Mark Evans Studio

Take a moment. Ask yourself honestly - “What does being a professional actor mean to me?” Not what you think it’s supposed to mean. Not what someone once told you. But to you . If your first thoughts sound something like “If I’m talented, I’ll be discovered” or “I need to get an agent first,” you’re not alone. These ideas are everywhere. But they’re mostly myths - ones that can hold you back and keep you stuck. The truth? Being a professional actor isn’t about waiting to be chosen. It’s about taking ownership. About showing up, even when no one’s watching yet.  Professionalism = Strategy + Consistency + Craft. Let’s start with the talent myth. You’ve probably been told you’re talented. That’s great. But talent alone isn’t a strategy. It’s a foundation - but without structure and direction, it doesn’t take you far. The actors who build careers aren’t always the most talented in the room. They’re the ones who take action. The ones who decide where they want to go, who they want t...

As actors, we are in the business of feeling - honestly, deeply, and in real time. But expression doesn't begin in the voice or the face. It begins in the body, with breath. Students hear me say all the time “drop out of the upper quadrant” - meaning let’s get you into your body. One of the greatest challenges we face is learning to allow emotional truth to move through us without tensing up in resistance. This is a physical act more than an intellectual/mental one. Human instinct tells us to brace against uncomfortable feelings. We tighten our shoulders when we feel exposed. We hold our breath when we're afraid. We shut down when we're overwhelmed. This makes perfect sense in everyday life. But for actors, this instinct can block everything. If we grip against the feeling, we grip against the moment. And suddenly, we’re ‘pretending’  instead of living truthfully. You can sometimes get away with that. I've seen many people on stage performing the play, but I believe, p...

Being a professional actor asks a lot of you, right?! It demands flexibility, passion, sacrifice, and resilience. It’s not a typical job - it’s unpredictable and personal. That’s why it’s so important to find the balance between staying ready for your career and also making space to live your life.  This industry moves fast. Auditions can pop up with barely any notice. Being available is important. The more often you show up, the more chances you give yourself to grow, work, and be seen. But you can’t guarantee that getting the job is going to make you happier. When your entire identity and level of self acceptance revolve around being an employed actor, it’s easy to lose perspective. You start saying no to relationships, hobbies, travel, rest so that you’re available. I, myself, have travelled SO much more of the US than Europe (where I lived much longer) because in my early career I was too afraid to travel in case I missed an audition! If life becomes a game of simply waiting...

Courage is often associated with grand gestures - running into danger, speaking truth to power, standing up for what’s right. But for us actors, courage takes a quieter, more intimate form. To be fully present in the uncomfortable, messy, and often painful parts of being human - the very parts most people spend their lives avoiding. In everyday life, most of us were unconsciously conditioned to manage or suppress difficult emotions. We distract ourselves from grief, deflect vulnerability, and avoid conflict to stay safe and comfortable, which makes sense, right? But acting demands the opposite. To bring a character to life with honesty and depth, an actor must dive straight into the emotional terrain most people tiptoe around. That’s not just a skill - it’s a deeply courageous act. The hardest part? When the character you’re playing behaves and lives in a way that is vastly different from how you live. Maybe they make choices you’d never make, hold beliefs that feel foreign, or expres...

Being a professional actor asks a lot of you, right?! It demands flexibility, passion, sacrifice, and resilience. It’s not a typical job - it’s unpredictable and personal. That’s why it’s so important to find the balance between staying ready for your career and also making space to live your life.  This industry moves fast. Auditions can pop up with barely any notice. Being available is important. The more often you show up, the more chances you give yourself to grow, work, and be seen. But you can’t guarantee that getting the job is going to make you happier. When your entire identity and level of self acceptance revolve around being an employed actor, it’s easy to lose perspective. You start saying no to relationships, hobbies, travel, rest so that you’re available. I, myself, have travelled SO much more of the US than Europe (where I lived much longer) because in my early career I was too afraid to travel in case I missed an audition! If life becomes a game of simply waiting...

I have a friend, Craige - the E is silent - with whom I will immediately be in fits of laughter within literal seconds of seeing him. I recently visited him in Toronto where he was doing a pre-West End run of his show and spending time with him highlighted that I hadn't been laughing as much as I’d like recently. Laughing is important!  In the world of acting, where vulnerability and emotional depth are part of the job description, it’s easy to fall into the trap of taking everything - yourself, your work, your career - very seriously. And while commitment and discipline are essential, laughter is vital and often gets overlooked. Laughter is a powerful reminder that we are human beings first and artists second. It grounds us. It softens the edges. It gives us perspective. In an industry with so much rejection, uncertainty, and high stakes, laughter is not just a break - it’s a form of resilience. It allows you to exhale, let go, and reconnect with the joy that likely drew you to...