This month marks one year of my being represented as an actor in film, television, and commercial!
If you're new here- welcome! My name's Marr and I'm a Filipina American actress in based in Dallas. I graduated undergrad with a degree in biology in pursuit of my deep interest for dentistry. My gap year lead me to all kinds of places and now here we are. Life is interesting like that.
During the pandemic, I focused my energy into building what I could. I was a sponge for anything acting and film. I wanted to learn everything so I consumed what I could. I attended all the workshops, I went to class, I explored different techniques, and I took on gigs near and far purely for experience. I looked up how to do everything myself because I was so broke but I just wanted to find a way to make it all work so I could I least try for something I'd always wanted to do which was to become a film actor.
I signed with my first talent agent this time in 2023 and booked my first SAG-AFTRA project in less than a month of auditioning consistently. I was not expecting to book at all. The years before getting signed had built me up to handle constant rejection so as soon as I submitted my takes to casting, it was already out of my mind. Rejection sucks but letting things go becomes easier when you reframe auditions as the win. Because they are. You get to do that work, so just do your best and have fun. You got chosen to actually try. Wonderful! Let's goooo :)
WGA and SAG-AFTRA went on strike for several months during this first year of representation. As a non-union actor, I was still very much an ally to these efforts and it was devastating to see and know about the mistreatment of fellow artists. My agents were so great with helping me navigate that space.
I learned so much from being on so many sets. I was doing the thing. I was booking principal roles back to back. It was unbelievable. It affirmed all to the hard work I'd done before actively seeking representation in Texas. Even during the dry patches, I continued to be hopeful and I filled my days with supplementing my craft with training (attending class, creating and consuming all kinds of art) and just living life. I was still so fortunate to be booking even through such difficult times in the industry.
All of this certainly hasn't been all rainbows and butterflies. There's gotta be some level of reason and it's not realistic to believe that. So when it's good, I've learned to celebrate every single win. You kind of need to because you just never know when your next shot is going to be. I'm so grateful for where I've been and how far I've come. I welcome this next year and I am willing to put forth all the joy and all the work that it's going to take to keep doing what I love.
^ Here are some stills from some of the slates I've done for different narrative and commercial auditions throughout the year.