To begin with, I am a HS senior in Kazakhstan. Am half Asian/ half white, 5’10.5 and always had been going the route of a nerdy/techy guy at math/physics school. My TOEFL score was 95 and I am almost a native speaker (grew up immersed in American media).
In the past 5 months I’ve discovered that I am more of an extrovert, really good-looking and can be a class clown in a good way. Entertaining the idea of “you only live once/you gotta do what you love doing”, I am thinking to abandon the idea to become an engineer, mathematician or whatever, as that is quite tedious, in my opinion, to have as a passion (I am sort of a successful math olympiad contestant myself, so I know). I am dying of boredom at my classes for the past 6 years (boring as hell with the math, chemistry and all).
Now, I love movies. And music. I listen to lots of music. Still, last “acting” I did was in a 3rd grade school play called snow white about an american princess, which is long ago.
As it’s too late to apply to US colleges, I am planning to do a humanities major at a pre-college program in my country for a year, and then apply to America.
What advice can you give me? I mean, maybe you went through a similar experience?? What do you think I should take as a major? Thanks:), would love to hear your input!!!
This member has a post from February 2015 that appears to be more of a fabrication and wishful thinking than factual. His posts since seem to be more consistent with the above. It is up to each member if they think this post is credible.
If your dream is to become an actor, start acting – in school/local productions, then at whatever university you end up going to. Becoming an actor isn’t like becoming an engineer: a bunch of classes and, boom, you’re an actor. You just DO it.
Find some local theater groups, and get involved in performances. Right now acting seems like fun, and easy. Once you are working with directors, fellow actors, and all of the production crew, you will get a better sense of the reality. You may like it. You may not. But you need to get some experience before committing permanently to the career pathway.
Oh, and expect to need a second job to support yourself with. A math/science/engineering degree may well come in handy.
The acting profession has an extemely high Gini coefficient. Harrison Ford makes 8-figures for a movie, and everyone else makes peanuts.
For you, a non-white “exotic” male who is shy of six feet, the inconvenient reality is that the opportunity for leading roles in the U.S. entertainment market may be limited.
FYI
Hollywood “whitewashing”
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_featuring_whitewashed_roles
To get in to an undergraduate acting conservatory in the US you’ll need to apply in the fall and audition the following February. You’ll need to be well prepared for your audition.
Because there are so few spots available and so many applicants, most applicants audition for multiple schools - 10 to 20 is not uncommon.
Top undergrad programs which tend to attract agencies and casting directors; and hence lead to work include:
Juilliard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5A3lIWgCJsI
UNCSA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OtLrVdUxQI
CMU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUQaehXC5KM
Top graduate acting programs include Juilliard, Yale and NYU.
Best of Luck!