I'm a Star--My Acting Career Takes Off

I won this prize for my acting.

It’s been a meandering road. And there’s no end in sight as a reinvent myself as a blogger, poet, public speaker, writer, and now actor-- an actor who is featured in a commercial. 

It’s a only a 15-second spot for Valencia College and it’s only shown locally, but I am featured and it is on TV. It’s such a thrill. I play it over and over.  

This is the first time I am featured. So far, my other acting work has been as an extra. I’ve been an extra in a movie, a TV show, and a few commercials.

Here is a link. I play the grandmother. The scene shows my birthday party. Watch and let me know how you like it.

I should add that I benefit from the current trend in casting--they want "real people."  They are not looking for movie-star good looks, just average nice-looking people. 

Maybe I should have known that I was destined for acting greatness when I won a prize for best audience–participant actor in a dinner-theater murder-mystery production last year. Prior to the show, the real actors choose a few people from the audience and asked them to play one of the roles.

Perhaps I was chosen because I was flamboyant. The show was set in the Roaring Twenties--I wanted to dress the part, but I forgot. When I arrived (it was at the Winter Park library) and saw others in costume, I quickly improvised. I took the scarf I was wearing around my neck and turned it into a headband. I placed it across my forehead, tied it at the back of my head, and let the ends hang down. I probably looked really stupid, but I never let that stop me.   

The actors gave each of us chosen-few a script to read. I studied mine and memorized the main points so I wouldn’t have to read it. When it was my turn to act, I improvised and hammed it up. I was really over the top both with my voice, facial expressions, and body movements. Again, I probably looked stupid, but I never let that stop me.

My prize was the silver balloon holder shown in the above picture. It is now prominently displayed right next to my TV so I can see it every day.

I’m exaggerating when I say “I’m a star,” but nonetheless, I am having so much fun with this. I love going to the auditions my agent sends me to even when I am not picked. And I really love being on set. I wanted to be an actress when I was a little girl and now, in a very small way, I am.