When we have reached a certain point in our lives or careers, we know who we are and we know how to “be” who we are.
Yet that ever-nagging head voice can sometimes get in the way of being ourselves, because we think we are supposed to act or look a certain way. This is where being a woman comes in.
Women are often judged fairly harshly for weight, personal style including beauty, and voice. I bet it was hard at first for actor Melanie Griffith, given her extremely sweet and childish voice even as a young and mature woman. Sometimes voices are so sweet it’s hard to be taken seriously, or they bellow out and sound extremely assertive or over-masculine, turning people away.
How do we (Agents) handle it when clients ask us about the importance of personal style?
The world can be harsh – and it’s something I’m faced with now that my child is in kindergarten – school is where the world of bullying enters the picture. It’s not just children, of course. Mature adults can be bullies.
As a few of my clients are ready to put themselves ‘out there’ on some sort of stage, my advice is this:
Be who you are.
Know that, when you put yourself on stage, you have a high probability of being mentally bullied.
Do what you can to dress up your fears.
Is it weight? Choose clothes that compliment and draw away from the body image. Voice? Practice your speech patterns, and hire an acting coach if you are doing public speaking. Bitchiness? Likeability is so important on stage (don’t we all judge actors at the academy awards by how natural or funny they are when delivering their lines?).
I’m not saying that you need to act like someone you are not. Acting coaches can help you to authentically engage your audience.
Quiet your mind and get the support you need if you feel you are moving away from the real you.
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