Yourcinemafilms.com | In this exclusive panel we uncover the journies of Vivian Oparah (Rye Lane), Sheyi Cole (Small Axe, Atlanta) and Toheeb Jimoh (Ted Lasso, The Power) who are making their mark on Hollywood! ✨
We explore their breakout roles as well as handling the pressure and expectations of others, for some really great gems all creatives can use!
Recorded at Our Stories Festival 2023
’Welcome to Your Cinema'
Follow us on socials:
Tiktok: @yourcinemafilms
Instagram: @yourcinemafilms
Twitter: @yourcinemafilms
We explore their breakout roles as well as handling the pressure and expectations of others, for some really great gems all creatives can use!
Recorded at Our Stories Festival 2023
’Welcome to Your Cinema'
Follow us on socials:
Tiktok: @yourcinemafilms
Instagram: @yourcinemafilms
Twitter: @yourcinemafilms
Category
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FunTranscript
00:00 Could you just tell us some of the shows that you've done, please?
00:03 You know, what's mad here is like because there's a sex track right now
00:06 There's a part of me just like what can I talk about what can I talk about?
00:09 but
00:11 listen is what is
00:13 so the
00:15 What I've been doing in the last three years
00:17 I've been on two TV shows one of them is Ted Lasso a football show a comedy show and
00:23 The other one is the power on
00:26 Amazon also done a play recently. I just did Romeo and Juliet at the Almeida
00:30 And so yeah, like those have been the main things that I've been working on the last last couple of years
00:35 She hello everyone
00:39 Yeah, similarly I've just finished doing an HBO show called full circle
00:47 That was great directed by Steven Soderbergh
00:55 And that was that was incredible I also did a show called Atlanta
00:58 And then you know that one show yeah
01:05 Yeah, I did a Netflix film which should be coming out next year March shouldn't said that but hey, huh
01:14 And that's great we had Michael Ward in Bill Nye Callum Scott house
01:21 Kit young really really cool cars
01:25 And that's me. Yeah. Oh and also small acts, but yeah, and Steve McQueen small acts
01:32 Alex we saw actually actually forget how stupid your CV
01:36 nuts I
01:39 Love it and Vivian. I am
01:42 I'm just beginning truly in comparison. But um
01:46 Yeah, I was in the film earlier this year
01:49 Riley come on
01:52 Come on
01:54 Yeah
01:56 Right now I have a show out on sky called then you run
01:58 Written by Ben Shannon and he wrote the capture and I just I'm in my last week of filming for a new
02:03 Prime show called dead hot so should be good. Come on. Come on. Thank you
02:10 So yes, this is why this is why these are the panelists
02:15 So like this is a question for each of you, right? Like what were the key projects that changed your career?
02:23 -
02:25 He let's start with you
02:27 The key projects that changed my career. I think the main one for me is Ted lasso. It was it's a
02:34 Just in terms of scale. That's the biggest one and it's also the one that I've spent the most time on
02:40 you know, we did I did three seasons of that show and so, um, yeah for me like I started that job in
02:46 2019 and finished it, you know, the final season came out this year and so for me it feels like
02:52 if there's a show that I go back and watch and I can really like chart my
02:56 Growth and like chart my career I can see you know
02:59 21 year old T on that show and then 23 year old T on that show in 24
03:02 I mean so for me
03:03 That's the show that I think I like when I think back to the start of my career like I think it will be
03:07 Ted lasso but for different reasons, I think Romeo and Juliet that I just did now like is a is another one because
03:14 That's a you know, it's a Shakespeare role. It's like playing Romeo like that's for me
03:19 That was like a big dream of mine
03:20 Like this is this is why I went to drama school was to play roles like this and to tell stories like this
03:25 So, um, those are the two that come to mind for me when I think about you know
03:28 Shows that changed my changed my career or started my career, you know, it's just yeah
03:34 I love that. I love that shape
03:36 I think mine would be the first job that I did and that was a small axe. I
03:42 Think
03:45 The story around me booking small axe is quite
03:49 Was just not really how things should happen. I was still at drama school
03:55 I was in my first year drama school and I got the call saying that Steve wanted to see me
04:00 And obviously if you guys know how drama school works that you're not supposed to audition. You're not really supposed to have an agent
04:06 but I
04:09 Didn't want to abide by that. I
04:11 Very was set on how I wanted my path to look and how it should go
04:17 so I kept my agent and we had a discussion about
04:20 Making sure that we were still auditioning for projects that we thought were gonna really change change my life
04:25 and then Steve came knocking and for me that being my first job and also to lead that and and to have the pressures of
04:33 kind of like
04:35 Portraying someone that's still living and breathing Alex. We all is an author now, but that story
04:40 It was a lot because it required a lot of emotional depth
04:46 a lot of rough-and-tumble a lot of police brutality and you know a bunch of stuff so I
04:52 Think due to what we had to achieve what we had to portray and of course working with Steve
04:58 That then allowed me to be seen by
05:02 You know, I would say a certain caliber of director producer casting director
05:07 So from then I think I was naturally in that sphere
05:11 Which allowed me to then go and to do other jobs that were also in that sphere
05:16 Did you leave drama school to do?
05:18 Yeah, so we we shot we shot in the second year beginning a second year, but we only took it only took 14
05:25 14 days to shoot Alex we tool
05:28 So we just mashed it out had a few pickups, but it was a struggle with Guildhall
05:33 I trained at Guildhall same as to he I was a couple of three years
05:37 I think your three years my senior within school years or something like that
05:40 And yeah, they didn't make it easy
05:44 But you know, I made it work and I just had to do an extra scheme of study
05:48 I came back caught up on my restorations
05:50 I think everyone was very kind of like why have you got to stay, you know another extra 40 minutes to see this guy do
05:56 Restorations and it's that any other but I had to be done and I'm grateful that I did it
06:01 Wow, you handled that very gracefully I must say
06:05 Vivian yes
06:08 Yeah, I feel like I know about you guys, but I feel like your career starts again so many times
06:13 That's what I've noticed and I feel like obviously I got my first job through an open call. I didn't go to drama school anything
06:20 And it was like a leading role in a BBC like talk to you spin off
06:25 And that got me an agent so that felt like that changed my life then and then like I had various
06:31 Jobs along the way which felt like Mike like I did a play at the National follow my life changed then and then
06:38 Obviously everything with Riley and I feel like my life has changed again like my career started again
06:43 in a different way
06:45 So, yeah, like I guess it's just people
06:50 Seeing you in a different light on a different scale and like understanding
06:58 Like what you're capable of because ultimately like we all know what we're capable of and we all know we can do in whatever fields
07:05 We're in but you're just kind of waiting for the world to catch up
07:07 So it's just like you're on a new stage where people are like, oh and you can do that and you can do that
07:12 And you could do that. So, yeah some new
07:15 Things I can do have been unleashed to the public. Surely there'll be some more things down the line. But yeah, I love that
07:23 I love that and we're gonna throw two questions from the audience shortly
07:26 But I just want to say something that I think has just crystallized for me as we're on the stage, right like a
07:34 lot of the time
07:37 Especially I think when we started this platform or when you speak to older actors
07:42 They talk about when their careers first started the kind of roles that they were doing
07:49 But as we're sitting on this stage, I'm like you guys your first job was small acts
07:56 Like none of you guys are 30 and you're doing big bits
08:02 That's the only way I can describe it. And I think that is like a testament to how far the industry's come
08:10 Yeah, because a lot of the people here they're gonna be your age like, you know, it's fine if you're older, you know
08:15 When it's your time, it's your time, isn't it?
08:17 But I think this is just a huge thing that I just wanted to mark because
08:23 This what I'm looking at here is iconic. So I just wanted to say that
08:28 But given that you guys are so young
08:31 What what's it like handling that I guess fame but then also
08:38 pressure
08:41 Professionally, and if you're not having a struggle with it, that's completely fine. But I'm just interested in like is there a pressure? I
08:47 think it's like I
08:50 Just you just can't really tap into like the buzz that's happening in your own life
08:56 You just have to have the things that keep you grounded like your friends your family
09:01 You literally don't give a heck like my family like that's cool. But I have you watch the place the place
09:06 Do you know I mean like it's just like that type of stuff and you?
09:09 Remember what the goal is and remember what you want to do and it's just like
09:12 Yeah
09:15 that kind of
09:17 because it's all kind of a
09:19 farce and it's like you can
09:22 Tap into it. You can't live in it because then you forget about the work and it gets really noisy and you're not able to
09:28 do your work, so
09:30 Yeah, man, I don't know I think I think what I've been finding interesting about it is
09:35 Like a lot of the actors that I looked up to when I was younger, you know
09:40 They had the opportunity to go and you know
09:42 Do work for 10 years and even if they didn't get the some of the bigger opportunities that they got later in life
09:47 They got a chance to grow and like, you know kind of just cultivate their craft
09:51 Doing plays, you know in you know at the Royal Shakespeare Company or doing do you know?
09:56 I mean like doing these little jobs and so by the time they got that big job
09:59 It felt like they had been do you know I mean like earning their stripes and they understood it they had experience and so they
10:05 Didn't feel like the moment was too big for them because it's a job that they've been doing for 10 years by now
10:09 I think for some of us like we haven't had the luxury of that
10:12 experience and so a lot of it is learning
10:14 publicly and learning how to be okay with that like some of the stuff that
10:17 Other people got to figure out before there was a big spotlight on them. So I'm like, you know shave your first job
10:23 It's you do you know I mean and you're gonna still have to learn some of that stuff
10:28 You're still gonna make some of those mistakes and I think it's just about learning to be okay with doing that publicly Jeremy
10:33 So I think yeah, that's what I'm finding interesting about embracing the cringe. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah
10:39 But but also just like knowing it's a it's a craft like I'll hopefully be doing this job for a very long time
10:45 and so like I think not robbing yourself of the opportunity to
10:48 Still take risks and still learn and still do things that you don't know if you can do yet
10:52 and yeah, there's a bigger stage and there's you know more eyes on you now because of some of your credits, but
10:59 Yeah, just go like learn to do it
11:02 I think that's the thing that I find interesting about like being a young person and and you know
11:07 Like doing work at this level. I think I also think it's about the expectation that people put on you and
11:14 how that can sometimes I don't want to say affect someone but for me and my personal kind of like
11:21 Understanding and vibe of this is kind of like I go back home. So it kind of for me I would say
11:28 From a young age. I've always kind of been that person that people knew in my area
11:33 so that was kind of all right for me and
11:36 It was fine because I used to be an athlete and do all that stuff and I used to sing so it was like
11:41 Oh, yeah, we know she still feel like, you know doing this that and the other I used to post stuff on YouTube
11:46 I used to do all that stuff. So kind of like being being known
11:51 Didn't feel kind of mad different. I think for me
11:56 It was just like I would go back home and all my boys will be like brah
11:59 Like you still want to chill with us like you're still down at that
12:02 You know like the Sunday the Sunday Social Club type vibe and I'm like, yeah
12:05 I want to see my boys kickball. Like why would I not want to do that?
12:08 and
12:10 I think it's slowly more the more people that meet me and we have this conversation. I think they realize that raw
12:16 I'm still just living my life as a human being and
12:20 Naturally my job also. Yeah requires to be in more of a social, you know platform or a bigger platform, but I don't think
12:28 that has
12:31 you know and I think it's
12:33 You've probably got it the worst out of all of us because like Ted Lasso is huge in the States here everywhere
12:39 I don't think it's as
12:41 Overbearing just yet like it's nice because at the moment I'm at the point where it's like, oh someone clocks me and I'm like, oh
12:48 No, thanks, man, like, you know, but whereas I thought there will be a time
12:55 Where you know, I'll be with my mom or I'll be in my family and it's like I kind of want that time with them
13:00 And then people are kind of you know coming over and showing love. I think that's when it's gonna be slightly difficult because
13:06 You know, you don't would you especially when someone I mean we're used to meeting people within our industry outside of industry
13:13 Maybe musicians or whatnot and I think we kind of know how to navigate it from time to time
13:19 But you know also I feel that because we meet so many people
13:23 we don't necessarily put it on the pedal store that other people might and
13:27 I've realized that when they do meet someone like one of us and
13:31 That's not a day today
13:35 You really do in a way kind of like owe them that attention and that you know availability because
13:42 They might not see someone that they aspire to or really like but you know for years or months later
13:49 Yeah, that's true
13:50 Like it's a testament to you know
13:52 Like how much the work that you'd like you do can like speak to people and yeah
13:56 I don't think any of us are at the stage now where you know
13:59 We're walking down the street and it's impossible to go to Tesco like God willing
14:03 But right now like I think we're still caught and so I think um, yeah
14:06 It's it's a dope thing to have a few people that come up and say hi every now and then but for the most part
14:11 Like you can still just get on with your life and get on with your work. I love that the level of maturity
14:15 I'm hearing right now is yeah. I love it. I love it
14:18 Before we come to you guys, please have your questions ready. I
14:22 Want to know like given like you guys have all done
14:27 projects that are like critically acclaimed are
14:31 like top tier
14:33 And your trajectory is only increasing. Is there a pressure to always do big projects?
14:42 I think that
14:48 So one thing that I heard that Sydney Portier said to Denzel
14:52 Denzel Washington for a second. I thought you're gonna say he said it to you as imagine
14:56 No, I would have been lit though
15:01 I
15:03 Mean Portier said to Denzel who then said it to me
15:06 But he said that the first four jobs tend to
15:13 I'm not don't quote me word for word but tend to map out the career that you end up having
15:20 he said they're important because
15:23 that's how some of the industry review you first for apparently and I held on to that and
15:30 I feel like I don't want to say that there is I
15:34 Don't want to call it big projects, but I think there's a certain type of
15:40 storytelling that I enjoy telling and I think that comes down to to the depth of character three-dimensional characters and
15:48 storytelling stories that
15:50 on
15:52 As surface level but have a bigger message whether it's politically socially
15:59 Or just kind of like
16:01 You know something that really speaks to me
16:04 and
16:06 I feel like also I
16:08 Think when you get a taste of I mean when I first did small acts
16:13 I just couldn't I genuinely I was just like half the stuff that was coming through
16:17 I was just like nah, like we can't start here and go back. I think for me. It's always about elevation elevation elevation
16:24 but not on the the bigness of a project but the story and the depth and the shape and the responsibility of
16:31 The story that's been told
16:33 Yeah
16:35 Yeah, like I think
16:37 How big a job is is kind of for me measured by like how it's contributing to like a cultural canon as opposed to like
16:46 Who's making it and like because usually like the stuff that really hits?
16:50 I when we were filming Riley and I just felt like a tiny indie film that we were just doing like a familial affair
16:54 But like we were being so specific in what we were doing that it had those ripples
16:59 But
17:03 Yes, kind of I think you can't
17:06 You don't you won't ever know if a show is gonna be a hit or if a film is gonna be a big film
17:12 When it comes out so you can't really like spend your life chasing what you think is gonna be the next big job
17:17 I think you just got like get a script if the story speaks to you do the story if the character speaks to you do
17:22 The character hopefully it you know loads of people see it
17:25 But also if loads of people don't see it then you know
17:27 You did it because you cared about the story as opposed to you know
17:30 Ah a million people didn't watch this film or watch this TV show
17:33 so I'm see I think the aim is to just keep doing shows that mean a lot to me and
17:38 If they turn out to be the biggest show in the world, then that's fucking fantastic
17:45 Am I allowed to swear by the way you've done it we're here we're here we're taking a risk and prosper
17:50 Thank you like yeah, no that that that is truth that is wisdom I love it I love it questions from the audience
17:59 Yes on your you choose
18:02 Hello
18:04 I've got a question you see when it comes to like agents and stuff like that
18:08 Do you think the agency that you're with or the agents that you acquire are gonna be like the vital?
18:15 people that
18:16 Plans out your future and acting world or is it like I?
18:20 Know that is a two-way street, but do you think it's them that's gonna?
18:25 Really like plan out your path in industry
18:29 Or is it like the jobs you outsource yourself? Um I think if you have a good agent it will be it will be them that
18:36 present you with opportunities
18:38 My experience with my agent hasn't been one where you know she's told me this is what you're doing next
18:44 And that's what you're doing next an audition is gonna come through if I if I want to audition for it
18:48 I will if I don't I won't and also you know my agent can never get me a job like I'm the one who's gonna
18:53 Do the tape and I'm like and so I think your career will kind of be dictated by
18:58 What you can book for yourself?
19:01 I don't think you should have an agent that tells you this is what you're doing next and and I mean
19:04 but that being said
19:06 It's also important to have an agent that can
19:11 Get you into the room into the kind of rooms that you want to be in and so I think that's the that's the only
19:15 Thing to think about is can this agent give me the opportunities that I want and if they can great the rest is up to you
19:21 It's a partner. It's a partnership
19:24 It's a team. It's teamwork
19:26 I think it's really important to take ownership of your own journey and your own path
19:31 And I think an agent should be there to help you guide that I think if you are
19:37 If you have more understanding or have more license over what you want to do then naturally what you put out there
19:43 God's willing that will come back to you
19:45 And I think an agent should only support what you want to really do of course if there's an agent out there
19:53 That's you know
19:54 Obviously been working for years and years. They have a sense and understanding of how the game works, so it'll be like okay look
20:00 Amazing you have these big dreams and aspirations, but let's work up to that
20:05 You know it's not every day you wake up to having a Ted Lasse or or a Rylan or an Atlanta or small axis
20:11 It's not so sometimes you have to really kind of trust the process
20:16 and really
20:18 Find an agent that you feel comfortable to talk about your worries and your anxieties. I remember after doing the Atlanta tape
20:26 I was I'd put everything into that tape like I did cost you my put stuff on my wall
20:33 I like set the the paper on fire on the wall like the characters a mad crazy artist
20:38 So I kind of wanted to to show that and I remember after please don't try that
20:43 Be safe, but take risk and
20:53 Do you try this at home?
20:57 But yeah after that I got very in my head and got quite anxious
21:02 and I was like oh my skin was looking like this and did I do too much and and
21:09 I had to call my agent, and I had to just be like
21:12 Hey, am I doing too much here?
21:14 Am I thinking too deeply into it and she just you know put me in my place and was just like Shay like
21:19 You'll find your work speaks like wonders
21:22 So just trust the trust the work and you'll be fine and and you know I trusted her and then and then it came through
21:28 So yeah, I think an agent is key because you're gonna be talking to them a lot so yeah
21:34 Vivian is there anything you would like to add
21:39 Yeah, just off the back of what you just said then your agent is gonna be like
21:44 Probably at times like a parent a therapist like your number one advocate
21:49 Oh, you have to think like they're gonna be representing you initially maybe at times where you might not be able to represent yourself
21:55 Do you trust them?
21:57 I've loved my agent. She's like family to me. She's got a direct line to my mom. Do you know I mean like
22:02 How my mom talk I didn't know about this until a couple years into my acting career, but they talk
22:07 so
22:09 Yeah, some people like that type of closeness, but some people like to keep their professional stuff professionally. You just gotta decide like
22:14 Who are you? What do I need like? What do I feel like I'm gonna need down the line?
22:19 Don't think about where you're at always think long-term
22:21 and
22:23 Yeah, like the boys said like they can
22:26 Mind you the best opportunities, but in the day
22:29 It's like you and the casting director in the room and you get to a certain point where a lot of agents have access to
22:34 The same stuff so it really is just about
22:36 you so
22:39 Yeah
22:40 Thank you. Thank you next question
22:47 This is great by the way
22:49 there are so many people in the audience and like so many people of just color diversity different demographics like
22:56 It's lit. Well done, man
22:58 This is real nice
23:03 Hi, I'm yeah, I just wanted to ask about
23:08 How was the audition process for the roles you went for that said last so and so on?
23:13 How do you how are you feeling? What did you experience? What did you do to like?
23:17 Just manage emotions and cope with it or anything else
23:21 Long man
23:25 Long and did you know right like for like the big big jobs that they were actually well actually no
23:32 you mentioned Steve McQueen so you knew that already but like
23:35 Because Nina was telling me earlier like with some big projects
23:40 You just don't know and they're trying to your agents trying to work it out. But so yeah
23:46 Just after nine long. I mean
23:48 small acts
23:50 Was three rounds of auditions?
23:52 First round I went in and met the cast and director Gary Davey. He was lovely
23:59 I remember he I walked in and he was just staring at me very intently and I was quite scared
24:04 I didn't really know where to put myself
24:07 But yeah, that was that was nice. I kind of like had a chat with him spoke
24:12 We read and then second round. I got given a script and I was allowed to pick three scenes from the
24:20 the film
24:22 That kind of showed Alex's progression from beginning middle and end
24:26 and then they got a
24:28 Dialect coach Hazel Holder. She came on to help me
24:31 And then the third round was meeting Steve. I think that when
24:36 Spanned over maybe six weeks maybe a little bit longer
24:41 But something like the beautiful game went on for like three months and that was like five rounds of auditions
24:47 How did you manage like pressure and expectation?
24:49 Steve was that was that was difficult that was because he as an individual anyway is someone that doesn't give much away
25:02 He's a very very he has two sides to him someone that's extremely serious
25:05 Very deadpan and it's someone that's very very goofy in the audition
25:11 Of course, it was straight deadpan
25:13 Why do you want to be an actor? What like do the do the do the do the scenes and
25:19 I was lucky because
25:22 Hazel and Gary were rooting for me the entirety of the time. So they called me in early though
25:29 Like we'll run the scenes like this is what Steve's like
25:31 Beware all of that and then I just had to take a risk and I remember the final
25:36 monologue that I had I
25:38 Just directed it straight to him and like looked him straight in his eyes and just delivered it to him
25:44 There was a sense of me. That's just like look. I just want to come into this room and show you that we're on equal
25:49 playing fields
25:51 Especially if I'm gonna like lead this film I kind of want to to know that you respect me as an artist and
25:59 Individual so for that I just had to just go
26:07 Yeah, I think you need like a crazy amount of confidence to like go into one of those rooms and just try and survive I
26:12 Think for me the the thing to that I tried to keep in mind is and this is a thing that I've learned over time
26:18 And I'm still learning and relearning now is all you can do in an audition setting is go in and and offer your version of
26:24 It and walk out and that's it
26:25 Like you can't control whether you get the job you can't control whether you get a recall
26:29 You can't control whether anybody likes you all you can control is this is the version of it that I want to do
26:33 This is the version of it. I want to see on screen
26:35 I'm gonna offer that to you
26:37 And if you guys want that great if you don't then we weren't gonna have a great working relationship anyway
26:42 So I think when I get really nervous like that's that's what I think about. This is my art. This is my work
26:46 And that's my job the rest is I mean that's up to God and Nina God so
26:52 It is about sorry it really is about the work, and I think if you know that you've done
26:58 Put in the effort and put in the right amount of work then no one can really take that away from you
27:04 Yeah, I think we kind of forget in those type of context that like
27:07 Your you're the shit as well. Do you know I mean like you're in that room for a reason
27:12 They've invited you into that room for a reason and like you have something to offer
27:16 You've done your work your work is valid like it's meant to be a collaboration like don't kind of
27:22 Lean too heavily into the hierarchy in the room of like there's a person here that could offer a job
27:27 It's like I'm going in do I want to work with this person?
27:29 I'm gonna show them my work how they're gonna receive it
27:31 How are you gonna talk like in general what's the rapport gonna be kind of like?
27:35 Dismantle that in your head before you enter the place
27:37 Obviously inevitably you are gonna be nervous and just accept that it means a lot to you
27:42 It is what it is, but like just you have done work, and you deserve to be in the space
27:47 Yeah, and like that's all you can do is show the good work. You've done. I've risked on a chime or a snort
27:52 You know I mean
27:53 Yeah, could I add one more thing to that?
27:55 I had a great one of my teachers at drama school said this and I hold on to this all the time
27:59 He's like whenever you're walking into an audition you have to keep in mind that they have a problem
28:04 They're trying to cost somebody in this thing you could be the person
28:06 They're looking for like you could be the answer to their problem
28:09 And so if you go in there, and you're a bit like oh my god
28:10 No, they hate me, and I'm not qualified and blah blah blah then like you're not gonna present your best self like if there's a
28:15 Version of you that's like I could be the person they're waiting for like then
28:18 I think you can go in there and just have like
28:21 Confidence like I mean yeah, and fun and vibes and energy and more time like maybe that's it
28:26 And also just they've been seeing so many people that day like they don't want like another downtrodden person
28:32 Who's like oh my god? You're gonna. Give me the job like
28:34 We could fix this problem right now like that's so exciting like lean into that excitement. You know
28:40 Yeah, I'm sorry yeah, yeah, so I need you to
28:45 Hi guys my name is Richard at the Tunji. I'm an actor from Southeast London and
28:54 I want to ask a question because the three of you have all done roles where it feels like only sorry
29:00 I was out last night. I lost my voice and
29:02 Where it feels like only you guys could have done those roles right and I feel like when you're an up-and-coming actors a lot of
29:08 Auditions and roles come your way that actually maybe you don't really want to do, but you need to eat
29:13 So I was wondering in your opinion
29:15 What's your thought process around the roles that you actually say no to and some of the roles that you know they were good opportunities?
29:20 But you actually ended up saying no to them in the end
29:22 This feels like a Vivian question. I don't know why but
29:28 I think it's like I said before like if it's not
29:34 If it's not like doing something which I'm like oh like I don't know this person like oh
29:40 I don't really know who she is or like I don't really know why she's doing that and I like put on my investigator
29:45 And I'm like I want to get to the bottom of that like that is what interests me
29:48 And that's what intrigues me and usually that's probably something with a bit more depth depth or something a bit more
29:53 complex like and I think
29:56 You know the stuff which is
29:59 easier might be the stuff which is like a meal ticket which is also valid because like girl gotta eat, but like
30:06 yeah, I
30:09 Say no is hard because you spend so much of your career like wanting someone to say yes to you
30:14 And then you get in a position where you're like oh my god
30:16 I'm turning I'm saying no to
30:18 opportunities and it feels insane, but I guess it's just like
30:22 It always just comes back to the story like it just always always comes back to the story
30:27 And then sometimes the world of the thing is like really incredible
30:30 But like you don't feel like it's really gonna stretch you or be that interesting to you in terms of your character
30:36 So you're like damn. I guess it's not right for me, and that's hard as well
30:39 But yeah artistic integrity is like a real thing which I don't think actors are encouraged to have specifically
30:46 I feel like in every other career in field you're encouraged to have integrity
30:50 But for some reason actors are supposed to be like these puppets
30:53 but
30:55 Yeah, I think I think it's it's hard and obviously it depends on your on your circumstance like when I graduated
31:02 I was lucky enough to be able to go back home and live at home and not pay rent
31:06 And so I didn't really need money like that
31:08 And so I could say no to jobs because I wasn't I mean there wasn't somebody like coming for my neck
31:13 But I think if you're lucky enough to be in that situation
31:17 Like Vivian said at the end of the day you have to see a script
31:20 And if it resonates with you it resonates with you also if you think you can do it
31:23 Well, then go and try and do it. There are some jobs that I get some
31:26 Auditions that I get and I go I'm actually not really like somebody can do this job better than me
31:31 I think and like the same way I feel about like Sam in Ted lasso for instance like a kid who's come from Nigeria
31:37 I've come from I've come from Nigeria. I understand the struggle of like trying to come to this country and fit in and I'm like
31:43 That's a story. I want to tell that's a story. I wanted to tell when I was a kid
31:45 I'm gonna put my all into that
31:47 If there's a similar story for like a different demographic or a different something somebody else is gonna go and put their all into that
31:53 It's not really for me to tell and so I feel like there's a bravery in saying no
31:58 Obviously it depends on your circumstances if you're comfortable enough to not need a job immediately then bruv
32:03 Don't do it if it's not for you don't do it
32:04 And I think when you get those roles you go now I would eat this up you'll know and so yeah
32:09 I think it's that for me
32:12 Think it comes down to for me character arc and
32:15 Seeing where the character starts and seeing where the character ends if I feel like there's not much journey there not much
32:22 Struggle or
32:25 Kind of like I love for me
32:27 I love a character that starts kind of like down and out and then
32:31 sometimes goes through like this mad struggle and then comes to some form of Eva redemption or like
32:39 Hero type vibe and I think one that's just more fun and two it's just slightly more
32:45 There's more to work on
32:48 I think it comes down to kind of like the curiosity
32:52 That I get from reading something if I read something and I'm like oh, okay
32:58 I've got all these questions that are floating around in my head then for me
33:01 I'm like oh, I think I'm on to something good if I read something and it's very black and white
33:06 Then I'm more entitled to be like I think I want to slightly pass on that
33:11 One more thing just off the back of that as much as it's great to say no to jobs
33:16 I also feel like right now like our generation especially like everyone's on Instagram
33:21 Everybody's seeing everybody else like doing this big dream job all of this stuff like it's also not really that
33:25 Bad to just do a job if you feel like you're gonna learn something from it
33:29 Even if it isn't the biggest Netflix lead in the world like like I was saying earlier
33:33 It's it's not a race, but I've like it's not what am I doing right now type thing like I feel like we also should
33:40 Be encouraging ourselves to do whatever job
33:43 We feel like is gonna give us the opportunity to grow and to learn and if that's doing a play
33:47 In you know in a regional play like my first play was a regional theater job
33:51 And I'm like yo
33:52 I'm glad I did that because I got to grow like I did a Shakespeare in Sheffield now
33:56 I did a Shakespeare in London and I feel like I'm really happy that I got the chance to do that play that
34:01 Yeah, maybe not that many people would have seen but I'm also like you didn't see all my mistakes evil
34:05 I mean so right now and in this like culture of like yeah, you know everyone's getting their dream job immediately
34:12 It's like there's also like no shame in going and doing a play and learning and doing a little job somewhere and learning and just like
34:18 building your experience I
34:20 Love that we've got two more questions
34:29 Hi
34:31 Obviously you learn on every job that you do but in between jobs, you know in between auditions, etc
34:37 What do you do to improve yourself? And how do you measure that?
34:41 Do you know I mean because you don't have a job at the end of it to say oh I did well
34:45 You know, so what do you do to improve your acting?
34:47 in between jobs
34:50 Hi
34:53 Yeah, it's a mad I mean my friends talk about this all the time
34:58 A lot of people that I know that I access and it goes to drama school
35:01 So like we read plays every Sunday just to like familiarize us
35:05 I like we have like a little group chat and like we go on a zoom or we meet up and we replace every Sunday
35:10 Don't shout me for that. Do you want it being so you'll be so welcome?
35:13 Yeah, I'm obsessed with films and like every other second like whether it's on my iPhone which I know is honestly sacrilegious
35:26 I'm always watching stuff. Like I'm always finding out like just
35:31 understanding
35:34 Film and screen and TV
35:36 I don't see as many plays as I should but I want to try to but film and TV is just so accessible all the time
35:41 and just
35:44 Everything kind of goes back to curiosity
35:46 I think whether you're like actively acting or just like waiting for a job like you just have to stay curious
35:53 Because it also means when that job comes through your perspective will be different in the way that you approach it
35:58 Because otherwise your brain and would have just been like in the freezer for like three months and then suddenly you need to do work
36:04 Again, you know, so you just have to stay
36:06 interested however that manifests for you
36:09 But also I find like I do quite a lot of other things and like going outside of your craft for inspiration is really really helpful
36:16 Sometimes you can't really I find like if I was to get super obsessive an actor and then like get approach the script
36:22 I'm like man, I don't want to just copy that type of performance
36:25 but sometimes going to a different medium like listening to a song and trying to
36:29 Distill the emotion you got from listening to a song or like looking at some art into your work
36:35 It's like a really interesting way to approach it to keep it fresh and to avoid plagiarism
36:40 I think that's a really good point
36:42 Like it feels like there are two things that are like practical things are like actually about acting itself
36:48 In like in that regard like, you know, there are loads of dope acting books
36:53 There are great practitioners who have been doing this for you know
36:56 A lot longer than any of us who have written down like some of their most interesting findings
37:00 I'm trying to think of these books at the top of my head is obviously all the Stanislavski stuff
37:04 There's a book called truth by a lady called Susan. I can't remember her last name
37:08 But it's called I'll I can send this to you or whatever
37:13 But I thought that book was really dope somebody recommended that to me recently and I've been reading that I think that's awesome
37:17 There were also acting workshops like in the pandemic does a workshop called go hub that I used to go to that one of my friends
37:23 runs and it's just a space where you can go get a scene and do some scenes and
37:27 And yeah, like just keep your muscle going
37:30 Outside of that I'd also say like Vivian said watch every show watch every film read every book go to every play if you can
37:38 afford it because
37:40 Ultimately like it's about your experience like the more stuff you see the more you cultivate your taste the more you figure out what you like
37:46 And what you don't like and so, um, yeah
37:48 I think that's a great way to spend your time when you're not acting and again like Vivian said
37:53 Some of it is also just doing other things
37:55 Like if you're not playing football and an audition comes and they want you to play
38:00 They want you to be a footballer and all you've been doing is reading acting books
38:03 Then you're less do you know I mean you're less equipped to do that job
38:06 Like you don't this is the beauty of our job. Is that
38:09 Anything could be the thing if you go and learn how to roller skate and then the role comes and it's like we need someone
38:14 Who's sick at roller skating and that's all you've been doing for the last three months then great now
38:18 You're better suited to that job than the person who was just reading acting books for three months
38:21 So like we are truly lucky that this job can require us to do anything at any time
38:26 so I think yeah find another passion find other things you're interested in and
38:29 Yeah, also what?
38:31 day to day life
38:32 Like there's just so much
38:33 Color in the world around you and like being perceptive to that is always transferable for like roles and jobs and just inspiration in general
38:41 So yeah, you have to live life. That's you can't obsess
38:45 overly obsessed over this craft over being an actor because it will drive you insane and
38:51 I feel like there is so much beauty in just going going out with your friends going abroad and
38:58 Just meeting people because inevitably that's what we do
39:01 We tell stories about individuals and peoples the more people we can meet the more people we can talk to
39:07 The more perspective the more understanding we have and then we can bring that to to what we to what we do
39:12 And what and you know, I think because acting and this industry is so difficult to get into
39:18 That of course a lot of the time we put our all into it
39:22 but we have to remember to look after our you know, our mind body and soul and and
39:26 Really put back put into that. Otherwise when those opportunities come we're not gonna be ready for them because mentally we might not be there physically
39:33 We might not be there
39:35 So there is a life outside of acting. Yeah, I
39:39 Love that great question last question
39:44 I'm not choosing. Thank you
39:47 Hi, I wanted to know what is your process now from when you first started how has it changed a bit
39:59 In terms of how we approach roles and stuff
40:03 Yeah, when you've got the role and now you're you're rehearsing everything. How's that changed from so then now?
40:10 I guess for me I didn't have a process because I didn't know
40:17 What I was doing when I when I first started cuz yeah, I got cast on the open call
40:23 I'd never done any type of acting anything before so I was just like
40:26 Man, I don't know like going off my gut
40:31 instincts
40:33 and
40:35 Truly
40:37 Now I'd say
40:40 Just like getting to know your character and like courting your characters if you're getting to know like a new person
40:48 Understanding like their internal world who they are where they fit into the wider story and then like their individual character arc
40:55 really boring stuff like I actually and I often find like
40:59 understanding they're like
41:01 Mundanities like the way they might sit or the like that made it the way they might walk or like their favorite color or their apple
41:07 Stuff that's nothing to fucking do with the text like actually really helps round it out more. But um
41:14 The honest answer is I like I'm still figuring it out and every job kind of requires
41:20 Something different and for you to go to a different place. I also this is a question for y'all like I
41:26 Do you like I've found that the roles that I play really affect my life at that specific time
41:32 Like I just find like it kind of just the energy of the character
41:37 Infects my life in a really really weird way. I just finished doing Romeo and Juliet and for two months. I'm like
41:50 It's coming
41:52 You know, it's gonna be cold and like no but for real no
41:56 I know you mean I think I think when you're like when you're doing a job when you're playing a character like you're thinking about
42:00 These things all the time and so of course, it's gonna like affect you. I think that question is tough
42:05 It's a hard question. Like I always hate when people ask me. No, what's your process? I don't I don't like I don't know
42:09 Really? I don't really have one. I think it's different things for different roles
42:13 Like, you know, if you're doing a job like I did a film called Anthony where I was playing a Liverpudlian, dude
42:19 Immediately my first objective is how do I do this accent?
42:22 And so then like that it becomes how you like frame that character if you're doing Shakespeare, it's not alright cool
42:27 How do I understand what the hell I'm saying? How do I get I am big pink top?
42:30 I mean all of this stuff it kind of just depends on the role that you're doing
42:34 But for me from drama school at the main thing that I've taken away is just like what what does your character?
42:40 Want and what is stopping them from getting that I start there and then figure everything else out around it
42:46 It's like what what's their drive? What's their need?
42:49 Like and what's stopping them from getting that also like how do they present publicly and how is that different from?
42:55 From like who they are in there like in a myself and also like what's dead like their floor?
43:02 I feel like every you know, I mean like especially in some of the great stories
43:05 It's like you have somebody who's like brilliant, but they have one character floor like for Romeo in my mind
43:12 It's like his you know, like the guy just wants to do everything now
43:16 Like, you know, I mean, he's like what's the word for it? I'm a hedonist. No, not even had a mystic like kind of like in
43:21 Yeah, he's just like a bit impulsive and you know
43:25 I mean like he runs into Julia and it's like I cool and like this is the one and then Rosaline like this is the
43:29 One and like I want to get married today
43:30 And so like that is his floor even though like what he wants is an honorable thing
43:35 He'd like he's in love
43:36 But he's also somebody who like kind of needs to be mothered and like just wants to be held probably and doesn't really feel seen
43:42 By his parents and so I'm like all of that stuff in my mind. I'm like, okay cool
43:45 I kind of get who this boy is. Do you I mean?
43:47 So I'm what this roundabout way of cannot can I jump in right? Sorry, she um
43:52 so you said something that I feel is quite important and I've often I've often wondered like
43:58 you guys spend a
44:01 Concentrated intense amount of time being a person right and I guess it's all about truth. So you're literally being a person
44:10 What is the aftercare for?
44:14 Not being that person so that you know
44:17 You hear those stories of like the actor follows that the character follows them home like what you're saying
44:22 How do you guys shake that off?
44:25 Do you know what? I think it is for me. It's like I
44:28 Feel like whenever I play a part it just amplifies a certain like part of me
44:35 Like you know, I mean like the part of myself that has the same traits and desires as this person that I'm playing
44:41 I just have to deal with that part of myself for three months or however long I'm doing the thing and so
44:46 Yeah, I guess it's just like coming to terms with it
44:49 Like I've never really done a job where I felt like I came out of it and it's like the characters following me around
44:54 Like you know, I mean like it's I've never really I've never really had that for me
44:58 I'm also like it's a it's a job like as much as it can be intense and you can invest yourself
45:03 I'm also like when it finishes like I find it very easy to draw the line and just be like I'm acting and now I'm
45:09 Not acting like it's not me. I'm not out there feeding my own traumas. I was like, you know, I mean, it's just
45:14 It's it's a job. I think I think it is like an intense experience
45:19 so like I speak to my friends about like the intensity of like
45:22 Being with the same like however many people the crew the cast however many days in this really concentrated
45:29 Hyper vulnerable states are oftentimes and then like just be having to be like detached like go back to my normal life
45:35 Go back to my room and where I live that is tough
45:37 I feel like it's just really
45:39 What I've tried to do as time has gone on is really mark the beginning and the end of like jobs
45:45 Like so I'm just like this is where I started and this is where it ends because if it just kind of disappears into nothing
45:50 It feels weird for my brain anyway, or like like when I finish in a week, I'm gonna go on holiday
45:57 So I'm just like I just did a job
45:59 You can press yeah, just just to like process it because everything moves so fast and and
46:07 It's for me. Anyway, I really find it hard to catch up with everything that's going on because there's another thing like I'm already like
46:13 Three weeks into September in my mind now because everything that's coming up so it's like yeah
46:18 You just have to anytime you can find a moment for yourself
46:21 maybe like a person or a place or anything to just put your feet on the ground and be like
46:26 That just happened right and you're both like yeah that just happened. Okay, cool
46:29 And then like, you know, but I think that's really important because otherwise
46:32 You go kinda it's having good people around you
46:35 I think being able to tap into your friendships after your family to be able to talk about your
46:41 Experiences to be able to then be brought back into the life that you left
46:44 I think it's really important as well to be caught up on the town's gossip or whatever. It's like, okay cool
46:50 This was the life that I had before it's like right. I'm back and I think I think that's important
46:56 going back to process I
46:59 think
47:01 Every single job that you have will require something different from you. I do feel like the fundamentals
47:07 Should always there though and that's because of what you were saying. It's like, okay, what's my objective?
47:13 What do I need to do? Who am I speaking to?
47:15 Why am I speaking to this person? I think there are certain questions that you should always ask who what where why when?
47:23 and then also
47:26 Then it comes down to
47:29 For instance when I did the beautiful game
47:31 I was more there was a moment where I felt like it was easy for me to get into my character based off music
47:37 So I made a music playlist
47:39 When it came to yeah, and that's fun. I love music as well
47:43 But well, you know when it came to full circle, it was a lot more relaxed
47:48 I felt slightly more it just felt a bit more accessible to me
47:52 So I felt like I didn't have to work as hard in certain areas
47:58 So, yeah, I think I think constantly changing but just keeping curious no matter what you do, even if you don't do anything
48:05 You're still doing something
48:08 Because you're asking yourself questions, and I think that holds
48:12 Just one final thing on the after quite after care
48:15 Thing Vivian. I think what you said is so important, you know
48:18 like just the idea of taking a holiday after you finish a job and
48:22 I know this sounds like a it's a champagne problem because if you're working then at least you're working
48:26 so who cares but like there are some times where it feels like because everyone just like in this hustle culture and everyone's just
48:31 Trying to make it and trying to grind like it's also important to just like chill for a bit and stop and so like even going
48:38 Back to the question of how do you work on acting and like while you're not acting?
48:42 Sometimes it's just chilling and going to a party because what happens at that party is gonna inform how you play your next character
48:49 You don't even know it. Do you know I mean, so I think that's a very nice
48:52 It's yeah, it's a dope point that you brought up and it's one that I'm still learning now. So
48:56 Yeah, thank you. Wow the wisdom the wisdom. Yes
48:59 [APPLAUSE]