On this episode of the Second Act Actors podcast, I interview another actor who’s transitioning from a more ‘traditional’ career into the world of acting. Rudy Salo is a municipal bond lawyer, public speaker, Forbes contributor and former punk musician and today he also books acting gigs, especially seeking out roles where he plays the jerk boss villain.

Rudy tells me about his early years in school when he was determined not to be a lawyer but came around to it in his own way. He explains how he shut off his creative side to ‘go all in’ on the law and how rediscovering his creative passions has made him a happier and more well-rounded person.

Rudy shares advice for people looking to start a career in the arts and preaches the message of financial stability first, creativity and freedom later. It might sound like a bit of a dream crusher, but Rudy outlines why having money and freedom will make you a better actor. We also discuss what you can learn from doing stand-up comedy and how accessing your creativity can help you to solve problems in your ‘first act’ job.

This is a fantastic episode of Second Act Actors that really showcases the diversity of experiences you can find in people who act. If you liked this episode (and if it taught you what municipal bonds are!), then please share it with a friend or on your social media channels.

Timestamps

[0:45] Rudy explains the kinds of projects he works on in his law career and how it led him into acting

[5:47] Rudy weighs up his actor vs. lawyer career options

[7:11] How Rudy went from a punk musician to a municipal bond lawyer

[11:55] “There’s something critical I’ve got to point out”: Rudy on rediscovering his creative side and finding happiness in his artist pursuits

[17:10] The influence that Rudy’s parents had over his life and how his punk rock rebellion took him back to working in law

[20:40] My experiences of introducing creativity into a traditional career

[22:20] Using creativity as a way to connect with clients and colleagues

[24:28] The fallacy of ‘going all in’ on your career and what Rudy’s brought from his lawyer experience into acting

[26:15] Balancing a demanding career, family life and looking for acting jobs

[28:30] In acting, the exact words don’t really matter

[31:47] Classes, background work and doing lawyer contracts from his laptop on set: Rudy’s version of being ‘all in’ on acting

[33:40] The advice that Rudy gives to young lawyers to help them get through the first few “crushing” years in a law firm

[36:00] “It depends”: What Rudy would say to someone looking to transition into acting

[40:04] Pushing back against the ‘starving artist’ mentality

[43:13] How Rudy found out that he’s an excellent villain and then leaned into it

[46:10] What we’re both looking forward to this coming year

[48:20] Why stand-up comedy will make you a better actor

[50:00] Rudy’s final words of wisdom

Links

Rudy Salo on LinkedIn

Rudy Salo on IMDb

Rudy Salo on Forbes

Second Act Actors website

Second Act Actors on Instagram

Second Act Actors on Facebook

Second Act Actors on YouTube

Janet McMordie website

Janet McMordie on Instagram

Janet McMordie on LinkedIn

Janet McMordie on Twitter

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