Careers: Acting, Performing, Directing/Overwight Successful Actors

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Expert: - 3/23/2009


Question
According to Height to Weight Ratios What Actors are Overweight and successful ?

Answer
Hi Adam,

Not to be flip, but what does it matter?

I don't know of any studies on the subject. If you are an overweight actor, that's what you are. Try to change if you want, give it your best, and make peace with the results. Some people will never be slim, some will never be anything but skinny. Accepting what you are will do more for you than trying to be something you are not. I am not saying to be complacent, but sometimes life's not fair. You want to be the leading man, yet you are destined for the fat sidekick friend. (Many heavy guys are leads and comedians, by the way. "King of Queens" ring a bell? "Mall cop" -Kevin James is doing ok. Sometimes you want it so bad, you will make it happen. Sometimes nature wins. Not falling for goofy weight loss programs is smart. It's eating right, exercising hard and finding more reward in the long term than the short term satisfaction of that cookie. There isn't "magic pills" or pain-free cures. Simple as that. I have gotten roles and modeling jobs slim and fat. I can go both ways. Winter I gain, summer I lose. Not a good thing, but life gets in the way for me and I just have to get back to the gym after the cold or whatever derailed me and forgo the bad food and work my ass off until I'm happy with how I am.

If this is off-subject, sorry, but there are no reports out there to justify being fat and successful in acting or not. It's all subjective. It depends on the show, the character, all manner of things.

Best,

Taylor

Careers: Acting, Performing, Directing

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Taylor Sheppard

Expertise

I can answer questions: on starting a career in acting, mistakes in acting, etiquette when dealing with industry contacts, finer points on how to act, and things to avoid in the field.

Experience

I have been a professional actor 21 years, with appearances in TV, Film and commercials. I have made good decisions and potentially damaging mistakes. I believe anyone who has a dream deserves to explore it, and I take their aspirations seriously. That being said, I do not pull punches. I try to be tactful, but I will not lie to someone, honesty is more effective. My last film role was in "Teeth" which was picked for Sundance in January 2007. It was sold to Lionsgate and Weinstein Co. for somewhere over 2.5 million. The role was "Mr. Griffith", a sex-ed teacher.

Organizations
Ciao Agency-Austin/Georgetown, Texas. (Formerly known as Donna Adams Agency. Matthew McConaughey was a good friend and fellow member. I also have belonged to agencies in three other Texas cities, but they have since closed.) TXMPA -Texas Motion Picture Alliance. Various other internet networking web rings as well as Actors Access. I was instrumental in advising actress Krista Allen on getting her career in acting started in Austin,Texas (we worked at the same Health Club in the early '90's).

Publications
Previously wrote on a now defunct website such as this one. I enjoyed helping new actors.

Education/Credentials
I have acted for 21 years. I studied under James Nelson Harrell as well as other talented actors at Southwest Texas State University. After college, I have taken classes with Julliard graduate Mona Lee, Bill Johnson, Van Brookes, Marco Perella and others in Austin Texas. I am constantly attending classes to maintain my edge and explore new directions. In addition to attending strictly acting classes, I have also taken business workshops with respected casting directors, such as Shari Rhodes ("Jaws","Close Encounters", "Raggedy Man".) Barbara Brinkley, Jo Edna Bolden and Donise Hardy, (Castingworks LA).

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