Audrey Moore is a successful working actor and also an enthusiastic podcast host/actor advocate. Her podcast, Audrey Helps Actors, helps actors to get a leg up on the business.
There is no pussyfooting around when it comes to Audrey Moore and her podcast. If you want serious advice, Audrey Helps Actors is the place to go. Don’t expect your hand to be held; what you can expect is to get a great workout of what you should be doing to boost your acting career.
Why were people coming to you for advice?
I started the podcast because once I began working consistently, I suddenly had lots of friends reaching out for “coffee.” But what they really wanted was to know what I was doing that was working. I realized that there just wasn’t a ton of communication out there between working actors. All the content available was either, “How do I get my first headshot?” or “I’m famous! Watch my new movie!,” but there wasn’t really anything in between that for working actors. Sometimes you’d get a famous actor on Marc Maron’s podcast talk about something real, but it wasn’t the norm. I realized that actors just wanted to know WTF was actually going on here.
Your theme song states that “Actors don’t know anything.” You have a very straight-up, to-the-point approach. What is your preferred teaching method when it comes to people who are looking to learn?
I don’t teach but I do advocate. Until very recently, the training emphasis for actors was largely on their facility. And so, I’ve found that actors are really in the dark about how the business is run, through no fault of their own. They feel like they’re doing something wrong when they’re not booking constantly, because there’s no in-depth discussion about how the math of a saturated market works. They feel like they’re bad and they get really down on themselves, and I just couldn’t take that anymore. I don’t find actors need to be spoon fed or have a spine and grow up. I think the reason we don’t know anything is because we’ve been largely fed delusion. I’ve had friends literally and figuratively kill themselves over the torture of the pursuit of this career because nobody is being honest about what is really happening here. I think we can do better as a community.
We’ve seen you in such shows as “Better Call Saul,” “Dirty John” and the mini-series “Godless.” At what point in your life did you decide to become an actor? What was your family’s reaction?
I decided to become an actor at around age 11. As far as my family’s reaction, my dad was probably the most concerned for my well being. He died right after I graduated from college, and after his death I worked extra, extra hard for him. Finally, I had a fantastic therapist who pointed out, “Your dad’s dead. Maybe you don’t have to prove you’re on the right track anymore.” That provided me with a lot of relief.
You studied acting at Boston University and London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts. What were the most valuable lessons you learned at each school?
Honestly, I got to act from 9 a.m. till 11 p.m., six days a week, with an hour break for lunch and two hours for dinner. And I did improv rehearsals on Sundays. I had the time of my life.
Your podcast producer is Jesse Lumen. What exactly does a podcast producer do? How did you and Jesse meet?
He’s my husband and the love of my life. Regarding the podcast, he would say he does everything except the charm. He runs the technical side of things and also makes sure the podcast isn’t boring! We met at an artist night in Hollywood where I performed a monologue and he screened a film he made!
What’s involved in starting a podcast?
I married a filmmaker that has all the equipment and is very technically savvy. On average, my team spends probably a combined 30 hours an episode. We do not just record an episode and throw it up there. Our podcast is heavily produced. For this reason, any money we make on advertising goes directly to the editors and sound mixers. They are the MVPs.
Should actors have their own YouTube online series that are character driven? How would that help their careers?
My next season is about getting your sh*t together as an actor. I have actors on the podcast who have gotten their sh*t together, and have seen the results. For all of them, that meant getting their money together, getting their marketing materials together, getting their audition skills together, and then getting their talent seen. Getting seen is an important part of standing out in a saturated market, but it’s not the only part.
When you read a script, what steps do you take to flesh out the character?
I do whatever it takes to solve that magical equation of putting myself in the role in a way that is personal and effective, while also still telling the story. I don’t always solve it, but I do whatever it takes to try.
What difficulties have you run into on set?
Actors should remember they are wearing a mic. I was on set for a commercial once and the other actor kept talking sh*t about the client whenever we’d cut. Needless to say, the commercial never aired.
What advice do you have for up-and-coming actors?
Listen to the podcast! One of the best compliments for me is the wide range of listenership. Veteran actors, second-generation actors, veteran agents, casting directors and managers all recommend the podcast when doing talks and interviews. My intention is truly free and transparent information, inspiration, and camaraderie.
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Written by Ilana Rapp
Ilana Rapp is a media-savvy Generation Xer with instinctive wit, quick humor and a taste for deep human emotions. As a former (child) actress with Broadway, film and television credits, she is adept at, well, lots of things. She blogged on The Huffington Post and writes entertainment pieces for Casting Networks, Casting Frontier, NYCastings, Mupo Entertainment and New Jersey Stage. She is a huge fan of the television show V. Ask her why her favorite number is “22.” Follow Ilana on Twitter and Instagram.
