“SO, YOU AREN’T THAT GIRL IN ‘MY FATHER THE HERO?’”

The weeks seem to be flying by faster and faster, and the next thing I know it is blog-posting time again!  Now, they do say time flies when you are having fun and as you get older.  I think I can second that notion…at least for the moment.

As mentioned last week, I am gearing up to start working on the musical “WICKED” again, where the fun will surely continue.  I am also looking forward to going back to my temporary “home” where I will be house-sitting at the end of each day of fun interacting with all the Broadway-hopeful actors, singers and dancers!

It is while interacting with large groups of people, especially when they are in the entertainment industry in some form, when I am often told I look like someone.  The most common are Meredith Monroe (from “Dawson’s Creek”), Leslie Bibb (from “Popular”) and the front-runner being Katherine Heigl (from “Grey’s Annatomy”), which does in fact happen more often than even I can believe.

It all started back in 1994 when I was 15 and she was starring in “My Father the Hero.”  There was a new substitute teacher at my high school who stopped me in the hallway simply to ask if I acted in movies during my summers.  I had no idea what he was talking about and questioningly said, “No?”  He proceeded to say, “So you aren’t that girl in ‘My Father The Hero?’”  Which I was not, of course, but you can bet I went home that day with a mission to figure out who “that girl” was.

Mind you, it took slightly longer with the dial up, cross your fingers in hopes of making solid contact, Internet connection we had in those days.  However, it was very worth it in order to discover, via the wonder that is IMDB (Internet Movie Data Base), the answer to the question I had been pondering, out of curiously, the entire day!  “That girl” was none other than 15 year old, at the time, Katherine Heigl.

So, a little unknown fact about me is that I have known of her since that day.  From that point, I’ve followed her career, which has taken off in recent years, due in part to the TV show “Grey’s Anatomy.”  She has been persistently plugging away for some time, something I have always said I believe is key in this industry.  However, saying it is one thing, but sometimes it is nice to see some actual proof of it paying off as well!

Seems you never know what you might learn from these little buoyant blogs of mine, even through a quick update.  I hope you’ve gained the answer to this blog’s title question, or else, I suppose, it will have been rather disappointing.  I, at least, hope to have kept you entertained in some way, shape or form!

“I was fortunate to discover so young something I’m so passionate about and something I want to spend the rest of my life doing.” – Katherine Heigl

Side Note:  I’ve survived my first big earthquake and am happy to report that my heart did start beating again once I got off of the unexpected roller coaster ride!  Lesson here is that, just as with acting, one must always be prepared!

WEEK IN REVIEW

Things are still moving rather quickly and definitely keeping me on my toes. However, I am doing a pretty good job at balancing filming, auditions, work and life in general, while trying to fit in some muchly needed catching-up-with-friends time, which has been happening less often these days.

We are shooting “pick-up” shots (shots or scenes recorded after principal photography has concluded) for the kid’s design show this week, including some of my intros while having too much fun for my own good. So my kitchen has been baking lots of cookies. Cookies are what I like to bring to every set I work on as a “thank you” for the hard working cast and crew. Speaking of my cookies, they actually get to have their moment in the spotlight in the pilot episode! Even though they weren’t able to express it personally, they were very excited about it!

Slow times continue on the acting front, due to summer and the SAG negotiations, but I have managed to get a few great auditions. I felt really good about the one I just went on. Although I would love to be a part of the film, even if nothing comes from my audition, I was happy with what I did, and that is enough for me. Plus, aside from the “great job” or “well done” that you hear on auditions, the casting director also thanked me “for being so well prepared” and let me know that I was “one of the most prepared actors” she had seen.

I took it as a compliment because, as I have said before, so much of the audition process is out of the actor’s control. However, being as prepared as possible, which means memorizing your sides, having done your research, being on time, etc., is something that is in your control. So if they see this preparedness and make a point to comment on it, it means you’ve accomplished what you could, and the rest is out of your hands. From there, you must leave it behind you and move onward and upward!

In other news, Bernard Telsey Casting in NYC is heading back out to LA in August to do some more casting for the Broadway Musical “WICKED” and called saying they would love for me to be their reader and to be a part of the whole process again. I, of course, jumped on board right away, since I simply love working with the Bernard Telsey team and always enjoy meeting all the talented actors, singers and dancers. Plus, there is never any shortage of good old-fashioned fun!

Aside from working on “WICKED” again, I will be house-sitting for the month of August in the Hollywood Hills. This is the perfect side job for an actor! I feel honored when someone trusts me enough to leave their beautiful home and amenities in my hands, while they are away, and I am always thankful for the jobs when I get them.

Needless to say, I will be keeping busy right through the end of summer and am looking forward to having my family and many friends from college and NYC in town to give me mini breaks from it all! ‘Til then, I am trying to keep my “heels to the pavement,” which my good friend Andrew so kindly reminded me to do, and hope you’ve enjoyed my week in review!

“Review your goals twice every day in order to be focused on achieving them.” – Les Brow

UPDATE! UPDATE! READ ALL ABOUT IT!

Things have been a wee bit busy this past week between shooting the design show pilot, having friends in town, birthdays galore, and following the SAG negotiations and AFTRA contract ratification. So, I thought I would bring you up to speed on things, while I had a quick moment and before yet another busy bee week.

A couple weeks ago, I blogged about hoping to maintain a union of unity on the SAG (Screen Actors Guild) and AFTRA (American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) actors union front. Many things have happened since then.

AFTRA is the nation’s 2nd largest performers’ union and basically represents actors, recording artists and broadcasters. On July 8th Its members cast their vote, on whether to accept the new contract or not. Despite actors of both unions, like myself, being encouraged by SAG to vote “no” on the new AFTRA contract, the three-year primetime television agreement was ratified by a very large, 62.4% margin.

What this means is that SAG now has less leverage to get all they have been busy negotiating for their members and it may make the possibility of an actor’s strike less likely. That said, SAG rejected the final offer given by the big Hollywood studios and has chosen for now to continue pushing forward. Due to this, a deadline has been given to SAG by the studios stating that they will not make any pay increases that are agreed retroactive to July 1st unless the deal is ratified by August 15th.

I plan to keep you posted on all the updates and will try to blog more frequently as things on the actor’s union front unfold. ‘Till then, I will be busy shooting the design show pilot, which surprisingly has been perfecting my painting skills, of all things, before heading into the studio to record my voiceovers for the episode. Speaking of painting, I am thinking about adding it as a “special skill” on my resumé, since it is slowly becoming one of my undesired talents.

Working with everyone has been so much fun, and I simply love the children, whose rooms we are reorganizing and redecorating. They inspire me, as most children do, and keep things new, interesting, fun and, best of all, silly! Proof of this can be seen in the many pictures that have been taken during the shoot, thus far, and I have added a few of them below for your viewing pleasure.

Aside from that, friends and family are coming in from out of town, now through September. Also, there have been a number of birthdays to celebrate, not only this past week, but in the weeks ahead, as well, including mine in August! So, now that I have updated you, and before I age yet another year, I must make the most of the days ahead and fully enjoy the rest of summer, before it is over!

“I’d update my resume so you’re ready for any outcome.” – Bob Weinstein

GETTING MY TV HOST ON

In the last year or so, I have had a growing interest in hosting-type spots on TV and have been working to find a way into them. But, how to do this has been a new adventure for me. Those who know me seem to think it is a place I fit. So, I figured that if I could work myself into hosting, have some fun, and ultimately help people, well, I would be one über happy lady, or, shall I say, even happier than I am on a daily basis.

So, when I was given the opportunity to be a part of a new, interior design show and was offered a job as none other than the host of it - I excitedly took it! It all happened rather quickly, right as the 4th of July holiday weekend was upon us. The next thing you know I made the transition I ultimately hoped for, but much sooner than anticipated.

As if getting to sink my teeth into a hosting position wasn’t enough, I came to find that it was a design show for kids! My ideal entertainment job would be one where I could also work with children, plus I have a personal love for interior design, so this all seemed a little too good to be true.

While talking to the producer and designer of the show and going over the design layout for the pilot episode, a room for a little boy named Ethan, I was beyond excited to find that it was not only a baseball theme, but a Yankee baseball theme! For those of you who don’t know, I love, yes love, baseball and am a HUGE Yankee fan!

I realize I live in LA and am, therefore, supposed to be a Dodgers or Angels fan by default, but I am sticking true to my Yankee devotion! In doing so, and since moving to LA from NYC, I have heard a number of anti-Yankee comments and even have had a not so nice, shall we say, message left on my car, which happens to displays the New York Yankee logo around its license plate! Not to worry, though, because I can handle it!

Also, for the little girl Ruby’s room, on that same pilot episode, the design pallet includes chocolate brown, vanilla and light pink. Well, these colors happen to match my current bedroom, so, again, it seemed all too fitting, and I was beyond ready to get the show on the road! Speaking of on the road, we are filming on location in Tarzana, CA and started the shoot on Monday, July 7th. Everyone is so nice, fun, and down to earth with amazing artistic talent, which keeps my creativity flowing!

I am learning a lot so quickly because I am used to keeping things smaller and subtler for TV and Film. But with hosting, especially for a children’s design show, being over the top is what it’s all about and I am trying to make the transitions needed with the producers’ guidance and encouragement.

Just as with any show you do as an actor, you never know what, if anything, is going to happen. Therefore, it is very important to take the opportunity for what it is, have fun, and walk away with the experience itself. In the end, of course, we all hope the networks love it, pick it up for a complete season, and get to redesign a number of worthy kids’ rooms in various locations, all while keeping the current crew and design team on board.

However, the reality is, that if the show were to move forward, changes would most likely be made, starting with the host, aka myself, who could, understandably, get replaced with a more seasoned host. This is a reality I am fully aware of and completely understand…it is showbiz after all! Therefore, while I have it, I am going to enjoy it and do the best possible job I can, not only for myself, but for the show, while getting my TV host on!

“Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.” – Helen Keller

UNION OF UNITY

As an actor, I consider myself lucky to be a member of both the SAG (Screen Actors Guild) and AFTRA (American Federation of Radio and Television Artists) unions and truly appreciate all they do for us, as actors. For those of you who may not know, we are the midst of a possible SAG strike, since our contract expired on June 30, 2008.

This is all happening not far off the heels of the WGA (Writer’s Guild of America) strike that so impacted the industry earlier this year. Currently, SAG is in negotiations; working hard for each and every actor out there, in hopes of reaching an amicable agreement that will be beneficial to the industry, not only now, but in the future as well.

I realize that for those of you who are not actors, this might all be a bit confusing. Basically, SAG is negotiating the new contract in hopes of obtaining, among others, the following:

••••• Union coverage for ALL new media productions.

••••• Residual payments for ALL new media programs.

••••• Reasonable increase in DVD residuals.

••••• Increases in minimums, pension & health contributions, mileage reimbursements and compensation
••••• for background actors, stunt performers, and other middle-income actors.

With the growing popularity of the Internet and amazing wonders of technology in general, these are things that have to be addressed in order for the industry, and those in it, to get what they fairly deserve for their hard work and efforts. That said, being a member of AFTRA as well as SAG, means I am a part of two different unions and, therefore, a part of two different contract negotiations.

AFTRA has come to a contract agreement of their own and its members must vote to either ratify or not ratify the AFTRA Primetime TV Contract by July 8, 2008. This vote will greatly impact the outcome of what lies ahead for us as actors and needs to be taken seriously. At the moment the AFTRA agreement does not address all of the items that SAG wants to achieve. As a member of both unions this is creating one of those many bumps in the road we face in our careers.

It is in these times when many actors find themselves reevaluating their career paths and choices, which was the topic of a conversation I had with a very talented friend of mine this past week. What I have come to discover for myself, as a result of our conversation and all that is happening, is that it hasn’t caused me to have a negative outlook or attitude. All the while receiving happy little “it’s all about baby steps” reminders, from my amazing family and friends, along the way!

In the end, none of us has full control over what happens, which is true in many aspects of life. However, as an actor, as hard as it can be at times, it is clear that both SAG and AFTRA make our lives easier. Therefore, I am hoping that SAG and AFTRA can find common ground in these negotiations so that we actors will be able to give each of them our full support - and maintain our union of unity.

“In simplest terms, the unions are for the benefit of the actor, young and old.” - Cynthia Brian

Side Note: I was recently interviewed for TheMovieWhore.com and the interview is now posted if you want to check it out and read more about me.