‘The Office’ Alum Gives Sage Advice for Actors
Most of you know her as the wittiest, most adorable receptionist in TV history, Pam Beesly. Behind the character is Jenna Fischer, a hardworking self-made success who knows a thing or two about the struggle of a Hollywood actor. A while back, Jenna – co-star and alumna from majorly successful NBC show The Office – wrote a piece on her experience as an actor in LA, and her rise to success. We’re bringing it back because this sage advice for actors is some of the best we’ve heard. While many believe Fischer was an ‘overnight success’, she had actually lived in Los Angeles for 8 long, challenging years before she booked The Office. Years prior, she had barely booked any paid work as an actor and was just another competitor in the rat race — but as you may have heard from Harrison Ford, it took him a dozen years to become an ‘overnight sensation.’ His advice? Don’t give up. Those who make it are the ones who last.
“I chose acting primarily because it is a place where I found a sense of purpose and I had the ability and the agility for it, but it was a long time before I was successful at it,” Ford says. “I had an ambition to do what I ended up doing, and persisted when others had said I couldn’t do it. There were a lot of people I worked with in that same time period who gave up. But I prevailed and tenacity was a big part of the reason. I didn’t give up. I didn’t quit.”
Fischer details the negativity and obstacles she encountered in her near-decade of ladder climbing – but a few things that kept her resilient were hard work, saying ‘yes’ more often, a support system, and smart networking.
…Success in Hollywood is based on one thing: Opportunity meets Readiness. You cannot always control the opportunities, but you can control the readiness. Study your craft, take it seriously. Do every play, every showcase, every short film, every student film you can get. Swallow your pride. Be willing to work for nothing in things you think are stupid. Make work for yourself. Make your own luck. Don’t complain. Hopefully, the work will find you if you are ready.
If you already live in LA and you’re always on that grind, or if you’re thinking of moving to LA to pursue acting — this article is an incredibly profound, honest portrait filled with sincerity about Hollywood culture, things you can expect, and really great advice. Fischer endured years of rejection and struggle before she landed the role that changed her entire life and set the foundation for her career.
Moral of story: Stay hungry, keep working hard, keep saying ‘yes’.