Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Phoebe Pearl. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Phoebe, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Have you signed with an agent or manager? Why or why not?
I currently have a wonderful team – a manager across the board, a theatrical agent and a commercial agent. I met my theatrical agent through my manager and let me tell you, she’s the best agent I’ve ever had. First off, my manager is the most supportive and fully invested rep I’ve ever had the privilege of signing with. She believes in every single one of her clients and she expects 100% from us because she gives 100%. She thought I would be a good fit with an agent she works with a ton and so far, she’s been right. My agent also works her butt off to get me opportunities but more importantly, she has clout with casting directors. It doesn’t matter how much your rep submits or pitches you. If casting directors don’t have a relationship with them or don’t trust they have taste in talent, you won’t get many opportunities. I hate when reps continue to make excuses saying “it’s slow” or “no one is working right now” cause thats BS.
Phoebe, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I started as a dancer. I was 3 when I took my first dance lesson. I went to an arts high school in Los Angeles where I studied in the dance department. After graduating high school, I moved across the country to attend The Boston Conservatory majoring in dance on a scholarship. I ended up dropping out after my sophomore year because I auditioned for The Rockettes on a whim and actually got the job at the age of 19. It was a dream come true. I moved to NYC and danced with them for 7 seasons. During my off seasons, I would do musical theatre at regional theatres and I even took a year off from the Rockettes to go on tour with the live theatre production of Dirty Dancing as dance captain and understudy Baby and Penny. It was actually then that I started to become interested in acting. When I went on as Baby, I thought to myself “wow, I really loved portraying a character and understanding their arc” so when I went back to NYC, I looked for acting classes. I started to attend the Beverly Hills Playhouse NYC division under the teachings of Neal Matarazzo. He was wonderful and really lit a fire within me to pursue acting seriously and to strive for greatness as an actor. I had some success doing a few small recurring characters in some popular shows until the pandemic hit. Like so many, I reevaluated what I wanted and ultimately made the choice to move back to LA to pursue acting in that market. Best decision I ever made. It’s been a slow process but I believe I’m the most confident I’ve ever been in my craft and that I keep getting better. I currently attend classes at Lesly Kahn and Co. and it has kicked me into a new gear. I feel good and am hopeful of whats to come.
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
I’ve been acting for 8 years now and after meeting so many developmental actors, we always have the same thing to say – I feel like I’m throwing spaghetti at a wall and seeing what sticks. And it can be totally frustrating! But I will say, I pride myself on always being on the move to find something better. Something that will move the needle even a little bit. If something isn’t working, move on. Rep not getting you auditions? Drop them. It’s okay to feel uncomfortable not being repped while you work hard at getting a bigger and better rep! Is your footage not something you’re proud of, beg your friend who owns a camera to shoot something with you and get some new, solid footage. It’s a bunch of trial and error. When I feel like I’m stagnant, I usually look up casting director workshops I could attend. I cross reference castingabout.com to see what these casting directors work on and also go to IMDbPro to look up what they’ve done in the past before I press that “purchase” button. I’ve had some good results from some of them. I recommend not doing these workshops unless you’re totally prepared and can rock their world. You have one shot to show them who you are so it better be exceptional. Get a couple of amazing scenes that you’ve worked and coached on and keep them in your back pocket for these workshops.
A great motivation podcast is Audrey Helps Actors. She knows how to inspire actors to get up and do some good, actionable tasks. I also LOVE listening to autobiographical audiobooks that actors write. Jenna Fischer has a great one that made me feel like my journey is normal and Bryan Cranston’s book was full of great stories that inspired me. There are so many others.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
Your career is for the rest of your life. If you don’t “make it” at a young age, you’re not a failure. I have to continuously remind myself of that. I, of course, wish I was farther along but I’m also in a spot a lot of people would love to be. Keep going. Stay on the bus, cause if you get off early, you’re never making it to the destination.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://phoebe-pearl.com
- Instagram: @phoebeopearl
- Other: vimeo: https://vimeo.com/user24048677
Image Credits
Dana Patrick Photography (headshots)