Mark Evans Studio

Life has a funny way of reminding us what really matters. Last week, my family and I jumped on a plane to San Diego because it looked like our son was about to arrive. Our incredible surrogate was showing signs that things were moving quickly, so we packed our bags, kissed our routines goodbye, and headed west. A week later... We're still waiting. We've spent three nights in a hotel, followed by several days in an Airbnb that could have benefited greatly from a deep clean, and now we're about to move into another Airbnb as we continue waiting for our little boy to make his entrance. Today, my four-year-old daughter quietly said, "I miss home." It was as though she'd reached into my own head and spoken my thoughts out loud. So we started making a list. "I miss my playroom," she said. "I miss our shower," I replied. "My toys." "Our coffee maker." "My bedroom." "Our bed." "The green car and my car s...

  I heard someone say something on a podcast recently that has been echoing around my head ever since: “Stop trying so hard to make the right choice.” It struck me because it feels so relevant to life in general, but especially to artists. And for us as actors, it couldn’t be more applicable. So much of an actor’s life is spent searching for “the right.” The right interpretation. The right emotion. The right objective. The right way to deliver a line. The right audition. The right agent. The right career move. We become convinced that somewhere out there is a correct answer, and if we can just think hard enough or prepare long enough, we’ll find it. But acting doesn’t work that way. Neither does life. The best work doesn’t come from trying to be right. It comes from being present. From listening. From responding truthfully. From allowing yourself to be actually affected by what’s happening instead of trying to manufacture the “correct” performance.  When you’re focused on maki...