A Behind the Scenes Look

Just for a bit of fun. I'm posting a video of me and my best friend just having fun and being kids on Labor Day weekend. What better way to sharpen my acting skills than to play with them! Enjoy! And remember, the Charcoal God is King!! Respect his fire! (just kidding)

Going Wild for True Blood!!! Woo Hoo!

So I was hunting for vampires one night when...... :) LOL! Check out this promo I did for True Blood.

The grave we were at was really, really old! I swear there were burials from the 1700's there! I was

a little afraid at first but then I pulled myself together...sort of. Anyhow, the shoot was loads of fun!

Enjoy!

Thank You Marion.

I saw Public Enemies yesterday and of course the movie was excellent and Johnny Depp did an exceptional job...of course. And then you have the French born actress, Marion Cotillard, this woman is amazing. She has become one of my favorite actresses. If you have not seen her in La Vie en Rose, please do it. She plays her roles so seamlessly and with a sense of vulnerability and strength that I've only seen Liz Taylor do. I was so inspired by her performance yesterday. As I watched her I felt a fire burn in my stomach yearning to act. I hope that when it's my turn I inspire someone as Marion has inspired me.      

Thanks Marion.

Blair

*Pic taken in Paris, France

                                                                                          

Spike and Mike

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I watched this interview with Spike Lee and Katie C. talking about the late great Michael Jackson. Within this conversation he mentioned something about God giving some people a supernatural talent and how those people are not "normal"...., it comes with the territory. If you think about it he's right. In order to be a great artist like MJ or Bette Davis you have to have a vision, a site that no one is capable of seeing. But along with those special binoculars come a price. Freedom always comes with a price....With all that being said it makes me wonder about my own career and capabilities as an actor...as an artist period. I know that God has given the vision. The question is, how far am I willing to take it? RIP MJ

PS: Check out www.40acres.com

The Life and Times of an Actress

Today was one of those days where I needed to be encouraged. God gave me that through the voices of loved ones, little signs here and there, and a creative mind. I just want to thank God for the encouragement and my on call massage therapist Pete (the fuzz ball above). To everyone out there...We all have a path. It may not be the same as your neighbors....It may not even be the one you imagined in your mind but hold on to whatever faith you have, hold on tight.  Do your best to know that everything will be ok. Because it will....I know it will....I'm an actress and a writer. That's my passion. That is me. I have no choice but to be. I have no choice but to believe.....Someday I'll make it. Someday I'll smile and laugh at these hard, hard times I'm going through and when I do....to God be the Glory.

I started this blog not only to network but as a public glimpse into the life of someone trying to make the seemingly impossible, possible. And one day, I pray this blog turns into a testimony and inspiration for all people who are in the same struggle no matter what the goal....This is the life and times of an actress....an actress named Blair.

To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day
To the last syllable of recorded time,
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing

       -William Shakespeare 

Here it is!! "Wedding Day"!

Here is the short that I wrote and produced! (so excited) Benedict Hadley directed it and it features the lovely talents of Minna Randolph and Alita Dawson! Thanks guys! And a special thanks to God for making this a reality! Enjoy!

I'm a Toys R' Us Mom!! Ha!

Ha Ha! Look who's a Mommy! It was so funny because when my agency called me and told me I was booked for a Toys R' Us ad, I was like ok...either  they've got some teen issue going on or I'm a mom. Sure enough I walk in and I'm a mom! And not just any mom, my director from an off off Broadway show I was in was there with her handsome little grandsons! Never thought that I would take the Disney song "It's a Small World" seriously until I grew up and had moments like this. So here's to Toys R' Us and all of the joy they've given me throughout the years....and still do. :) ...Hey, I gotta get my Nintendo DS games from somewhere.

Tisha Campbell says "Take control of your own destiny."

You ever heard someone tell you that God speaks through people? In these times of financial crisis and frequent let downs, one has to revert back to the idea of taking control of your own destiny. This idea is not new. And is something that I'm sure we all have heard before. But sometimes, when you hear something at a certain point in your life it hits you like a ton of bricks. So, I'm sitting here at my desk feeling utterly confused and somewhat discouraged about life until I decided to pull myself out of the slump and Google Tisha Campbell (I have been watching Martin episodes on DVD non-stop lately). I've always admired this woman ever since Frank Oz's Little Shop of Horrors. And yes, I was a fan of her short-lived yet under-appreciated singing career (hit song "Push"). Anyhow, I look her up and mid-interview she starts to talk about the industry and how actors (especially blacks and latinos) need to pretty much be masters of the three ring circus in order to make their mark in this business....She says "Take control of your own destiny". Like I said, I heard it before, but at that moment I was reminded that I am one of those people...and I've been at it for so long. Since I was a kid I wanted to be my own master and now that I finally have that opportunity I'm curling up like those little worms you might find in your carpet...in the summertime. It's hard, it's new territory..but it's mine. Everyone, you are looking at a woman who employs herself (massage therapist), wrote and casted her own short, writes her own scripts, and books her own acting and modeling auditions (yes I am represented as well). I do a lot. I should give myself more credit but it's so hard when the result is not in your face. But, maybe it's around the corner. So, to all my true talents out there, God is next to you, faith is in your feet, and your destiny is around the corner....just keep walking. That's all we can do right now. We will see it. We will meet it someday.

God bless! And thanks Mrs. Campbell-Martin for your inspiration. I hope you get to read this one day.

My First Showcase!

 I finally gave in to the whole showcase idea and decided to attend one that was featuring two commercial agents from Arcieri and Paradigm....(deep breath).....I was nervous. So nervous. It was my first time doing a commercial audition as well as performing in front of agents. So it was a double whammy for me. I stumbled a bit, but fortunately, they were friendly and helpful. So when I walked out of the one-on-one I felt confident and well equipped with the knowledge needed for my next commercial audition. Hey, you can't get em all. But...you can learn something.

Peace in the middle east and God bless!

PS: I liked my experience. I'd go again.

Wrote it. Shot it! Ha!

So, I wrote a short for my reel called "Wedding Day" (working title) and shot it this weekend! What feeling I tell you, what a feeling! First off, it was nice being in front of Benedict's camera again and working with one of my best friends Minna Randolf (left). We were on stage together in high school for Romeo and Juliet. She was Lady Capulet. I was Juliet. So you can imagine my excitement when she said yes to the role of the bitchy yet misunderstood older sister Rene. The wonderful actress on the right is Alita Dawson who plays the "rock" of the trio Juliene. It was a blessing to have met her. She inspired the third character that made my short complete! Last but not least is little old me standing in the middle with the wedding gown on. I play Anntoinette. The slightly immature but good hearted baby of the family. I'd tell you the plot but why when you could just watch it?!!! I'll post it when the edit is all said and done.

PS: I enjoyed filming this so much and loved the concept so much that I have decided to write a full screenplay based on this short. Also, I want to thank God for a smooth shoot and the creativity and drive to write my own short and then being blessed with talented people to help bring it to life in front of my own eyes! What an amazing experience!

God Bless! Put him first today, it can only do you good!

Blair the Model? / Motions Casting

So I got a call from my agency to go to a "go-see" for Motions hair care line....(sigh). First off I'm really funny about doing anything for hair products because the last time I did it the woman died my hair Gene Grey-red and it fell out. Ok. That's reason one. Reason two is that...well there is no reason two that's the bloody reason and it's good enough! :) But, we all know by now that I am an actor that models. Not the other way around. So when I walk into a go-see and I see these girls get all primpy  and hear fake ass giggling from the audition room, it's a personal nightmare. Don't me get wrong I like modeling. It's playing dress up for crying out loud! And what girl doesn't like to play dress up?! It's just the go-sees. You know you take two or three pictures and they say goodbye, you run into same annoying girl every go-see (and she can't stay out of the mirror btw), you hear girls blab about what photographers they hated and blah, blah,blah, then the worst happens.....you hear the model that says "I'm trying to get into acting"...(sigh). Listen, there's been a few that crossed over successfully and have my respect (Uma Thurman) but lets face it...... I'd rather you finish the sentence. I'm sorry to ruffle feathers but I feel that it makes more sense for an actor to model than the other way around. When you watch America's Next Top Model" Tyra usually takes these girls to some sort of acting class. You won't see an acting coach take their students to modeling class. Listen, all modeling is, is a still form of acting and since stills came before motion don't you think it's easier for a motion to become a still than a still to become motion? If you don't believe me just pause your DVD....there's your still. Now try to make your picture move......exactly.

PS: I'm such a hater today! I know it. I like everyone, but I love my art form. Please respect it. Please.

Long live the actor!! God Bless.

Applaud the Artist!

I suppose this is one of those times where the struggle gets a little hard. One of those times where you ask yourself "how am I going to make it?" Note I said "how" not "when". When is of no consequence to me. Things happen when they are supposed to. But how? How am I going to climb out of the well when I can't fly? How am I going to deal with the pressure of loved ones who don't understand who I am and what I do?...After all...are'nt they the the ones that are supposed to be there for me at times like this? Tell me. Where is the applause when you're struggling? Where is the pat on the back when things get hard? Where? I'll tell you where it is. Its on the other side. The side of "when". They only want to applaud when you make it! Never mind how you got there because the "how" was to much for them to bear with you. So, like the old saying goes, if you want something done you got to do it yourself. Just don't expect me to appreciate the conditional admiration when I make it.

PS: Above is one of the most honest photos of myself. Whoever loves this. Loves me.

Keep your head up artist! Have faith and God Bless.

My Jenny!

There is a soft spot in my heart for Jennifer Connelly. I must have watched the Labyrinth about 100 times as a kid....and as an adult. But little did I know that it was more than just the puppets and singing that captivated me...It was Jennifer herself. She is one of my favorite actresses because her eyes and body language tell the story. I was watching a behind the scenes segment on the Dark Water dvd. The director (Walter Salles) said something that described her perfectly. He said "Jennifer is a great silent film actress".  I think it's important for all actors to be great silent film actors. After all, in life you don't always have to say something to communicate or show how you feel. Think about it. When you are alone and you're sad. Do you stand there and talk to yourself? Or do you cry? Is your posture at it's worst? Do you stare off at nothing, replaying the moment in your mind? Where are your hands? Are they on your face? In your hair? Or crunched up wishing that they could hold something? These are things that most of us don't pay attention to, and you know what?...The last thing I want actors to do is to study these things. Yes that's what I said. Actors! Stop studying! Stop acting! Be it! Be it! Read your script. Know your character. Get help where you need it. Then put the script down and be it! In kindergarten when the teacher asked you to pretend to be a monkey no one asked for motivation! You just did it! Can you believe that I was on set for this film as an extra and this guy who was playing a preacher asked the director "So, what's my motivation?" If I were the director I would have answered by saying "Your motivation is to keep your job by not asking me dumb ass questions like that.!" So in conclusion, be like Jennifer and just do your damn job!

God Bless :)

Illeana Douglas Rocks!!!

When I was researching the people who eventually wrote me a check (SXM...Thank You!!), I ran into this really cool web show called Illeanarama starring Illeana Douglas . It's hilarious and brilliantly written! And as an extra perk Jane Lynch is in this show!!! She is so funny. I love her from all the Christopher Guest movies. By the way. Illeana Douglas created these webisodes, which is real inspiration for me because I am currently writing a screenplay and a couple of shorts for my reel. Goes to show you, if you want something done you have to do it yourself.

Enjoy Illeanarama!!!! There are 4 episodes, check them out!

I GOT IT!!!!!!!

So I'm laying in my bed fighting a flu, when I get a call from SXM telling me that I got the part!!! I was so excited! The day of the shoot was nerve wrecking. I almost ran late because I was running around packing wardrobe, shaving, blow drying, etc. But I ended up being early...Guys, I kid you not when I say that this was a dream come true for me. For the first time I was the one being miked and in front of the lights! We did run throughs and laughed and joked. It was great. Everyone was great. This experience has made me consider television. Blair Robinson on Gray's Anatomy? What do you think?

Pic: Above is me being an absolute cornball! I asked my Mom to take a picture of me holding my first non-extra voucher from NBC...I hope they green light the show. Cross your fingers everyone!

Bikram Yoga! Yes!!!

Attention all actors! Do Bikram yoga! It works wonders, and it's great for us New Yorkers that want to calm our minds yet be challenged at the same time. Check out Bikram Yoga NYC! I do it like 3 times a week, I love it!

Audition for SXM/NBC!!!

YAY!! i got an audition with SXM/NBC as a yoga instructor for a pilot! When I got that phone call I could not have been happier! I immediately did my research and practiced any yoga pose I could do without tumbling over.  I was a nervous wreck. But through it all I came into the audition room with a smile and did my best. The people were really nice, so that helped.  Above is a picture of me standing at the bus stop with bags under my eyes and a cup of Starbucks. Gotta love Starbucks.

Question: Which makes more money per year? Starbucks or cocaine? My vote is for Starbucks. I'm sure that even the coke heads are cutting down due to the recession. But Starbucks nuts like me are still spending 5 bucks for coffee! Recession? What recession? COFFEE!!!!

If I Could be Like Audrey.

One of my favorite actors is Audrey Hepburn. Her natural charm and grace is something that enchanted my heart very early in my life and has never left. Her humble yet regal demeanor is something that I feel is almost non-existent yet very much needed in today's Hollywood. I do not mention this to say that I am a complete clone to the late great Audrey.But I strive to learn how to have a fraction of her charm and a lifetime of her grace on screen and off.  She was a wonderful woman who spent here early years surviving Hitler's atrocities, and through it all became the person who we all learned to love. Her life has inspired my own as a human being and as an actress.

Read Enchantment, The Life of Audrey Hepburn by Donald Spoto. Wonderful book!

My First Press!! Woo Hoo!!

This is a picture of myself, Benedict Hadley, and Caroline Lieberman at the film maker/financiers party at the Hamptons film festival! I was sooo tired but I had a great time! I'm starting to learn that when you are trying to make it in this business sleep is a luxury that has to be scheduled. No kidding! :) 

You can find this picture and more on Hamptons.com

The Producer!

I produced this promo for the president elect Barack Obama about a month before election day. It was a joy to meet and work with all of the people involved. This is the type of experience you remember for the rest of your life and I will never forget the love and dedication that everyone put in this project.

Directed by Benedict Hadley and written by Betty Birnbaum....Enjoy!