All posts by "Ilana Rapp"

Senior Writer
Ilana Rapp is a media-savvy Generation Xer with instinctive wit, quick humor and a taste for deep human emotions. As a former (child) actress with Broadway, film and television credits, she is adept at, well, lots of things. She currently blogs on The Huffington Post and writes entertainment pieces for NYCastings. She is a huge fan of the television show V. Ask her why her favorite number is 22. Follow Ilana on Twitter @LizardLadyNJ.
Actors headshot

There’s one pet peeve that Casting Directors have, and that’s when an actor does NOT look like their headshot. Can you guess why? No need to think about it too ...
Oscar Isaac in Dune

Award Winning Latinx Casting Director CARLA HOOL weighs in on what it’s like to cast Latinx actors in today’s entertainment world. She has been casting film and television for over ...
Pic2

I don’t know about you, but my attention span has been disrupted over the past several years. Recently, I was asked to play a game of Scrabble and just the ...
Feature Pic

If you’re serious about being a dancer and/or choreographer as a career, I highly suggest you start looking into agency representation. Dance is an incredibly important and popular form of ...
Actors can learn to 
manipulate people and situations like a puppet.

There’s a conflict in the acting world of whether an actor should or should not manipulate different types of situations. Then, there’s the conflict of real life manipulation vs. storytelling ...
Sean Penn in The Thin Red Line

Many people believe that bad behavior cannot be successful, however, there are many examples of people who have been successful despite behaving badly. Bad behavior can be successful because it ...
Confident man blame you, frowning and pointing finger at camera, accuse person, judgemental stare, standing over light blue background

We’ve all been there before. Something goes wrong and we’re quick to blame someone else. But is that really the best solution? More often than not, blaming others only makes ...
FeaturePic

In the industry of acting, it is not uncommon to feel pressure from your fellow actors. This pressure can come in the form of competition, comparison and even just simple ...
Pic1

Throughout your acting career, you will experience many different phases. The first phase is the beginning, where you are full of hope and dreams of becoming a successful actor. You ...
Pic1

My father taught me a very important lesson that he learned when he was a boy in school. It was about following the instructions. Very simple, yet why is it ...
Drew Barrymore had a Cameo in Scream

In Hollywood, it’s all about the leading role. The actor who gets top billing and is featured prominently in the trailers and posters. But sometimes, the best performances come from ...
Whats the buzz on social media. a young woman using her phone outside.

In today’s society, it’s all about creating a buzz around yourself. Whether you’re an actor, musician or just a regular “Joe Schmoe”, you need to have a certain level of ...
Spiderman

Anyone here love superheroes? I’m only asking because we’re going to discuss how to play a superhero character. It’s not as easy as it looks! In order to act like ...
Pic

Actors are often thought of as confident, outgoing people. However, many actors are actually highly sensitive. Being highly sensitive means that you are easily overwhelmed by stimuli and you feel ...
feature

The question of what an actor is willing to sacrifice in order to have a successful career is one that is often debated. There are many different opinions on the ...
feature

In the entertainment industry, it is not uncommon for actors to experience financial instability. This is often due to the volatile nature of the industry, as work can be sporadic ...
Behind the Scenes for Dress Rehearsal

In any form of theater, be it a play, musical or opera, rehearsal is essential to the success of the production. Without rehearsal, actors would not know their lines, singers ...
How To Book More Acting And Modeling Gigs By Using DirectSubmit

It’s not as hard as you may think to submit yourself for acting and modeling roles. With a little research and some elbow grease, you can be on your way ...
Evolution of a Character

In a work of fiction, a character undergoes an evolution as the story progresses. This is often due to the character’s interactions with other characters, as well as the challenges ...
Wanda Sykes and Adam Devine in Jexi

Comedy is often said to be one of the hardest genres to act in. Nailing the perfect comedic timing, delivery and facial expressions can be a daunting task for even ...