An Emotional Rollercoaster

Finally got the headshots and VO demos out to a handful of agencies (the ones most promising) and now waiting to hear back from those that require auditions to register.  Had an amazing time in Bermuda, but came home to find one of the dogs in rapidly deteriorating health.  Central Casting was sounding desperate to fill background on a major film being shot locally, so I decided to be a team player and signed on.  Worked a 16-plus hour day in the hot sun (up 23 hours straight including dressing and travel time), but was well compensated due to my union status (glad I joined).  The next day the dog took a turn for the worse and had to be put down.  Heartbreaking - just an incredibly sweet dog.  I’m still tearing up.  Two days later my husband had a scary episode and was admitted to the hospital for tests.  Nothing life threatening as it turned out (whew).  Feeling exhausted from too little sleep, too much sun, and too many reminders that I’m not in charge here.  Bermuda was such a delight.  I can understand why primitive peoples downplay their happiness for fear that the gods will snatch it away.

I remain optimistic.  Made a few good contacts while working background on the film.  Reconnected with some actors I knew.  Also had the pleasure of having several fellow actors come up and say they’d seen my Stonehenge audition or seen me in a film and liked what they saw.  Lessons from working background: Keep a death grip on your pay voucher, major film stars look much smaller in person,  and if they pass around water, take it.  

Movies not to miss:  Incendies, a film about the terrifying impact of sectarian strife in Jordan in 1970, and Biutiful, for which Javier Bardem won Best Actor at Cannes.  Biutiful starts slow and pulls you in.  Incendies is devastating right out of the gate.  Both are reminders of what a struggle it is to survive in much of the world.  Foreign filmmakers are mining gold.   If you subscribe to Netflix, also check out Linda Hunt’s performance in 1982's The Year of Living Dangerously.  Wow.