The advice every casting director or industry professional has ever given me has always been these four words: CREATE YOUR OWN CONTENT. For years I resisted; “Why can’t I just be an actor??? I’m good enough to find work through the audition grind and the acting hustle. Aren’t I??” For awhile that inner struggle fueled my hunger, reinforced my passion, and pushed me to take risks and fight for myself when no else would. Then I was pulled off my touring theatre gig because of a pretty substantial injury, and I was at home, not working and not acting. I…
Author: Amber Sweet
Amber Sweet
Amber Sweet is an actress best known for her breakout role in the independent short "There's Something in the Woods.” She is a graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, and a proud company member of Kaiser Permanente’s Educational Theatre, where she tours SoCal in the show "What Goes Around.” Amber is a founding member of the up and coming all female comedy group, Full Frontal Females, where she writes, produces, and acts. Amber will be filming two independent features in 2014, "Clarion Falls" and "Pretty Things", as well as hitting the Off-Broadway stage, reviving her role as Bella in the critically acclaimed production of "Women Are Crazy Because Men Are A**holes.”
I have always been cognizant of my health, and was that weird kid who loved vegetables. I worked out diligently and always chose the healthy option, even before the coercion of Hollywood forced me to do so. Luckily, I was naturally athletic and active in sports in high school, so I never really had to worry about my weight. When I finally journeyed on my own, my college roommates and I thought we could survive on pasta and ice cream without consequence. I watched the scale tip and even battled with an eating disorder. All of the sudden I did…
Humans are impressive. I’m often in awe of what our species can accomplish. Doctors perform miracles each day, changing the fate of people who would’ve otherwise lived with an expiration date. A stranger on the street offers a simple smile, a helping hand, and unknowingly changes the mind of someone considering suicide. Our most magnificent trait is the ability to change. Change what we see, what we know. Change ourselves and those around us. Any one of us could wake up tomorrow and decide to change everything. Change our mind-set or attitude, our career, hair color, we could even change our name. Every…
I read a quote a while back that said, “what’s bad for your heart is good for your art.” Whether you agree with that or not, I stand here living proof that what was bad for my heart, was in fact good for my art. 2014 kicked my ass. Plain a simple. It was one of the most challenging years I’ve had in a while, both personally and professionally. Frankly, it was hard to not take it personally. As I pushed through the heartache and forged through the debris of devastation, I ended up coming out on top, and finding…
I love going back home. It’s always been a place where I get to be myself without rejection or judgment or fear of the two. My family has always offered a sanctuary for happiness and laughter, and without fail, I leave refreshed and rejuvenated. As much as I love what I do, the best part is no one is from “the industry”; no one cares what you’ve done or haven’t done and no one is measuring your worth by the amount of credits on your resume. I get to walk into the room with confidence that I will be immediately…
I have always admired actresses who deliver strong, honest performances; who fully expose themselves, both emotionally and physically. I knew early on that if I wanted a career that mirrored the women I most revered in the industry (Kate Winslet, Jennifer Connelly, and Angelina Jolie), I would always have to make bold and brave choices, and at some point I’d have to take my clothes off. This was a hard reality because I struggled for years with body issues, and during the early stages of my career I passed on a few parts strictly because of the nudity. Then I…
I wasn’t going to write this piece, and as I begin to type, I still have my reservations about it. There comes a time when you have to tackle something bigger than you, surrender to what’s right, and fulfill your social responsibility by speaking up. For me, this is that moment. I was sexually assaulted by an agent a month ago. During our meeting he put his hand up my skirt, multiple times, and tried to kiss me. A legit, known agent from a legit, known agency touched me, crossed the line, and then laughed about it. When I confronted…
Recently, I had the great privilege of being offered a part in a magnificent short film with one of my favorite filmmakers. Of course I was honored and thrilled, but the best part? I didn’t have to audition for the part. I mean, can we be honest for a second? Auditioning is kind of the worst. Let me clarify, I welcome and am always grateful for the opportunity to audition; it’s a wonderful thing to have an inbox full of C-mail from your agent and/or recent submission splurge, and I try my damnedest to seize each moment as a chance…
“Slow and steady wins the race” has recently become my mantra — my coping mantra. It was actually something Judy Greer said in her book and I wrote it on a post-it note and now look at it every day, in a conscious effort to keep my head up and my eyes on the prize. A while ago I decided to veer away from my typical non-fiction and picked up two autobiographical books by two very funny ladies, Mindy Kaling and Judy Greer. I’ve admired both women from a distance for some time, identify with them both for separate reasons,…
BFF. Soul mate. The One. We’re lead to believe at a young age to hold on to the people that come into our lives and so long as we cultivate those relationships, they’ll be ever-lasting. Sometimes, despite the blood, sweat and tears, people disappoint, friendships fizzle out, and people grow apart. People filter in and out of our lives for a reason, and it’s up to us who stays, who goes, who’s meant to teach us, and who’s there to learn from us. The older I get, the higher my bar gets. I’ve learned through experience to surround myself with…
Go see live productions. Now. Yes, that is an order. I read an article a while back that said that LA Theatre was dead. Fuck that. It is very alive — and it’s brilliant. It’s the roots and the foundation of what we all love to do, and what we all fight to achieve every day – an honest, genuine performance. Theatre is magical. It’s different than watching a movie or TV show — it’s in your face — brave, naked, and raw, and there’s no take twos. We can get lost in this big city and lose sight of…
I was attached to a script over a year ago that I was very excited to be a part of and for many reasons I won’t bore you with now, the project was put on hold until further notice. Just recently, the script gained some serious investor/producer interest, and things were kicked into high gear; we were given a deadline and it was finally movie making time. The creative team was solidified, the goal was set, and the Indiegogo campaign was launched. Recently, our project was chosen to be a part of a Crowdfunding event hosted by FilmBreak and Idea…
I went Kayaking for the first time last week–I highly recommend it! Not only is it a great work out, the moments in between the exercise are like no other I have experienced; the quietness of the bay and the steady rocking of the water lulled me into a deep, musing meditation. I turned up my Of Monsters and Men Pandora station, leaned back, set my gaze on the beginnings of a spectacular sunset, and settled into what felt like a cinematic “hero’s introspection” moment. For an outgoing actress, I am very much an introvert; I live alone, love alone…
Top beauty magazines and companies sell copies and products by utilizing celebrity names, faces, and likeness; from Proactive™ to CoverGirl™ stars are plastered all over their ads and articles. We all want to know what lipstick Kate Winslet loves and what’s in Kerry Washington’s purse. I figured, since we all have our OWN little beauty secrets (whether we stole them from our mother or Cate Blanchett), I would ask some of the beautiful women in my life “what’s in their bag.” From cleansers to make-up must haves, here is a list of the top favorites from fellow actresses, makeup artists,…