The Spirited Actor - Siddiq Saunderson

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello, and welcome to the Spirited Actor Podcast with me
Tracy Moore. I was a casting director for film and
TV and commercials for over thirty years. I transition to
a celebrity acting coach after I cast a film New
Jersey Drive with executive producers Spike Lee and director Nick Thomas.
I audition every rapper from Biggie Spalls to Tupac, and

(00:24):
I realized that rappers and musical artists they needed help
transitioning to acting. My clients consist of musical artists from
Buster Rhymes to Eve, Missy Elliott, Angela Ye from The
Breakfast Club, and Vanessa Simmons to name a few. I
also coach sports stars and host as well. I feel

(00:45):
I have the best of both worlds. As a casting director,
I know exactly what they're looking for, and as an
acting coach, I can coach you to be remembered in
that room. Now. I know, I know actors want to
get the job. I get that, but being remembered by
casting director that is powerful meditation of the day. I

(01:07):
am not a hahusband. I'm a will be Lauren the
call we need to value ourselves. If we don't value ourselves,
then we give our power to other people. That is
not a good idea, because when we allow other people
to validate us, then we will always depend on others

(01:27):
to make us feel good about ourselves. The only person
you can depend on is you. Regardless of what other
people say. You should arm yourself with an affirmation such
as I love myself or I am beautiful inside out
that reinforces your value to you. Today, I will arm

(01:53):
myself with a daily affirmation that will strengthen my person
and bring value to myself. Welcome to the Spirit Actor
Podcast with me Tracy Moore. I'm gonna get a little
emotional today. I'll be honest with you because our guests
today one of my favorite actors, but I want to

(02:18):
share with I'm gonna share him with you today. I
want you to settle yourselves. I want you to be
prepared for a riving interview from a phenomenal actor who
I feel blessed that I have been allowed on his
journey and to experience to see his his body of work,

(02:41):
and his body work is going to continue and the
greatness is going to continue. So I want all of
you to put your hands together for our guests. Mrs
the Dick Anderson so much good to be here. So

(03:04):
I want to share with our guests our relationship because
we've known each other since you were ten and in
the beginning of your journey, UM, and I think it actually,
I think it actually started before ten. You knew before ten, Um.
But at ten, you know what, where where were you

(03:26):
as an actor? Um? How did how did you feel
about entering this business? Um? Honestly, I don't think I
was thinking about the business aspect of it at all,
you know. I think at that that time, I was
just so excited by storytelling and imagination. No, I just

(03:47):
come out of elementary school, you know, I do it
from fifth grade to sixth grade, and I entered into
it uh MS fifty one, which has this theater program,
and so I was, you know, just entering my is
kind of like a real theater class and taking my
first acting lessons with you, you know, outside of school.
So I was just like super excited about acting in general. Um.

(04:12):
And you know, you really helped me and started to
shine a light on what it looked like to be
a professional actor and like to actually, yes, this is
my craft, this is my hobby, this is what I
love to do, but this is something that people do
for a living. And all I needed was that kind
of seed in my mind in order for me to
to to start chasing something. You know, I remember your

(04:37):
work ethic back then at ten because I've always given homework,
so I do remember getting homework. I remember, um, your
mother like being you know, so supportive, but a mom
like is he doing everything he's supposed to do? Do?
You know? It was great and to have a parent

(05:00):
was supportive. How did that feel for you? Um? It
got me here, you know, it got me to where
I am today. Um. And I mean that with my
full heart, because it's just I was just so blessed
to have people around me, and specifically a mother who
really supported me, um, through all aspects of it and

(05:20):
really let me take the driver's seat. You know, she
kind of like she was following my lead as far
as knowing that this was a passion of mine and
a dream of mine and letting me kind of put
as much into it as I wanted to put into it, um,
and not forcing me to do it, but also holding
me accountable once I once I did, you know, once

(05:42):
she did set me up with the acting classes. It's
like well, I you know, I got you the classes,
so now take them, you know, and really commit yourself
to it. But never pushing you to be famous or
on any TV show, and even actually you know, wanted
the opposite for me and really you know, pushed me
to get and education and to have an understanding, um

(06:02):
and a respect for whatever it is that I was
doing and what I what I was doing at the
time and what I am doing now is acting and
being an artist. Yeah, that support. Without it, I don't
I don't know that I would be as far in
my journey as I am. You know, at twenty four
years old. I think it's amazing because she could your

(06:25):
your mom could have or any parent could have viewed
it as a hobby and steered you in in another direction,
but at at such a young age to also believe
in affirm with you, this is what you're you know,
this is what you want to do. That's great because
you know, I know a lot of kids I work
with kids and their parents are like, oh, we'll see

(06:48):
what happens, you know, so the kids attitude is of that.
But you you really knew this is what you want
to do. And like you said, at twenty four, like
the world is. You know, you set it up for
yourself already, your body of work. Okay, So I want
to ask you because we before I talked about your

(07:10):
plethora of work. Um, I wanted to ask you in
terms of the audition process because now we're living in
the age of self take what are some things that
you can say to actors to help them to stand
out in their performance because in the work that I

(07:31):
have seen with you, like, it's what you don't say,
your subtext is so fierce. Oh so you know what
I mean, Like because I've seen you, especially in the
Woutan series where you haven't been in a scene with

(07:51):
other actors, but your posture, your stance, and again your
subtext is so alive that I'm drawing on to you
and you're not saying anything like but you do that
a lot, you breathe a lot in your work. So
I want to go back to that. But what because

(08:11):
we're in the self tape world, like you know, a
casting director is going to see a thousand some well
a thousand self tapes are going to be submitted to
a casting director from one role. Mhm um. I think
with self tapes, for me, the key is creating an

(08:33):
environment as much as I can. As much of the
environment that I can control, I control that, you know,
and that comes to preparation as much. The more time
that I spend, you know, with the scene and the
more that I know the text, the more I feel
comfortable the text when it's time to record, the more
that I can fill in other gaps that just take

(08:54):
it that much further and really sharpen it, you know,
like it's a pencil. You know, you're still right with.
You can still write with a dull tip, but it's
the point you know, you sharpen it with. It becomes
more pointy with the specificity and what's around you, so
you know, that can anything like placing you know, I

(09:15):
placed like brooms or lamps or something, to have different eyelines,
especially with scenes where there's multiple people in them, knowing
specifically we're talking to, knowing what's around you, and also
giving yourself that time before you start the self tape.
There's no need to rush because you're doing the self TI.
If you're at home anyway, you know, and you can
control a lot of things. The things that you can control,

(09:37):
control them and control them with again specificity, UM because
also that will help you falling into the trap of
recording the same thing twenty times and being the twenty times.
I'm not like that. When I record a self tape,
I do it at max three times, and that's it
because if I was in the room, I wouldn't have
gotten twenty times. I of like, is it's meant to be?

(10:01):
It is meant to be, And if I'm going to be,
you know, in control and prepared, then that's what That's
what's gonna happen in successful following. If not and it
wasn't meant to be, then it wasn't meant to be.
But you just got to kind of control the things
that you can control. So that's that's what I say.
I love that. Um whenso Sinclair was on our show
and she said that she does not want self tapes

(10:25):
where you've gone over twenty times because you're not going
to get that opportunity in a room. So do it
a couple of times and then send it in. And
that's the idea because I think that sometimes, especially when
I'm coaching people with self tape, they overthink it, they
over over over, and I'm like, you just need to

(10:46):
go through it a couple of times and then let
it go. There's no because she said, you don't allow
casting director's room to do what they did. You're looking
for a perfection, right, Um. Also just being being sorry
to cut you off, but also being realistic in the changes,
you know, like from take to take if it's are

(11:08):
you actually it's there's something changed, you know from this
take to that tape, something large enough for you to
notice yourself, because if you can't even notice the change,
then the person watching it, you know, the cast and
director is not gonna notice this very minded change from
take to take to take to you know, like you know,
you gotta be realistic with yourself. I love you and

(11:33):
and that's something, but that's being honest with yourself. You know,
you gotta take any ego vanity out and say you
know and really authentic and raw about it. Um. I
love when you are specific in terms of like you
were saying, you're you know, with a broom or a
lamp um. Uh. When I was doing a monologue once

(11:55):
with a class, Uh, this guy did a monologue where
he was a coach talking to a team and I
said to him, how many people are you talking to?
And he was like, oh, it's like about thirty guys.
And I said, well, you have to create a relationship
and a visual for everyone you're speaking to because you're
being general, but you're speaking of thirty different people. There's

(12:18):
thirty different reactions. So you know that's important. And a
lot of a lot of actors don't take the time
to do that work because that's a lot of work.
When you now, um, I know you have an agent,
and you know a lot of self tapes when you're
dealing with and I'm making an assumption here, but I

(12:41):
know I'm right, But you get a lot, You get
a lot of self tapes, you get a lot of work.
So how challenging is it for you in the preparation
Let's say you have three self tapes do that day.
How challenging is it for you to prepare each one
of the as characters? And what is the process of that?

(13:05):
I think it depends. Um. I think. I always like
if if I do get multiple auditions, which happens sometimes,
but it doesn't happen as often I think, but like,
uh no, but I um, I think if I were
to get that, you know, multiple auditions, what I would

(13:26):
start with is really reading through all of them and
seeing which ones I'm immediately which one I'm immediately drawn
to um because I think that that's also really specific
kind of being a successful actor is knowing, is knowing
what you're drawn to, you know, and it's that thing
of again being real with yourself, like is this do
I connect to this material? You know? Do I really

(13:48):
does this material fit me? And do I do I
fit the material? And yes, there are things that we
as actors can do and that will you know, the
capacity to you know, be more flexible and push kind
of a and go against the grain of you know,
I'm like this person, but the characters like this person,
and there's too you know, they're different, but I can
find a way to link them. Yes, But a lot

(14:10):
of the times in the in the beginning of an
actor's career, especially in the beginning, in the beginning of
my career, all most of the characters that I've been
playing have kind of fit me in a way like
a glove, you know, like when I read it, immediately
connected to it. So I think as far as like
preparing multiple I think I've I've also you know, had
passed on some auditions, and I also want to like

(14:32):
say like that that is you know something too. That's
not what I'm like. I'm not saying like, oh, if
you're an audition that you don't like, you know, it's
not like don't hustle or don't you know, go after it,
but it's it's like again of quality over quantity. Do work.
You can't, you know, spread yourself too thin, you know.

(14:52):
So if I do get three auditions, find which one
I'm drawn to the most and that I feel the
most connected with, and I'm going to really work on that,
focus my energy on that because that's the one. Because
at the end of the day, you can only work
one job at a time, you know, you can only
you can get but you can only be on one
set um and to figure out which one you want

(15:13):
to be on, and you really feel like you can
visualize and you really can be on the set and
in this character. Um so yeah, I think and and
and then as far as you know, preparing, it's just
you know, memorizing and as much as I can't memorization
honestly has always been one of my favorite, like one
of my things though. I think that's kind of what
drew me to acting in the first place. My mom

(15:34):
would say that I would uh memorize. Also because I
didn't get no lead roles or anything in elementary school,
I always got like one line. It's you know, I
got very memory. I would memorize other people's minds and
like the sepping them and stuff. So memorization, you know,
I've always been kind of like into that and I
still stand by and it's it's it's helped me in

(15:55):
my success. So that the better you can get. Being
able to obtain text quickly, right mean text quickly and
you know recited, I think that's a that's an important
skill to happen. So, UM, I want you to tell
actors how important classes coaching is to the process, because um,

(16:17):
you know, I still find myself running into actors who
don't think that classes are important or that you know,
acting is easy. So I want you to share that
the m um class is important. I don't know, I
don't even know like to say, um, you have to

(16:40):
study craft to study if you want to be a
true actor and a true artist, you must study the
craft because I think I think for me, anybody can
be on you know, a show you know or you know,
anybody can have a thing. Anybody can be attractive or
you know, like have the right look for the world.

(17:04):
And you know, there's so many reasons and different reasons
why people get casts and things, um. And I'm aware
of that, UM. But I think something that that's something
that nobody can take from me is my training, my
knowledge that I know that I've obtained years of being
in class, you know, UM. And that's important and that's

(17:26):
what's going to carry me. That's what that's what has
me starting where I'm starting from and what's going to
carry me throughout my career. Um. Because there's a a
level of understanding that you have after you take class
and you realize that there's so many parts and so
many layers and that well, it's so deep, you know.

(17:50):
And that's why I think that's what you may be seeing,
you know when you say that you watch me, you know,
with without saying anything and you're still you know, is
because that well, and the way that my brain works
when I think about a character is broad. You know,
it's like a huge canvas and that can you know,

(18:11):
it's like it's it's like a canvas, you know, and
so the campus just gets larger and larger and larger
your view of how you can look at a character,
how you can approach a character, how you can approach
a different person and put them on growth mhm. With
your ability. You know, when you when you know these things,
when you know what makes you know people people and

(18:33):
what makes us seeing a scene seeing well, what makes
things interesting, beats, moments, tactics, your objective, your environment, the
moment before before the door, you know, like all these
things that come natural and an actually occurring within our
day to day lives. But when you go into a
class and you study them, that is when you can

(18:56):
really pinpoint and and and analyze what's going on on
with whatever character you're playing at any given money, and
it allows you to be a fuller actor taking class
for real. Just now you just class that I'm a
little misty though, I just in that moment, I was like,

(19:21):
I felt like my spirit got rejuvenated again, Like this
is why I do what I do. This is why
I do because you are truly an example of my
love and my passion for actors and just being able.
And I have a relationship with my spirit actor alumni

(19:42):
for years as well. And when I see you guys
work it just fills my soul because I remember when
you said this is what you wanted to do, and
then look you're doing it. It's amazing. Um, I want
to I want to jump forward to the Wu Tang.
Let's talk about that, because all right, I'm gonna I'm
gonna be honest. All right, this is my story, y'all
because these are my people. Yo. I saw that. I

(20:05):
saw the episode when you were with the girl and
you snatched her up and put her against the wall,
and I said, I can't watch this. I can't ever
watch this again. I can't watch it. I can't. I
was like, I've known him since he was dead. My
ac cordions A cordions, and I felt and I was like,
so then I started watching it like this, thinking you,

(20:36):
I did not know it was you first episode until
the credits, because it didn't look like you. You don't
look like you that do you know what that's like
to see an actor that you know what, No, not
that's and then you get lost in the film or
the TV show and then at the end you're like, oh, yeah,

(20:57):
that was I did not know who when I tell
you you that character like and these are real people,
so you have people to refer to, you know, if
you're not playing that or this is what what first

(21:18):
tell us about? Um, how that show came to you,
that audition, and and then how you were drawn to
this role and marry something mm hmm um wow. Stroll
that our memory lane, stroll that memory. UM. So I

(21:38):
got the in is it in twenty nineteen? Beginning the
twenty nineteen UM, I think I I originally actually auditioned
for Bobby digs Um and at the time, I didn't
know like I knew Woutang and I knew most of
them members, but I knew that there was something that

(21:59):
I didn't know. Oh, so I wasn't you know, and
using their name like it was like Robert Diggs and
I was like, Okay, I don't know who that is,
but I'm gonna just you know, I didn't even really
didn't I like I did. So I started doing research.
But I was also just like drawn to the text
and the language, and I was like, all right, I'm
gonna focus on this, like I'm gonna start here, I'm
gonna see what's in this story. I'm gonna see this
who's this character? So I did that initial audition and

(22:21):
I remember going in UM. It's also so interesting because
I remember because the cast and director Kim Coleman, I
wanted to meet her so bad. I think this is
like the third time or fourth time I went into
her office, but every time before then I went in
for her assistant, you know, And it was like and
I just kept seeing her in her office and I'll
be like, can I like, you know, and you know,

(22:43):
can I see her? But it wasn't time. So I
did my first audition. I did. Then they called me
back in UM to read for Dennis Um. And at
this point I didn't I'm gonna keep it a buck.
I didn't even know that this was ghost face. I
didn't know that that's who this was my mistrual. I
was just I was reading what I saw in front

(23:04):
of me and being true to that person. Before I
tried to add any extra of anything. I just I
approached it as if it was I made up character.
I made up a ficture, which I think there's a
lot of power in that, and I think that helped
me as my journey continued in developing the character. UM.

(23:28):
So yeah, I wanted for that UM. I got a
call back and I also at the time, I was
doing um a guest star role on Boomerang. Remember they
called me in on a specific day to come back
and do I think that was when I had my
call back UM and do my callback, and I was like,
it was like me and maybe like two other people.

(23:48):
It was like a day that they weren't seeing that
many people. But I had to go that day because
the that same day or the day after, I was
flying to Atlanta the film Boomerang. So it's actually like happening.
It was, you know, birth. It was birth out of
another project, which is also happened before because before Boomerang,
I was filming Messiah and as I was filming Massidah

(24:13):
for Netflix, that's when I got the call that they
offered me a guest star spot. It was kind of
like I was being lifted and carried from job to
job from my first three three jobs. UM blessing because
my mind was yes on this character. But it also
like I didn't approach I think because I was being
carried in because I was in another job, there was

(24:35):
this ease about it that I was able to really
just do the work and focus work and not feel desperate.
And I feel like I have to get this, you know,
and I feel like I've never gotten a job. I
don't know, you know, like that kind of energy wasn't
really present at the time early stages of it. As
it increased, you know, and as I got closer to it,
obviously just like all right, I wanted to you know,
this is mine. But like in the beginning of it,

(24:57):
it was just like who is this character? It's just
all right, I'm gonna do this all you want to
see me again? Oh that's the dope. They want to
see me for a different role. Okay, cool word, I'm
about to go to Atlanta the film. I'm excited about that.
And I had no idea that I would end up
getting a series regular, you know, this being my first
series regular. So that journey, that process was UM was

(25:18):
really amazing. So I had that, you know, I had
a callback. I had a producer session. That's where I
met um Alex and Francie, two of our producers UM,
and that's when I met him for the first time.
That's when she came in and sat in mind so
crazy was in this whole time I had this narrative
that she you know, I wasn't good or she wasn't
drawn to my work or whatever whatever because she wasn't

(25:39):
in the room. It's not true, you know. And I
remember I had my friend Shanta, Shanta Adams, she's also
she's an actress, um and she she told me about Kim.
She was like, you know, she was like, she'll see
you when she when she needs to see you. And
I was like, I know, but I want her to
see me now. Like she's she's like she's watching your tape.
She's like she's in her office, yes, but she's watching
the tape. You think she don't see you. And I

(26:00):
was like, I know, but like I've seen her, Like
you know, she would there'll be moments where like she
would be in the room and then I would be
right before I would go in, she would leave the
room and go back into the office and I'll just
be like, you know, and just like that took up
mental space that was not needed because it wasn't because
obviously she was a fan of my work. She gave
me my first series, right. It so and the fact

(26:24):
that you did not know who the character was and
you were auditioning callback then cut to a producer session. There,
you're a natural instinct something connected naturally where um, you
got the callback and then eventually the job. So um,
trusting your instincts is also part of being an actor. Um.

(26:47):
Uh do you rely on your instincts? And well, as
we were talking that that's one of the things that
you do is trust your instincts. So, UM, I want
to go to Messiah because that was that. I don't
know how many people have seen that on Netflix. Um,
what a powerful story. HM. Tell us about your character, uh,

(27:13):
and tell the audience about the show. Um. So yeah
on Messiah, which is on Netflix. Uh. I play a
character named key On Brooks. Um. And it's interesting. I
remember when I first moved to l A in September
of um, and I got the audition for key On

(27:35):
in October seventeen, So a month after getting to l A,
I received this audition and I remember I remember reading
the breakdown and just be actually, I'm gonna pull it
up since I had my far here, because I remember
reading the breakdown and being like this sounds like me.
Like I was like hold on, like guy is like me,

(28:00):
you know, like the way that they described it, it it
was like he was like a student and he like
you know it was never like he was really a
hard worker and he worked really hard to like you know,
not let his parents down. And then he had this
whole other thing of um, you know, his uncle being
in the CIA and its mystery outed and um. But
he's like kind also like in the in the in

(28:24):
his journey because he's a college senior, eybody doesn't know
what Like the first scene, because it was a scene
from the pilot where you know, ev who's the main character,
and she's a CIA agent ecually who is um chasing
after what the world some people in the world are
believing is the Messiah and some people a false prophet.
So it's just kind of like all this stuff going on.

(28:47):
But yeah, like in that scene, it was just so
many things that I could relate to, even in just
like some of his attitude a little bit, you know,
like he's like, I'm like the first line, it's like,
you know, we're closing in twenty She's like already, and
I'm like it's three am. You know. I just remember
being like that is like a I think at the time,
I was working at a restaurant, Like I got my
first restaurant job, so I just knew what it was

(29:08):
like when people wouldn't leave the damn restaurant and just
go home and I had to like work and do
my essays. So I just like it just dropped in
and it was just like oh word, and I was like,
I think I can do this. And then I remember
getting a callback for that. Yeah. I remember getting a
call back and doing it again. I was like, oh,

(29:31):
like I got a call back, all right, cool, like
that's dope, you know, mind you this again. This is
one of my first auditions in l a um and
and you know, I got like I think I think
it was like maybe one or two callbacks before I
met the director and the the writer and director Michael

(29:51):
Michael Petroni and James mctigue. I just want to talk
a little bit about that moment to be Yes, that
moment for me, I was nervous, Yes, but I kind
of like whenever I got to that point, and that
existed with wood saying and kind of with boomerangu there
was this mindset that I feel like I walked into

(30:13):
it with like this is mine, you know, claiming it
as I'm walking into the you know, before I walk
into that room. Um and even subconsciously because I remember
that there was there. I had waited. I think I
had gotten there like right on time or something. So
somebody that was supposed to be after me had signed

(30:34):
up before because they had gotten there like thirty minutes
prior or whatever. So I'm you know, I'm thinking I'm
gonna be in the waiting room for twenty minutes, and
it's like an hour passes, and I'm like she's just
like people, you know, two people before me, and they
and it took them an hour. So then I finally
go in and I'm doing this scene or something. He's like, oh,
you want to sit? The director James, He's like do

(30:56):
you want to sit or you want to stand? And
I was like, I think I'll sit for the first one. Um,
and he was like what did you say? And I
was like, and he's like, did you just say I
think I'll sit for the first one? I was like yeah,
kind of like this thing of like, oh, you think
you're gonna do this more than one time? But in

(31:17):
my mind I'm like hell yeah. Like I was like,
everybody else got thirty minutes, you know what I'm saying,
and this is my time, you know, Like y'all, y'all
y'all brought me, you know, and it wasn't It didn't
come from a cocky place. So it was just like,
don't you want to see me do this? A couple
more like yeah, Like I'm like, I can do it

(31:37):
this way, you know, this time. And then it worked
because he was like that's what it was. He was.
He was like he was like, I was like, I
think I'll sit for the first and he's like, no,
I think he should stand, and I was like, I
think I'll sit, you know, like this this one. And
then so it was like already my mentality without even knowing.
I was to him, like you talk on set, and

(31:58):
that's how you have to be on set. It's like that,
ye know, if the director is asking me to I
think I should sit or if I should stand, they're
expecting me to have an opinion. An opinion. The actor
should always have an opinion director, writer, from the script,
from whatever it is. But you've got to have what

(32:20):
you're doing yourself. And if you don't, then well I
think that's brilliant because this is where the communication happens
because there's a difference. And I tell people, you take
the classes to nurture and hone the craft. But there's
a different work mentality once you get on that set,

(32:40):
because if you've done the work and the preparation, then
you can say, I don't think that he would have
I don't think um I would have that silver aware
in my cabinet because I'm allergic to both like you.
That's the specificness, right, So and you want that, yeah,

(33:02):
go ahead, you were saying, you know, I was just
gonna say that that that. I had a moment like
that on wooting set too, and I remember that that
was like a very that was a defining moment for me,
kind of like really stepping in and owning the character
because the first three episodes, that's when the show runner
was there and rizzd It was around, so we really
you know, I could run back to them and ask
them questions, you know, and and and how did they look?

(33:23):
How was the things looking? And I would always be
kind of checking in just to make sure and if
I got the thumbs up. Also, once I got the
thumbs up, I had to trust that the thumbs up
bumbs up, right, that's step. Once you get the job,
trust that you got the job, and do the job right.
Keep auditioning for a job that you already got. You know,
you gotta just do it. I've had to fire people

(33:47):
in rehearsal because people can give great auditions, they can
give great callbacks, but then once you get in the
rehearsal it's a whole thing. Then I've had to unfortunately
fire people on the set and red cast. So um,
you should never think about that. And that's why I
always say to actors, when you go to wardrobe, it
starts at wardrobe, right, That's the first thing you do.

(34:10):
You have your wardrobe fitting. A stylist is going to
have an idea or a perception of what you look like.
But you're the one who says, nah, I wouldn't wear
a skinny jeans no, because I have this leg. I
had my achilles tim you know, and a director Gus
van Zand was one of my favorite people that I

(34:31):
worked with ever because Gus van Zand has conversation with
you and talks to you about your character. Um. Another
one of my favorite We have her on the show.
Christine Swanson, director of The Clark Sisters. Christine said she
works with day players. She rehearses with day players like

(34:56):
it's so important because we all come together as this
big machine to tell this great story through you. Um,
this flew by. I knew it was gonna fly by.
You always have an invitation to come back because you
I'm just watching the spirit actor alumni, Leen and Tolissa

(35:18):
doing the amen on stuff you're saying and listen, I'm
already I told you all from Jump this is gonna
be Realty, I told John. Okay, So are there any
gyms that you want to leave with these actors? Um? Yeah,

(35:39):
I'm actually reading something right now. I just finished. I
started a book club in this quarantine time, just to
keep inspiring myself and just trying to challenge myself and
use my brain, used the things that you know, God
gave me, you know, and and really get back to basics.
And so in one of the stories that I read,

(36:00):
um in Blood Child, which is a book of short
stories about Octavia Butler. Um, she has an essay in
there and talks about being persistent and how it's important
to be talented, Yes, but work outweighs talent, and that
for me in a lot of way, I think it's

(36:21):
true and true about my journey because like I said,
I didn't I wasn't always giving the lead roles. You
know a lot of the times I was giving the
smaller roles. And you know this, And I spent a
lot of my journey in my process, you know, not
feeling adequate, you know, but always knowing that I loved
to do this work. So even if I wasn't the

(36:45):
best actor in the classroom, or even if I wasn't
it you know, I, you know, didn't get the lead role,
I still was doing the work. And the work is
what carried me to where I am and to be
able to give the performances that I can give today.
H M. So I think that that is you just
gotta be be persistent and and also just focus on

(37:10):
the work. And also you know, and and and she
also talks about how sometimes there will be a lack
of inspiration. You may not always have the inspiration, but
which you will always have is the ability to do
and you just got to do it. You know that.
Also looking back on my journey and my process, those

(37:30):
are the things that are rested on in those moments
where you know, I only have five minutes to prepare
an audition or I only have you know, I gotta
immediately change, you know, they drop a line or they
add this, so they do that. You know the work
that I put in years and years and years before,
you know it is what supports me and lifts me up. Wow,

(37:51):
I feel like a proud mom. Well number two, you
are such an important for this generation and you definitely
have a voice. And UM, I know that I knew
this was gonna be riveting. I'm riveted right now. Um.

(38:13):
And I know that our listeners have gained so much.
You know, this is one of those interviews you have
to listen to over and over because there's so many
nuggets there. So I'm grateful for your presence today. Thank
you great to be here, and thank you for asking
me to be a part of this. I'm so grateful. Uh,
you had to be your I like I want, I

(38:36):
mean to to honestly witness from ten to present day.
It is absolutely like there are no words to describe, um,
but to know that you are living your dream and
that's what you wanted to do and and now it's tangible.
You know that. I mean, that's all I could, That's

(38:59):
all I I just wish for you. So I'm very
very happy for you, your career, your life, and your voice.
Thank you so much. Thank you man. Well, I want
you to stick around because we're going to go into
our favorite segment, which is class in Session with our
Spirited Actor alumni here, and uh, that's gonna be fun too.

(39:22):
We're gonna play. We'll be back on the Spirited Actor
Podcast with me Tracy Moore. Hi, and welcome back to
the Spirited Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore. And we
are here my favorite favorite Travorite Class in Session and
we are still blessed to have the Deek Sanderson with

(39:43):
us day. So we are super blessed you guys, because
he is going to read a scene written by Spirit
Actor alumni Leeanna Motto, and we got Melissa Agree here
and we are going to do the scene and he

(40:03):
is going to read with them. Hold on to this memory,
you guys. It's gonna be powerful. Okay, So we're gonna begin.
You know how we do. I am going to read
um the slug line and the action and I know actors,
you know what a slug line is, so I'm not
gonna explain. Okay, Here we go. Interior Portofini's Italian restaurant

(40:26):
night soft jazz music playing as Ramel and Lena sip
on wine. As they wait at the bar to be
seated for a table. They read each other with their eyes.
You can sense the passion and butterflies. You've been worth
the weight a smile. I mean, I would have made

(40:51):
a move if you made me wait any longer. Song
about the Tommy, So you like Catieve called the place
that was fast? So have you been here before? Oh?
I was saving if it's someone special like you? She blushes,

(41:16):
And what do you want the move for? I'm looking
at it aggressive, but she likes it, sir? Could you
pull her another glass of wine? The bartender nods. He said,
thank you, lennyone. Don want this one yet. I don't

(41:37):
want to have to wait on this. I'm thinking ahead
for you. She's in love at this point. Awful. I
like that. I like what I see. She's tongue tied. Start.
I have a table ready for you and miss Stacy?
What did you say? Before the coast could even answer,

(42:01):
it's probably a mix of baby. I apologize that. What
is her name? He looks at her. Do you even
know my name? No response? He strums off, what is
her name? In the beginning, I was like, I think

(42:29):
I would ve a cigarette after this, But I despect
that nice Okay, Sadik, if you have anything, you want
to give it to land Um I kind of think
like off the bat, No, I think really it was
a really natural read. You know, it felt very conversational,

(42:49):
um like being any and also like being a like
acting round the outside rum. But um, the rhythm, I
guess I would say that like the pace. Oh nice,
just like being an active active so like you know,
its like did he get the sides in advance? Whoa,

(43:17):
That's what I felt like. So I walked away with that.
Okay beautiful? Okay, So now I have you jumped into Lisa.
Whenever you guys are ready, I've been worth the wait. Literally,
I want to may move you may wait in the longer.
It's all about the timing. Mm hmm. I call it

(43:41):
for play. Oh, it's all about the timing. So you
like the teams, I call it for play. So are
you in your food? No? I was even if it's
someone's special like you, M well, are you in the

(44:03):
mood for I'm looking at it? So could you put
another glass of wanting? Thank you? Great? I'm might even
done this one yet. I don't want you to have
to wait on anything. So something cann have for you? Awful?
I like it. I like what I see, sir, I

(44:30):
have a table ready for you. And miss Dacy. What
did you say? Probably a mix of baby um, I apologize, sir? Um?
What is her n? Do you even know my name? Oh?
Let me So this is a funny. God got I

(45:03):
didn't know. I love it because your reaction is priceless
because up until that point, it's like you're in and
then it's like that was great. Wow, Okay. If you
had something for to lista um, yeah, no, I would

(45:28):
say that, I would say this similar thing. I think.
I think both of y'all are are great atum listening
because I feel like you're listening to this, you know,
you were really listening and it felt, you know, like
a natural conversation. And I think that that's like most
important is that it should feel Actually, no, not most important.
Most important is what's driving it. You know, what's driving
the scene, because otherwise than it becomes indulgent. Uh. But yeah,

(45:52):
I think talking and listening it's like a very basic
yet hard thing cool accomplished as an actor and to
grasp and I think both I'll have a really great
grass onom thank you well, well, thank you, and thank
you for jumping in and playing with us and being
a good sport. We appreciate love that. Uh. We don't

(46:13):
want to let him go, right lady, it's nice for no,
it's so cool you. I'm going to extend another invitation
because I know are you in New York now currently? Okay,
so in New York soon? Yeah, I think at the
end of this month, I'll be headed back to New York. Well,

(46:33):
they're opening up California soon. Yeah, So, I mean that's good.
You can get out well, be safe, be healthy, wash
them hands and thank you so much to Di. I
so appreciate love you being on the show. And much
love to you man. Thank you so much for having me.

(46:56):
And it was nice meeting everybody. Thank you, thank you,
thank you. All right, have a great thing alright when
we come back, we will give love on the Spirited
Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore. And now it's time
forgive love. The real bliss is in the journey. That's

(47:17):
where the joy is. So when my son Miles got
his first commercial, we had gone through a series. Like
every actor, we had gone through a series of auditions
and Miles was auditioning like twice a week for commercials
Law and Order, and he wasn't getting cast. He was

(47:38):
getting great feedback from casting directors, but every audition that
I went on with him, I could tell that he
was getting more and more anxious about landing a job.
And one day we went to an audition and he
came out really relaxed and there was a confidence about him,
and I said to him, you're going to get this job,

(47:59):
and he was like, you know, I don't know. Well,
Miles got the job and it was his first national
commercial for the Sketchers, Uh the Shoes one of the
things that he walked away with. I could tell that
each audition he was learning, he was understanding things that

(48:22):
he could make adjustments to, and each audition it wasn't
about getting the job, it was about being better and better.
And when he finally did land that commercial, there was
so much gratitude, there was so much appreciation because he
was witnessing his journey. He was aware of his journey,

(48:44):
and he knew that each audition was bringing him closer
and closer to a role. The blisses in the journey
because you know you're going to get the job one day.
You stay persistent, you stay consistent, you know you're going
to get a job. But it's about the journey. Enjoy
every part of the journey, learned from the journey, Embrace

(49:07):
the journey because that's where the true bliss is. Thank
you for joining us on the Spirited Actor Podcast with
me Tracy Moore. I look forward to our next Spirited podcast.
Thank you