We had the wonderful opportunity to speak Shannon Sturges about her amazing career. Check out the interview below.
Hi, Shannon! Thank you for granting the interview. We’re excited to speak with you. What inspired you to become an actress?
I tried to do other things, but I kept coming back to acting. I love the art form. Many people don’t appreciate the art of acting. You can use your whole life experience, your imagination, and your body. You can inspire, entertain, heal and change people and yourself.
What inspired you to become a professional acting coach?
I think that it was a natural progression, wanting to share with other actors what I’d learned. I also had the most amazing teacher, mentor, and friend — Aaron Speiser, who encouraged me to teach. He recognized that I had a gift for it and nurtured that in our over 30 years working together.
After the #METOO received a lot of press, women have noticed more opportunities for women. Still, there’s more work to do. What are your thoughts?
I don’t believe that the #METOO movement has increased opportunities for women, but I hope that it was helping to alert the industry to bad behavior and let women (and men) know that they have a voice when they might have felt helpless. I do believe that awareness and shedding light on these practices will lessen the pervasive nature of these situations.
Do you coach on set?
I coach on set, in a trailer, at a client’s office, at my studio, via Skype. I’ve even coached from my car! I prefer to coach in person, but I’ve had amazing results with people living abroad with coaching over Skype or FaceTime.
What makes your coaching technique unique?
I want to empower the actor to be the best they can be, not to mimic me or someone else, but to assist them in making the best choices for them and the character they are playing. I give permission to allow the actor to follow their instincts and give the performance that is unique to them.
What is going to surprise people about technique?
I have students who want to be (or are) professional actors and students who just want to enjoy and explore acting. The technique is the same. If you’re an artist, there isn’t one way to do it. If you’re an ”amateur or professional, the work is the same. Studying acting will make you a more compassionate and understanding person, it is fun and freeing. I think everyone should study it, and other arts as well.
Without giving anything away, what’s your coaching session and why?
I was teaching a class. Two actors were working on a scene from Law Abiding Citizen and they were talented but beginning actors. I was explaining how difficult even a “popcorn” movie like this is, how much work the actors need to do in their preparation. Gerard Butler and Jamie Foxx are so skilled that they make it look easy. The actors left the studio and one of them came back in and said (still dressed in chains from the scene) “Gerard Butler is out there, can I do my scene again for him?!” Gerry was just driving by and decided to stop in and say ‘hi”. We allowed the actors to do the scene again and he very graciously gave them notes. Nobody who was there will forget that, including Gerry.
When looking back on the career, what resonated with you the most and why?
I have had the most amazing career both as an actor and teacher. Choosing specific projects feel like choosing between children. That said, I loved going to Cuba and working with F. Gary Gray and the amazing cast of Fast and Furious 8. The amount of dedication and talent every day going to work — I loved all of the actors in the cast.
In your opinion, what does an actor/actress need to make it in today’s industry?
Actors need the ability to let go. Let go of the scene, the need to be perfect, they need to book the job. Hard work and intelligence don’t hurt. Many people will say — good looks — and while certainly being attractive doesn’t hurt, talent is always attractive. Talent (letting go) always shines and makes you attractive.
What do you enjoy most about being a professional acting coach?
I love putting my years of experience to good use and helping people discover their unique gifts. If you trust me, I can assist you in becoming an amazing actor, you will love the art and process.
Do you have anything else you would like to share about the career?
At the studio, we like to say that a career in acting is a marathon, not a sprint. You will have struggles, there will be highs and lows, but the journey is the best. You’re never too late to get started and never too experienced to not learn.
Connect with Shannon at www.speisersturges.com.
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