Inside booking and performing a co-starring role on Ally McBeal
© Stephon Fuller
March 14th 2000
I attended a workshop with Kara Lipson, from the office of Valko/Miller Casting, which casts such popular TV series as "Ally McBeal", "Dharma & Greg" & "Malcolm in the Middle". The workshop went well. In my scene I was cast as a defense attorney. Kara was really cool, with kind of a "bohemian feel".
November 8th 2000
I get an appointment for "Ally McBeal". The 10am pre-read goes well and I get a callback for 4pm the same day. The callback was just okay, not bad, but I didn't think I'd get it.
CUT TO:
August 2nd, 2001
I get another appointment for "Ally McBeal". When my agent calls she tells me that Kara Lipson called because my postcard happened to come in at the right time. I had just finished sending out 411 postcards to the LA Casting Directors. The character I was to read for had just one line. I have done smaller roles on several shows and am looking to step up to larger roles. At the same time I have to be careful what I decide "not" to audition for. The pre-read for this one line goes really well. I felt like I reached my goal of giving the scene a "beginning, middle & end", but still throwing it away. I get a callback on the spot for an hour later (great, I don't have to drive all the way to Hollywood and back). While waiting for my callback I go visit my friend who is a stand-in for "Boston Public". My friends' friend is 1st A.D. on the show. They take me on-set and I watch them shoot for a while. She offers to walk my photo over to the "Boston Public" casting office for me. The callback for "Ally" with casting, producers & director goes really well. Several days later I get the news that I have been cast. WOW, postcards do work!! Actually, I knew that and use them as a large part of my promotion. My agent was giving me the details: the amount of money, billing, work schedule & the size of my trailer. My agent then asked me if I wanted to do it. Umm, yeah!! That night the production office messengers a script to my apartment. A couple of days later I am scheduled for my wardrobe fitting. They put me in these really cool duds that I can't afford to wear in my real-life. After the fitting I was taken to hair & make-up. They wanted to know what I normally put in my hair so they would have it when it came time to shoot. Are you kidding me!!! On my way out I ran into Kara and she asked what they had me wearing. I told her about the cool outfit and she said they could be trying to get me noticed. I am portraying Ling's (Lucy Lui) video photographer. She said that if this storyline continues there is a possibility that my role could return. Cool.
Go To Page: 1 2
