Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Chiara McCarty. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Chiara, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?
I am a classically trained actor, who has been studying and pursuing acting for 20 years, and working professionally as an actor for about 15 years. Acting is a practice. The more you learn about the craft and the more you are in practice, the more rounded and unshakeable you become as an actor. I would encourage anyone pursuing acting to study all acting techniques because you never know what you can gain from each different technique. But also remember to bring yourself to everything you do. Because, as cliché as it sounds, there is no one like you on this earth and what you bring to a role is what makes your art unique.
I’m almost always in an acting class. If I’m not working on a project, then you can find me in class working on my process. It keeps me in practice, and it’s also a way to stay in community with other artists. One of my favorite things about acting class is the community because it’s a type of support system and a great way to be reminded by your fellow creatives that you are not alone in the struggles that come with this industry.
One final note: I truly believe the best way to practice acting is to practice living. It’s so easy to get caught up in the grind that we forget to live life sometimes. Remember to experience life. Because acting is a reflection of life. So, what better way to practice acting than to live life to the fullest. My acting teacher always says, “To be a great actor, be a great person.” And I couldn’t agree more.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
So I decided to take a risk and apply to theatre schools, and was accepted into the American Academy of Dramatic Art (AADA) in Hollywood. At the time, the conservatory was a two year program, with a third optional year, but you had to be invited back for the second year. I was not invited back. And it was crushing. I was 18 years old at the time, and I felt I had made the wrong decision and was just not good enough to be an actor. So, after not being invited back to AADA for a second year, I took a year away from acting in an attempt to find a new career path. I decided to enroll in Los Angeles City College (LACC) so that I’d be able to transfer to UCLA to focus on a degree for a “real” job. Not being able to get away from the theatre, I ended up taking an advanced acting class and the teacher suggested that I audition for the LACC Theatre Academy, which is a three year theatre conservatory program the community college offers. I was really hesitant to audition because I just didn’t feel I was good enough, so I just brushed off my teacher’s suggestion. Well, one day, I was walking on campus when I heard my name being called. It was a friend of mine that had attended AADA with me who was now attending the LACC Theatre Academy. And she encouraged me to audition. So I did, and I was accepted into the program. It was during my time at the Theatre Academy that my love and passion for the craft of acting truly developed.
And here we are, 15 years later still studying this craft and still pursuing this crazy-awesome career. I truly believe there is great power in storytelling, and I hope to tell stories that inspire, that open people’s minds to different perspectives, that give hope, that shine a light in dark places, and that give a voice to the voiceless.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
As an actor, you are constantly facing rejection and periods of time with no work. It’s during the times when you are hearing NO after NO after NO, or during the times when you are not working, that you must find resilience. I think one of the best ways to do this is to find your creativity through other mediums– watch great films, read powerful plays, visit museums, paint, draw, write, immerse yourself in creative things. I truly believe that diving into other creative mediums when rejection is loud and seasons are slow will help you grow as an artist in new and different ways. It will inspire you to create and to continue on with your artistic journey.
There have been seasons in my journey as an actor where I have not booked work for over a year. In these seasons, I make it a point to be in acting class so that I can still practice my craft and grow as an actor and a creative. I also try my best to practice gratitude in these seasons. Gratitude keeps hope alive, and in slow seasons it can be easy to become hopeless. And I constantly have to remind myself to not compare my journey to other people’s journeys during these hard seasons. We are all on different paths, so enjoy the path you are on rather than wish you were on someone else’s path.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
I think it’s the actual process of creating. Whether it’s a film or a play or any other artistic medium, being able to see that piece of art come to life is the most rewarding aspect of being a creative for me. Collaborating with other creatives and being inspired by their vision and talent, and seeing every little detail come together to create a full story– that’s magical. There’s a real sense of pride and joy in seeing a finished film, or finishing a run of a theatrical production, or seeing a finished product. To look back at all the hard work and long hours that went into creating something, and think, “Wow, we made that!” And then there’s the connections you make and the community you build with the people you work with. Some of my closest friends are people I’ve met and gotten to know on set or during the run of a play.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://improvedarts.org/shamefull
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chiaramccarty/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chiara.russi.3/
- IMDB: http://imdb.me/chiaramccarty
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/chiaramccarty
Image Credits
Kimberly Kouyian, Christopher De La Rosa, Ryan Stach