Interview with Actor/Teacher; Tony Babcock
Have you always wanted to act?
Absolutely. There was never a time in my life that I didn't know that this was what I wanted to do. The first theatre show that I saw that inspired me to act was a production of Amadeus that had my friends; Ryan Lemmon and Jaquelyn Luney in it at The Grand Theatre
What kind of acting things did you do when you were small before you took classes?
I did the Late Show with Tony Babcock for relatives in my living room. I sawed a woman in half. It took me almost an hour. I was only seven years old. There's a film of it.
Were your parents supportive?
Very. I was very fortunate that they didn't want me to be a doctor because I'm not that bright but i can act like a doctor i can act bright.
What is the most important ingredient for success?
Oregeno. And after that; Determination
Are acting classes important?
They are so important because the biggest way to set yourself apart from the competition is to continue to train and improve yourself. We are in the people business so it is great to spend time in a workshop setting with other sactors.
How did you go about getting an agent?
Agent hunting was a very tiresome activity. I sent out over twenty packages of headshots and resumes and heard back from 4 two months later and thats considered good. Its all about reminding people you exist. I'm a big believer in self promotion. I've made up business cards and a website. Keep a list of people to check back in with; like agents and casting directors. The agent I'm with now is very successful but the most important part is that we have a very good working relationship which is key.
How do you deal with rejection?
Ben and Jerry's ha ha. You have to remember why you're acting, what you're in it for. You're in it for the good times and in order to get there you have to go through the bad times. If we didn't have rejection we'd never be able to improve ourselves. We should learn from rejection.
You have Tom Todorrof as a mentor. What type of stuff does he teach?
He teaches all about getting out of your own way as a performer and as a person, removing blocks from your life, fighting for what you want as an actor and as a character in a scene. He uses the "guide posts of acting" which break down or dissect a scene or character and relate it to real life.
Besides the template Tom gives you do you feel free to use other methods?
Tom tells me about having the Tony method-There is an element of whatever works, bringing in anything you can to tell the story or be a character and developing a method that is only yours. Every play comes with its own demands as does a role and as does a director.
What advice do you have for young people starting out?
Be yourself. And use your youthfulness while you still have it. Have fun and don't let anyone tell you you can't be what you want to be.
Is it hard work becoming an actor?
Extremely. You have to be an artist, an athlete, a salesman, a detective, a writer, a director, and most importantly, you have to be yourself.
How much does talent matter?
Talent is only useful if its matched or overcome by drive or determination. You can be the most talented person in the world but if you don't have a need to succeed your talent will be wasted in waiting tables or washing dishes. The drive will get you through. If you have only One goal you will achieve it.
Actors have to take advice from musicians and dancers. As an An actor you always has to be practising every single day, warming yourself up and convincing yourself that you are an actor.
What do you think about Drama Schools?
The great thing about drama school is that you are acting daily Its a great way to own your skills, to make connections and make mistakes and learn from them. It also gives you a platform to dive off
How old were you when you went to Toronto?
After grade eleven. I wanted to be very gungho and wanted to dive in. I completed grade 12 in Toronto. Got my foot in the door with agents and casting directors.
You told me before that you wanted to be Degrassi. Why?
Ummm cause I wanted to return to highschool for some reason. Degrassi was like hollywood and there were kids in it and it looked like something I could do. The other people in it were my age. I auditioned for that show 3 times and nothing, but the casting director cast me in something else, another show, but im still bitter. There's still teacher roles. Maybe when I'm older.
