Here are the nine “nuggets of advice” that acting alum and 2026 convocation speaker Bianca Leigh (Broadway’s Oh, Mary!; Transamerica) shared with our students:
- There is always someone younger, prettier, better connected, taller, thinner, with more hair, or more followers on Instagram. Always. Oscar Wilde once said, “Be yourself; everyone else is taken.”
- Don’t think of auditions as job interviews. Only one person can get the role, out of hundreds who audition. Those are not great odds. What you can do is develop a relationship with casting directors, tape by tape. Show them who you are and what you can bring to any project, and eventually, a role will come up and a casting director will say, “You know who would be perfect for this?” You!
- Don’t forget to call your mother.
- You are entering an arena where everyone is good. What they are looking for is a perfect fit. Not just in the role, but within the cast. If you tower over the leading man, you’re not getting the part.
- Nepotism is part of life. Get over it. There have been acting dynasties, families of painters, of musicians, since the beginning. When I was growing up, you couldn’t get into certain labor unions unless you had a relative in the union. But the definition of nepotism includes friends. Make friends. And eventually, you’ll get a helping hand, too. And somebody will b#$@h about that.
- Be an active participant in your own career. Write. Collaborate. Go to open mics. Take classes. Don’t just sit waiting by the phone.
- Don’t sweat the small stuff. Being able to let things go may be the most important skill you can have in this business. And in life.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for more. For too many years, I thought I was only worthy of a small sliver of the pie. Ask for a big slice. With ice cream. Ask for more. If you don’t ask you don’t get. I still ask for a driver every time my contract comes up for renewal. They always say no, but I won’t give up.
- Lastly, I urge you to get a life. A full life. Your friends, your family, your future partners and children, they will sustain you, they will complete you, before, during, and after success. They will remind you who you are, both when you fly and when you fall. And trust me, when success comes, it’s a whirlwind. You can scarcely believe it’s happening, and suddenly it’s a memory. So make it a good one.
Image credit: William Denver Photography