The Working Actor

WATCH FIONA TALK ABOUT HER AUDITION FOR LADY GAGA:

Age: “Younger than Glenn Close, older than Dakota Fanning.”

Fiona is originally from Hawaii, but has lived in LA for 14 years. She has been a Hair Extension Specialist for 8 years.

MOVED TO LA: “Because I wanted to be famous.”

BEST MOMENT IN LA: “I was working all these random part-time jobs but wouldn’t commit to anything because I’m an artist. I’m an actor. Finally, I realized I was tired of being a struggling artist and decided to find a way to get money while I worked on my craft. I’m getting more opportunities to do my art now, and it feels much better. I used to have this idea that if I was struggling I would be a better artist. That was screwed up. It’s way more fun now.”

WORST MOMENT IN LA: “I used to teach acting classes to children. I was really hung over one day and almost vomited on a child.”

YOU MAY HAVE SEEN HER IN: An original play, I’m The Man Inside Your Wife’s Vagina. A student film Run Over My Heart.

UPCOMING: Point Break Live

DREAM ROLE: “Nicole Kidman in Moulin Rouge!”

WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO BE AN ACTOR: “I don’t think I had a choice. I always had a burning desire to be an actor.”

I WOULD QUIT THIS JOB IF: “I got paid more as an actor.”

WATCH CHARLIE DRIVE THE BUS AND TELL HIS WORST AUDITION STORY:

Age: 32

Charlie has lived in LA for 7 years, but is originally from Chicago. He has worked at Amazing LA Tours for 2 years.

FAVORITE CELEBRITY SIGHTING AT WORK: “David Beckham on Rodeo Drive. 9 times out of 10 when I see a celebrity the people don’t know who it is. I’ve even had celebrities come up to the bus and pound on the windows. People get excited that they are seeing a celebrity, but they don’t always know who they are seeing. David Beckham was different, every single person on the bus knew who he was. Every day I get asked if we are going to bump into David Beckham. Where does he live? How can we find him? So for me, it was personally rewarding to be able to show a bus David Beckham.”

WORST MOMENT IN LA: “My dad died in December, being away from it all. My mom was back home by herself. It felt so difficult; I couldn’t just be there for my mom. I had to jump through all these hoops that felt like nonsense — flights, LAX and all that stuff.”

BEST AUDITION STORY: “It was when I got Point Break LIVE. I just showed up relaxed and the people made me feel at ease. It was an improv audition where I had to pretend I was Johnny Utah. They started to mess with me, I rolled with it and got the gig.”

YOU MAY HAVE SEEN HIM IN: Point Break Live, A GSN Commercial for “The Newlywed Game.” “It was the largest premier for a GSN show.”

UPCOMING: A web series “Dating Weakly”

THIS JOB HELPS AS AN ACTOR: “It doesn’t create a skill set like ‘Hey, I’m up in front of people everyday.’ It helps because it’s super flexible. The owner has allowed me to take the bus, drop people off and continue with the bus to an audition. They are over the top with being accommodating and making sure I get to auditions.”

DREAM ROLE: “War Movie, I don’t care what era. I just want to do a good war movie. I want them to tell me I have to shave my head. Something like ‘Band of Brothers’ or  ’The Pacific’ would be great.”

ADVICE FOR PEOPLE MOVING TO LA: “Stick around as long as you can. The older you get, the more opportunities come your way. Most people just come out and say ‘I’m gonna give it 5 years and give up if nothing happens.’ Out of college, when you’re 22-27 your peers aren’t in a position to help you out. I was just talking to a friend  of a friend and he said ‘I’m second a.d. on this project, do you want to come down and get your SAG card?’ I worked three days as a union extra and got my card like that. ”