Acting : Dealing with difficult actors by Talia Price

Talia Price

Dealing with difficult actors

In the past week I have had a conflict with an actor, who will remain nameless in this post. I have worked with this actor twice, once on a film and the other on a short film we did together. This actor has caused me a great deal of grief and anxiety. I believe that he is either intimated or jealous of me, and I want and have had nothing to do with him since I worked with him last year. He made such a fuss that vimeo has removed the video. He gone so far as harassing me and my agent. Now this film was done for free and no contract was signed. He is just embarrassed about the film. And angry that anything he has done is associated with me. It seems like with the fake casting and this energy vampire of an actor, drama follows me everywhere. And all I want is to work full-time in film and theater and keep my enemies at bay. I do not want anymore unnecessary drama in my life. This event has taught me a great lesson in life and in being an artist: no matter what you do you will always attract haters, there will always be people who do not like you. I still have my pride and my creativity and passion, he; this actor, cannot and will not take that away from me. I would really like to know if anyone and I am sure there are many out there who have dealt with difficult actors who need to keep their egos in check. But I would like to hear from other actors about their experiences.

Karl Martin

That's typical (up to the harassment part!). As an actor and as a musician I've kept finding myself working with these type of characters... I guess any art form that implies getting on a stage requires for the artists to work hard on their ego, and some people just don't have the strength or the confidence and that's when they go all phoney rockstar bananas. Best thing is to get things straight from the very beginning and keeping your cool. As you said, don't let them get that away from you.

Clark Lewis

That sucks that a person would take it that far. I've been cast to work with many unprofessional people. I don't how directors work with them.

Michael Anderson

This is my perception based on experience. Actors can sometimes be like spirited wild horses, temperamental and stubborn on occasion-like horses can be. If anyone has worked with wild horses as I have, it can occasionally be rather frustrating. Yet those horses are beautiful and full of energy that needs to be redirected and more focused. Sometimes one can lead them to the water to partake of the wishes of the screenwriters and directors, producers and voila. Then again one sometimes has to take them by the halter and show them what and how to focus their energy. As an actor, I try to graciously avoid the latter. When the actor isn't getting the drift-so to speak it is incumbent of the artist to ask questions and work with the team. It has to be a two way symbiotic collaboration-a conversation in motion. Team work between the actor, directors, screenwriters and producers is essentially about communication and trust. It has to go both ways. With that then the effort goes well.

Talia Price

Thank you all for such supporting comments. I know I am not a perfect person, but my intentions are always positive. I love acting and filmmaking and I love working with actors. But some people you always have to be aware of because no matter how good and positive you are there will always be those trying to bring you down.

Anton West

"The online world is a great place for people to screw up any potential they might have had. And sadly many people do it, over and over and over." It's actually quite ironic Alle that you don't realise this applies to you, especially your Stage 32 postiings. I am sincerely glad that you have found personal happiness but you need to take a good long look at yourself. Every time you write self-aggrandising nonsense on here, you're damaging your professional reputation even further.

Debbie Elicksen

Alle, what a great idea: an international black list database of all people you won't work with. Excellent idea.

Andrew Bee

Hi Talya, Getting into the game as late as I am, I have learned a great lesson to which I am incredibly grateful. Life is almost never personal. We are creating art. There are many actors I have worked with who did not like me because I simply would not engage with their negativity on set and to be quite honest, were too stupid emotionally to have a clue. I've had screen shots of my profiles put up on gay websites. I could care less. I never take it personally. Most of the actors I work with are simply negative and stuck on their talent and feelings. I empathize with your feelings and encourage you to do the emotional work necessary to be able to not engage with negativity, even when it feels like a direct attack. Not an easy thing to do, but very satisfying.

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