Josh McHugh is an actor living and working in Los Angeles.
He writes a blog about “The trials, musings and shenanigans of a working actor…” – Josh McHugh, He Acts
His writing is thoughtful, insightful and we are delighted to be sharing it here on Actor Hub.
He writes a blog about “The trials, musings and shenanigans of a working actor…” – Josh McHugh, He Acts
His writing is thoughtful, insightful and we are delighted to be sharing it here on Actor Hub.
What’s Yer Type?
I sat in a coffee shop the other day…
(A lot of my posts will more than likely start with this, as do most of the more thoughtful moments of my life.)
I was sitting there and pondering the most difficult question I have asked myself as an actor:
What is my type?
I have asked myself this question approximately every three days since I started this adventure. The problem I kept running into was I am far too close to the product to be able to answer it objectively. It is the same thing as looking in the mirror and only seeing the flaws: Scars, acne, wrinkles, one eye is ever so slightly higher than the other. You fail to see the whole of you after a while.
Find someone who will be honest with you
As long as I keep getting cast, I don’t care if it’s typecast.
There is no way around it, you need an outside opinion.
Objective, unbiased and brutally honest.
As it turns out, my wife somehow fits all three.
Ours is a special kind of relationship! She sees quite easily through my self-wrought bullshit. Her’s is a laser focus of frankness for which I am by far the richer.
That being said, I still had to do the initial leg work.
What words would best describe me as a performer?
What qualities do I bring to a role?
Actors who can’t answer this question find themselves swimming against a tide of generality in their work. They fire off their resume and reel like buckshot into the ether that is Hollywood and hope someone can see the spark that is their greatness.
“This kid can do it all!”
Guilty.
Your type as an actor is different when acting on stage or film
People want to typecast you; it’s human nature.
Actors that developed in the theater possibly face this sort of problem more than others. In the theatrical tradition, you can be a twenty-two year old ingenue who has played everything from the chamber maid to a Shakespearean king.
Not so in film. Here, you are what you seem. First impressions are king and that which you sell most readily with a head shot is what gets you in the audition room. So, you best know what you seem.
This brings me back to my own conundrum. As I said, I’m too close to the product, and sometimes, frankly, we don’t see eye to eye.
Look at your acting work and find the pattern
It’s up to the actor to make sure they don’t get typecast.
So I had only one other place to turn to: The work I have already done. These are the things I was drawn to as an actor. Things I have auditioned for, things friends and neighbors have cast me in. In some cases, they were roles written just for me, based on something that they may not have even realized they were seeing in me.
Thankfully, the pattern was fairly easy to pick up.
I’ve played the serial killer with a soft side.The young father with a secret that protects those he loves. My looks, to be honest, are average. I’m a man who is passionate about things. I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve. I am very vulnerable in my approach. Things hit me hard. I gravitate towards the darker side of human nature in my work, but I can see the humor in almost any situation.
Boiled down? I land on this:
Everyman with something to hide.
My wife agrees, so I’m sticking with it.
Ah well. So much for The leading man with the nice car…
Find out your ‘type’ using our Actor Hub ‘Types’ list
-
Every actor dreads getting typecast, but if you are being cast in roles which suit your look and personality then what’s the problem …. when you know your type the chances of getting cast increase.
Other Guest Posts from Actor Hub
-
From Guest Author Josh McHugh – Dreams are free. Chasing after them? You pay for that. The biggest thing I have learned about the acting community is what a passionate bunch we are about the art we have grown to love.
-
A funny post from dancer, actress and blogger Daisy Tait – 13 Things Stagey People Do, That Normal People Don’t
-
There are so many books on acting, acting techinques, and acting tips that it can be hard to know where to begin. Here are Actor Hub’s top books about acting for actors, along with our review.
-
Not every actor out there went to drama school. If you don’t get in then its not the end of the world. Here are some ways to start your career without formal training.
-
Successful actors didn’t get to where they are by being a diva off stage. It takes years before you are able to throw a queeny strop! Here are our seven habits to help you on your way up the ladder
-
To truly play a role you need to be able to look inside yourself and find what is within you which you share with the character. It can take bravery to find it but when you are able to it will be a revelation.
-
From Guest Blogger – LA actress Shanice Kamminga – Famewhore, attention seeker, naive/delusional, unstable, childish – If you want to go to LA to become an actor you are obviously either one or all of these things. Part Two – Attention Seeker
-
We all love the thrill of trying on a costume – but you need to treat your costume and the wardrobe guys with a certain level of respect.