Lydia's Journey BEYOND Hollywood

Of course, as it goes, when I'm free, there is nothing going on! And when I have made plans to sub or do something, THAT'S when the auditions come rolling in and I have to figure out a way to work it all out! Well, as this week has it, I'm free - and now bored. I'm trying to be productive. I did a mailing out yesterday to a select few agencies looking for new commercial representation (and even a cew theatrical and voiceover ones). I even did a couple of drop offs for some projects that may have a role for me. And since I was so productive yesterday, that means I have no idea what I'm doing today! I was thinking of trying to hone my writing skills. Maybe try to write some kind of script or story. I never really considered myself a "writer". Funny huh? Since I've been "writing" in this blog for some time now. But I guess it's because I don't consider this writing. It's more like me talking through my computer keys! hah...

Ok, last week was a little slow for me. Not a single audition and I felt like I was just sitting around, waiting to see if any of my auditions from the past couple of weeks turned into jobs. No news yet on that front. This week I have a pretty open schedule. I decided to focus on getting a really good commercial agent and hopefully get that side of my career rolling. Maybe even see what I can do in the voiceover world. I know that voiceovers are really hard to break into out here, especialy when I'm not bilingual :( but I loved doing the Japanimation cartoons when I lived in Austin, so that would be awesome to get back into that. I met with a fellow actor/producer friend of mine, Alex Castillo , last week to talk about me possibly getting into producing. He is starting pre-production on a new project this week and hopefully I will be involved. The first table read is Thursday and as of now, if all works out, I can come board as an "assistant producer/associate producer...

My manager's office called to tell me that Perry/Reece's office called to check my availability for tomorrow. (They like doing that, huh?) But this time its for that tv movie I auditioned for a couple of weeks back called Ice Dreams . They pinned me for tomorrow but then called me later in the afternoon and relased me. I guess they ended up casting someone else. But I'm still on that short list for the lead in their mini series. I want that to work out - but then again, if it does, it interferes with my trip to Italy! Damn... Only time will tell...

Had an audition yesterday for a small role on Private Practice . I had taken a workshop with Will Stewart from Lowy/Brace Casting back in April. I had never been in to audition for their office so I was really excited that I was being called in! This office also casts Grey's Anatomy , which I LOVE and hope to be on someday soon. So they bring me in for a preread for a small co-star role of apregnant woman on the show. I had to make it before their 3pm producer's session, but I didn't get out of work until 2:30pm. So there I am, racing down the freeway again, trying to make it in time for my audition. Luckily, I did. :) They preread me, gave me an adjustment, and asked me to stay for producers. I hung around for another hour until I was finally called in to do it for the writer, producer, director, and casting director Linda Lowy . I did my short scene and the director asked if I could do it again with a slight adjustment "just to see something different"...

Just got an email from my manager letting me know a casting office called to check my availability for a Miniseries. Apparently I'm on the "short list" for the lead role which works 10 weeks starting mid-October. Can't get too excited because you never know with these things, but how COOL would that be??? My manager sent over my reel on DVD to the casting office, and they will cast off tape. Which I think is interesting since it IS the lead role in the series. I figured they would want to read people in person for that. Usually they cast off tape for smaller roles. Hmmm... Keep fingers crossed AND say a little prayer :)

I almost didn't make it! I had that audition today for that Adam Sandler/Seth Rogen film Funny People . Judd Apatow is directing, and Allison Jones is the casting director. She also cast me in Curb Your Enthusiasm and The Office . I didn't think I was gonna make it to the audition! I got out of work around 2:30pm in Panorama City and I had to make it to Hollywood by 3pm. Well, I made it by 2:45pm! How you ask?? You don't wanna know! I'm just thankful I made it! I ran up to the audition room and tried to catch my breath as I looked over the sides. It was one scene, but a prety meaty one, so I had lots to look over in just a few minutes. Allison came out to tell me she'll be right with me. She thanked me for coming in and actually apologized that it was for "another maid role". Wow. I don't think anyone has EVER apologized to me for that! I really appreciated that. I thanked her for calling me in and told her I didn't mind at all. (he...

These don't happen very often, but I had a last minute rush call for an audition today. My manager called me at 10:30am for an 11:30 am audition time! Wow. I was temping downtown and it took me about half an hour to get there. Not too bad. The role was for a reporter on the new Jerry O'Connell show Do Not Disturb . Luckily I was dressed for work in "office attire" so it kinda worked for the role. I saw my friend Fanny Velez there and also Stephon Fuller . I hadn't seen them in a while, so that was nice. :) No one really had that much time with the material. You signed in, looked over the sides, and then they caled you in. Definately a COLD read! I think I did pretty well. It works on Monday and Tuesday, which sucks because that's when the Adam Sandler audition is. :( And I really want to do another big movie.... So I guess we'll see what happens.

I had a very quick day today on the set of Desperate Housewives . I got there at 9am and was wrapped by 2! I got into wardrobe and makeup where I first met Eva Longoria Parker, who I will be shooting my scene with. She introduced herself to me and I let her know that not only are we from the same hometown (Corpus Christi, Texas), but we actually went to high school together for a short time. We chatted a little about the hurricane that is scheduled to hit that area this weekend and I headed back to my trailer. We went to rehearsal where I got to meet the creator of the show: Marc Cherry. As I said hello to the director, Matthew, Eva let him know we went to school together and we're from the same town. We did the scene a few times and I guess I was kinda nervous because I was making little amateur mistakes, like not hitting my mark, and forgetting to leave the door opened after she stormed through. But as we went on, I warmed up a bit and by the time they were ready for my ...

They had this REALLY cool dress that they made out of magazine pictures of mainly the cast. It was pretty spectacular. I just had to snap a pic! I had to rush right over at the last minute today to get a wardrobe fitting on the Universal Lot for Desperate Housewives today. Since I shoot tomorrow, there really wasn't much time. They pulled a few maid uniforms out for me and had the alterations lady fit it for me. Again, not the sexiest maid on tv, but it does the trick. I shoot tomorrow with a call time of 9am. Looking forward to it!

Had another audition today! It was for Eleventh Hour , and I was brought in by Felicia Fasano , whom I just LOVE! This office is SO awesome! Everytime I see them they greet me with a huge hug and make me feel like an old friend! The first thing they asked me before I even walked into the room was why my part on Weeds was cut? I told her it wasn't, and I was there in the episode. She said she expected to see more of me since it did say "guest starring" in the opening credits. I agreed and told them how they cut a bit of my part down, but since it was a half hour show, even just ONE scene is considered "guest star". Felicia made a very nice comment about how she keeps seeing me on her television set. And how "every time she turns on the tv, Lydia Blanco is there, on every channel." Nice! We went into the audition room and talked about the pilot I tested for a few weeks ago. She said "I can't wait for the day that I can see Lydia Blanco...

Ok, Finally my "pinned" is turned into a "Booked"! YAY!!!! After being pinned for this show NUMEROUS times, it's nice to finally get to work on it. My manager called today with my official booking for Desperate Housewives ! I'm tentatively shooting on Thursday of this week. I had an audition today for Hanna Montana . I've been called into this office for this show many times as well. Haven't booked yet. This was for a role of a mother. I was actually sent the wrong sides. My manager had sent me sides for a different episode and I didn't know until I was in the office signing in. I noticed they had the sides right there and they were different! Luckily the role wasn't too big and I could memorize the one line before going in. Howard called me in and I met one of the producers in the room. He asked me to go with what I had prepared first, then we would play with different ways to do it. I did it my way first, then with the camera ...