Today my guest on Hometown to Hollywood is Shelby Wulfert. Shelby’s credits include the series Betch, and she is best known for playing Maddie 2 for all four seasons of Liv and Maddie. Shelby stars in the upcoming movie Swiped, about a dating app with unintended consequences!

We talk about how she was cast on Liv and Maddie, what it was like to land in Hollywood at 18, and tips for learning how to memorize lines more easily, among many things! Here are some of my favorite quotes from our conversation:

"What if you learned Meisner your entire life-- and Stanislavski is what works for you?"

"You're in competition with yourself. Ask, 'What's the best I can be?'"

"Life is a mirror."

"When people have negative opinions of you-- that's a reflection of them."

"Whatever it is that helps you find your center... is key to success."

"I like to go on IMDb, and see who I admire, and see how long it took them (to make it)."

"You have to give yourself time."

"Work on your craft every day. Read a play. Read a script. Watch a movie you haven't seen."

"The universe is unfolding exactly as it should, no more and no less."

"Learn about every aspect of the industry, because it can only help you."

 

Follow Shelby here:

Twitter: @ShelbyWulfert

Instagram: @ShelbyWulfert

Facebook: @Shelby.Wulfert.Actress

 

Are you thinking about how to help your child become an actor? Or are you a young actor yourself?

Buy my book, The Hollywood Parents Guide, on Amazon. It contains everything I wish I’d known when Dove and I started this journey, and will save you untold amounts of time, money, and stress. Full of information you MUST know, it also features stories from parents of other kids who’ve made it!

Or book an hour consulting with me to come up with an individualized plan that takes your own unique needs into account. For about the cost of an hour with a professional acting coach, you can get your questions answered and a road map to help you move forward toward your dream.

Invest a little in your  future today.

 

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Today my guest on Hometown to Hollywood is Brooke Byler.

Brooke runs the Brooke Byler Acting Studios, which provides classes for young actors aged 4-17, from beginning to advanced levels, as well as self-taped auditions and voiceover services. The studio is in San Diego County, and the majority of her students are working in Los Angeles.

We talk extensively about auditions! Brooke has some really excellent advice on this subject and so much more. Some of my favorite quotes:

"Fully commit! The only way you can go wrong in an audition is to hold back."

 

"You have to be a good listener to be an actor. All of this comes in handy in school."

If you're really passionate about something, you find a way to make it work."

 

"There are principles to being funny. There is structure and technique to being a good improvisor."

"The camera watches you think."

 

"Nothing in real life is perfect. Why would we try to impose perfection on ourselves?"

"Tension is an actor's worst enemy."

 

"Make sure that whoever you're getting advice from is reputable, and that it's reputable advice."

"Focus on one goal per audition."

 

"This industry is a marathon, not a sprint."

"Enjoy this journey, and use it as a training ground for life."

 

Southern California listeners: Brooke is running a promo for a free trial class through the end of March!

To use the promo, go to her website and enter the promo code: TRL0317.

Find Brooke Here:

Website: https://www.brookebyler.com

Twitter: @BBActingStudios

Facebook: @BrookeBylerActingStudios

Instagram: @BBActingStudios

 

Are you thinking about how to help your child become an actor? Or are you a young actor yourself?

Buy my book, The Hollywood Parents Guide, on Amazon. It contains everything I wish I’d known when Dove and I started this journey, and will save you untold amounts of time, money, and stress. Full of information you MUST know, it also features stories from parents of other kids who’ve made it!

Or book an hour consulting with me to come up with an individualized plan that takes your own unique needs into account. For about the cost of an hour with a professional acting coach, you can get your questions answered and a road map to help you move forward toward your dream.

Invest a little in your  future today.

 

Did you enjoy this post? Share it! Sharing is sweet.

Today my guest on the Hometown to Hollywood Podcast is Garrett Clayton. Garrett has many film and TV credits, but he is best known for his roles in Hairspray Live, Teen Beach Movie and Teen Beach Movie 2, King Cobra, Don’t Hang Up, and The Fosters. Garrett currently stars in God Looked Away with Al Pacino at the Pasadena Playhouse.

Garrett's success has been a true example of consistent, hard work and commitment creating what looks like serendipity. His conversation is filled with wisdom and inspiration for anyone interested in becoming an actor, or pursuing any kind of dream, really. A few of my many favorite quotes:

"Start out by watching all the best feature films from the Oscars."

"Any chance there was for an audition, a casting call-- I didn't care, I took it."

 

"If you don't take the chance, you're never going to find out."

"You just have to START. All this profession is, is trying."

 

"You need a 6-month plan, a 1-year plan, a 5-year plan, and a 10-year plan."

"You can't go to book the job; you have to go to show the work."

 

"I have 3 acting coaches and 3 vocal coaches, because I think you can learn so many different things from different people."

"You need a job, a car, somewhere to live, and acting classes."

"You've got to really love it, and you've got to be really patient."

"In any career path, there's never going to be an easy way to get what you want."

 

On working the 5pm-5am shift as a waiter: "I was studying my lines while I was washing dishes, or folding napkins and rolling silverware. I had a few regulars who would help me run lines while I was on breaks."

"Stay kind: don't get jaded."

 

Fun fact: Garrett originally read for Ross Lynch's role in teen Beach Movie and was brought back in for Tanner, which is the role he booked.

You can find Garrett on social media HERE:

Twitter: @garrettclayton1

Instagram: @garrettclayton1

Facebook: @GarrettClaytonLove

(All verified accounts)

 

Are you thinking about how to help your child become an actor? Or are you a young actor yourself?

Buy my book, The Hollywood Parents Guide, on Amazon. It contains everything I wish I’d known when Dove and I started this journey, and will save you untold amounts of time, money, and stress. Full of information you MUST know, it also features stories from parents of other kids who’ve made it!

Or book an hour consulting with me to come up with an individualized plan that takes your own unique needs into account. For about the cost of an hour with a professional acting coach, you can get your questions answered and a road map to help you move forward toward your dream.

Invest a little in your  future today.

 

Did you enjoy this post? Share it! Sharing is sweet.

Today my guest on Hometown to Hollywood is Suzanna Moroles. Suzanna’s daughter, Victoria Moroles, is best known for her work on Teen Wolf, Liv and Maddie, Cloud Nine, and Is That a Gun in Your Pocket? Victoria stars in the upcoming Down a Dark Hall. If you didn't catch her on the podcast last week, you can listen to her HERE.

Suzanna and I met on the set of Cloud Nine four years ago. Today we talk about what it’s like to be a mom of a young actor—when do you start to take their interest in performing seriously? What does it take to get them up and running as a professional actor?

Like many families, Suzanna and Victoria relocated from home (Texas) to Los Angeles when they decided to get serious about pursuing a career for Victoria.

We discuss changes, perseverance, education, and what they wish they’d known starting out. Victoria is one of the young actors who took the CHSPE (California High School Proficiency Exam) and become a Legal 18 while she was still just 15.

If you are looking for inspiration from a mom who’s “been there” and whose faith and perseverance paid off, you’ll enjoy this honest, unvarnished conversation.

Look for Victoria later this year in the film Down a Dark Hall.

 

Are you thinking about how to help your child become an actor? Or are you a young actor yourself?

Buy my book, The Hollywood Parents Guide, on Amazon. It contains everything I wish I’d known when Dove and I started this journey, and will save you untold amounts of time, money, and stress. Full of information you MUST know, it also features stories from parents of other kids who’ve made it!

Or book an hour consulting with me to come up with an individualized plan that takes your own unique needs into account. For about the cost of an hour with a professional acting coach, you can get your questions answered and a road map to help you move forward toward your dream.

Invest a little in your kid’s future today.

 

Did you enjoy this post? Share it! Sharing is sweet.

Today my guest on the Hometown to Hollywood podcast is Victoria Moroles. Victoria is best known for her work on Teen Wolf, Liv and Maddie, Cloud Nine, and Is That a Gun in Your Pocket? She just wrapped filming Down a Dark Hall, which will be out later this year.

Victoria started her professional journey at the age of 12 when she and her mother began coming to Los Angeles from her native Rockport, Texas to give her a chance to audition for film and TV. We discuss her inspiration, audition advice, her Disney Channel casting experience, her experience with the CHSPE and becoming a Legal 18, the importance of perseverance, and much more. Victoria's authenticity is inspiring.

Some of my favorite quotes:

"Auditioning is a job itself."

 

"Create a life outside of your job."

"Keep your mind, body and soul happy."

 

"As an actor, it's our job to story tell. But how can you do that, if the only life you've had is as an actor?"

"Have fun... always stay focused on that passionate feeling."

 

"Patience. I can't stress enough how much you need that."

"Be patient. Persevere. Be strong. And have fun."

 

"If one day you're not having fun... don't do it anymore."

 

Twitter: @victoriamoroles

Instagram: @victoriamoroles

Facebook: @victoriamoroles

(all verified)

 

Are you thinking about how to help your child become an actor? Or are you a young actor yourself?

Buy my book, The Hollywood Parents Guide, on Amazon. It contains everything I wish I’d known when Dove and I started this journey, and will save you untold amounts of time, money, and stress. Full of information you MUST know, it also features stories from parents of other kids who’ve made it!

Or book an hour consulting with me to come up with an individualized plan that takes your own unique needs into account. For about the cost of an hour with a professional acting coach, you can get your questions answered and a road map to help you move forward toward your dream.

Invest a little in your kid’s future today.

 

Did you enjoy this post? Share it! Sharing is sweet.

Welcome to Hometown to Hollywood!  Today my guest on this podcast is actor Dylan Playfair.

Dylan is best known for his work on Letterkenny, Haters Back Off, and Some Assembly Required. He plays Gil, son of Gaston, in the upcoming Descendants 2, which is out this summer. He’s also a film producer, and produced a movie called The Drop, about why young people don’t vote.

Dylan is Canadian, and didn't begin acting until the age of 19. He began in the film industry as a Production Assistant, or PA. Learning about the industry through working in it, he made his way into acting school, and began auditioning, landing a gig before he even completed school. There are a ton of great takeaways from this conversation, including that his hockey training helped him land several different roles (special skills can give you a genuine edge in casting!), and that what can feel like failure can actually pave the way for success: he in fact auditioned for the role of Chad Charming in the first Descendants, and then Harry Hook in Descendants 2, before landing the role of Gil.

There are so many great quotes from this episode, but these are some of my favorites:

"Failure is not an option-- it's just a matter of how long it's going to take."

 

"Learning how to NOT do it can be just as valuable as learning how to do it."

"Every failure is an opportunity to learn."

 

"At the end of the day, an O-1 (Visa) isn't going to be a roadblock. If they really want you, they'll make it work."

"If you're good enough, they'll see you."

 

"Failures are necessary for success."

"Of course (casting directors) want you! They need to fill those roles!"

 

"To find the ones who you share values with, and to make projects with those people... that's fulfilling."

"If you don't book the role, book the room."

 

"If you know in your heart that acting makes you happy-- do it."

 

Find Dylan on social media here:

Twitter: @DylanPlayfair

Instagram: @DylanPlayfair1

 

Are you thinking about how to help your child become an actor? Or are you a young actor yourself?

Buy my book, The Hollywood Parents Guide, on Amazon. It contains everything I wish I’d known when Dove and I started this journey, and will save you untold amounts of time, money, and stress. Full of information you MUST know, it also features stories from parents of other kids who’ve made it!

Or book an hour consulting with me to come up with an individualized plan that takes your own unique needs into account. For about the cost of an hour with a professional acting coach, you can get your questions answered and a road map to help you move forward toward your dream.

Invest a little in your future today.

 

Did you enjoy this post? Share it! Sharing is sweet.