The Working Actor

Watch Kristen recall her worst moment in LA:

Age: “In my 20’s”

Kristen has lived in Los Angeles for 2 ½ years, but is originally from Michigan. She has worked at Sur for 2 ½ years.

FAVORITE CELEBRITY SIGHTING AT WORK: “John Fogerty and Clive Owen.”

WORST AUDITION STORY: “Oh, it happened when I first started. I was driving to an audition and was really excited, really amped. I was in my car and running late. I started to feel frustrated, rushed, and overwhelmed. Because I was running late, I started to feel unprofessional. It got so bad that I turned the car around and went home. My nerves got the best of me.”

YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN HER IN: “I did background work in He’s Just Not That Into You, and Yes Man.”

UPCOMING: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Dreamer and Behind Your Eyes

BEST MOMENT IN LA: “I was waiting on John Fogerty and his wife Julie. It made my night. Nobody had any clue who he was. I had to call my mom in the middle of my shift and scream in excitement with her. It was really awesome.”

THIS JOB HELPS AS AN ACTOR BECAUSE: “All my friends who work with me are actors. I have people to run lines with me at any given moment. The owner is an actor as well, I got one of my agents through him.”

DREAM ROLE: “Rachel McAdams’s character in The Notebook. Her performance is amazing. Her presence, how truthful, emotional, and real. It’s very challenging to be able to tell the truth like that. That’s what acting is…bringing out your crazy side, your emotional, your dark side and letting people see it.

ADVICE FOR ANYONE MOVING TO LA TO BE AN ACTOR: “Don’t get caught up in Hollywood. Hollywood is not Los Angeles. Don’t give in to the people you meet after 10pm at bar, at a club, or at a party. They are not going to make your career for you. Watch your back and study hard. You have to be 110% committed. If you are, you will do really well out here.”

WATCH CODY TELL HIS AUDITION STORIES:

Age: 24

Cody was born and raised in Pasadena. He has owned Cacao Coffee House for 1 ½ years.

BEST MOMENT IN LA: “Losing my virginity.”

YOU MAY HAVE SEEN HIM IN: Big Bully, Bring It On, Not Another Teen Movie, The Intervention, Tumbleweeds, Thomas and the Magic Railroad, Madison, Trailer Park of Terror, “The Closer,” “Trust Me,” “Monk,” “90210.” Click here to see Cody’s IMDB page.

UPCOMING: “10 Things I Hate About You”

DREAM ROLE: “I want to be a superhero…I don’t care in what.”

ADVICE FOR ACTORS MOVING TO LA: “Have 3 years worth of bills in the bank and don’t give up. I’ve seen people come into LA and try to do this. It’s too hard to not be able to dedicate all your time. If you can afford to put all of your time into it, you can get your foot in the door. You do extra work, you go out, you take acting classes, you meet people, you network. It takes a long time, it doesn’t happen overnight. It’s just like anything else, It’s just like school. You’re not going to show up at school for 6 months and have a degree. It’s just not going to happen like that.”

WATCH SAJEN CORONA’S ADVICE FOR ACTORS MOVING TO LA:

Age: “30-40….If I don’t color my hair, I can be 50.”

Sajen was born in Santa Monica and raised in Culver City. He has worked for Starline Tours for about a year.

BEST MOMENT IN LA: “When I was filming my movie that I was staring in, Getting It. I got hooked up with 3 girls, you know, cause I was in the movie when they saw me in front of the camera.”

WORST MOMENT IN LA: “The movie didn’t go to theaters.”

YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN HIM IN: “Getting It…It’s a feature film.” Click here to see Sajen’s IMDB page.

UPCOMING: “Horror 88…I play a small role in it.”

THIS JOB HELPS AS AN ACTOR BECAUSE: “It allows me to chase my dream — balls to the wall. If I have an audition I can walk and go on it. At the same time, I’m constantly pitching on the boulevard. If they are a tourist, I sell them a tour. If they are local, I ask if they are in the industry. If they are, I give them a DVD and a flyer for the movie I star in.”

WATCH AMANDA TELL HER WORST AUDITION STORY:

Age: 20

Amanda has lived in LA for 2 years, but is originally from Mexico City. She has worked at Mexico for 8 months.

MOVED TO LA: “Because I always wanted to be an Actor.”

BEST MOMENT IN LA: “A few weeks ago I went to dinner with Jamie Foxx.”

YOU MAY HAVE SEEN HER IN: “A few Arabic music videos, a spec commercial for the Doritios Super Bowl contest, a few student films, and a Mexican commercial for a steam iron.”

THIS JOB HELPS HER AS AN ACTOR BECAUSE: “You always have to put on a poker face. It’s a lot of acting.”

HER DREAM ROLE: “To play some sort of very disturbed assassin.”

ADVICE FOR ACTORS MOVING TO LA: “Be careful who you meet. Don’t get carried away, LA has a tendency to do that. We’ve lost a lot of actors to partying and drugs.”