to like skip that feeling of like, ah shit, 677 00:36:38,840 --> 00:36:41,279 Speaker 1: when's my time or why haven't I heard back? When 678 00:36:41,400 --> 00:36:43,279 Speaker 1: is it going to be yes? Or when are the 679 00:36:43,360 --> 00:36:45,960 Speaker 1: callbacks going to turn to actual booking? And I think 680 00:36:46,640 --> 00:36:50,360 Speaker 1: in la sometimes you have these absolute moments where you 681 00:36:50,400 --> 00:36:52,680 Speaker 1: feel so close, like something will happen and you're like, 682 00:36:52,800 --> 00:36:55,880 Speaker 1: oh my goodness, I'm just like my toes dipping in 683 00:36:56,000 --> 00:36:58,680 Speaker 1: the pool, like I'm so there, and then at the 684 00:36:58,760 --> 00:37:01,400 Speaker 1: same time or in the same day, I'll feel a 685 00:37:01,600 --> 00:37:06,800 Speaker 1: million miles away. And so that's when self doubt, I 686 00:37:06,840 --> 00:37:09,839 Speaker 1: think as an artist can can creep in a little bit. 687 00:37:10,320 --> 00:37:13,040 Speaker 1: Do you have any remedies, because I imagine actors would 688 00:37:13,040 --> 00:37:14,640 Speaker 1: come to you with a bit of this. I mean. 689 00:37:16,360 --> 00:37:19,920 Speaker 2: One of the remedies that I offer up. It's very 690 00:37:20,680 --> 00:37:25,560 Speaker 2: simple and not very satisfying, depending upon your mindset. When 691 00:37:25,600 --> 00:37:28,359 Speaker 2: you are experiencing those self doubts. One of the things 692 00:37:28,400 --> 00:37:30,800 Speaker 2: I advise all the time is love your life. Have 693 00:37:30,920 --> 00:37:33,640 Speaker 2: a life to love first of all, and then love 694 00:37:33,760 --> 00:37:37,319 Speaker 2: that life. And when the doubt hits, when you start 695 00:37:37,360 --> 00:37:40,560 Speaker 2: to be fearful and worried that you're wasting your life, 696 00:37:41,200 --> 00:37:44,120 Speaker 2: it's I don't know. It's imperative that I think we all, 697 00:37:44,680 --> 00:37:47,680 Speaker 2: no matter who we are, look over our shoulder and say, well, 698 00:37:47,719 --> 00:37:50,120 Speaker 2: have I lived? Have I lived a life? Am I 699 00:37:50,280 --> 00:37:52,600 Speaker 2: living a life? And then you start to go, well, 700 00:37:52,680 --> 00:37:56,520 Speaker 2: my job is not particularly satisfying right now, Well, join 701 00:37:56,760 --> 00:37:59,279 Speaker 2: ninety eight percent of the country, you know, whether you're 702 00:37:59,320 --> 00:38:01,960 Speaker 2: working at a bank or Starbucks. You know, not everybody's 703 00:38:02,000 --> 00:38:05,000 Speaker 2: happy with their job. And then you get into the 704 00:38:05,120 --> 00:38:08,640 Speaker 2: aspect of being an artist in a country that does 705 00:38:08,719 --> 00:38:11,799 Speaker 2: not congratulate their artists that in fact makes it harder 706 00:38:11,880 --> 00:38:14,640 Speaker 2: and harder by not having any art programs to help 707 00:38:14,719 --> 00:38:18,560 Speaker 2: out young artists that are moving along. And and yeah, 708 00:38:18,760 --> 00:38:24,880 Speaker 2: it's it's it's it's we gather information, Lola, but we 709 00:38:25,000 --> 00:38:29,040 Speaker 2: don't apply it. So a lot of time self doubt 710 00:38:29,160 --> 00:38:33,000 Speaker 2: and fear is sitting on our bookshelf in a self 711 00:38:33,080 --> 00:38:35,080 Speaker 2: help book that we paid a lot of good money 712 00:38:35,160 --> 00:38:38,719 Speaker 2: for that we probably didn't read. And maybe we don't 713 00:38:38,760 --> 00:38:40,759 Speaker 2: need to read it, but we need to open it 714 00:38:41,280 --> 00:38:45,320 Speaker 2: and apply the principles so that you can see what 715 00:38:45,440 --> 00:38:48,080 Speaker 2: it's like to look at your life from another perspective 716 00:38:48,560 --> 00:38:51,400 Speaker 2: that you can't access right now. And that's you know, 717 00:38:52,320 --> 00:38:54,759 Speaker 2: I say to artists all the time. I say, like, 718 00:38:55,680 --> 00:38:57,399 Speaker 2: if you want to go, if you want to leave 719 00:38:57,560 --> 00:39:00,480 Speaker 2: LA and you know, say fuck you get on a 720 00:39:00,520 --> 00:39:02,759 Speaker 2: plane and leave. Do it. But don't do it when 721 00:39:02,800 --> 00:39:05,680 Speaker 2: you're angry. Do it when you're like sort of happy 722 00:39:05,760 --> 00:39:08,120 Speaker 2: with your life and you're going like, okay, all right, 723 00:39:08,200 --> 00:39:10,520 Speaker 2: I'm happy. I don't know if I want to line 724 00:39:10,600 --> 00:39:13,800 Speaker 2: up anymore at the audition gate and then go ahead. 725 00:39:14,160 --> 00:39:18,400 Speaker 2: But verily, I will say, unto thee this story, as 726 00:39:18,480 --> 00:39:21,279 Speaker 2: God is my witness, needs no embellishing, even though I'm 727 00:39:21,280 --> 00:39:24,760 Speaker 2: a Texan and I love to embellish. Back in August 728 00:39:24,960 --> 00:39:27,920 Speaker 2: of last year, one of my favorite human beings on 729 00:39:28,000 --> 00:39:30,960 Speaker 2: the planet came to me and was basically after a 730 00:39:31,040 --> 00:39:34,759 Speaker 2: long conversation, I realized was asking me if I would 731 00:39:34,840 --> 00:39:37,600 Speaker 2: give him permission to leave the industry. And when I 732 00:39:37,719 --> 00:39:41,680 Speaker 2: realized that, I said to him, oh, oh, leave leave. 733 00:39:41,760 --> 00:39:44,120 Speaker 2: Oh by all means leave, leave if you're done, You're done. 734 00:39:44,480 --> 00:39:45,960 Speaker 2: I was like, it makes me sad if you leave 735 00:39:46,000 --> 00:39:49,000 Speaker 2: while you're angry or are disappointed about it, I said, 736 00:39:49,040 --> 00:39:53,040 Speaker 2: but hear me clearly. The wonderful thing about your life 737 00:39:53,239 --> 00:39:57,880 Speaker 2: is that it changes with one phone call. One phone 738 00:39:57,960 --> 00:40:01,279 Speaker 2: call and your life is completely different. I said, so 739 00:40:01,840 --> 00:40:04,160 Speaker 2: in the process of waiting for that one phone call, 740 00:40:04,320 --> 00:40:08,160 Speaker 2: don't wait live, and that one phone call will make 741 00:40:08,200 --> 00:40:14,919 Speaker 2: its way to you anyway. Two weeks later, two weeks later, 742 00:40:15,920 --> 00:40:19,600 Speaker 2: one of the biggest sitcom producers in the world rings 743 00:40:19,680 --> 00:40:22,760 Speaker 2: him up, and now he's on a new sitcom. 744 00:40:23,040 --> 00:40:23,719 Speaker 1: Amazing. 745 00:40:24,000 --> 00:40:26,680 Speaker 2: I mean, it's in. That's just an example of like 746 00:40:26,880 --> 00:40:29,879 Speaker 2: how crazy you guys are in your life. And that's 747 00:40:29,920 --> 00:40:34,960 Speaker 2: why it hurts me so deeply when people are disrespectful 748 00:40:35,000 --> 00:40:39,239 Speaker 2: to actors or don't understand the sacrifices that you guys make. 749 00:40:39,719 --> 00:40:42,279 Speaker 2: It just makes me want to run over him in 750 00:40:42,320 --> 00:40:44,960 Speaker 2: the parking lot, just go like, so you're an actor, 751 00:40:45,120 --> 00:40:47,560 Speaker 2: right like I'm a server right now, but I'm going 752 00:40:47,640 --> 00:40:49,279 Speaker 2: to act like I didn't spit in your food. 753 00:40:49,480 --> 00:40:54,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, fuck her, I do love. I actually think I 754 00:40:54,640 --> 00:40:57,160 Speaker 1: got this tip when I was talking about you to 755 00:40:57,280 --> 00:41:02,160 Speaker 1: dre Andre said that you taught her that after an audition, 756 00:41:02,320 --> 00:41:04,879 Speaker 1: go and celebrate, and you plan to do something after 757 00:41:04,960 --> 00:41:07,440 Speaker 1: the auditious and I place to go. Isn't that a 758 00:41:07,719 --> 00:41:10,800 Speaker 1: I think that is such a brilliant hack in so 759 00:41:11,000 --> 00:41:14,160 Speaker 1: many ways. But think about it, because you're not putting 760 00:41:14,920 --> 00:41:18,040 Speaker 1: it's like life exists outside of this audition room. 761 00:41:18,800 --> 00:41:22,120 Speaker 2: Wow, you know, yes, I've got an amazing life to 762 00:41:22,160 --> 00:41:24,640 Speaker 2: get back to. You guys need to see anything else? Okay, 763 00:41:24,719 --> 00:41:27,640 Speaker 2: well listen, good luck with your project. I think it's amazing, 764 00:41:27,960 --> 00:41:31,160 Speaker 2: and get the fuck up, get back to your amazing life. Yeah, 765 00:41:31,440 --> 00:41:34,840 Speaker 2: you know that's where. That's where like doing the Lizzie 766 00:41:34,920 --> 00:41:37,640 Speaker 2: comes in, where you put notes underneath the people's windshields 767 00:41:37,680 --> 00:41:40,239 Speaker 2: that are positive and affirming, and you go back out 768 00:41:40,239 --> 00:41:42,520 Speaker 2: and I can't wait to see who picked up their note. 769 00:41:42,560 --> 00:41:45,080 Speaker 2: And maybe someone's picking up their note right then. Or 770 00:41:45,120 --> 00:41:47,960 Speaker 2: go and buy yourself your favorite candy, you know, and 771 00:41:48,120 --> 00:41:49,800 Speaker 2: just have a moment, sit in a parking lot and 772 00:41:49,840 --> 00:41:52,200 Speaker 2: go like, yeah, I did did some good work today. 773 00:41:52,840 --> 00:41:55,080 Speaker 2: That's the thing. We want to be able to know 774 00:41:56,239 --> 00:42:00,320 Speaker 2: when we've done good work and not wait around for 775 00:42:00,400 --> 00:42:02,960 Speaker 2: someone to tell us we lay work. To be able 776 00:42:02,960 --> 00:42:05,759 Speaker 2: to go I did great work. Are they going to 777 00:42:05,880 --> 00:42:09,400 Speaker 2: hire me beyond my control? Did they like me beyond 778 00:42:09,480 --> 00:42:12,640 Speaker 2: my control? I did great work? And that's when I 779 00:42:12,719 --> 00:42:15,080 Speaker 2: came to to La to do. Came here to do 780 00:42:15,239 --> 00:42:17,480 Speaker 2: some great work. I love it. I love it. 781 00:42:17,600 --> 00:42:19,640 Speaker 1: I think that's game changer, my boyfriend. I always have 782 00:42:19,719 --> 00:42:21,480 Speaker 1: a rule if we have a little win, whether it's 783 00:42:21,560 --> 00:42:24,120 Speaker 1: like at acting school or just like a good meeting, 784 00:42:24,719 --> 00:42:27,880 Speaker 1: we either go out for a veno that or I 785 00:42:27,920 --> 00:42:30,360 Speaker 1: love a martini or a martinie, or we'll go to 786 00:42:30,480 --> 00:42:32,879 Speaker 1: like our favorite restaurant just have like ribs or something 787 00:42:32,880 --> 00:42:35,080 Speaker 1: that you know what I mean, Like just little and 788 00:42:35,239 --> 00:42:37,839 Speaker 1: that is like often the highlight of the day more 789 00:42:37,920 --> 00:42:39,720 Speaker 1: so than like the wind that happened. 790 00:42:39,880 --> 00:42:44,160 Speaker 2: That's living. That's living. You're constructing and building a beautiful 791 00:42:44,239 --> 00:42:47,440 Speaker 2: life so that you know that your life is waiting 792 00:42:47,560 --> 00:42:50,359 Speaker 2: for you. You're not waiting for your life. Your life 793 00:42:50,440 --> 00:42:52,120 Speaker 2: is waiting for you to come back to it and 794 00:42:52,239 --> 00:42:55,719 Speaker 2: neutrify it and give it all all the fertilizing and 795 00:42:55,840 --> 00:42:59,759 Speaker 2: all the joy that it can hold. It's I don't like, 796 00:43:00,760 --> 00:43:04,360 Speaker 2: but it is near so many beautiful natural things, and 797 00:43:04,480 --> 00:43:08,120 Speaker 2: so I try to My version of that is just 798 00:43:08,200 --> 00:43:12,440 Speaker 2: get in a car, drive no radio, no music, no phone, 799 00:43:12,880 --> 00:43:15,080 Speaker 2: and just drive and drive and drive until I run 800 00:43:15,120 --> 00:43:17,600 Speaker 2: out of gas and then turn around and drive back home. 801 00:43:18,040 --> 00:43:20,279 Speaker 1: No, but I love. That's what I got really lucky 802 00:43:20,320 --> 00:43:22,680 Speaker 1: in books something and I said, and Matt goes all right. 803 00:43:22,840 --> 00:43:24,400 Speaker 1: As soon as you finished filming, We're going to a 804 00:43:24,440 --> 00:43:27,759 Speaker 1: Joshua Tree. That night, literally got home, whipped my make 805 00:43:27,880 --> 00:43:30,839 Speaker 1: up off, I love him, drove straight to the Joshua Tree, 806 00:43:31,280 --> 00:43:33,360 Speaker 1: went to our favorite restaurant and had a whiskey and 807 00:43:33,480 --> 00:43:36,879 Speaker 1: just chilled. And it was such It made it feel 808 00:43:36,920 --> 00:43:39,920 Speaker 1: like such a special experience because of the living outside 809 00:43:39,920 --> 00:43:43,320 Speaker 1: of it. And I think, and this might be hippie 810 00:43:43,320 --> 00:43:45,400 Speaker 1: and esoterical, but I think, I imagine that all that 811 00:43:45,520 --> 00:43:50,239 Speaker 1: living you do outside of the aditional the actor makes 812 00:43:50,280 --> 00:43:51,960 Speaker 1: you a better actor and artist anyway. 813 00:43:52,000 --> 00:43:55,080 Speaker 2: It has to, because just think about it. Your your 814 00:43:55,520 --> 00:44:00,839 Speaker 2: your work is now moving laterally you You're light is fantastic, 815 00:44:00,960 --> 00:44:03,520 Speaker 2: so your work is going to be fantastic. But when 816 00:44:03,600 --> 00:44:08,120 Speaker 2: it's not, when your life is starving and you're not 817 00:44:08,400 --> 00:44:11,480 Speaker 2: feeding it properly and then suddenly the audition comes through, 818 00:44:11,760 --> 00:44:15,560 Speaker 2: you've got to ascend to where you think brilliant work exists. 819 00:44:15,920 --> 00:44:18,400 Speaker 2: And that's never going to be the case. It's never 820 00:44:18,480 --> 00:44:20,920 Speaker 2: going to be If you're just leaping off of the 821 00:44:21,040 --> 00:44:25,279 Speaker 2: highest point possible with no foundation behind you, not with you, 822 00:44:25,400 --> 00:44:29,600 Speaker 2: but behind you, then your best work is not gonna 823 00:44:30,960 --> 00:44:33,440 Speaker 2: I don't want to say definitively that's never going to 824 00:44:33,480 --> 00:44:35,440 Speaker 2: be there, but it's going to be more difficult to 825 00:44:35,560 --> 00:44:38,120 Speaker 2: reach because you're reaching for it totally. 826 00:44:38,239 --> 00:44:42,120 Speaker 1: You're reachingnjip love it. You are the best thing ever. 827 00:44:42,840 --> 00:44:44,799 Speaker 1: I'm going to listen to this app whenever I need 828 00:44:44,880 --> 00:44:47,640 Speaker 1: a little pep in my step. Thank you so much, 829 00:44:48,239 --> 00:44:51,239 Speaker 1: and man, I forever will be a student of yours, 830 00:44:51,320 --> 00:44:55,920 Speaker 1: So thank you for welcoming into your beautiful class. Can 831 00:44:56,000 --> 00:44:57,400 Speaker 1: we have two requests? 832 00:44:57,600 --> 00:44:57,799 Speaker 2: Yes? 833 00:44:58,680 --> 00:45:01,319 Speaker 1: Another audition theory. I feel like we're just coming up 834 00:45:01,360 --> 00:45:05,600 Speaker 1: in March. Really amazing. Okay, day mate to the listener. 835 00:45:05,640 --> 00:45:07,359 Speaker 1: If you're in LA, this will be coming out at 836 00:45:07,360 --> 00:45:10,760 Speaker 1: the right time. Then we'll come and sus audition theory. 837 00:45:10,880 --> 00:45:11,680 Speaker 1: Audition theory. 838 00:45:12,160 --> 00:45:15,759 Speaker 2: You can contact me at info at Lee Kiltonsmith dot com. 839 00:45:16,120 --> 00:45:17,520 Speaker 1: I'll put it all in the show notes so that 840 00:45:17,520 --> 00:45:19,759 Speaker 1: don't even They can do it as soon as they 841 00:45:19,880 --> 00:45:22,560 Speaker 1: listen to this. And the other thing is to write 842 00:45:22,560 --> 00:45:25,719 Speaker 1: a book. Ah please, I'll help you out. 843 00:45:25,800 --> 00:45:28,040 Speaker 2: How do you do it? Oh mate? Do you find 844 00:45:28,080 --> 00:45:28,600 Speaker 2: a time? 845 00:45:29,160 --> 00:45:32,320 Speaker 1: It's easier than you think. Promise, I promise you. 846 00:45:33,200 --> 00:45:35,680 Speaker 2: That's the That's the best thing I've heard with regards 847 00:45:35,719 --> 00:45:37,800 Speaker 2: to writing a book. It seems daunting. 848 00:45:38,120 --> 00:45:41,400 Speaker 1: No no you could. My friend and I when we 849 00:45:41,480 --> 00:45:43,800 Speaker 1: say we want to do something really well, this is 850 00:45:43,920 --> 00:45:47,480 Speaker 1: very Australian. It might sound really off gilling. Well, we say, 851 00:45:47,520 --> 00:45:49,640 Speaker 1: if we want to do something really well, we say, oh, 852 00:45:49,800 --> 00:45:51,400 Speaker 1: you can kick it in the dick. 853 00:45:51,560 --> 00:45:52,439 Speaker 2: Kick it in the deck. 854 00:45:53,000 --> 00:45:54,759 Speaker 1: Very Australian, very Australian. 855 00:45:55,000 --> 00:45:56,200 Speaker 2: Okay, we'll kick it in the deck. 856 00:45:56,400 --> 00:45:59,560 Speaker 1: Yeah you will, Yeah you will. My friend, it has 857 00:45:59,640 --> 00:46:02,960 Speaker 1: been honored to have you on this pod. And I 858 00:46:03,200 --> 00:46:04,920 Speaker 1: don't even need to so I'm excited for what's next 859 00:46:04,960 --> 00:46:06,440 Speaker 1: because I'll be there to see it anyway. 860 00:46:06,600 --> 00:46:08,320 Speaker 2: And thank you for having me, and thank you for 861 00:46:08,440 --> 00:46:11,160 Speaker 2: being curious, and thank you for putting art out into 862 00:46:11,239 --> 00:46:14,200 Speaker 2: the world and talking to people about art, which is 863 00:46:14,360 --> 00:46:17,399 Speaker 2: it's the only thing that makes sense when nothing else does. 864 00:46:18,000 --> 00:46:20,360 Speaker 2: So bless you, thank you, thank you. 865 00:46:20,360 --> 00:46:23,040 Speaker 1: I didn't even ask about Harry the bowel constrictor. 866 00:46:22,800 --> 00:46:26,560 Speaker 2: Ah buried in a backyard in Texas. 867 00:46:26,880 --> 00:46:28,879 Speaker 1: We will get to that on the hot seat. Thank 868 00:46:28,960 --> 00:46:32,520 Speaker 1: you for listening, my friends, Lee Kilton Smith, you are wonderful. 869 00:46:32,800 --> 00:46:33,880 Speaker 2: Thank you Lola Berry. 870 00:46:36,520 --> 00:46:42,120 Speaker 1: That's a wrap on another episode of Fearlessly Failing. As always, 871 00:46:42,320 --> 00:46:45,640 Speaker 1: thank you to our guests, and let's continue the conversation 872 00:46:45,840 --> 00:46:51,600 Speaker 1: on Instagram. I'm at Yamo Lolaberry This potty my word 873 00:46:51,640 --> 00:46:56,359 Speaker 1: for podcast is available on all streaming platforms. I'd love 874 00:46:56,400 --> 00:46:59,400 Speaker 1: it if you could subscribe, rape and comment, and of 875 00:46:59,520 --> 00:47:01,080 Speaker 1: course spread the laugh