The #1 Question I Get Asked

How Can You Find Auditions
Without an Agent?

Photo by Lara Bate.

On to New Adventures!

This is my last blog post for Hometown to Hollywood. It’s been an amazing adventure and my true honor to share it with you, and in turn, to share in the adventures of many of you.

I’d like to take this opportunity to share a few thoughts before I go.

“We need wit and courage to make our way, while our way is making us.”

–Tom Stoppard, The Coast of Utopia, Part 3: Salvage

This Tom Stoppard quote from my favorite piece of theatre sums up so much of the past dozen years, and I think the path of anyone who decides to take a great risk and walk the path less traveled.

It takes tremendous courage to believe that you can succeed where the odds are so greatly against your success. To give every audition everything you’ve got when over 99% of the time you won’t get the role. And then do it again and again.

To leave everything and everyone you know and love behind, in many cases, to pursue this dream. This path is not for the faint of heart.

And yes—while we are making our way, our way is making us.

One of the biggest gifts of the past dozen years has been how this journey has shaped us as human beings. What it has called forth from us, who it has required us to be. These gifts have sometime been hard-won, but I wouldn’t trade our experience and how we have grown for anything.

Twelve years ago, when Dove was fourteen and we decided to make the big move to Los Angeles to give her a shot at her dream, we could never have known what lay ahead. We knew the odds were crazy, but we knew we’d feel better—whatever happened—knowing we had tried. We left everyone we knew behind, packed everything we owned into a moving truck, and drove down the coast from our home on Bainbridge Island.

In the dozen years since, here are some highlights:

  • Dove was cast in her own show, Liv and Maddie, for which she won a Daytime Emmy
  • She played Mal in the three Disney Descendants films, for which she won Favorite Movie Actress at the Kids Choice Awards
  • She acted in 43 different TV shows, including Shameless, Hairspray Live, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Marvel Rising, Schmigadoon, and Big Nate
  • She’s acted in films including Barely Lethal, Dumplin’, Angry Birds 2, and Vengeance
  • On stages in Los Angeles, New York and London, she’s played Sophie in Mamma Mia, Cher in Clueless the Musical, and Clara in Light in the Piazza
  • She signed with Sony/Columbia and began releasing her own music… this year she won Best New Artist at the American Music Awards, and Best New Artist at the VMAs.

 

A few years into this adventure, I decided I wanted to give back and share what I was learning with families like ours. So, I started a blog, and then wrote The Hollywood Parents Guide. Then I began consulting with parents of young actors, and young adult actors, and teaching workshops. I started a podcast, Hometown to Hollywood and wrote two more books, Young Hollywood Actors and Top Hollywood Acting Teachers. I created online courses. And I met thousands of passionate, talented young people and their hardworking, supportive parents.

Meanwhile, Claire joined us in LA, got her degree, and began her work as a voice coach, combining all the things she’d learned from over 15 years of study with her own intuitive technique. She is now one of the top vocal coaches in Hollywood and teaches students all over the world. She’s an extraordinary teacher.

And through the challenges and leaps of faith and all the learning-by-doing, we have been changed. Our way has made us. While we’ve been making our way. I’m so proud of us, and of the impact we’ve made. Dove makes an impact through her art, and through speaking her truth so that others may too. Claire helps people find their voice, both literally and figuratively. I know that my work has helped countless young actors and their families, and I hope I’ve made a difference for you.

What’s next?

As you know if you’ve read my last couple of emails, I’m turning my daily attention to my new endeavor, We Can Books. I’m excited about it, and I’m ready for a new challenge. If you have any 3/4/5-year-olds in your life, check it out. These special books are a fun, intuitive way for a child to learn how to read.

The Hometown to Hollywood website will continue to be here as a resource for you, and you can still access my three books on Amazon. You can also still subscribe to the Hometown to Hollywood podcast and access all 132 episodes for just $5/month. The podcast is probably the best resource around to learn how the industry really works. My hundreds of blog posts will remain for you as well. I’m going to discontinue consultations at the end of this month, on December 1, 2022.

Claire will continue to teach voice, and for anyone wondering if voice lessons can really make a difference, I recommend her highly. Her schedule is often booked solid, but she works with people both in person here in LA as well as via Skype. She’s also working hard to create an affordable membership program and should have that launched by early 2023. You can check her out at https://clairehostermanvoice.com/ .

Dove continues to push herself in both her acting and music career. She’s been working in the studio writing and recording new music and spent the summer in Vancouver filming Schmigadoon Season 2 (Schmicago!) for Apple TV. That should be out in early 2023, along with a couple of other projects. We think there will be an album and tour sometime in 2023 as well.

I’ve come to realize that all the best things in my life have come from taking a risk. Having children. Moving to Los Angeles. Reaching out first to the tall man with twinkly eyes and warm smile. And this—creating Hometown to Hollywood, and the lovely people it brought into my life. So many kindred spirits. Adventurers.

And as I said at the end of my first book, The Hollywood Parents Guide, my personal mantra has become, “May the right thing happen.” I have given up believing I always know what the right thing is. Too many times in my life, what looked like a gift was not, and what looked like disaster was actually a gift.

Our lives have been transformed by the daily acts of faith and courage that helped us put one foot in front of the other when there was no clear path.

Thank you for sharing this part of my journey. I’ve left some good maps for you, and some tools to help you find your way. I wish you and yours all the best. May the right thing happen for you.

Love,

Bonnie

 

 

 

More Blog Posts…

9 Ways to Prepare for the Film & TV Industry to Reopen

Like the first flowers of spring, the film and TV industry is starting to reopen. Will you be ready when it does? Here are nine ways you can prepare to succeed when those auditions start coming your way.     1. Train! One of the silver linings of the pandemic is that just...

Do Your Best and Let it Go.

2020 has been a masterclass in one of the most important lessons for an actor: Do your best, and let it go. So many things are out of the control of actors. You can train, you can prepare, you can be the most talented person in your category on the planet. But if you are not what...

Our Ten Year Anniversary in Los Angeles

  Ten years ago this month my daughter Dove and I moved to Los Angeles from Bainbridge Island, Washington. We literally packed everything we owned into a truck, leaving everyone we knew so she could have a shot at her dream of being a professional actor and singer. She was 14, and...

Silver Linings and Survival under Quarantine

Is anyone else swinging hard emotionally right now? This past month, my internal condition has been shifting between a clear-eyed, grounded and practical place, and a deeply emotional, helpless place. I know I’m not alone. So much feels out of our control. We are worried about our...

How to Find an Agent for Your Child Actor

  There are a few things that everyone knows an actor needs to succeed, and one of them is a talent agent. Some auditions and roles are available without one. But the better opportunities can only be accessed by actors who have an agent submitting them to casting.   So how do...

Disney Channel Looking for New Talent

Disney Channel is looking for exciting new talent RIGHT NOW with an online open casting call for GIRLS AND BOYS who can play ages 8-16. All auditions will be considered for new and upcoming original movies and series produced by Disney Channel.

What Made Me Say Yes to Dove’s Dream

I try to live my life in a way that is consistent with my truth, and so I took a big breath one day after she’d lobbied me yet again to get serious about supporting her dream of being an actor, and I said YES.

Light in the Piazza, and Self-Mastery

  This week I had the great pleasure of seeing opening night of Light in the Piazza at the LA Opera, where my daughter Dove played one of the two leads: Clara Johnson, opposite opera legend Reneé Fleming. I think most parents would be thrilled to see their kid on a huge stage with...

When Your Kid Wants To Take a Break from Acting

Imagine this: You’ve invested years of time and thousands of dollars to support your kid’s passion for acting. Just when things are starting to get somewhere, they announce they want to take a break from acting, and “just be a normal kid.” Now what? An announcement like this can throw...

Descendants 3: Celebrating Love

  Tonight, millions of people will tune in to watch Descendants 3, the eagerly awaited final film of the beloved Disney trilogy. Tonight was supposed to be a celebration of so much… four years of a story that captured the imaginations of people across the globe, five years of love...

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Happy Valentine’s Day! I woke up this morning feeling a profound sense of gratitude. For my health, children, family, friends, fulfilling work… and for you. For all the forms of love in my life. It’s a beautiful privilege to get to share my experience and knowledge with you. The poet...

From TV in LA to Theatre in New York

I hope your 2109 is off to a great start… how is January almost over?? I’ve been thinking about time, and how quickly it goes. Dove was just 14 when we moved to LA to pursue her dream, and she turned 23 this month! Feels like we started on this journey only yesterday. But suddenly nine...

Setting New Year’s Intentions for Actors

How will I make 2019 better than 2018?   New Years is an especially perfect time for actors to ask this question. • Where are you now, and where do you want to be this time next year? • What will you need to do to get there? • What specific actions do you need to take? • What do...

When is it OK to Leave My Child Alone on Set?

  Most parents would prefer to be on set with their kids if given a choice. Kids need support, whether they are just starting their career or are seasoned professionals. In addition to support, there are safety concerns in leaving your child unattended on a set, even if they are...

A Little Love Note for Mother’s Day

It’s the day before Mother’s Day, and I’m writing this from my daughter Dove’s couch. She’s in Vancouver filming Descendants 3, and I’m taking care of her cats while she’s away. Even when our kids grow up and into amazing, independent beings, they still need support. Love in...

36 Benefits of Acting Classes for Kids and Teens

Parents sometimes ask me if acting classes are worth the time and money they require. To me, investing in acting classes is one of the best investments any parent can make: acting training pays dividends over the entire course of a person’s life, no matter where their path may...

Acting, Storytelling, and Documentaries

Sometimes when you are pursuing an acting career (or you are helping your kid do this) it can feel like waiting to be “chosen.” When will someone see how great you are and give you the role that will launch your career? But waiting to be “chosen” is much less powerful than choosing...

Protecting Our Kids from Predators

Predators, sexual harassment, and assault are a danger to our kids both inside and outside of Hollywood. And as uncomfortable as this is to address, ignoring it endangers our kids even more. This past season has been intense—both hard and hopeful. Our society seems to be reaching a...

Mamma Mia and Milestones

This summer I watched my kid, Dove Cameron, perform live over three nights at the Hollywood Bowl, playing Sophie in Mamma Mia. I share this not to brag, but to mark a special moment in our adventure, and to illustrate what is possible. Ten years ago, when she was 11, Dove played Mary...

On Seeing the Whole Staircase: Faith and Perseverance

Earlier this week I posted one of my favorite Martin Luther King quotes on Instagram. MLK knew a lot about faith and perseverance. About starting a journey without a map. And his words are true for any of us approaching a daunting but worthy effort. “You don’t have to see the whole...

Casting Director Workshops—Legal or Illegal?

This week, casting director workshops are in the news. The LA City Attorney served five major casting firms, and twenty-five individuals, with criminal charges in a pay-for-play violation of the Krekorian Talent Scam Prevention Act. Los Angeles is the center of the entertainment...

DO’s and DON’Ts for a Great Headshot

Is your young actors headshot up to date? Headshots can be expensive, but they are important. A good headshot feels natural, and gives a sense of how an actor REALLY looks. Ideally it captures a sense of their inner spirit. Agents, managers, and casting directors want to look into the...

On Being “Good Enough” for the Music Industry

Recently the parent of a young singer asked me what I though of their child’s voice. Was it “good”? Could they have a career in the music industry? Like anyone, I have opinions. But I have learned that my opinion in cases like this isn’t really what matters. Even if I were a...

Thinking About Taking Your Talented Kid To Hollywood?

Does your child want to be an actor? Ask the following two questions before you invest a lot of time or money into a Hollywood adventure. 1. Pay close attention to why your kid wants to be an actor—is it to please you? Make sure they know that you will love them regardless of what they...

A Little-Known Door into Film and TV

It’s no secret that casting for major film and television roles happens largely in Los Angeles for projects that actually film everywhere else: Atlanta, Vancouver, New York, Toronto, New Orleans, etc. To audition for the larger roles an actor needs to be seen by the casting director of...

Is My Young Actor Ready for an Agent?

Just because your kid wants to act professionally, this doesn’t mean they are actually ready to sign with an agent! Acting professionally can be really fun and rewarding. And the more prepared your child is, the more fun and rewarding it WILL be! Read my checklist below to see if your...

Acting as a School of Life

I just spent a few days in Vancouver on the set of Descendants 2 watching the final day of dance rehearsals and then the first two days of shooting…

Top Picks

9 Ways to Prepare for the Film & TV Industry to Reopen

Like the first flowers of spring, the film and TV industry is starting to reopen. Will you be ready when it does? Here are nine ways you can prepare to succeed when those auditions start coming your way.     1. Train! One of the silver linings of the...

read more

Do Hollywood Agents Sign Kids From Out of Town?

Do you have to move to Los Angeles for your kid to get a Hollywood agent? How can you get an agent if you don't live in LA? A parent reached out to me recently after listening to one of my podcasts. The story of featured a young actor who lived far from Los Angeles,...

read more

Acting as a School of Life

I just spent a few days in Vancouver on the set of Descendants 2 watching the final day of dance rehearsals and then the first two days of shooting…

read more