Lydia's Journey BEYOND Hollywood

So for the first time EVER in my career, I passed on an audition. Can you believe it? Last week, my manager called with this small 2 line role for a sitcom. The part was described as a "Rosie Perez Puetro Rican type" and the lines were all in Spanish. I checked out the scene and thought that this would be the perfect time to pass. It was a co-star audition, and since I am focusing more on larger guest star roles and hopefully, eventually, series regular roles, I didn't think that I NEEDED to jump at this opportunity. Plus, I figured I wasn't a shoe in for the Rosie Perez type and I'm sure that there will be others auditioning that better fit that description, and who spoke better Spanish than I. So I passed on the audition. I felt good about that, and nervous too. Especially since I had never been in for this office before...I didn't want to hurt my chances with them. But I'm trying to stay positive and think of it as steering their vision of me as a co-st...

On the set of Notes From the Underbelly . 1st pic: Me, Lorena, and Joanna, 2nd pic: 'In action' as Maria the hostess! 3rd pic: my call sheet, 4th pic: a fake pregnant Lorena taking a smoking break, 5th pic: Me and the director Lev :) I shot Notes From the Underbelly on Thursday and had a great time. Everyone was so nice. I recognized a few people on the crew! There was this lighting guy I worked with on The Terminal a couple of years back and a stand in named Sonni who I took Scott Sedita's comedy intensive class with. I worked a very long day - which means lots of overtime! YAY!!! I'm very happy about that! I talked a lot with the background...there were lots for this scene! And I walked away from the set ready to totally change my career! I'm ready to take it to the next level. I was wondering why I had been so frustrated lately and it's because I feel stuck in the co-star world. I remember when I first moved to town, I felt 'stuck...

I got a phone call this morning at 10am from my manager saying I have a last minute audition for a guest star, possible recurring, role on Corey in the House . And it was straight to producers at 1pm! I was in the middle of teaching a fifth grade class and I was so stressed out - because that's exactly the kind of role I want - GUEST STAR RECURRING!!!!!! (That's just under my top choice of "series regular"!) ;) So I had no choice. I HAD to make that audition....so I told the offfice I wasn't feeling well (I know, I know - I feel so bad about that!) and I rushed over to my manager's office to pick up my sides and rushed over to the audition. I was told they were going from 1pm until 1:30pm - and I got there at 1:30pm. I thought I missed it - but luckily they were still there, waiting for anyone who may arrive late (like me!). The audition went well, that's GREAT considering I only had the script from the drive from my manager's office to the aud...

Well, somehow it all worked out. I was able to leave school early and they had someone cover my class. I felt pretty guilty about it though. (Maybe it's the Catholic in me!) I just felt bad - selfish actually - about leaving the kids who I was supposed to be teaching that day so I can be at a table read - which I don't get paid for. By the way, I never knew that: we get "invited" to the table reads...it's not mandatory. Even though if we don't make it to the read, we could get fired and replaced. But if they make it "mandatory" - then they'd have to pay us. Hmmm...showing up or losing your job sounds pretty mandatory to me! I walk into the room with a long table set out with name cards of everyone in the cast and the role they are playing. The director, producers and writers are also at our table with name cards - and the executives are sitting around the table like an audience. Talk about pressure! The ABC executives, the casting people who hire...

The cast of the new show Notes From the Underbelly . I'll let you know when my episode airs! :)

Ok, so let's start off with the news of the day...I booked Notes From the Underbelly !! YAY!!!!! I'm playing this bitch of a hostess on a power trip. Fun! :) I believe it's a single camera 1/2 hour comedy (Like Curb ) for ABC. I went into my producer's ession today and was excited to see some familiar faces. I saw Tina D'Marco who played my mother in Real Women Have Curves last year in Santa Barbara. She was up for my same role. I also saw Lorena Mena , who was up for the role of a very pregnant waitress (which I just found out she booked!! YAY Lorena!!! I finally get to work with her again!!!) I went in and did my thing, and felt pretty good about it. Doesn't hurt to feel good when the producers are laughing after your scene - especially if it's a comedy! ;) I left and headed home to change for my last minute audition at 5pm. It was for a Cingular Wireless national commercial. The only information I got was that they were looking for averag...

Had another print audition today. I had to dress as if going to the beach, in shorts and a t-shirt, even though the weather in LA was cloudy and kinda cool... Right after my audition I headed over to SONY studios for my ADR appointment for The Holiday . I had to loop my voice to a scene I'm in. They played it back for me and I look like a big blur...They assured me I'm more visible in other scenes. I hope they're right! :) I stopped by Debra Zane's office afterwards to drop off one of my new headshots, but they weren't there. I'll have to try back again soon. Then I headed home to change for my last minute audition for Notes From the Underbelly at Tracy Lilienfield's office. I haven't seen Tracy in quite a while. She cast me in Good Morning Miami a while back (4 years to be exact - wow) It was nice to be in front of her again. She called me in for a pre read for the role of Maria, a "comically dry" hostess. I thought it went pret...

So, It's no secret that I go out theatrically WAY more than I do commercially - which is part of the reason why I got my new headshots done! :) But I haven't even put them on LA Casting yet and I had two print "auditions" this week and one for Monday. Print is an interesting thing since there is no union jurisdiction over it and the pay can range from $600 for your pic to $3500! And sometimes for stock print - you never know where your image will end up! I'm slowly sending out postcards announcing my booking for What About Brian - trying to make it stretch as far as I can, because you never know when that next job is coming! I LOVE that I am still "working" on The Holiday , almost a year after I booked it! :) I go in on Monday for looping - so that should be fun! :) Maybe then I can ask the director about my chances for an invite to the premiere!

1st pic: On set with Amander Detmer, Allison Anders, and Rosanna Arquette. 2nd pic: My "cast chair". I can't wait until the day where I have my name actually printed on one of these as a series regular! :) I had a great time shooting What About Brian , and hopefully will be back for future episodes as Maria, the nanny!

I love days where I get to work as an actor. Those are probably the best days EVER! My call time wasn't until 3pm - so I had time to hit the gym. Thank God! After all the food I ate on set - I'm happy I at least hit the gym! Starting a new acting job is a lot like being the new kid in school. Everyone there already knows each other. I'm always a bit shy when coming to the set. I try and get a feel for the people, the vibe of the show, to see just how much of my outgoing personality to bring out. :) I stayed pretty quiet for most of the day - but I figured if I stayed this quiet until I wrapped, I wouldn't make much of an impression, nor would I be able to nab a great photo for my blog! Soooooo..... I was sitting next to Allison Anders , as I overheard her talking on her cell phone about wanting to write and direct another movie. When she hung up, I half-heartedly joked around about making "Mi Vida Loca - The sequel", which grew into a conversation about the ma...