In 1937 , plastic film image Lana Turner was “ discovered ” at a sal soda fountain on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles when she was noticed by William R. Wilkerson , beginner ofThe Hollywood newsperson . Having serve as a territory manager at Universal Pictures and as the manager of a movie theater back in New Jersey , Wilkerson had regard talent and what it took to make it . He ease up Turner his patronage carte , asked if she wanted to be in the pictures , and aspiring actress everywhere have been holding onto the misconception that you’re able to be discovered anywhere , at a import ’s notice , ever since .
However , Turner is the exception to the rule . You ask to work your ( tiptop - gifted or not ) butt off to make it in Hollywood . And it ’s helpful to acknowledge what ’s fact and what ’s fiction about the industry you ’re getting yourself into .
We enlisted actress Danielle Panabaker , 29 , who is gear up for her third season star on The CW’sThe Flashand whose life history has spanned tenner and mediums , to debunk some of the popular myths about becoming an actress .
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The Myth: Being a young and successful actress is all glamorous red carpets, photo shoots, free stuff, and fun 24/7
The Truth : It ’s a mint of hard workplace . Panabaker did n’t make it to where she is today by chasing velvet ropes and getting busted by TMZ outside of clubs . “ When I get acting 12 or 15 years ago , my untested baby [ actress Kay Panabaker ] and I took every acting course of instruction we could , ” she say . And she go on to do just that , sum up , “ I believe it ’s really important to continue to forge on your craft even as a professional . ” And sure enough , she ’s been in legion cinema ( likeMr . BrooksandFriday the 13th ) and on TV shows includingNecessary Roughnessand the ever - popularMad Men , but that has n’t stopped her from perfect her accomplishment .
To prepare for her episodes ofThe Flash , Panabaker Skypes with her acting coach of 20 year to get into character reference and study on the material . The day we talked to her , she Skyped with him for well-nigh an hour and a half to make certain she was ready for the instalment they were about to film .
And that ’s on top of her demanding schedule . “ This week , I think I work five day a week . Next workweek , I have one day off . It just varies workweek to week , ” she explain . And those are n’t your standard 9 - 5ers either . “ The ordinary shoot solar day is built to be a 12 to 14 - hour camera day – which does n’t include the lunch break , ” she aver . “ And , as a woman , it takes me an 60 minutes to go through hair and makeup , so I generally have an hour pre - call before everyone else . ”
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The Myth: Doing a Lifetime movie means you must be hard up for work
The Sojourner Truth : give the amount of aspiring histrion out there , if you ’re working at all , bravo . Not everything Panabaker ’s worked on has had a Brobdingnagian budget and millions of adoring fans – but she does n’t care . guess about how many struggling thespian are out there just seek to make name for themselves , she pronounce , “ I reckon I am lucky just to be able to make a livelihood as an actor and to be working as an actor . ”
When she got the opportunity to work with Jane Krakowski ( 30 Rock , Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt ) and Mercedes Ruehl ( The Fisher King , Big ) on the Lifetime movieMom at Sixteen , she did n’t conceive twice about the bad whack Lifetime flick get for being corny or overly spectacular . Instead , she was focused on performing the cloth to the good of her ability and learning from it .
“ Mom at SixteenI think back being particularly excited . That was a 16 - year - old struggling with having a child , which is something I have n’t see , ” she say . “ Getting behind that emotionally was for sure challenge . ” You ’ll need employment that can drive you to grow as an player , and often that can follow from the most improbable places .
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The Myth: Sexism is a major hurdle for actresses in Hollywood
The Truth : We’ve all heard of the infamous “ chuck couch ” … but Panabaker ’s never encounter that kind of lounge during an tryout . Still , that ’s not to say that sexism does n’t exist in other forms . Panabaker recalls a conversation she recently had with her makeup creative person . ‘ ’ [ She told me ] how often people comment on her show , whether it ’s the shoe she ’s wear or if she did her hair’s-breadth differently . And I cerebrate that that ’s something that women have to divvy up with that men do n’t deal with in the same way . ” for sure , our social club has made major tread when it comes to sexism and how we treat women , but it ’s still receive a ways to go , whether in Hollywood or elsewhere . “ I do n’t consider sexism is specific to one industry or another , ” she points out .
The Myth: You have to fit a certain mold to make it as an actress
The Truth : Lauren Bacall , Marilyn Monroe , Audrey Hepburn – there used to be a standard of ravisher that ( as luck would have it ) does n’t necessarily exist anymore . Tall , short , overweight , transgendered , deaf – Hollywood is embracing every eccentric of doer and Panabaker says it could n’t be a more exciting time to break into the industriousness : “ I recollect individuality is being embraced , minorities are being embraced . ”
The Flashcast bleak actors to act as Iris West , Joe West , and Wally West , though they were originally blank in the comics . And Pied Piper is one of DC Comics ’ first openly jocund characters . “ I ’m gallant to be on a show that ’s embracing minorities , ” Panabaker enunciate . “ It ’s mad that that should seem like such a leap but it ’s an incredible affair . ”
Not everyone on telecasting is tall , thin , and strikingly beautiful , and not every script calls for a example .
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“ I consider someone ’s singularity and what they have to offer is what ’s particular about every person in this world , ” Panabaker enjoin . “ And I recall , I hope , we ’re at a meter where that ’s really being recognize and celebrated . ”
The Myth: Actors are narcissists who only look out for themselves and their careers
The Truth : With so much competition and so few parts out there , doer only look out for themselves , correct ? Well , there are surely actors who are only out for numero uno , but according to Panabaker , there is a definite sense of biotic community and comradery in Hollywood . In her experience , actors have been very supportive of one another . “ I think that ’s also reflective of who I choose to surround myself with , ” she adds . “ I do n’t mean being competitive or damaging serves everyone , so I have n’t experienced competition in that good sense . ” Plus , Justin Timberlake taught us that what goes around , come back around , so …
The Myth: Success is defined by big-budget films and millions of fans
The Truth : Success is a difficult condition to specify , as it vary from person to person . Panabaker says it ’s a “ totally personal question . I cogitate it ’s a issue of what satisfies you as an role player and as a someone . ” achiever is delineate differently for everyone ( even Meryl Streep may not consider herself “ successful ” because she has n’t gain a Tony … yet ) . “ Even when I was n’t work on a television show or a feature [ film ] , I ’ve find other ways to satisfy myself as an artist , ” Panabaker says . “ And with the internet there could be so many thing : television shows , web series – so many different outlets and opportunities [ for aspiring actors ] . ”
The Myth: Your skills will go away if you’re not constantly “working”
The true statement : Nope . Panabaker does n’t accentuate when she ’s not working on a labor because it lease her flex her creative muscle in other ways . “ One of my favorite [ thing to do ] is actually working with a nonprofit calledThe Art of Elysiumwhich goes to hospitals and uses art to help children cope , ” she says . The experience is a meaningful opportunity for her to give back and military volunteer and “ play apparel up and make believe , be dotty and half-baked , and sort of push boundaries as an actor . ”
The Myth: Once the industry decides your type, your career path is set in stone
The true statement : Panabaker say there ’s stack you may do to vary the industry ’s sensing of you . First , she says , “ You have to be confident enough in your own ability to not take it too in person , ” but then one technique she ’s find incredibly helpful is photo shoots . “ [ They ’re ] an chance to be a different character reference and put on a different persona , even if it is just for a solar day or an hour . ”
Another technique is assay roles that are the ended reverse of everything you ’ve done thus far . Take comedian Sarah Silverman for instance , whose dramatic performance as a drug and alcohol - addicted female parent in 2015’sI Smile Backearned her critical plaudit . Or , Will Smith , whose Oscar - nominate performance inThe Pursuit of Happynessleft hearts shattered in a million little pieces .
Countless actors decline to be pigeon - holed , and Panabaker is one of them . “ There ’s been cloth I ’ve say and answer to , and the casting manager does n’t think I am ‘ 10 ’ enough , ” she say . “ Does n’t mean I ’m funny enough , does n’t think I ’m blonde enough , does n’t think I ’m brunet enough – the thing that you’re able to not be enough take to the woods the gamut . ” But you have the top executive to pick out how the industry sees you – you’re able to move audiences to tears in a drama or in a clowning the very same year , you just involve to be confident and lasting .
