Life Updates & My Experience As A Background Actor

Welcome to my Blogger With a Twist—a podcast about lifestyle, self-improvement, and personal stories.

Hello, everyone.  Hopefully, you are all experiencing a wonderful day.  For this episode, I share my latest updates about my tooth extraction and a wedding I attended on March 23rd.

Along with a storytime about my experience as a background actor over the years on movie sets, music videos, and more.

That said, grab your snacks, and let's get this episode started.

Click the link below to check me out in the music video. Between the frame of 0:47 and 0:48 you can see me in a blue and white plaid shirt.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0HjI5FvoMc

Check out Heery-Loftus Casting on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/heeryloftuscasting

Chapters

• 0:00 Intro
• 0:59 Life Updates
• 5:34 My Background Acting Journey
• 18:46 Advice & Ending

Transcript

00:08
Hey everyone, my name is Brooke, your fellow podcaster from the East Coast, content creator, creative artist, and entrepreneur, and welcome to my podcast, Blogger with a Twist. So basically on my podcast, I'll mainly be doing topics about lifestyle. I may do a couple rants or story times about my life.

00:31
or whatever comes to mind  that is the gist of this podcast.  So if any of you guys find that interesting, definitely share the podcast, subscribe, also tell your friends or family, and last but not least, get your favorite snacks, your popcorn, whatever you like to eat, sit back and relax, and let's get this episode popping.

00:59

 So I know in my last episode I told you guys that I wasn't too sure if I was coming out with an episode this week because of my tooth extraction that I had last Friday because typically for me

01:25
When I record my episodes, I record them on the same week that I release them.  And, you know, I didn't know if I was going to be up to recording at all this week,  but thankfully I am and I'm feeling  and I'm feeling  pretty good.  So the surgery went well.  I will say that when they did pull out

01:47
my tooth I definitely felt more pressure than when I got my other teeth extracted last year. I don't know if it was because the tooth was infected or because it was the last  molar on the right side of my mouth like on the bottom. I don't know but when I tell you guys I was clenching my fist and closing my eyes just waiting for it be over  which I mean wasn't a long time but still I was just like oh my gosh why is this so

02:17
pressure  but I'm definitely doing better. I'm still kind of on a soft food diet  but I've been trying to eat more so on the left side of my mouth instead of the right side where the extraction site is at to avoid any  complications or the extraction site getting reinfected or anything like that but yeah surgery went good and then also I forgot to

02:47
tell you guys something so I think it was episode number six. I mentioned briefly about me going to a wedding on Sunday, March the 23rd. And honestly you guys, my boyfriend and I, we had a really good time at the wedding. It was such a beautiful day. The wedding was inside of this mansion. Outside of the mansion, they had this area set up for the ceremony, which was directly behind

03:17
this beautiful body of water and you know the sun was just shining perfectly and so after the ceremony we had cocktail hour inside of the mansion so it was unlimited drinks so I had like a Shirley Temple and then I had the drink that the bride and groom chose for their drink which was kind of like a Bay Breeze and if you guys don't know a Bay Breeze is probably one of my favorite drinks to get if I go out

03:44
because it's more of a sweet drink but at the same time I feel like those are the drinks that you have to look out for which are the ones that taste really sweet or they taste like juice because they can sneak up on you if you have too many.

03:58
But anyway, so yeah, I had some drinks, also had some food. They had  these little mini chicken sliders coming out and they also had different food stations. So it was one station that had macaroni and cheese and you can customize it by adding more cheese or bacon or broccoli.

04:17
and they also had one for mashed potatoes, then another one for like Italian food, so garlic bread, some pasta with a red sauce, and then I'm thinking it was probably mussels, but I don't eat mussels anyway, but overall, you know, it was good. And then for dinner, I had steak with some type of a...

04:40
cream like white cream garlic sauce and potatoes and green beans and my boyfriend had ravioli  and like I said I'm so happy I decided to  get my tooth taken out the week after that because I cannot imagine trying to  eat steak after getting my tooth taken out I'm just saying so yeah overall was a good experience I had a good time and it definitely gave me some ideas about

05:08
when my boyfriend and I decided to get married because I really liked the idea of having a wedding inside of a mansion. Like it was just really nice. And then I guess other than that you guys today's episode, I thought that I would share with you all my experience of being a background actor extra, however way you want to say it. So that being said, grab your snacks and let's get this episode popping. So before I get started in telling you guys about my experience and stuff like

05:38
I want to kind of go back a little bit in time about how I got started So I first started getting an interest in modeling and acting when I was around 14 or 15 years old So because of that my mom ended up enrolling me  into John Casablanca acting in modeling school located in Langhorne PA I went there  I want to say maybe for about a year or so I graduated and then after I graduated I

06:08
up going to this casting agency I think it's called Nine Nine and I was there for a little while and I think that's where I kind of started to lose my interest in modeling and acting so that kind of went on a back burner for a couple years. When I was in my  20s I started to look on Craigslist for different acting gigs and stuff like that and I actually did get a few acting gigs off of Craigslist

06:38
which I know a lot of people feel like Craigslist is sketchy but I feel like anytime you look at something online there's always a possibility that it probably could be sketchy because it is online and not everything online is always 100 % accurate. As far as the acting gigs that I did get off of Craigslist there was one that was in New York and I don't remember if it was for a tv show a music video I

07:08
I remember but I did have to go to New York and that was cool. I'm trying to think did I get paid for that? I'm not sure I don't remember. So that was that one and then there was another one which I think was also not paid but it was here in Philly and it was for a music video. I'm pretty sure the music video is probably still on YouTube. Um  if I can find it I'll try to link it in the description of this episode. But definitely  Craigslist did help me uh  land some acting gigs

07:38
It also helped me land some writing gigs as far as writing for different magazines and publications and stuff like that. So after dealing with Craigslist, I did start kind of venturing out and actually applying to different casting agencies and stuff like that. I would definitely say my biggest break was when I got casted as a background  actor for the movie Creed 2.

08:06
which I believe was back  in 2018. So the name of the casting company that actually booked me for Creed 2 is called Heery-Loftus Casting, they're located here in Philadelphia. I forgot how I even found out about them. I think one day I was just on Facebook and I think I was looking up casting agencies or something like that. And so  I ended up getting booked.

08:30
three times. So the first time was for a volunteer scene.  And so that shoot, had to be on set at six o'clock in the morning, six a.m. OK. And I believe it was over  at like two o'clock, three o'clock in the afternoon. So if you guys remember, there is a scene in Creed 2 where Michael B. Jordan is coming inside a boxing ring and it's really dark. You got like these flashing white lights and it's kind of like creepy music. So that is

09:00
the scene  and it's so funny with that scene because I think a lot of people think that it was shot during the night time but it was actually shot in the morning it's just the building that we were in and made it appeal or look like it was at night time

09:16
They did have us put our phones away like in this little little case because technically you're not supposed to take pictures and stuff like that because even if you're doing volunteer work or you are a paid background actor at the end of the day, you're there to work and you're not there to be a fan or paparazzi. Now I do remember there were a few people that did get kicked off of  set.

09:42
because they did sneak and take pictures and they did things they wasn't supposed to do. I remember  one time I heard this girl yell Wakanda forever. I'm thinking to myself, okay, all right, girl, you really are a fan of Michael b. Jordan, okay. I did get to have lunch afterwards,  which was pretty much like cold sandwiches and juice, nothing too too special. And then the second scene I was booked in, I couldn't even go.

10:08
because it was last minute and I could not call off of work. And that scene was, I think, shot at Max's or Maxi's is basically a place here in North Philadelphia that sells cheese steaks and then.

10:24
The last scene, that is when I was casted as a paid background actor. I kind of mentioned a little bit, I think in my last episode about where I sent in like 50 submissions because that was the last time that they were casting and booking background actors and stuff like that. So I remember the day that I actually got the email saying that I was actually booked. I was out with my mom. I think we had just came from Arby's or some type

10:54
fast food place  and I got the email saying congratulations you've been you've been picked for this scene. So the scene was kind of like an upscale Vegas rooftop party so I had to go home and find something in my closet that screamed  Vegas rooftop party upscale fancy and luckily I did have a black dress so I had to dress the shoes so after my mom

11:21
drove me back to the house to change. She then drove me to set. So I believe the call time was 7 p.m. And so when I got inside, I had to check in and also they had like a station for if you needed extra clothes or props to add to your wardrobe. And then also if you needed some makeup done.

11:44
So I did get some makeup done, but as far as my clothes, they told me I did not need anything because your girl was perfect. OK, so after that, I basically just sat downstairs with the rest of the extras and just waited for the directors and stuff to call us upstairs to actually film the shot. Because during that time that we were waiting, Michael B. Jordan was filming some scenes. So we had to kind of wait for that, which is something else. I feel like you will learn about being

12:13
I guess a background actor or working on a movie set is that

12:16
There are lot of takes and sometimes it can be a lot of waiting around. So I want to say that finally after about two hours, two and a half hours of us waiting downstairs, they finally called up the extras. So we had to take this elevator up to the top floor. So when we got up there, they had everything kind of like decorated, you know, thinking you was actually in Vegas at a rooftop party. So they kind of broke us up into groups. So it was like groups of three. I was in a group with these

12:46
two other people that was really cool. We did a couple of shots and then we had like a little intermission and I had walked over to one of the directors during the intermission and I asked him like look my feet is kind of hurting with these heels can I take off my shoes real quick  and Michael B Jordan walks like through the door. To this day I think that's one thing I regret is that I did not say hi to him but my whole thing is that he had these two other girls

13:13
one standing on each side of him. So  to me, I'm thinking, well, I don't know who these girls are.

13:18
I know if they are groupies fans. I don't really know. So yeah, I basically kept talking to the director. Like I did not see Michael B Jordan  and I know I was in close enough proximity to say hi to this man, but I didn't.  So yeah, after I talked to the director, they did a couple more shoots and then we eventually  did have lunch at like one o'clock in the morning. Also, I forgot to add that

13:44
If you guys have ever seen that show called Lincoln Heights, the dad that played on that show was actually.

13:51
on set that night and it was really cool just to see him and hearing him crack jokes and just being real because you know sometimes when you meet celebrities sometimes they be acting all bougie and fake and stuff like that so  um i remember telling one of the other girls that met on set that i was this close to michael b jordan and i remember her telling me well why didn't you say hi to him and i told her well look girl i didn't know who those girls were that was on his arms um i will definitely say when you're paid extra or

14:21
Maybe when you are on a movie set of like a major movie or something like that, I don't know. I feel like the food just is better. That food definitely, oh my gosh, we had so much food. They had different stations. They had like a dessert station.  Um all these different juices, sodas. I think they had like wings. What was really awesome is that they even gave us containers that we could take some food home. Like, so that was a really cool

14:48
time and just my first time being on a like a major movie set and just seeing everything that goes behind the scenes. Because I feel like a lot of people don't realize that the stuff that you see in the movies and stuff like that, some of the things that you see on camera are not really real. Perfect example.

15:05
In the scene that I was, I got paid for, which I feel like they never even used that scene in the movie. I don't know why. I remember they gave everybody like this fake money. Like from the distance, if you saw the money, you would probably think it was real, but it was actually fake. And then they gave us these cups, which you would probably assume was alcohol in the cups, but I think it was

15:27
just soda. So like I said, there are a lot of things that to the eye when you're watching a movie you think is real, but in actuality it's just made to look real. That was that. then the second movie that I got booked as an extra for was, I think it was 17 Bridges  and Chadwick Boseman starred in that movie. If you guys don't know who Chadwick Boseman is, he played the main character of Black Panther, but that shoot was more so considered an overnight shoot because

15:56
because I think I had to be on set either 8 o'clock at night. It was definitely in the evening.

16:03
but I did not get home to after six o'clock in the morning the next day. Despite it being cold outside, okay, they did have food trucks outside. So in case you wanna get like a little snack in between of filming, they had like this one food truck, they had chili, which was really good. They have some other food trucks. So after doing a couple of scenes, we had lunch, I think at like one o'clock in the morning, somewhere around that time. Um we walked over to this building to have

16:33
lunch

16:33
And I have to say if I had to compare the food from the set on Seventeen Bridges versus Creed 2, I would definitely say the food on the set of Creed 2 in my opinion was a little bit better. But overall the food was still good. I don't think I took any food home, but um I feel like that was a long night. I think more so because the weather, it was cold outside versus when I did Creed 2, it was more like in the summertime. I mean, I think it did rain.

17:03
that night, but it wasn't cold outside. Now I will tell you guys this much. I really feel like I had a chance to bump into Chadwick Boseman when the extras and stuff was walking over to the building to have lunch. I felt like I did see Chadwick Boseman in the crowd and I just feel like if I had been walking a little bit faster, okay, I probably could have bumped into him, seeing him on set. And I think also you have some people that wonder do actors look the same in person as they do on TV?

17:33
and stuff like that and honestly seeing both Chadwick Boseman and Michael B. Jordan in person to me they both look the same. Um that was a cool experience I feel like those two movies especially Creed 2 probably like my biggest highlights of movies that I've been

17:50
booked as an extra in because it made me feel like well maybe I'm really making it okay. Now there was another time that I was booked to be an extra for Empire the TV show but unfortunately I didn't go because number one I didn't have the money to fly to Chicago and number two it was at very last minute and I couldn't just take off of work and I feel like to this day I do kind of regret that decision because I often think about well what if I just had o

18:20
taken that risk, went to Chicago. I never, you know, you never know what could have happened. Maybe I could have gotten more background work. I don't know, but I couldn't get to Chicago. But overall, you guys, my experience of working as extra on a movie set and just doing background work has been great. I definitely feel like it's one of those things that you can definitely check off on your bucket list as a once in a lifetime experience. As far as my tip or advice for anybody that wants to get into background

18:50
acting or something like that. You can definitely look into getting an agent or look into signing up for like an agency or something like that to help you find different casting calls and stuff like that. Or if you want to save some money and do it my way you can just look up different reputable acting companies and websites and stuff like that and see when they are posting about

19:16
booking extras or check out their social media profiles and stuff like that to see when they are posting. But yeah you guys um doing some background work honestly I feel like it's one of the easiest thing to do with acting because you don't really have any lines to say or memorize but also meet new people. I would definitely say if you want to get into background acting definitely go for it. As far  as the reason why I feel like I kind of took a step back with acting after I got casted for those movies.

19:46
Is mainly because of COVID-19 when that happened I just didn't really feel comfortable being around a lot of people but a part of me still kind of thinks about well maybe I should start researching and looking for more acting gigs and stuff like that because honestly doing background work is so easy you guys. So that being said you guys um I don't think I missed anything. Like I said overall I've had a really good experience of being a background extra and stuff like that and like I said

20:15
before if you want to pursue something like that like I said do your research look for reputable companies and stuff like that and see when there looking for extras and stuff like that and most importantly do not give up because like with any job you may not get the first casting call but I feel like not giving up may land something really good so thank you guys again for listening to this episode about me just sharing about my experience and stuff like that definitely share the podcast

20:45
And until my next episode, I hope you guys have a great day. Stay blessed, stay positive,  and peace.