We were lucky to catch up with Joshua Fishbein recently and have shared our conversation below.
Joshua, appreciate you joining us today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?
Earning a full time living from my craft… That’s the actual dream! It was never about being a star or celebrity or money or anything like that. It has always been about just making a living without having to do any side gigs, which I’ve had to do plenty of. Although, it seems like it’s been getting tougher and tougher to try to eke out a living. That’s what the current SAG-AFTRA strike is mostly about. The actors strike started in July but the industry really started to slow down at the beginning of the year in anticipation of the writers and actors striking. As for me, I haven’t worked since February. Now I’ve had some time earning enough and those times have been great! Even though I’ve had a pretty good run post pandemic these past few years it’s still has not been enough financially that I haven’t had to do some catering and bartending or win some money on a game show to fill in the gaps. Earlier this year I won a car on The Price Is Right! In LA game shows are definitely a legitimate side gig!
(check out Joshua’s TPIR win here: Youtube: https://youtu.
About 10 years ago, I was lucky enough to score an overseas acting job for year. I played Beetlejuice at the Universal Studios in Singapore! That was an amazing adventure! Getting to act and improv and make people laugh every single day was such a satisfying joyful experience. I have such great memories about my time in Singapore, the traveling around south east Asia I did while I was there and the people I met. Some of my best friends now in LA I met in Singapore and of course the money I earned that made it all possible. Such a great time!
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
Some might say I didn’t choose acting it chose me. I never really pursued anything else. I was a theatre major in college and went on to earn an MFA in acting from The Actors Studio Drama School. Remember that show on Bravo, Inside the Actors Studio? Well, that was the school I went to. I was one of those students sitting in the audience asking questions eager to learn and absorb any and all info about the craft of acting as I could. Right out of school I starred in a movie called “Returning Mickey Stern” with Joe Bologna, Tom Bosley, Renee Taylor & Connie Stevens. Younger people don’t even know who those actors are anymore but they were pretty big stars in their day. You could probably still find the movie on Amazon in DVD form, not sure if it ever made it to streaming.
After that, I did a lot of theater in New York. Mostly off off Broadway and way the hell off Broadway productions. I loved doing theater, it never paid any bills, you were lucky if you got a subway stipend as payment most of the time. But it didn’t matter, I did it cause I loved it and that was my passion.
Nowadays, I’ve been living in LA. And before the strike, I was doing quite a bit of masked alien creature work on some pretty big shows that use a lot of aliens. I’d love to say more but I signed so many NDAs I’m not sure what I can say. It seems to be a niche I fell into after doing Beetlejuice. These alien masks are pretty intense though. Full head on masks that go down to your chest underneath your costume. Not everyone can get into these things. It can get very hot and visibility is very limited. I’ve seen actors freak out in them and quit on the spot cause they couldn’t handle it. Can’t have any fear of claustrophobia or anything like that. But I love it!!!
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
What can society do? That’s an age old question. The world needs the arts. Humanity needs the arts. I truly believe that.
The arts have the ability to change hearts and minds. And in this divided cruel, in some places dystopian like world and society in which we live, ART is what has, can, and will be the catalyst for change that we hopefully will achieve.
Art imitates life, transforms it and then life imitates art.
So, I guess let art be art. Don’t stand in its way if its not to your taste. Let it affect you and see what happens
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
Great question! And not easy to put into words…
It’s definitely not about the riches and fame cause I have none of that.
And its not about the sacrifices in life I make because I could just “move on and get a real job” like my father would say.
I think it has something to do with the process of creating. For me, as an actor, that’s creating a character and it doesn’t matter if I’m the star or just another speechless alien walking by. I’ve been both! And it doesn’t matter if it’s in front of a huge sold out audience or just a few fellow actors working out in an acting class. I’ve done both!
Some say you have to put in the “work” but it’s never been work for me. It’s my pleasure! It’s about the never ending exploration of life and the human psyche. That exploration never ends in the creating and performance of an actor. There’s always more to learn. There’s always more to achieve!
Well, at least until the Director says; “CUT!!! That’s a wrap!”
Contact Info:
- Website: WWW.JOSHUAFISHBEIN.COM
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/razrfish?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
- Youtube: https://youtu.be/S0u0XCeSx0s