Auditioning Isn’t Acting

Acting on the job is a completely different experience from auditioning for the job.

When we get on set we're no longer creating in isolation, we're now a piece of a much bigger puzzle. The world is real and tangible and the other actors and the environment influence everything we do.

Auditioning is a separate skill. It's a broad stroke, not a performance.

A network television casting director recently told me:

"You're either the girl, or you're not the girl. Show us a glimpse of what you’d do with the character, and the rest is out of your hands."

It’s easy to forget that when we’re auditioning and not hearing anything back. It’s hard not to take it personally. It’s hard not to wonder if we’re doing something wrong.

But the truth is:

• It's not our job to be “right.”

• It’s not our job to try and be what they are looking for.

• It's our job to craft our version, to create a compelling character that serves the text, and then walk away.