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You have no car so are going to depend on public transportation..Do you realize Los Angeles and Hollywood are very spread out, you can't always get from point A to point B for interviews, etc as easily as on the east coast..I am not trying to discourage you, just showing the mommy in me. There may be a reason your dad appears to be cheap..he too, probably realizes what you are attepting to do is very risky...
As McQuincy said, having a credit card will help you build credit as long as you keep it paid up and don't let it get out of hand, in fact it may become a necessity..
Trying to fulfill your dream is a wonderful idea, doing it with literally no money is not a good idea. $3000 isn't much, just getting settled in an apartment and paying a few fees here and there will use that up in no time..Trying to survive on what you will be making is also almost impossible. I realize I am not printing what you want to hear, but I am being honest...
Also, I should add that you have to get yourself in shape physically to pursue an acting career in Los Angeles. That's tough advice (and it will cost still more money), but it's true. You're going to have to hit the gym with regularity, lose weight, tone up, get tanned (if you're white), and get your hair done at salons. You definitely don't need to be dolled up for auditions or anything, but you just need to look healthy and vibrant to the extent that casting directors will be able to picture you costumed and made-up on the big screen.
Also, I should add that you have to get yourself in shape physically to pursue an acting career in Los Angeles. That's tough advice (and it will cost still more money), but it's true. You're going to have to hit the gym with regularity, lose weight, tone up, get tanned (if you're white), and get your hair done at salons. You definitely don't need to be dolled up for auditions or anything, but you just need to look healthy and vibrant to the extent that casting directors will be able to picture you costumed and made-up on the big screen.
I find this fairly offensive since how would you know how I look. Unless you know my user name from somewhere like youtube. In which case, you'd still not know whether I need to lose a few pounds or hit the gym, etc. I'm practically starving myself anyway in that I'm a vegan and only eat fruits and ramen. No joke. And by the way, technically, I'm too thin for my height, not that I'm complaining. I'm 5'7 and 129 lbs at the moment. I lost eight pounds in under two months.
While I do get the whole working out and staying fit thing, there are plenty of white people who are actually white and are actors. I'll name a few: Evan Rachel Wood (white as a ghost), Nicole Kidman (translucent), Tina Fey, Miley Cyrus, Julia Roberts, and Anne Hathaway. And these women are all beautiful (minus Cyrus) and talented.
As if it matters, but I will name also a few people who are not in shape and do pretty darn well: Kathy Bates, Jack Nicholson, Jack Black, Meryl Streep (the best), Kevin James, Anthony Hopkins, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Adam Sandler, Frances McDormand, Toni Collette, Shirley MacLane, Queen Latifah. Actually, I'm gonna stop there. Cuz she is awesome.
My point being there all kinds of actors out there who don't fit into the tan, thin, and idiotic category. And thank God there is. And there should be more just like them. So, I think I'll be in good company. Except that I'm ugly, not fat. But that's what makeup's for and it makes me interesting. I'd rather be ugly and interesting than pretty and dumb anyday.
I find this fairly offensive since how would you know how I look. Unless you know my user name from somewhere like youtube. In which case, you'd still not know whether I need to lose a few pounds or hit the gym, etc. I'm practically starving myself anyway in that I'm a vegan and only eat fruits and ramen. No joke. And by the way, technically, I'm too thin for my height, not that I'm complaining. I'm 5'7 and 129 lbs at the moment. I lost eight pounds in under two months.
While I do get the whole working out and staying fit thing, there are plenty of white people who are actually white and are actors. I'll name a few: Evan Rachel Wood (white as a ghost), Nicole Kidman (translucent), Tina Fey, Miley Cyrus, Julia Roberts, and Anne Hathaway. And these women are all beautiful (minus Cyrus) and talented.
As if it matters, but I will name also a few people who are not in shape and do pretty darn well: Kathy Bates, Jack Nicholson, Jack Black, Meryl Streep (the best), Kevin James, Anthony Hopkins, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Adam Sandler, Frances McDormand, Toni Collette, Shirley MacLane, Queen Latifah. Actually, I'm gonna stop there. Cuz she is awesome.
My point being there all kinds of actors out there who don't fit into the tan, thin, and idiotic category. And thank God there is. And there should be more just like them. So, I think I'll be in good company. Except that I'm ugly, not fat. But that's what makeup's for and it makes me interesting. I'd rather be ugly and interesting than pretty and dumb anyday.
but they may have been when they started, you are naming ones that are not trying to break in to the screen right now. I know some of us are coming down hard on you, but you just can't understand what it is like out there?? Call us realist. No one wants to see you fail,we just know how tough it is, especially if you have lived here for many years and watched the industry.
I find this fairly offensive since how would you know how I look. Unless you know my user name from somewhere like youtube. In which case, you'd still not know whether I need to lose a few pounds or hit the gym, etc. I'm practically starving myself anyway in that I'm a vegan and only eat fruits and ramen. No joke. And by the way, technically, I'm too thin for my height, not that I'm complaining. I'm 5'7 and 129 lbs at the moment. I lost eight pounds in under two months.
While I do get the whole working out and staying fit thing, there are plenty of white people who are actually white and are actors. I'll name a few: Evan Rachel Wood (white as a ghost), Nicole Kidman (translucent), Tina Fey, Miley Cyrus, Julia Roberts, and Anne Hathaway. And these women are all beautiful (minus Cyrus) and talented.
As if it matters, but I will name also a few people who are not in shape and do pretty darn well: Kathy Bates, Jack Nicholson, Jack Black, Meryl Streep (the best), Kevin James, Anthony Hopkins, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Adam Sandler, Frances McDormand, Toni Collette, Shirley MacLane, Queen Latifah. Actually, I'm gonna stop there. Cuz she is awesome.
My point being there all kinds of actors out there who don't fit into the tan, thin, and idiotic category. And thank God there is. And there should be more just like them. So, I think I'll be in good company. Except that I'm ugly, not fat. But that's what makeup's for and it makes me interesting. I'd rather be ugly and interesting than pretty and dumb anyday.
The point of my comment was to illustrate all the extra expenses that come with being an actor, even beyond lessons and gas money to get to auditions. Being an actor in LA is about cultivating a look for yourself (it's a visual medium, after all).
And casting director's generally like -- especially for TV and commercials and background work (which is where you'd likely be starting out) -- a look in young actors that can best be described as healthy and fit.
I don't make the rules, but that's just how it is.
I find this fairly offensive since how would you know how I look. Unless you know my user name from somewhere like youtube. In which case, you'd still not know whether I need to lose a few pounds or hit the gym, etc. I'm practically starving myself anyway in that I'm a vegan and only eat fruits and ramen. No joke. And by the way, technically, I'm too thin for my height, not that I'm complaining. I'm 5'7 and 129 lbs at the moment. I lost eight pounds in under two months.
While I do get the whole working out and staying fit thing, there are plenty of white people who are actually white and are actors. I'll name a few: Evan Rachel Wood (white as a ghost), Nicole Kidman (translucent), Tina Fey, Miley Cyrus, Julia Roberts, and Anne Hathaway. And these women are all beautiful (minus Cyrus) and talented.
As if it matters, but I will name also a few people who are not in shape and do pretty darn well: Kathy Bates, Jack Nicholson, Jack Black, Meryl Streep (the best), Kevin James, Anthony Hopkins, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Adam Sandler, Frances McDormand, Toni Collette, Shirley MacLane, Queen Latifah. Actually, I'm gonna stop there. Cuz she is awesome.
My point being there all kinds of actors out there who don't fit into the tan, thin, and idiotic category. And thank God there is. And there should be more just like them. So, I think I'll be in good company. Except that I'm ugly, not fat. But that's what makeup's for and it makes me interesting. I'd rather be ugly and interesting than pretty and dumb anyday.
If you get so easily offended by this comment, then L.A.'s not for you (at least not the entertainment industry). Because at 127 pounds, people will tell you to lose 10 more. The entertainment industry is not a polite place and people will say far worse to you then "you have to be in shape," which is an absolutely factual comment. E. Superhero's telling you the truth. You need much thicker skin.
Of the actors you mentioned: first of all, scratch the guys, because there's a double standard. Sorry, it's how it is. If you're looking for gender equality, Hollywood ain't the place. And male comics are allowed to be chubby -- people think it's funny. And older actors can be more heavy set as well. (But check out the early films of Hoffman, Hopkins, Nicholson -- they're all thin. They're also incredible actors.) As far as the women you mention: they're all middle aged or older! So they can get character roles. Young actresses can't. Check out Shirley MacLaine's movies when she was 20: she can't weigh but 90 pounds. Frances McDormand was also lighter when she was young. Toni Collette's the exception, and it's only because she got started playing a "fat girl" in "Muriel's Wedding." Since you work in a movie theater, go check out the 24 year old actresses who are in movies, and please report back how many of them are heavy.
You mention "ugly"; ugly can be theoretically be good, but it's an extremely small niche. Ugly men have more options. It sounds rough, but, again, go look at the movies playing in your theater and see how many young actresses get "character" roles. As someone who works in the industry, please hear me when I say: it's very, very, very competitive. And rough.
BTW, $9 something an hour is horrible money out here. And you will need a car. The city is sprawling and mass transit isn't very effective. It's very likely there could be an audition in Culver City at 11:00 and another audition in Hollywood at noon and another in West L.A. at 1. The bus ain't getting you there.
Overall, though, I still think you should give it a shot, as long as you don't run up much debt. Why not? You're 24, and you can only learn so much from people on the internet. Take a chance. If it doesn't work out, just move back.
If you get so easily offended by this comment, then L.A.'s not for you (at least not the entertainment industry). Because at 127 pounds, people will tell you to lose 10 more. The entertainment industry is not a polite place and people will say far worse to you then "you have to be in shape," which is an absolutely factual comment. E. Superhero's telling you the truth. You need much thicker skin.
Of the actors you mentioned: first of all, scratch the guys, because there's a double standard. Sorry, it's how it is. If you're looking for gender equality, Hollywood ain't the place. And male comics are allowed to be chubby -- people think it's funny. And older actors can be more heavy set as well. (But check out the early films of Hoffman, Hopkins, Nicholson -- they're all thin. They're also incredible actors.) As far as the women you mention: they're all middle aged or older! So they can get character roles. Young actresses can't. Check out Shirley MacLaine's movies when she was 20: she can't weigh but 90 pounds. Frances McDormand was also lighter when she was young. Toni Collette's the exception, and it's only because she got started playing a "fat girl" in "Muriel's Wedding." Since you work in a movie theater, go check out the 24 year old actresses who are in movies, and please report back how many of them are heavy.
You mention "ugly"; ugly can be theoretically be good, but it's an extremely small niche. Ugly men have more options. It sounds rough, but, again, go look at the movies playing in your theater and see how many young actresses get "character" roles. As someone who works in the industry, please hear me when I say: it's very, very, very competitive. And rough.
BTW, $9 something an hour is horrible money out here. And you will need a car. The city is sprawling and mass transit isn't very effective. It's very likely there could be an audition in Culver City at 11:00 and another audition in Hollywood at noon and another in West L.A. at 1. The bus ain't getting you there.
Overall, though, I still think you should give it a shot, as long as you don't run up much debt. Why not? You're 24, and you can only learn so much from people on the internet. Take a chance. If it doesn't work out, just move back.
Yes, I do get what you're saying. I'm just going by the notion that I am not gonna come to LA, automatically have all the great auditions and somehow get a part in a blockbuster movie and become famous in under six years. It ain't gonna happen. So, really, I will probably not be this young since I'm starting out so late when I finally get my shot. I know the odds are against me and even if I were pretty and thin, I'd still need to be basically a ***** to get some recognition since everyone's pretty and thin there. So, I think it's a bigger possibility of being a character actress when I'm 30+. And I probably won't get anything substantial till I'm 34 actually. Really just trying to think realistically. I am young now, but I won't be when I get my break, if I even do. And I realize the whole bus thing isn't going to work for long. But I really can't drive. And am honestly afraid to. I've been in two wrecks and one was close to death. And also a hit-and-run except the driver was on foot. My dad was driving. He had to have surgery and everything. It was scary. If people drive so out of wack here, imagine how awful it is on the 101 or the 405. Eech.
But thanks for the thoughts. I appreciate all the pointers. And I'm really looking forward to living my life. Cuz lately, I haven't been.
You will definitely make it buddy. Just believe in yourself.
It is great that you can give her so much encouragement, but wouldn't it be better to let her know what she is up against? I know this sounds cold, but the more she writes the more I, for one, do not think she stands more than a 1% chance and she certainly can not live on the money she will make..
Even her fear of driving tells you something, in order to have any chance in Hollywood, she has to be super tough along with everything else and it doesn't appear she is. She is afraid to drive (for good reason) she has no money, will be earning $9.00 an hour at best, doesn't know anyone, doesn't know much about Los Angeles, says her dad could lend her money but he is too cheap, gets upset when someone tells her what it means to be thin in Hollywood, and so on. she is setting herself up for a big let down. Now she says it might take her years to get a break, well unless she can make a heck of a lot more than $9.00 an hour she would have years, more like weeks or months at the best.
I also worry about young women like her ending up either in danger or doing porn for a living..
Nita
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But that's what makeup's for and it makes me interesting. I'd rather be ugly and interesting than pretty and dumb anyday. 
