Lydia's Journey BEYOND Hollywood

The pics go in order from my oldest commercial shot to my most recent. ok, it's weird - but I happen to be doing everything backwards. Backwards from what the norm is, at least. Most actors come out here and start working on commercials and work hard in trying to transition into tv and film. I, on the other hand, work mainly in tv and film, and I hardly get seen for commercials. So I was thinking about that. Hmmmm...What IF I started concentrating on my commercial side of my career? Maybe - just maybe - I might not have to take another subbing job! That would be GREAT! So, I had a meeting with the commercial side of ACME, which is very strong I hear. The meeting went very well - and it sounded like he wanted to rep me, he just needed the "ok" from his boss. Yeah, well, that meeting has been well over a month and I haven't heard back. :-( Oh well. So I put in a call to my manager so we can focus on getting me repped commercially, and maybe start booking some nationals!...

Me and Rosa Blasi on the set of Strong Medicine . This was my very first tv job! I was SOOOO excited. Ok, let me explain the make up. So get this, I get cast as "Myrel", which wasn't ethnic specific in the script. Just a patient. I get to the make up trailer, and the make up artist takes one look at me and says "I know what I want to do with you!" - and thus, I have my first tv appearance looking like a resident from East LA. (No offense) I don't get why they see a Latina actress and think gang banger or chola. Just means I have to change that frame of thinking! Well, I am the creator of an inspiring quote! Can you believe that? ok, so let me explain... A woman from Actorsite emailed me wanting to chat about the business and pick my brain over dinner one night. I agreed and we met last night. I had met her before, but only in workshops. Anyway, we had a really nice long chat - over 3 hours long - about life philosophies and the business. I told her my story ...

1st pic: "The Boys" on set. 2nd pic: Here I am with Peter Gallagher on the set of The OC. Sorry for all the old pics of me on set, but since I don'thave a website - I'm using this blog for that! :-) See! It's possible! I can get cast as something OTHER than the maid! I was SO very happy when I got cast as Dr. Gonzales on The OC! But my happiness was short lived when I ended up on the cutting room floor. Oh well...It happens.... But I'm looking forward to the next doctor role - or even just the next non-maid role - ah hell - even at this slow point - I'm just looking forward to the next ROLE! period. :-)

On the set with William Shatner and guest cast on the final episode of The Practice . This was when it was transitioning to Boston Legal . (So technically - I haven't worked BL yet - they can hire me again!) :-) Meeting Shatner (and James Spader) was pretty cool - and surreal! I took Scott Sedita's Sitcom Comedy Intensive class this past Sunday. Scott is a pretty well known acting coach in LA. He was featured on Fight For Fame (along with my agents at ACME). It was a pretty cool six hour day! I LOVE LOVE LOVE working on a sitcom! And that's my dream - to one day have MY OWN. So I figured taking this class would be very helpful. And it was. The teachers were really cool. Scott talked a lot about the things he wrote in The 8 Characters of Comedy . We mainly had to identify with one or more of those characters so we know what would be a perfect fit whenever we go out on auditions. I had no idea I would identify with "The Neurotic One". Me??!!! Neurotic? Let me over...

Here I am on the set of CSI. It was a pretty cool shoot. I got to do this horrific scream over and over all day long! That was fun! The woman on the left is who I find dead in the hotel room. :-) ok, so May has been REALLY slow and I get a call for a really nice role on General Hospital . I'm pretty excited about this, because I have lived here for FIVE years and I have never been on a soap audition. The role is for "Annie" the nanny. nice! She's a "cheerful, good natured nanny with a good sense of humor". Yay!! I can definately do that! And the coolest part is she has a secret. She is hired by another woman (the baby's mom possibly?) to steal the baby, so it would be a nice recurring part. I went in to meet Mark Teschner for the fist time. He was SO very nice. I did my audition - and it went well. I think I hit the sweet nanny part without a problem. I wasn't sure if I changed her enough in the end to play the plotting evil one. Now, I know I h...

First 2 pics are my "before" pics - at my heaviest weight. (They are publicity shots of a film Winding Up Airplanes. No. I did not get a breast reduction! ) :-) Last 2 pics are my "after" pics - at my smallest. I realize I beat myself up a lot regarding image. And I know it has a lot to do with living in LA and being in this entertainment industry. While I was complaining to a friend this week about how I can't seem to get back down to my smallest weight, and how I've been running, eating low carb, taking a multi vitamin, fat burners, you name it....I am still holding onto those extra pounds I gained for that play last year, Real Women Have Curves . It's hard for me to understand why that is. Since I did lose 100 pounds, I figured I knew what I needed to do to lose it. And I tried everything that has worked in the past - and it's not working! And I'm really upset - and obsessed about it, if truth be told. Whenever I "cheat" on my str...

Just chilling with my buddy Steve on the set of The Terminal . heehee - Actually, I finally scanned this picture, so it's making it's web debut! Steven Spielberg is such an AWESOME man! I can't say enough GREAT things about him! Very sweet! Both him and Tom were! Since it's summer, and shows are winding down and going on hiatus, I don't have much to do nowadays. No auditions at all this week. So I decided to start teaching that kids acting class I was doing at Actorsite. Wednesdays are improv. the younger kids at 4:30 and the teens at 5:30pm. Thursdays are cold reading classes, same schedule. We started the program up again at the new location this week, and it's been pretty cool. I'm always blown away by the talent that some of these kids come in with! It's pretty humbling...keeps me on my toes! I'm just getting ready for the Sitcom Intensive class I have on Sunday with Scott Sedita. It's 6 hours long - so I'd call that intensive! I...

I don't get people sometimes. After I convinced myself to get out of my bed this morning, (it was very comfortable and I was quite content there!) I went for a run. I was running 4 miles this morning - and I was on my last mile. I tripped on some bump in the track and I went tumbling down. I scraped up both my palms of my hands and my knees. My right knee just a scrape, but my left knee looks pretty bad. great. But THAT'S not even the worst of it. There was a man running not too far behind me. When I fell, I just assumed, while I was on the ground, that this stranger would help me up. I looked up from the ground and saw the man continue running past me. Not only did he NOT help me off the ground, he didn't even ask if I was ok! I think that hurt me more than the fall! I was dumbfounded, disgusted, and disappointed. I didn't understand how a person can see another human being in need, and not care enough to lend a helping hand. Just boggles my mind. I'm...

Here I am - VERY HAPPY - my first day of shooting on The Terminal...This was captured off of Showtime today. I doubt it will ever get old. Turning on the tv and catching myself on there. It happened not too long ago with Curb Your Enthusiasm on HBO. And today I happened to be home, a little bored and flipping through channels. And about 5 minutes into watching The Terminal - my scene comes out. Crazy. I have to admit - I can't keep from smiling when that happens. It's so surreal. I never would've imagined MY FACE would be a regular occurance on my television - but it's been nice lately. So I'm a cheeseball - I had to take a pic of my tv when I saw myself. I know, I know - bordering on really sad huh? haha!

I love me some Vince Vaughn. No reason to have his picture - other than it's REALLY nice to look at! :-) Well, I haven't posted in a while - mainly because there hasn't been much to post. But since my blog is about my ENTIRE journey in this business - I should post about the DOWNTIME too. And there's plenty of it! We are now entering the SLOW part of the entertainment season. Boo! The only auditions that are happening are for feature films (nice!) and some cable tv shows. Not very many. And of course, some commercials, but I rarely go out for those anyway! The past few auditions I've been on have been feature films, so hopefully that will lead to a job this summer. If not, this is usually when I try to squeeze in a play. Last year I did TWO - and I usually try and do one. So who knows if I will do one this year afterall. Last year's plays were awesome! I did Real Women Have Curves in Santa Barbara and Conversations 'Bout the Girls in LA. I would love to ...

I was not looking for a new agent - at all. I'm pretty happy where I am. I'm going out on auditions - even though it's pretty slow. We would all love MORE - but I can't complain too much right now. I got an "offer" from another agency to come on board. I thought that was nice. I figured it was nice to have options, in case I am ever "not happy" where I am - I know where I can go. But then, that's where it got interesting... After I got the call that they were interested, I then received a "deadline" of 48 hours to make a decision. hmm..interesting. I figured, if you were interested - you were INTERESTED. I didn't think there would be a "deadline" on the "interest". Especially since I wasn't formally in the market to find a new agent. Then I received a call, retracting the offer since I was "hesitant and indecisive" about coming over. ummm....ok. Again, I was never LOOKING for a new agent - and YOU c...