Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Gaya Verneuil. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Gaya thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about how you’ve thought about whether to sign with an agent or manager?
It is my opinion that the universal recipe for actors to get a real shot at a career is to find representation. At least it has been the case in my experience. After I graduated from acting school, I was living in Paris and went on an agent quest. I called a few places, but all of them had a young woman answer the phone with the same line: “sorry, we aren’t looking for new talent at this time”. So I went on IMDB to scavenge agents I thought would be great to collaborate with. On my way to one of the top three agencies, I asked this beautiful ginger lady on the street if she could point me in the right direction, which she did. I walked up to the front desk and was now able to put a face on the voice I’d previously heard over the phone. I told her I wanted to meet with Miss B. A head popped out of an office; turns out the pretty lady in the street was her. She invited me in for a chat. After a few exchanges over the course of a couple of weeks, she decided to give me a chance. Meaning I’d be sent out on auditions for six months and depending on the casting directors’ feedbacks, she would either sign me or let me go.
Well, within two months, I booked my first gig as a series regular on the cop show Candice Renoir. I played a young badass lieutenant for five seasons and got amazing auditions, such as Michael Bay’s “13 Hours”. I would have never gotten these opportunities had I not found an agent with a Kick-Ass database who believed in me.
Lately, I was shocked to hear this US agent on a podcast, complain about actors seeking representation. She said “let agents come to you”. I call bullshit. Pardon my French, but I’m really passionate about this. How the hell are we supposed to get work beyond short films and very low-budget films if we’re not teaming up with a rep who sends us out on these auditions?
Also I would think one of the coolest thing I find about their job is to discover new talent!
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.
Frenchie, living in California! I was born in Paris, to a French-Spaniard multipotentialite mom, and to an Armenian immigrant dad, who also happens to be the Golden Globe, Oscar nominee iconic filmmaker, Henri Verneuil. From the get go, my brother and I indulged in an environment where artistic expression, travel, culture, and sport were highly encouraged. My father loved sharing his passion and inspirations with us. Exposing us early on to his work and other’s masterpieces such as “Mystic River”, “Silence of the Lambs”, and “Sleepers”, to name a few. Above all, my father was an iconic dad. Extremely affectionate and supportive. Needless to say I grew up cultivating a fascination for him and for American cinema.
When I was twelve years old, he passed away and my entire world came crashing down. I didn’t know how to deal with all the anger and sadness within me. I would consistently seek refuge, which I found horseback riding and religiously watching the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I identified with the brutal fatality this young woman was facing. Having to survive on a constant while other teenagers were living a normal life. Having what seemed like at the time, an unusual family situation (when most kids had a sturdy home, my parents were divorced, I had been living with my Mom in Cairo, Egypt, 4000kms away from my valley of kings, my brother and my father, and dad passed away shortly after). Buffy comforted and influenced me to the point of sleeping with a wooden stake under my pillow, yes, but also inspired me to become as brave as her. To face my own demons and kick their asses. And I was going to do so as an actress.
I turned 16, left mom and moved back to Paris, where I took youth theatre classes as I completed my last high school years. At 18, I enrolled at the New York Film Academy, in New York, where I graduated from a two year acting conservatory program. I was granted an extra year in the US, so I learned how to drive in two weeks and moved to LA. I hunted down every audition I could find and honed my first paid acting experiences. Two features, a dozen shorts, a few indie plays under my belt I figured would be enough to grant me an artist visa and continue to pursue my American dream. Well, it wasn’t, yet again I moved back to Paris, this time my tail between my legs. I felt very disappointed and discouraged the first few months but finally got back up. I researched agencies and managed to get represented by one of the top three. Within a few months, I booked my first “legit” gig, as a series regular on the TV show Candice Renoir. I played a young, tough rebellious cop, Chrystelle DaSilva. The show exceeded everyone’s expectations and became really popular in France. It even made it to the International stage! Five seasons in, I was very comfortable, I loved the team I was working with (literally the whole crew felt like family),I’d been sustaining myself financially with my craft, I was on people’s TVs every Friday night. For the first time I felt I truly earned the right to call myself an actress.
Five seasons in, I wanted to expand my range, I needed diversity. I feared getting typecast as the young cop on French TV. I had had a plan to go back to the US all along, except this time around I had the professional baggage to support my visa, so I did. I amicably parted with the show, packed my cat, my American dream, my French vibes and California here I am!
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
To me Acting/Storytelling, is like a wishbone game between expressing and receiving . I need to expose my deepest self just as much as I want to hold space for other perspectives, and learn from them. More than ever, I crave to be selfless enough to tell other people’s stories and selfish enough to share my own. Lately I’ve been inspired to take storytelling further than acting. I’m writing tales, with which I hope to encourage people to be vulnerable and listen to their hearts, even when the journey is scary. Your heart will surprise you. Other people’s will too. Hearts Break. Hearts forgive. Hearts heal. Hearts learn to love again.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
I think it is crazy to get paid to have so much fun! I’m also fascinated by the Human experience and I’ve grown so much from being exposed to so many different truths. I love finding the empathy within me, to try and understand where someone’s coming from instead of judging or rejecting them.
I am a better actress for it, most importantly, a better person.
Contact Info:
- Website: gayaverneuil.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wakatepebabun/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100070664621993
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaya-verneuil-129a08128/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkYuJJthTe87_-wfiW8CA-w