I made a sort-of living in the beginning of my acting career as a reporter. I think my very first job was 'Early Edition' as reporter no. 1, and for 'Light It Up,' I was reporter no. 2.
I do many commercials. All of them are interesting in their own ways.
Rarely do I do film press because I'm so low on the food chain of the movie, and for me it's just this thing I did for four weeks before the next tour started.
At 19, I got signed up for commercials, it was easy money.
Good roles are hard to find no matter what age.
Once I moved to Chicago and started trying to get acting jobs, I just tended to book more things that were comedically based than anything else. I never had the preconceived notion, 'I will be a comedic actor.' I just thought, 'I'll go into acting and see what kind of work I can get.'
I had never imagined that after coming to Mumbai that, as an actor, my dates would be booked in six-eight months in advance.
I've done over 100 auditions, but I was lucky to stumble onto the Internet as it was growing. Because in film, people are not looking at casting completely unknown faces as lead roles.
I've been very lucky in the characters I've chosen. Up until last year I was a nobody. I did jobs I booked because I needed to put food in my mouth.
I'm a working actress in Hollywood. You unfortunately don't get the pick of the litter when it comes to auditions and jobs.
If you wanna be the comic relief in a big-budget movie, go to L.A. because there are five auditions in a week that you could hit up, and that increases your chances of getting those jobs.
I always treat all the jobs I do as an acting class.
It was hard to make a living as an actor in New York if you did not do soap operas or commercials.
I did a film very quickly, and then a lot of work for television, and then I did stage work.
I've done so many funny jobs. I worked at a farmer's market through high school. I worked in the stock room of Ralph Lauren. I graduated to salesperson at Ralph Lauren, which was a big deal to me. I've been a P.A. I've been a stand-in. I've been an assistant's assistant.
Maybe if I completely shaved my head and get the frost out of my moustache, maybe I could get one of those serious acting jobs.
I moved with my mom to Los Angeles for her to pursue her acting career, and she got a job casting atmosphere in some independent films.
I still do commercial work as an actor, which I love, because it's very quick, and it definitely pays my bills.
The first part of my career, how I was paying the bills was commercials. I was just doing tons of commercials.
I did some British TV and bits and bobs here and there. I've been lucky.
First of all, I choose the great roles, and if none of these come, I choose the mediocre ones, and if they don't come, I choose the ones that pay the rent.
I'm a working actor. I don't make my own work, so it's the opportunities that are presented to me.
I used to do small roles in Western films.
What's that comment about every actor being a waiter who is out of a job? I did a lot of waitressing, and I loved it because I love getting to know people from different places.
There's a process: you audition, you get rejected, occasionally you get jobs, and it's exciting, but it's all little stepping stones.
