Welcome! I’m running a series here on my blog Interviews With Professionals! where I’m specifically focusing on those in the acting industry! We have a great guest list lined up, so be sure to check back often for new interviews!
Today’s special guest is Olivia Blair, a very talented actress and singer! You have to read this interview, because it will inspire you to go after your dreams, especially if you're interested in pursing the exciting career of acting and performance. It's apparent that Olivia is a hard-working, talented, and dedicated individual, so it’s my great honor to interview her today!
So without further ado, let’s begin the interview!
Tell us your name and how long you’ve been acting!
My name is Olivia Blair and I have been acting for just over 6 years.
What’s your story? What inspired you to end up in the exciting career of acting?
I always loved performing, I’ve been dancing since I was 3 and singing just after that so the passion to be on stage was always there. In high school I never thought that a career on stage was even an option till I was 14 and I started doing the Drama course. It was like love at first sight, it was day one and I had never felt more at home or more excited. I think the fact it was acting out Shakespeare ‘just for fun’ in the first lesson that was a total reset for me, the fact that working hard and studying could actually be fun. After getting the first A in my entire life and even being given an award from the head of depart, I decided this was it, the thing I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
As a voice actor in general, what types of roles do you portray the best and why?
My voice is where my maturity shows most, I have a deep tone and because of my accent I think I tend to sound quite authoritative. So typically I get confident and strong, and definitely less flattering, but older characters. This works for me though as these tend to aline with roles I play in my own life.
We have other actors and voice actors who subscribe to this blog. What piece of advice would you give to someone just starting out in these careers?
This is a wonderful, wonderful career choice. Full of unique days, great people and amazing places you didn’t imagine going. For all its magic it is hard, cruel and unforgiving. You have to love your job unconditionally, flaws and all, so that even after the 15th audition you didn’t get rolls past, you still couldn’t picture doing anything else. It’s not so much advice but I would say is rule number 1 for anyone wanting to be a performer in any form.
The audience is interested in learning about the education path of various actors. Did you go to school for acting or did you study something else? If something else, what did you study and did you find it useful as an actor? Do you think it’s required for an actor to have a degree in this field in order to purse it as a career, or is it possible to self teach?
I was very fortunate in getting to study Musical Theatre so I could learn all of my passions in one go. Even though I did study and learnt lessons that were unbelievably valuable, I have to say everyone is very different. For example I did study Musical Theatre but while there and even after leaving, I taught myself a lot as well. There are lots of books, websites, social media pages, YouTube videos and a lot more resources out there that can be a huge help to your acting development. Formal education is a great path but if that isn’t an option for you that doesn’t mean to say you can’t learn the basics on your own, to give you a head start google Stella Adler.
Any special tips or “hacks” for getting into character?
Getting into character is different for everyone. Some can snap in and out easy but others take time to flow into it. One thing I would always say is to know your character as well as you know yourself. This will make getting into character a lot quicker and easier since you won't be questioning it.
What would be your dream role?
My dream role is complicated. While I love the classics I dream of roles that are completely my own, something I’ve created entirely myself. Think Sigourney Weaver in ‘Alien’ or Tom Hanks in ‘Forrest Gump’, the roles you couldn’t picture anyone else doing.
What role are you the most proud of that you’ve done so far?
One role I’m extremely proud of was actually in college. I landed Sally Brown in ‘You’re a good man Charlie Brown’ a role made famous by Kristin Chenoweth. It can be hard in education, no matter what field, to know where you stand but this was the confidence boost I needed.
If you are currently cast in a role or have recently completed a role, tell us about it!
I’ve recently been cast in the reading for ‘One night with Marilyn’ as the icon herself. While dates aren’t set I’m very excited to get to dive into the mind of such an amazing person and symbolic figure.
Links
Instagram: @oliviablair.xx