Pregnant Pause

I was all set to write a post beweeping my outcast state.  You see, no one wants to hire a pregnant actor.  Or, perhaps they do, but the roles are few and far between, and I'm not playing in the Big Leagues, so those roles don't filter down to me.

I've been somewhat depressed lately, troubling deaf heaven with my bootless cries, because I am finally at a point where I feel I can do a show again.  Where I feel I deserve to do a show again.  The Boy is weaned.  My supplementary schooling is over.  I'm finally at a point where I feel I can commit to outside activities with relatively no guilt, and what do I do?  I go and get myself pregnant.  On purpose (well, if not entirely on purpose, at least not by mistake).  I can only look upon myself for this minor quandry.

What I didn't realize was that at this point, many of the shows don't go up until November.  While some directors may be willing to cast a visibly pregnant woman, no one will cast someone who may go into labour during a performance.  Not wise.  But while I was wishing myself like to one more rich in hope, I realized that in these thoughts, I should myself almost despise.

For me, this is a temporary casting dilemma.  For many people, casting difficulties are a daily reality.  We are making some headway into colour-blind casting, we're not there yet by any means.  So many wonderful actors are not getting adequate representation in theatre or on tv/film.  Casting directors will argue that if the acting is good, that colour is not an issue - that they've cast the best person for the role.  Perhaps that is true.  Perhaps we should go to the very beginning of the problem, and start with the network executives and the writers.  Perhaps the argument should be that if the writing is good, then the colour of the actor cast will not be an issue.  That's why the classics like Shakespeare lend themselves so well to "colour-blind casting".  And, consequently, why the best shows on TV - like Lost, Grey's Anatomy, The Sopranos, Battlestar Galactica, 24, The Office to name a few - are fairly ethnically diverse.  The bottom line is that these shows are about the people, they're about the rich characters, and not necessarily the situation.  And for Hollywood, at least, the characters are relatively "real", and the divers-er casting reflects that. 

Casting blinkers don't stop at colour.  Don't even get me started on older women trying to get roles in Hollywood..it saddens me that my chances at getting cast in any show at all lessen every day that I get older.  Theoretically, I will only get better at acting as I age, but that won't count for much if there are no roles for older women.

I think it's time to show the network execs, that not all shows have to have young/good-looking/thin/caucasian actors to be successful.  If you're with me, turn the channel.  Or better yet, turn off the tv altogether and go read a book.  In some ways, we have ourselves to blame.  The execs are all about money.  The are pitching shows that have formulas that have worked in the past and are likely to make money for them in the present.  If we show them that these shows don't cut it anymore, they will be forced to make some changes in their programming. 

Anyways back to making this all about me (don't all actors do that?)...I'm so happy about our upcoming arrival, that I'm ashamed of myself for being down, simply because I can't do a show right now. Part of it is due to the fact that I know what work a newborn entails, and I'm trying to squeeze in some me-time before the wee one arrives. Part of me is just itching to get back on stage again.  But a whole big whopping part of myself -thankfully - knows that what I'm creating is better than any role out there.  And with that sweet love remember'd such wealth brings that then I scorn to change my state with kings.

But if anyone is looking for a preggo actor, you'll let me know.. right?

Comments

[Sagefemme]

Um...I'm looking for a playdate with a preggo actor. Is that good enough?

I get so weirded out when I see male actors who are in their 50s playing opposite women who are in their 30s and the intention is not to show a couple with an age difference. It bugs me, actually. Why can't there be a woman his age hired to play his wife?

And don't ever get me started talking about LotR. As interesting as it was to watch the Special Features with all the tricks Peter Jackson used to make the actors playing the hobbits look small, I couldn't for the life of me figure out why he didn't just hire excellent actors who happened to be hobbit height. You can't tell me that there aren't talented people out there under 5 foot.

[bubandpie]

It is a long haul, these having-our-babies years. Bub and Pie are twenty months apart, and as soon as the Pie was born, I felt as if Bub had suddenly become much, much easier to parent. Perhaps it was just the contrast to the demands of a newborn, but I promised myself, "When the Pie is 20 months old - then it will get easier."

As it turned out, Pie didn't really become easier to handle until she was about 21 months old - but I was pretty close. I have a sense of life opening up again now - I feel freer, more able to reclaim some of the things that were important to me before. I tell myself that it was a good idea having my kids so close together - because I never had a chance to get used to this freedom only to give it up again.

[metro mama]

If you wait for the right time to start project #2 you won't do it! Just look at me. I'm lucky though, what I'm doing is a little more accomodating. You have a tough business my dear.

[painted maypole]

I hear you on this one! It is worth the wait, of course, but it is hard. The theatre just calls out to us, doesn't it? And as an actor you're so accustomed to looking for the next gig, that it's hard to let that go for a while. I moved to a new town when I was pregnant, and theatre is such an outlet for me to meet people and express myself, that it was AWFUL to not be auditioning and rehearsing and performing! I had my first audition a month after The May Queen was born, and started rehearsals for Dancing at Lughnasa when she was 6 weeks. On breaks from rehearsal I sat in the bathroom and pumped. ;)

[christine]

So sorry that your acting has been put on a hold for a while.

And I'm with Sage--it is very weird to some 20 year old playing opposite this 50-60 something men. Silly.