As Well As You Can, Whenever And Wherever You Can

“I had this cognition that I realized I was going into auditions, trying to get a job. And that simply wasn’t what I was supposed to be doing. An actor is supposed to create a compelling, interesting character, that serves the text. You present it in the environment where your audition happens. And then you walk away. And that’s it. Everything else is out of your control. Don’t even think about it. Don’t focus on that. You’re not going there to get a job. You are going there to present what you do. You act. And there it is. And walk away. And there’s power in that. And there’s confidence in that. And it’s also saying, I can only do so much. And then, the decision of who might get a job is so out of your control, that, really when you analyze it, it makes no sense to hold onto that. That, to me, was a breakthrough. And, once I adopted that philosophy, I never looked back. And I’ve never been busier in my life, than once I grabbed onto that. That’s it!” -Bryan Cranston

“This is something a teacher told me years ago, and he’s right: even if you’re auditioning for something that you know you’re never going to get or for something you read and didn’t like—if you get a chance to act in a room that somebody else has paid rent for, then you’re given a free chance to practice your craft. And in that moment, you should act as well as you can. Because when you act as well as you can, there’s no way the people who have watched you will forget it. At the end of the day, all that matters is the work. Everybody knows that. If I show up one day and the work I’m doing isn’t any good, then I’m just a guy who’s not acting well…So I would say it to anybody starting out: if you’re given a chance to act, take those words and bring them alive. If you do that, something good will transpire ultimately.” -Philip Seymour Hoffman

Whether it be 5 minutes in the audition room for a tv show you’re not crazy about and a part you’re not right for or the countless hours you spend rehearsing and then performing that dream role in the Shepard or Chekov play you love so much you produced it yourself, one thing you must do no matter what the circumstances…give it everything you got. Act as well as you can whenever and wherever you can.

If you got a chance to act today, realize it’s a gift. Be grateful for it and use that gift wisely. You never know when that gift will come back.

P.S. – Thanks to Billy Oppenheimer and his always great “Six At Six” weekly newsletter for inspiring this post.