Latest / The Demia Avery Show / 🎭 Two Actors. Same Talent. Who Gets the Role? Catherine Dyer Answers | Drama , Inc

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🎭 Two Actors. Same Talent. Who Gets the Role? Catherine Dyer Answers | Drama , Inc · The Demia Avery Show

• 0:00
  If you got a dream, come closer. [music]
• 0:04
  If you want to shine, come over. We
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  breaking all the rules tonight.
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  Yeah, we stepping [music]
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  in the spotlight is the industry.
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  Where [music]
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  everybody trying to be
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  [music] nice.
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  Oh,
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  living up the tree. [music]
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  So excited.
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  >> Hello. Hello everyone and welcome to the
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  Demia Avery show, the industry. I am
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  your host Deia Avery. And today I'm so
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  excited to introduce the guest who has
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  made an incredible impact on the
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  entertainment industry both in front of
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  the camera and behind the scenes. She is
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  an accomplished actor with credits that
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  include Stranger Things, The Morning
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  Show, Sweet Magnolia's, The Ter uh The
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  Terminal List, The Young and the
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  Restless, and many other film and
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  television projects. She's also an Emmy
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  nominated producer and the co-founder
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  and owner of Drama Inc., one of the most
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  soughtafter premier acting schools in
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  the Southeast, where she's helped
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  countless actors develop their craft and
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  build longlasting careers. Now, whether
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  you're a seasoned actor or just
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  beginning your journey, today's
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  conversation is filled with insight,
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  encouragement, and practical advice from
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  someone who truly understands what it
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  takes to succeed in this business.
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  Please join me in welcoming the
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  incredibly talented Catherine Dyer.
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  >> Oh, go on. Go on.
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  >> Wow. I hope I live up to that. I
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  >> absolutely you do. And if I had a a
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  longer page, we'd be going down the
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  page. So, yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. And yes.
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  >> Thank you. [laughter] I am happy to be
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  here.
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  >> I'm so glad that you're here. And I've
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  been getting a lot of people saying, you
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  know, you really should have Katherine
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  on the show because she's absolutely
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  amazing. So, I just so happy that you
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  decided to join us.
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  >> Well, I'm glad to be here and uh I adore
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  your sister. So, she asked and I'm here.
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  >> Oh, hey Jara. [laughter]
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  >> Hi, Jara.
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  >> All right. So, Katherine, you wore so
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  many hats in this industry. actor,
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  producer, entrepreneur, coach. Which
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  role has taught you the most about
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  yourself, you think, and why?
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  [sighs]
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  >> Starting off with the hard ball
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  questions. Okay. [laughter]
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  I think um I think teaching
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  >> has really taught me a lot about myself
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  because I found such confidence. I'm a
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  late bloomer and I found confidence late
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  in life. You know, I think of all the
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  years that I banged my head against the
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  wall as an actor, thinking all the actor
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  thoughts, gosh, I'm not good enough. I'm
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  not tall enough. I'm not pretty enough.
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  I'm not talented enough. Oh, it's it's
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  terrible what we do to ourselves.
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  >> And I got in front of a classroom and I
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  felt great about what what I was doing
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  and people were listening to me,
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  >> you know, because I spoke from the heart
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  >> and I found my confidence that way. So,
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  and also aging helps.
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  >> You [laughter] know, I when older actors
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  come into my class and say, "I know I'm
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  getting started late." And I said, "No,
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  you're great." Because we innately have
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  more confidence as we age.
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  >> That's true.
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  >> And we feel stronger about saying, "I'm
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  not going to do that."
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  >> And we don't, you know, it's we don't
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  >> unapologetically, too. We It was just
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  like, "No." [laughter]
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  >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
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  >> Yeah. You know, if we have to rough
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  ruffle some feathers, we ruffle some
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  feathers.
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  >> Yeah, I agree with you. I agree with
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  you. Now, Drama Inc. has become one of
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  the most uh respected acting studios in
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  Southeast when you um and you know who
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  you work with started and what was the
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  vision and and what do you think that's
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  made it so successful and you know
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  throughout these years?
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  Well, um I I got to hand it to, you
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  know, uh owners or Claire Bronson,
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  myself, Scott Pythus, and Jason
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  Macdonald.
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  >> And Scott recently left, uh the business
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  of he just wanted to concentrate more on
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  acting, which is, you know, wonderful
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  for him, but we miss him.
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  >> Um Jason had the vision to begin with,
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  I've got to say, and we all were, okay,
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  let's do it. It was like one step in
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  front of the other. let let's keep
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  going. And and I tell you, I um
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  again, confidence. I'm like, I'm not
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  sure I can do this. How do I know what
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  to do?
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  >> But I'll tell you, one of the classes
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  that I was teaching on camera basics.
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  Um it was the maybe second or third
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  class.
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  The class ended, students walked out
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  >> and I parked in the back and I drove
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  around front. So, it was probably 10
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  minutes after the students left. And I
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  saw the whole class standing there
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  talking, talking, talking, talking,
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  talking, and I went, "We've hit
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  something."
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  >> Yeah.
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  >> This is this is community.
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  >> Yeah.
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  >> This is what this is. They're excited.
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  And that got me excited. But also, I
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  think one reason for our success is our
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  passion, our hearts are in this. We
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  believe fully everything that comes out
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  of our mouths. Also,
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  we every instructor at Drama Inc. will
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  not belittle or humiliate or scream at
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  or make someone feel lesser than.
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  >> Yeah.
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  >> Because we're artists. We're humans. And
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  both of those entities are very
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  sensitive.
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  >> Yeah. Yeah.
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  >> So, we listen, we're not going to say
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  you're going to be a star. You know,
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  you're great. Everything you do is
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  great. We give
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  >> constructive feedback.
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  >> Love that.
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  >> Not everything everyone does is great.
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  you you know [laughter]
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  >> right tell you
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  >> but honestly okay so with that being
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  said
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  you have a lot of actors that that come
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  they walk through your doors that pass
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  through your doors have you ever met an
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  actor who walked into the class and
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  immediately you thought to yourself okay
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  they're going to make it they're going
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  to make it what what did you see that
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  everyone else you know may have missed
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  >> you know make it of course is kind of
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  relative. What does it mean? You know,
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  it means different things to different
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  people.
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  >> There have been a a scant few
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  >> who
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  >> I think between the four of us have had
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  had a student that we thought, all
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  right, this person is different. There's
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  something very raw and very honest about
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  the work that this person is doing.
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  >> Yeah.
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  >> It's almost
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  like the it thing, you know, it's it's
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  intangible. There's there's just it's
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  hard to describe, right? I mean, you as
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  an agent, you know, it
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  >> Yeah.
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  >> And not that this, you know, this person
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  is a very talented actor um still
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  auditioning. You know, this one person
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  I'm I'm talking about in particular,
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  still auditioning, still trying to get
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  the work, but the work is always solid.
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  Her bad day is anyone else's great day.
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  >> Right. Right.
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  >> You know.
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  >> Right. And then speaking of that that it
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  factor thing,
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  >> this is water, people. This is water,
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  not [laughter] mine.
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  But listen, so I if speaking of the if
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  factor thing, there have been times and
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  I I wonder if you agree that that person
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  may not have been the most talented or
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  had the most training or had the you
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  know looked like this, but something
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  it's just like there's something there
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  that you know. Yes.
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  >> That's extraordinary. Would you agree to
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  that?
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  >> Yes. There is a I have a class called
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  OC40.
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  >> Okay.
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  >> It's for actors over 40.
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  >> Okay.
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  >> And um
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  there's they get my jokes. That's why I
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  that's the only reason why I have the
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  class so I can make jokes. They go they
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  get all my references. Um there's a man
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  in that class who kind of does one thing
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  >> but it's his personality
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  >> and he does his scene work and I give
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  him you know we go back and forth and
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  it's kind of the sameness in what he
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  does
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  >> but he there's a charisma a charm a
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  likability
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  >> and um an openness about him.
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  >> Yeah.
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  >> That is infectious.
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  >> Yeah. He hasn't been in class in a few
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  months. And
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  >> three times a week students will say,
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  "When's so and so coming back?" I'm
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  like, "I Well, he's in New York working,
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  so he's doing his thing."
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  >> Yeah.
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  >> Which is great. I mean, he doesn't have
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  to be,
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  >> you know, the best actor on the planet.
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  He's pretty good. He gets by. He's fine.
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  >> So, more power to him.
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  >> That's right. That's right. Now when you
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  receive an audition, let let us know
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  because we have a lot of actors that are
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  watching and you know they especially
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  the new I would say the beginners
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  they are confused like okay what should
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  I do first? You know what I mean? So
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  when you receive an audition what is
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  your process or like kind of walk us
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  through Katherine's routine from the
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  moment you open your email to like okay
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  I got this audition until you ready to
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  perform. It just happened yesterday. I'm
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  getting a few more auditions, by the
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  way.
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  >> So, that's that's good. Uh,
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  industrywise,
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  um,
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  you know, I teach this in my class,
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  quick turnaround, and in the breakdown,
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  >> what I do, what I I tell people I have
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  my three Ps,
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  >> okay?
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  >> And this is sort of overall.
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  Um, I'm prepared, I'm professional, and
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  I come from a place of peace
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  >> when I'm working. meaning
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  I need all the calm that I can possibly
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  get
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  >> before I walk onto a set
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  >> because it can be intimidating. It can
• 9:58
  be scary. You walk onto a set. Oh,
• 10:00
  there's Robert Dairo. Oh, okay.
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  >> Morning, Bob. You know,
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  >> I I walk on and act as if you see Bob
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  Dairo every day. But what I do, the
• 10:13
  first thing I do is I have what I call
• 10:15
  my hour of power. I'm I know it sounds
• 10:18
  dorky.
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  I close the door. No cell phone, no dog.
• 10:25
  And I work one solid hour on my script.
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  >> Okay.
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  >> I go through I answer the questions. Who
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  am I? Who am I talking to? What's my
• 10:33
  relationship? Where is this taking
• 10:35
  place? Um what are the given
• 10:38
  circumstances? What do I want in this
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  scene? What's my moment before? All of
• 10:43
  those standard questions
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  >> I ask myself and I read it several times
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  before I make choices and before I
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  answer those questions. I read it
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  several times
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  >> and then I'll start memorizing.
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  >> Don't memorize first. Do not memorize
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  first because you don't even know what
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  the scene's about. Right.
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  >> And you have to read it several times.
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  Apparently Anthony Hopkins reads his
• 11:04
  scripts 250 times.
• 11:06
  >> Wow.
• 11:08
  >> Every time you read
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  >> Why does he do that? just that is it you
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  act on instinct instead of of you know
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  what you memorize or is that just just a
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  thing?
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  >> It's it's gleaning something different
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  every time you read it.
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  >> Okay.
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  >> And I know I'm not going to read a
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  script 250 times,
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  but I will reread things several times
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  because almost every time you reread it,
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  >> something else pops up. Whether it's
• 11:34
  something you say to someone that you
• 11:37
  missed the nuance of it in the first
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  read or whether it's another character
• 11:41
  talking about you.
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  >> Oh, I I didn't see that. That's
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  interesting. Underline that. So that
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  will inform
• 11:49
  my process, my my work, my
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  >> character, if you will.
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  >> Right.
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  >> And then I don't say I only work one
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  hour on an audition, trust me. But I've
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  got that I've got that solid. I've got
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  that down pat.
• 12:02
  >> Right. And then it's always percolating
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  in my brain. I will, you know, I'll walk
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  the dog. I'll saying my lines, thinking
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  about it. I'll fold laundry. I'll kind
• 12:12
  of get it in my bones.
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  >> And I read it um before I go to bed.
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  >> I read my scenes before I go to I this
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  yesterday I got two auditions for the
• 12:22
  same project, two completely different
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  characters. One is three scenes, one is
• 12:27
  one scene, two are monologues. And I'm
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  like,
• 12:30
  >> yeah,
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  >> you know, I have a folder of things
• 12:33
  typed out. How am I going to do this?
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  What am I going to wear? What am I, you
• 12:36
  know, how's this going to work? Um, and
• 12:40
  it kind of kept me up last night.
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  >> Yeah.
• 12:42
  >> Percolating, percolating, percolating.
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  >> Mhm.
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  >> Got up this morning, did work on it. I
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  got a good hold on it.
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  >> Um, in fact, after this, I'm going to
• 12:50
  do, of course, more work on it. It's due
• 12:52
  Friday.
• 12:54
  >> Okay. I'm taping tomorrow evening with
• 12:57
  um a colleague.
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  I'd rather get it in a little earlier,
• 13:02
  but I need the time,
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  >> right?
• 13:05
  >> And I'd love to book one of the roles.
• 13:08
  If I don't, on to the next one.
• 13:10
  >> On to the next. What do you do about
• 13:12
  anxiety? Because I know that
• 13:14
  >> drink [laughter]
• 13:19
  >> because I know that, you know, I I heard
• 13:23
  you say, you know, you have to keep
• 13:25
  practicing over and over and over and
• 13:28
  and things like that and then eventually
• 13:29
  you just go to bed. But I do know a lot
• 13:32
  of actors have extreme anxiety about
• 13:35
  that audition and they may overdo it. I
• 13:38
  don't know what what do you what do you
• 13:40
  do when it when anxiety rears its ugly
• 13:43
  head?
• 13:44
  >> Um
• 13:45
  that's also kind of a younger generation
• 13:47
  thing too. Would you agree with that?
• 13:49
  >> I I would I would say so. Yeah.
• 13:51
  >> Yeah.
• 13:51
  >> It goes back to what talking about
• 13:53
  earlier about the you know when you're
• 13:56
  when you're a little older you think
• 13:57
  about things a little bit different.
• 13:58
  Okay.
• 13:59
  >> Right. Not that I don't have anxiety. Of
• 14:02
  course I do. I'm human. I have some
• 14:05
  favorite meditations that I listen to.
• 14:08
  Okay. Mhm.
• 14:09
  >> I take the onus off of the audition. I I
• 14:13
  mean this one audition is huge.
• 14:16
  >> Yeah.
• 14:17
  >> I was anxious. I was very anxious
• 14:20
  yesterday. I I That's why I didn't sleep
• 14:23
  well. If I don't book it, I don't book
• 14:25
  it. And then I wasn't the right type. I
• 14:27
  wasn't, you know, maybe they don't know
• 14:28
  what I mean. This is a male female
• 14:30
  thing. It could they're looking for male
• 14:32
  or female. They don't know what they
• 14:33
  want until they see it.
• 14:34
  >> Yeah.
• 14:35
  >> We have to show them what they want.
• 14:37
  Um,
• 14:38
  I I have some favorite meditations that
• 14:41
  I do and I trust that I was sent this
• 14:44
  audition
• 14:46
  because they wanted to see me.
• 14:47
  >> Yeah.
• 14:48
  >> You know, the casting directors went,
• 14:49
  "Let's let's look at Cat Dyer."
• 14:52
  >> So, I I've got that going into it.
• 14:55
  >> Yeah.
• 14:55
  >> Right.
• 14:56
  >> I'm not I'm not random, I don't think.
• 14:59
  [laughter]
• 15:00
  And I breathing a lot of u meditative
• 15:04
  breathing
• 15:05
  >> you know just sitting for a minute and
• 15:08
  doing deep breaths really nice you know
• 15:10
  diaphragm breathing knowing that what
• 15:14
  could go wrong what's the worst that
• 15:16
  could happen you don't the role
• 15:19
  >> really no and you're even selftaping so
• 15:21
  it's not like you're walking into a room
• 15:23
  those jitters are gone
• 15:25
  >> so breathing little meditating
• 15:29
  taking that moment, finding that place
• 15:32
  of peace which I mentioned earlier,
• 15:34
  finding your peace.
• 15:36
  >> Now, one thing that I really when I talk
• 15:39
  to actors or just um actors, singers,
• 15:44
  whomever, and when I talk to them, I'm a
• 15:46
  big advocate of staying sharp. Meaning,
• 15:50
  you know how professional athletes don't
• 15:51
  stop practicing once they make the team?
• 15:54
  >> Should actors look at training the same
• 15:56
  way? And so, why is that important?
• 15:58
  Yeah. exercising those muscles cuz I
• 16:00
  know a lot of people that just kind of,
• 16:02
  you know, they take a class here and
• 16:04
  there and then if nothing is going on,
• 16:07
  they just won't do anything at all. So,
• 16:09
  how do you feel about that?
• 16:11
  >> That's when you should be doing
• 16:12
  something [laughter] when nothing's
• 16:14
  going on. You know, we have that that
• 16:17
  the old trope of the actor's tool belt
• 16:19
  and the toolkit and you want to sharpen
• 16:22
  those tools always. Mhm.
• 16:24
  >> Um yes, I you know t take I I suggest
• 16:29
  actors to take improv. Improv for the
• 16:31
  actor, um a scene study class, a
• 16:35
  technique class, and a continuing on
• 16:38
  camera class. Those to me are the are
• 16:40
  good four pillars of of your foundation.
• 16:43
  >> Okay.
• 16:43
  >> An ongoing cam on camera class is like
• 16:47
  going to the gym,
• 16:50
  >> right? Yeah.
• 16:50
  >> Our classes at Drama Inc. Um,
• 16:54
  you choose your own scene. You come into
• 16:56
  class, you do it, you the the uh
• 16:59
  instructor gives you feedback and you go
• 17:01
  back and forth and let's try this and
• 17:02
  what if this and and you sort of massage
• 17:05
  it and find where it might land or
• 17:10
  should land. You know, there's no
• 17:12
  there's no perfection. There's no
• 17:14
  perfection in this. And your
• 17:15
  perfectionist needs to get rid of the
• 17:16
  perfectionism. I mean, perfectionism
• 17:19
  equates with um paranoia.
• 17:22
  >> Okay.
• 17:23
  >> Right. If you're thinking, "Oh, this
• 17:25
  isn't perfect. This isn't perfect." Then
• 17:26
  you're getting paranoid. Then you're
• 17:27
  getting in your head and you're you
• 17:28
  completely lost the scene. But yes, I
• 17:30
  think
• 17:32
  >> I I think I think you need to go to the
• 17:34
  gym. It's like your body. And this is
• 17:36
  my, you know, this is my
• 17:38
  industry from the top of my head to my
• 17:41
  toes.
• 17:42
  >> Yeah.
• 17:43
  >> This is my instrument. This is my
• 17:44
  industry. And I need to keep everything
• 17:46
  sharp, including physically going to the
• 17:48
  gym.
• 17:49
  >> I love that.
• 17:50
  >> And this Yeah. And also, it's community,
• 17:53
  right?
• 17:54
  >> And you you're kibbitzing with other
• 17:56
  other actors and you're learning and
• 17:57
  maybe someone's writing a screenplay and
• 17:59
  maybe you're going to get cast in
• 18:01
  something, you know, a little indie,
• 18:04
  >> which is wonderful. That's what it's all
• 18:05
  about.
• 18:06
  >> So, if you keep your if you keep your
• 18:08
  skills sharp, what's what's the what's
• 18:10
  the quote? If you if you stay ready, if
• 18:13
  you stay ready, you don't have to worry
• 18:14
  about getting ready.
• 18:16
  >> Oh, that's good. I don't know that
• 18:17
  quote. Yeah, that's good. That's great.
• 18:20
  That's [laughter] great. There's a book
• 18:22
  um I I tell actors to read uh especially
• 18:25
  newer actors. It's an actor's life by
• 18:28
  Jenna Fischer.
• 18:29
  >> Okay.
• 18:29
  >> Who is uh Pam on um
• 18:32
  >> The Office.
• 18:34
  >> And she talks about graduating from
• 18:36
  college, moving to LA, and waiting to be
• 18:39
  famous.
• 18:41
  She didn't take classes. She didn't get
• 18:43
  out and meet anyone. She was like,
• 18:44
  "Okay, I'm here." And then once she got
• 18:48
  into the community and was taking
• 18:50
  classes and doing theater and, you know,
• 18:52
  little productions here and there,
• 18:54
  >> then it just grow. It's like a, you
• 18:55
  know, a ripple effect. It just grows and
• 18:57
  grows and grows and grows positively.
• 18:59
  All positively.
• 19:00
  >> Yeah. Love it. Now, in your opinion, if
• 19:03
  you had two equally talented actors,
• 19:06
  one trains consistently, and one who
• 19:09
  only prepares when an audition comes in,
• 19:11
  which actor are you putting the money
• 19:12
  on?
• 19:14
  >> Which actor am I what? What's the
• 19:16
  >> putting your money on? putting your
• 19:18
  money on or or you feel that's going to
• 19:20
  get the part or however that you
• 19:22
  >> I'm gonna put my money on the actor that
• 19:24
  trains because I know they're not going
• 19:26
  to get to set and freak out. [laughter]
• 19:30
  >> Right.
• 19:32
  >> Uhhuh.
• 19:33
  >> The actor that trains. I don't care
• 19:35
  where you train. Um but yeah, I mean and
• 19:40
  I know there are some actors that wait
• 19:42
  till the last minute and say, "Let me
• 19:43
  just do this audition, send it in."
• 19:44
  Well, that's going to that speaks a lot
• 19:46
  about how you work. And then what about
• 19:48
  the the work that you actually do once
• 19:50
  you book the job? You're just going to
• 19:52
  get on set and say the lines. You know,
• 19:54
  as Spencer Tracy said about acting, all
• 19:56
  you have to do is hit your mark and say
• 19:57
  your lines with feeling, [laughter]
• 20:01
  >> you know, I want to know that someone
• 20:02
  has worked.
• 20:03
  >> Yeah.
• 20:03
  >> I want to know that someone understands
• 20:05
  the nuance of the craft. M Now I have a
• 20:09
  question to ask about you personally
• 20:10
  because you stay relevant in an industry
• 20:13
  that's constantly changing. So what's
• 20:16
  the secret you think to having a career
• 20:18
  instead of just a few good years
• 20:23
  [laughter]
• 20:26
  staying in it. I try to stay positive.
• 20:29
  It's very very hard to stay positive.
• 20:32
  2025 was the worst year in our industry,
• 20:35
  in our market.
• 20:37
  >> Yeah.
• 20:39
  >> I refuse to make jokes like, "Oh, you
• 20:42
  got an audition? I don't know what
• 20:44
  that's like." I refuse to give into that
• 20:47
  sort of negative
• 20:49
  humor, if you will.
• 20:51
  >> Um, I refuse to say, "Oh my god, I
• 20:52
  haven't worked in two years. I'm not
• 20:54
  going to give into that." I really try
• 20:56
  to stay positive.
• 20:58
  >> It's hard.
• 20:59
  >> Yeah,
• 21:00
  >> it's really very hard. And I I just
• 21:02
  booked I just shot the Miss Pat show.
• 21:04
  >> Oh, nice.
• 21:05
  >> With Robert Townsand.
• 21:06
  >> Oh, I love it. I love it.
• 21:09
  >> I was I was very excited.
• 21:10
  >> Yeah.
• 21:11
  >> And I going into it, I thought, "Okay,
• 21:13
  let me audition. Let me get this
• 21:14
  audition."
• 21:16
  >> Um and then I did the I did my work, got
• 21:20
  to booked it, got to set, and
• 21:24
  Robert Townsen massaged this scene and
• 21:26
  it was just glorious. I mean it was not
• 21:29
  a big scene but it was wonderful what he
• 21:33
  did and it was amazing you know I was
• 21:35
  just tickled at the craft of it all.
• 21:39
  >> Yeah.
• 21:40
  >> So that I left there just I was stoked.
• 21:43
  I went back on a high again. I Okay. All
• 21:45
  right. I'm fine.
• 21:46
  >> We're good.
• 21:47
  >> That's what we do. [laughter]
• 21:48
  >> You know the actor's life is up and down
• 21:50
  and up and down and down.
• 21:52
  >> Yes it is. And I think
• 21:53
  >> a lot of [laughter]
• 21:57
  >> but a lot of a lot of people especially
• 21:59
  the ones that's really just starting
• 22:01
  don't realize how up and down things
• 22:03
  are.
• 22:04
  >> They don't realize it and sometimes they
• 22:06
  can become a little frustrated and
• 22:08
  thinking you know that it's all these
• 22:10
  outside external forces not maybe not
• 22:13
  doing this or something's not happening
• 22:15
  here when when in fact the industry goes
• 22:19
  up and down all the time.
• 22:20
  >> All the time. Yeah. Yeah.
• 22:23
  >> And and also the actor will think, "What
• 22:26
  did I do wrong?"
• 22:28
  >> That's true. That's true.
• 22:29
  >> It's me. What did I do wrong? Where
• 22:31
  often times those external forces are
• 22:34
  the issue and it's not you.
• 22:36
  >> Yeah.
• 22:38
  >> But um yeah, remaining finding things
• 22:41
  that you love to do outside of the
• 22:44
  industry, right? Mhm.
• 22:46
  >> You know, your hobbies,
• 22:48
  >> whether it's just reading or doing
• 22:49
  crossword puzzles, whatever.
• 22:52
  >> Finding those things, finding your
• 22:53
  community, you know, writing groups.
• 22:56
  >> Yeah.
• 22:56
  >> You want to get into writing group or
• 22:58
  see or scene doing scenes with each
• 23:00
  other.
• 23:00
  >> I love that.
• 23:02
  >> You know, to to stay sharp getting
• 23:03
  finding scenes and taping them for each
• 23:05
  other.
• 23:06
  >> And of course, that's when, you know,
• 23:07
  that's where classes come in.
• 23:09
  >> You know, I know I know as actors, we
• 23:11
  don't have a lot of money.
• 23:14
  >> Yeah. Yeah.
• 23:16
  >> But
• 23:16
  >> but [laughter]
• 23:18
  >> but um the I the I read the book um
• 23:23
  Green Lights by Matthew McConna.
• 23:25
  >> Okay. Love him.
• 23:26
  >> I actually listened to it. If you listen
• 23:28
  to it, it's great because of his voice.
• 23:31
  Same same with Viola Davis. Her book was
• 23:33
  amazing.
• 23:34
  >> Yeah.
• 23:34
  >> If you haven't listened to it, he talks
• 23:36
  about maybe I shouldn't He talks about
• 23:40
  Okay. He talks about um he was sort of
• 23:43
  off the off-the cuff actor. He had he
• 23:46
  had a natural juna. Right.
• 23:50
  >> Right. Right.
• 23:50
  >> He's one that you just sort of look at
• 23:52
  and go, "Okay, that guy's got something.
• 23:53
  I don't know what it is, but he's
• 23:54
  there's something very interesting."
• 23:56
  >> Yeah.
• 23:57
  >> And he was booking smaller jobs and he
• 24:01
  booked a job and he didn't take classes.
• 24:03
  >> Okay.
• 24:04
  >> And he booked a job and he didn't look
• 24:06
  at the I think it was for small role in
• 24:08
  an indie. wasn't he wasn't famous yet
• 24:11
  >> and he said to himself, "You know what?
• 24:13
  I'm just going to get to set and then
• 24:15
  read the sides."
• 24:16
  >> Mhm.
• 24:18
  >> So, he gets to set. I guess it was one
• 24:19
  scene. He gets to set and they give him
• 24:22
  his little mini sides and it was an
• 24:25
  espanol. It was all in Spanish.
• 24:27
  >> Uh
• 24:28
  >> oh. Okay.
• 24:30
  >> So, he said he told the director, "Can I
• 24:32
  have a few minutes? [laughter]
• 24:36
  >> Let me take this class real quick.
• 24:38
  [laughter]
• 24:39
  Oh my god. I mean, I kind of appreciate
• 24:41
  the cockiness or confidence of it, but
• 24:45
  >> I No.
• 24:46
  >> Oh my god.
• 24:47
  >> You just get yourself into trouble,
• 24:48
  right?
• 24:49
  >> So, that's where preparation comes in.
• 24:51
  >> Yeah.
• 24:52
  >> A thousand%.
• 24:53
  >> I love that. I love that. Now, when
• 24:56
  opportunities start coming in, cuz we
• 24:58
  talked about, you know, how things might
• 24:59
  be slow sometimes or whatever. What
• 25:01
  separates do you think what separates
• 25:03
  the actor who continues getting hired
• 25:06
  from those who disappear after like one
• 25:09
  booking? What do you think?
• 25:12
  >> Um, I don't know. Some people might find
• 25:14
  it too difficult and say, "This is
• 25:16
  ridiculous. You know, I'm I'm not doing
• 25:18
  this anymore."
• 25:19
  >> You know, being easy. Well, being
• 25:21
  prepared, right? knowing, being
• 25:24
  professional, like I said earlier, being
• 25:26
  professional, being prepared, and and
• 25:29
  and being kind,
• 25:33
  >> being nice. I know that sounds very
• 25:36
  simplistic, but
• 25:38
  >> people want to work with nice people.
• 25:40
  >> Yeah.
• 25:41
  >> You know, don't talk to cra don't
• 25:43
  complain to someone at Crafty about the
• 25:46
  first AD because that could be his wife
• 25:48
  or vice versa.
• 25:50
  >> Yeah.
• 25:51
  Just be kind to everyone. I mean,
• 25:55
  >> it goes a long way.
• 25:57
  >> It goes a long way. I don't I don't know
• 25:58
  if I can answer that question
• 25:59
  completely. Um I mean, I've known people
• 26:02
  who have taken classes for a year
• 26:05
  >> and then said, "This is too hard.
• 26:08
  >> Wow.
• 26:08
  >> I'm I'm I don't I don't want to do this
• 26:10
  anymore." Which is fine. That's that
• 26:12
  that's great
• 26:12
  >> if you know what your limits are. You
• 26:14
  know what I mean? If you know that this
• 26:16
  something is not for you, it's but then
• 26:18
  sometimes you think things are not for
• 26:20
  you and then it totally ends up you you
• 26:23
  know what I mean? So you just never
• 26:25
  know.
• 26:25
  >> I mean in terms of auditions that's what
• 26:28
  happened with me with Stranger Things.
• 26:30
  >> Yeah.
• 26:31
  >> I did I was not auditioning for roles
• 26:33
  like that.
• 26:34
  >> I was auditioning for the Pearls.
• 26:36
  >> Yeah.
• 26:37
  >> You know upscale stuff and that came in
• 26:39
  and I thought this isn't really okay and
• 26:42
  now it's all I do.
• 26:43
  >> Yeah. [laughter]
• 26:46
  No, it it it really is a lesson because
• 26:48
  even for me as a a um host and like
• 26:52
  journalist and things like that,
• 26:53
  >> people that know me
• 26:56
  know that I'm actually kind of quiet. I
• 26:59
  don't really talk that that much.
• 27:01
  >> So, they're surprised to see I'm even
• 27:04
  surprised to see me actually doing
• 27:07
  interviews and things like that. So, you
• 27:09
  just never know what, you know, if you
• 27:12
  stick it out, what you actually would be
• 27:15
  good at or what you actually may like
• 27:18
  and didn't think that you would ever
• 27:19
  like it, you know.
• 27:20
  >> Absolutely. I I'm shy. I'm I'm very shy,
• 27:23
  so it takes it takes some Excuse me. It
• 27:26
  [clears throat] takes some prepping for
• 27:27
  me to walk into the classroom and and
• 27:29
  and be there.
• 27:31
  >> Yeah.
• 27:31
  >> Um
• 27:32
  >> but I love it.
• 27:33
  >> Yeah.
• 27:34
  >> Yeah. I love doing it. Yes. I'm I'm not
• 27:36
  the characters that I portray.
• 27:39
  >> Yeah.
• 27:40
  >> And and these two that I'm auditioning
• 27:41
  for are that type of of woman. I'm like,
• 27:44
  "Bring it.
• 27:45
  >> Bring it. [laughter]
• 27:46
  >> Let me do it."
• 27:48
  >> Awesome. Now, if you're starting if
• 27:49
  you're an actor that's just starting out
• 27:51
  and as a coach, like if they're starting
• 27:53
  out from scratch, knowing everything
• 27:55
  that you know now, what do you think you
• 27:58
  um what would your first six months look
• 28:01
  like just knowing everything you know
• 28:03
  now?
• 28:04
  >> Oh gosh. I well I have my current class
• 28:06
  of on camera basics are I'd say nine out
• 28:11
  of ten students are brand spanking new
• 28:16
  >> and what often happens with newer actors
• 28:20
  is when can I get an agent?
• 28:23
  >> Yeah.
• 28:24
  >> When can I get in front of a casting
• 28:25
  director? I'm like no [laughter]
• 28:29
  >> and they don't understand it. And you
• 28:31
  know, people, you know, watch TV or
• 28:33
  films and think it's easy. They I could
• 28:35
  do that. Acting looks easy.
• 28:38
  >> Um,
• 28:40
  learn the craft.
• 28:41
  >> Yeah.
• 28:42
  >> Of acting. There's time. There's no
• 28:44
  rush. There's no rush for anything.
• 28:47
  [clears throat] Excuse me. If you want
• 28:48
  to be famous, go to Tik Tok,
• 28:51
  >> right? Don't be an actor to become
• 28:52
  famous. Please, please, please. We're
• 28:54
  storytellers. We want to tell stories,
• 28:57
  >> good, bad, and ugly. Right.
• 29:00
  >> Learn the craft. Find an instructor that
• 29:03
  you trust. And as you're learning, then
• 29:07
  you know, you'll feel when, okay, I
• 29:09
  think I have the tools to to break down
• 29:12
  an audition side. Let me get on Actor's
• 29:14
  Access.
• 29:16
  >> Uh, let me get some head shot. Don't get
• 29:18
  head shot right away. Wait until you
• 29:20
  kind of know who you are as an actor.
• 29:23
  >> Yeah.
• 29:23
  >> As a as a human being in this new world.
• 29:26
  >> Yeah. Um,
• 29:29
  don't rush. Just don't rush it. Learn
• 29:31
  things first because an agent if you get
• 29:34
  in front of Well, I just said this to to
• 29:36
  someone the other day. He he dropped a
• 29:38
  class because he wanted to do a casting
• 29:41
  director workshop.
• 29:42
  >> Mhm.
• 29:43
  >> And I said, "You might want to take the
• 29:46
  class before you meet the casting
• 29:48
  director." Mhm.
• 29:48
  >> He didn't respond.
• 29:50
  >> Because a casting director will see you
• 29:52
  in a scene workshop, whatever.
• 29:54
  >> Mhm.
• 29:55
  >> And they might think, "Wow, what a great
• 29:58
  type. What a great look. I'll see them
• 30:00
  in a year." When they know what they're
• 30:01
  doing.
• 30:01
  >> When they know what they're doing.
• 30:02
  Absolutely. Absolutely. Wow.
• 30:06
  >> You don't want to make a bad impression
• 30:07
  because it's it doesn't go away.
• 30:09
  >> Yeah. Yeah.
• 30:10
  >> You know,
• 30:11
  >> they remember you like the casting
• 30:13
  directors and stuff. Oh, they remember
• 30:15
  you. So
• 30:16
  >> they do and they and they have notes,
• 30:18
  you know, on the back end of Actors
• 30:20
  Access.
• 30:21
  >> They take notes.
• 30:22
  >> Wow.
• 30:23
  >> So every time you know your your file
• 30:26
  pops up, oh, he auditioned for such and
• 30:27
  such and he wasn't ready and maybe we'll
• 30:29
  see him in six months. That's that sort
• 30:31
  of thing.
• 30:31
  >> They remember. Yeah,
• 30:33
  >> that's great.
• 30:33
  >> And also if you're auditioning, if
• 30:35
  you're submitting things on Actors
• 30:36
  Access,
• 30:37
  >> either confirm or or decline. Don't
• 30:40
  leave it. let them know because there
• 30:42
  are people on the other end expecting
• 30:44
  you expecting an answer from you
• 30:46
  >> and if you can't make it don't do it
• 30:49
  >> right right
• 30:50
  >> don't do it
• 30:51
  >> now you know when you spoke of Tik Tok
• 30:53
  and I'm so glad that you did because
• 30:54
  because actors often feel pressured to
• 30:56
  become influencers as well so how
• 31:00
  important do you think social media
• 31:02
  really is and you know where should
• 31:05
  actors [clears throat] avoid getting
• 31:06
  distracted because it it can literally
• 31:08
  be a distraction
• 31:10
  It can and it's, you know, the industry
• 31:13
  is changing. Um,
• 31:16
  we had a workshop. It wasn't how to
• 31:19
  become an influencer, but it was for
• 31:22
  actors how to make money from social
• 31:26
  media.
• 31:27
  >> That was that's why we did it. It was it
• 31:30
  was really terrific.
• 31:31
  >> Yeah.
• 31:33
  In my opin Well, social um
• 31:37
  Netflix isn't necessarily going to look
• 31:40
  at your social media,
• 31:42
  >> okay,
• 31:43
  >> life for a co-star role,
• 31:45
  >> right?
• 31:46
  >> I don't even know if they'll look at it
• 31:47
  for a bigger role. A smaller production,
• 31:49
  an indie production might look at your
• 31:52
  social media life and see how many
• 31:55
  followers you followers you have. And if
• 31:57
  you're in the mix for the audition and
• 31:58
  you do a good job, they might like she's
• 32:00
  got 500,000 followers. It would be good
• 32:03
  to get those eyeballs to our project,
• 32:05
  right?
• 32:06
  >> But I don't think it's a be all end all
• 32:08
  for social media
• 32:10
  >> for actors.
• 32:11
  >> I agree.
• 32:12
  >> I'm not on that. I'm not on that much.
• 32:14
  >> No,
• 32:16
  >> I'm gonna ask you something. It's it's
• 32:18
  it's a little little fun. Okay. So,
• 32:21
  okay,
• 32:21
  >> let's pretend a casting director called
• 32:23
  and said, "Catherine, you can play any
• 32:25
  character in television or movie or
• 32:27
  movie history,
• 32:29
  >> who are you choosing and why?"
• 32:31
  >> Oh my god.
• 32:37
  Um,
• 32:41
  that's really tough. The thing the what
• 32:43
  pops into my mind is uh Merryill Street
• 32:46
  and Sophie's Choice.
• 32:47
  >> Ah, love Merryill. Okay.
• 32:51
  I mean that performance first of all but
• 32:54
  what a layered
• 32:58
  performance she gave and what I mean I
• 33:01
  can't imagine or can imagine the
• 33:03
  research the actor does for a role like
• 33:06
  that.
• 33:06
  >> Yeah. Yeah.
• 33:07
  >> You know it was it's it's harrowing
• 33:10
  >> that that whole story. If anyone hasn't
• 33:12
  watched it watch Sophie's Choice. Um
• 33:16
  that's just popped into my head.
• 33:18
  >> Yeah. If I had more time, I'd come up
• 33:19
  with different answers maybe or other
• 33:21
  answers.
• 33:21
  >> No, that that's a great answer. That's a
• 33:24
  great answer.
• 33:25
  >> Good question. Good question.
• 33:27
  >> Now, for as far as your legacy, when one
• 33:29
  of your students finally books that
• 33:30
  dream role years after leaving your
• 33:33
  class, what's that feeling like for you?
• 33:35
  Or does it ever get old?
• 33:38
  >> Well, I have to speak to um Alexis
• 33:42
  Louderder.
• 33:44
  >> Do you know her?
• 33:45
  >> I I do not know who I don't know her.
• 33:47
  She she took classes at drama in she
• 33:50
  became a friend. I I'm sure she studied
• 33:53
  elsewhere so we can't take all of the um
• 33:55
  credit for it. And she's ambitious and I
• 33:58
  don't mean that in a pjorative way.
• 34:01
  She's she knows what she wants and she
• 34:03
  and she goes for it.
• 34:04
  >> And she's gotten she did a film called
• 34:07
  uh Cop Shop a few years ago.
• 34:10
  >> Might have been pre- pandemic.
• 34:14
  >> That sounds familiar. Okay. She was the
• 34:17
  main lead with Gerard Butler.
• 34:19
  >> Yeah,
• 34:20
  >> she was phenomenal.
• 34:22
  >> Wow.
• 34:23
  >> She was amazing. I didn't I mean I was
• 34:26
  so thrilled. I was so happy for her. I
• 34:28
  didn't think well we did that,
• 34:30
  >> right?
• 34:30
  >> You know, she learned she learned basics
• 34:32
  with us,
• 34:33
  >> but she went on and forged her own
• 34:35
  career and she didn't let it happen to
• 34:38
  her. She she made it happen.
• 34:40
  >> Yeah. agencies, managers, you know, the
• 34:44
  whole world. I'm always thrilled when
• 34:47
  somebody books something. I got two
• 34:48
  emails last week from new students who
• 34:52
  who book things and it's it's great. I
• 34:55
  love it. I love it. I love it.
• 34:57
  >> Yeah. I I love it when when Jara mostly
• 35:00
  gets, you know, she gets to call and she
• 35:02
  has to call her the uh talent and tell
• 35:04
  that they booked something. She says
• 35:06
  that there's nothing else like that.
• 35:09
  >> Yeah.
• 35:10
  >> Yeah. Yeah, I love AMT. Uh, my agency,
• 35:13
  they all three agents get on the phone.
• 35:15
  >> Uhhuh.
• 35:16
  >> And I I answer the phone. I went and
• 35:17
  they say, "Hi, cat. Hi, cat." Okay. What
• 35:20
  is it? I know [laughter] what that is.
• 35:22
  >> I love it. I love it. Now, I'm a firm
• 35:25
  believer also that people once they get
• 35:28
  to know you as a person, they they learn
• 35:30
  to trust you and things like that. So, I
• 35:33
  have some fun personal questions. It's
• 35:36
  not personal personal. I promise this is
• 35:38
  all fun.
• 35:39
  >> [laughter]
• 35:39
  >> It's all fun. It's rapid fire, but it's
• 35:41
  it's just it gives you a gives people an
• 35:44
  idea of who you are.
• 35:46
  >> You ready? Okay. So, give me the first
• 35:49
  answer that comes to mind. Peanut butter
• 35:52
  or chocolate?
• 35:55
  >> Chocolate.
• 35:57
  [laughter]
• 35:58
  >> Coffee or tea?
• 35:59
  >> Coffee.
• 36:01
  >> Morning person or night owl? Uh
• 36:05
  um I'm kind of in the middle, but I hate
• 36:08
  waking up early and I'm in the wrong
• 36:10
  industry, aren't I?
• 36:11
  >> All right. [laughter]
• 36:12
  >> Okay. Beach or mountains?
• 36:14
  >> Beach.
• 36:15
  >> Yes. Yes.
• 36:16
  >> Dirty yell.
• 36:18
  >> Favorite comfort food?
• 36:22
  >> Favorite comfort food. That would be um
• 36:25
  [laughter] I can't believe I'm telling
• 36:27
  this. That would be Ruffles potato chips
• 36:30
  and French onion dip. Oh, that's my
• 36:33
  favorite. That is my absolute favorite.
• 36:36
  Okay. Comedy or drama?
• 36:40
  [laughter]
• 36:43
  >> Comedy.
• 36:44
  >> Okay. Last show you binged watched?
• 36:48
  >> Oh, Shisa.
• 36:50
  Um,
• 36:52
  I'm watching stuff all the time.
• 36:54
  >> Yeah.
• 36:57
  >> Oh, god. DTF Detroit. I binge watched.
• 37:01
  Um, there's a a German show on Netflix
• 37:05
  called Cassandra.
• 37:06
  >> Uhhuh.
• 37:08
  >> I binge watch. That's something
• 37:10
  interesting.
• 37:10
  >> Okay.
• 37:11
  >> Yeah, that was that was fun.
• 37:14
  >> Love it. One actor you still love to
• 37:16
  work with?
• 37:20
  >> I would still love to work Oh,
• 37:23
  um
• 37:25
  gosh. Well, I worked with Dairo,
• 37:28
  so that was pretty amazing. Yeah.
• 37:31
  >> Um
• 37:33
  I don't know. I I think Merryill would
• 37:36
  be fun to work with, I think. I don't
• 37:37
  know. I'd be so intimidated, though.
• 37:38
  >> Yeah. Me, too.
• 37:42
  >> Mouth open like Yeah.
• 37:44
  >> Vio Yeah. Viola Davis talks about it in
• 37:47
  her book. She when she did uh Doubt.
• 37:49
  >> Yeah.
• 37:50
  >> And she was already something. Viola was
• 37:53
  and she and she worked with Merryill.
• 37:55
  She was nervous. She was a nervous
• 37:56
  wreck.
• 37:57
  >> Yeah. Okay. So, if you weren't an actor,
• 38:00
  what would you be?
• 38:03
  >> Um, [sighs and gasps]
• 38:05
  probably I would have gone into
• 38:08
  psychology
• 38:09
  >> counseling, which I mean those two kind
• 38:12
  of melt
• 38:12
  >> kind of marry each other. Yeah. Yeah.
• 38:14
  >> Yeah. Or maybe criminal justice.
• 38:16
  >> Oh, nice. Nice. That's different.
• 38:19
  >> I It is. Well, I I enjoy a true crime
• 38:22
  >> Yeah.
• 38:22
  >> I enjoy a true crime podcast or show.
• 38:26
  >> Love it.
• 38:26
  >> Love documentaries. What's one thing
• 38:28
  your students always tease you about?
• 38:32
  >> They don't tease me. [laughter]
• 38:38
  >> They don't tease me.
• 38:39
  >> I don't know. What do they tease me
• 38:41
  about?
• 38:45
  >> I I have to pass on that one. I can't
• 38:46
  think of what they tease her.
• 38:48
  >> They don't tease her. They don't tease
• 38:50
  her.
• 38:50
  >> The newer ones certainly don't. Maybe my
• 38:52
  OC40 teachers. Maybe they teased me
• 38:56
  about, you know, the the references, the
• 38:57
  old TV show references.
• 38:59
  >> A that is hilarious. Okay, so this is
• 39:01
  the last question. Finish the sentence.
• 39:04
  A successful actor is someone who
• 39:12
  studies,
• 39:14
  is positive, and smart.
• 39:19
  >> Love it.
• 39:20
  >> Be smart.
• 39:21
  >> Yeah.
• 39:22
  >> Be logical. H. Now, there are actors
• 39:25
  watching today who may be thinking about
• 39:27
  giving up. So, maybe they haven't booked
• 39:29
  in a while or they had questions whether
• 39:32
  you know they have what it takes. If you
• 39:35
  could speak directly to the actor for
• 39:37
  just a few seconds, what would you want
• 39:39
  them to hear?
• 39:41
  >> I would tell you people to
• 39:44
  don't give up until you've really tried.
• 39:46
  It's a very difficult industry
• 39:48
  >> and and that's at many levels and the
• 39:51
  industry right now well it's coming I I
• 39:53
  feel like it's coming back a little bit
• 39:55
  this in the past few months as I said
• 39:57
  before 2025 was bad everywhere
• 40:00
  just don't give up if it burns inside of
• 40:02
  you
• 40:04
  >> then continue stay in classes so even if
• 40:06
  you're not booking you're doing
• 40:08
  something for your craft and surround
• 40:10
  yourself
• 40:12
  with fountains not drinks trains.
• 40:16
  >> Love that. Love that.
• 40:17
  >> Right. I mean, if you're with people
• 40:19
  that say, you know, how's your little
• 40:20
  acting thing going? That that's that's
• 40:22
  negative and that doesn't do anything
• 40:24
  for you,
• 40:24
  >> right?
• 40:25
  >> So, surround yourself, again, staying in
• 40:27
  class, you're going to build your
• 40:28
  community and you you're all you all
• 40:30
  want the same goal.
• 40:32
  >> And also, I would say do not judge
• 40:34
  yourself against other actors. Please, I
• 40:37
  beg of you.
• 40:38
  >> Do not say, "Well, she got three
• 40:39
  auditions and I didn't get any." She's
• 40:41
  not you. You're not her.
• 40:43
  >> Right.
• 40:43
  >> Right. We are we're each of us. So, you
• 40:47
  know, unique, obviously. Duh. There's no
• 40:51
  there's not another Katherine Dyer,
• 40:53
  right? I'm the only one that can do what
• 40:55
  I do. So, you can't compare yourself to
• 40:57
  what I do,
• 40:58
  >> right?
• 40:59
  >> Absolutely.
• 40:59
  >> Yeah. Just try to stay positive.
• 41:02
  >> Now, just as we closing this out,
• 41:05
  >> is there anyone that you want to say
• 41:08
  hello to, say thank you to, or anybody
• 41:11
  like that?
• 41:12
  >> Hell no. No, I'm kidding. [laughter]
• 41:15
  >> And with that,
• 41:18
  >> listen, you know, my Drama Inc. family
• 41:20
  has been uh remarkable.
• 41:23
  >> Yeah.
• 41:23
  >> Um our, you know, our instructors, our
• 41:26
  students, we and we really have become a
• 41:30
  family and and they make me very happy
• 41:34
  and they are very supportive of me as I
• 41:37
  am, of them. We have our um it's called
• 41:41
  wine on the belt line. The instructors
• 41:43
  and our studio assistants, we get
• 41:45
  together at this at the studio because
• 41:47
  it we open a door and it it's open onto
• 41:49
  the belt line
• 41:50
  >> and we just kind of hang. Even though we
• 41:52
  all work together, we still get together
• 41:54
  and we hang and we you know, we might
• 41:57
  complain, we might, you know, not
• 41:59
  complain. We we are joyous in other
• 42:02
  people's successes.
• 42:03
  >> So, I got to say my my drama inc peeps.
• 42:06
  >> Love it. Love it. Well, hello drama ink
• 42:08
  peeps. I'm glad that you joined us
• 42:09
  today.
• 42:11
  >> But Katherine, thank you so much for
• 42:13
  being here, for sharing your
• 42:14
  experiences, your wisdom, your
• 42:17
  heartfelt, and you know, um, advice. I
• 42:20
  know actors everywhere are going to walk
• 42:21
  away being encouraged and inspired by
• 42:23
  this conversation. And with that being
• 42:26
  said, thank you guys for watching. Make
• 42:28
  sure you hit that subscribe, like, and
• 42:30
  share. We're going to continue bringing
• 42:32
  conversations with the industry
• 42:33
  professionals who are here to educate
• 42:35
  and inspire and help you grow in your
• 42:37
  career. Until next time, I'm Deia Avery
• 42:40
  and this has been the Demia Avery Show,
• 42:42
  the industry. Remember, I see you, we
• 42:44
  see you, and it's great to be seen.
• 42:46
  Thank you so much, Catherine.
• 42:48
  >> Thank you, Deia. [laughter]