Platitudes From Actors

If you've been in Hollywood for a while working to be in movies or television, a strange thing happens. We start to present ourselves in platitudes. These are little blurbs sent out into the world to remind ourselves why we're doing it.
What we get back are words of encouragement. Which is so very kind. The reality is probably far dire than we realize, since by this time, the talent is on the brink of questioning why they push this boulder up a hill. We endure. Despite it all.

I have a few actress friends. Incredibly beautiful and talented. They work very hard, do all the right things. Take care of themselves and are very very serious about their craft. But no matter what they do, they can't get into a room to show them what they can do. I'm not talking about people starting out either. These are people who have done a lot. But, people are forgotten really quickly here and the reality sinks in that they have to churn project after project and never stop. On top of all that...they still have to maintain life and get past the one hurdle that has nothing to do with training...luck.
Luck and dumb luck are very synonymous in Hollywood. In any other town, where you can make your films, it's more luck and opportunity than just dumb luck. Sidebar, the snobs of this fucking town think the people outside of Hollywood are just making school plays on video. They can't come to terms that they don't need to conquer this Shitville town to feel important. Anyway, so beautiful funny and talented talent goes unnoticed. Because, you quickly realize a LOT of people are beautiful and talented. What is it that separates you from others? Hard to say. Hard to ask from people who know you too. They don't know. They know your personality, but sometimes that is incongruous to how others perceive you. Now you wait for someone to tell you. This is wrong. Frustrating, yes, but with project after project...you do eventually realize what your "type" is.

Many of these pretty girls who come out here, play the pretty girl. In every facet of their lives. Pretty people, while watchable are a thing of the past. No one identifies as pretty. There's been a backlash against that actually. So after months and years of toil, well, the platitudes come out.
I do this too. Which is why I recognize it. Things like "I'd rather live a million miserable days than sit around waiting for the world to come to me." Corny? You bet. A lot of women do this in general. They pep talk themselves to endure the ups and downs of a mostly down business. I can't even imagine it being a business, come to think of it. The seriousness of it ruins the joy for a lot of people (out come the platitudes). It is, unfortunately, a business. When I was in film school I crunched numbers. Not a fun thing to do. The nuts and bolts are unsatisfactory. So why in God's name would presenting yourself as a product be anything but a grind (here come those platitudes again). Most actors live in platitudes. You have to. Because any level of self-doubt shakes the already weak foundation of faith. I am always floored by actors who have their faith shaken when I know how talented they are.