This is the LAST installment of the Interview with Lady Macbeth series! Katherine Banos answers a dilemma that every performer has felt at least once in their professional lives: Is acting going to work out? My favorite quotes of hers are in this article. Let’s end this series with a bang!
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If you haven’t read the previous articles (which I highly recommend), click here for Part 1 (on rejection) and here for Part 2 (on her acting methods)! Let’s get started, shall we?
When people choose to abandon [acting], or choose to make their Plan B their Plan A out of fear, they’re doing themselves a disservice.
-Katherine Banos
Jessica Bell: … And this is the last question—if someone was on the fence about being an actor or actress, what would you tell them?
Katherine Banos: I feel like the reason why—obviously there could be a million reasons [why] somebody’s on the fence — but I think sometimes the reason why people are on the fence, and understandably so, is because of financial reasons and just the understanding or the question of, “Is this gonna work out?” And I think that’s a fair question and concern to have, given the economy and the world that we’re living in. However, acting is something that takes a lot of passion, and I think when people choose to abandon it, or choose to make their Plan B their Plan A out of fear, they’re doing themselves a disservice, because even though I’m only 25, I would truthfully believe that for the rest of your life, that would haunt you. And theater, TV, film; as much as it is entertainment and sometimes people like to trivialize it, it’s always going to be there and especially with theater — but even more so with TV, too — it’s just such a huge reflection of where we are at as a society and how we treat each other as people, and people can trivialize it all they want in passing, but people know — whether consciously or subconsciously — that it’s important; when it’s in every part of our culture: people are constantly talking about movies they’ve seen, TV shows they’ve watched, plays that they’ve been to, plays that they may have been in, so I think the thing is, if you’re passionate enough and you’re committed to the idea of being resilient, it’s just a really fun ride, because you start to learn so much about yourself and your work ethic and there’s just something very courageous and empowering, knowing that you hold the key to your own future.
There’s just something very courageous and empowering, knowing that you hold the key to your own future.
-Katherine Banos
Because it just takes a long time, and every single part of making your life work is part of being an actor, so if you’re going through three months like I have — and I still work 5 jobs — but if you go through three months where all you’re doing is working to save up money and you’re not in a play at that time, it doesn’t mean you’re not an actor, it means that you’re saving money to still be able to continue your art, so I just think if somebody is on the fence, you’ve gotta do it full-heartedly, without any reservations, because you’re just never going to know until you try.
If somebody is on the fence, you’ve gotta do it full-heartedly, without any reservations, because you’re just never going to know until you try.
-Katherine Banos
And my big suggestion, truthfully, because I’ve seen it happen with so many people, is that Plan B’s are great — I understand when people are like, yeah, maybe I’d be into arts admin — but you should only be doing this if you literally cannot see yourself doing anything else. And if you really feel like you can’t see yourself doing anything else — genuinely, if you can’t do anything else — and be happy, then don’t make those Plan B’s so important, because it will become your Plan A, and I’ve seen it happen, people are like how did 6 years go by and I not perform? And it’s like, well, because you chose to get a 9 to 5 job that you can’t audition, and you’re close to the art but you’re not fully there. And you could still be involved in companies and not act and still be an actor, I’ve done that constantly; I’ve interned at so many different companies, general management departments, I’ve worked as box office managers, I’ve produced, I’ve stage managed, I’ve assistant stage managed, I’ve read stage directions in readings, all of that is valid and part of being an actor, because you need to meet people, you need to get your name in companies, and you need to learn, but it’s just that commitment of knowing that the highs and lows are all worth it and part of it. So yes, it’s scary, but it’s like my acting coach has always said to me, you will always live a much more interesting and fulfilled life when you lead from a place of love instead of fear. And he always says to me, I invite you to make choices that are rooted in love and not fear, and just see what happens. And I just think that’s so present in what this is, you know?
You will always live a much more interesting and fulfilled life when you lead from a place of love instead of fear.
-Katherine Banos
J: You just gave me chills. Because this morning — I do these things called angel cards, so I’ll deal myself 3 cards, I’ll ask the question, I’ll be like, hey, what should I focus on today?
K: Oh cool! Is this like tarot?
J: It’s kind of like tarot because it is a card format, but they’re called Angel Cards and there’s archangel Gabriel and archangel Michael and those are the ones that I have. So I drew my cards, and one of the cards that I got today was Lead with Love.
K: Oh that’s so funny, that’s so weird!
J: Yeah, and so I sort of got chills!
K: That’s so crazy!
J: Visceral reaction, do you see this? *My eyes were tearing up*
K: Oh yeah! Oh that’s so cool!
J: I love stuff like that.
K: It’s so true, cuz honestly the world is too crazy and life’s too short to not be doing what you want to do. And I also know that that’s a very privileged thing to be saying, because there are people who struggle in more ways than one that are much much deeper and much more difficult than any struggle I’m currently dealing with, so obviously it’s a privilege to be an actor, but you should never be apologetic for wanting to be one, because it can work.
You should never be apologetic for wanting to be [an actor], because it can work.
-Katherine Banos
It takes a lot of time and money, and what’s scary about it is you think about how much time and money it takes to be a lawyer or a doctor, right? There’s an understanding with that investment that more likely than not, you will get a job. It might take 8 years of medical school, and hundreds of thousands of dollars, but you will likely get a job. The problem with acting is you could go to the best school in the world, you could train with all [of] the most amazing coaches, you could put all this money and time in, and you’re technically never guaranteed a job. But that doesn’t make it not worth it, because I just believe work begets work. And if you’re constantly leading with the idea of doing good work and getting better, it’s just a matter of time, because people drop out.
Every year, 500,000 people move to Los Angeles to be an actor, and after 2 years, 250,000 of those people leave. […] It’s really just [the] idea [that] you’re waiting in line, and you’re just waiting for people to get out of line.
-Katherine Banos
There’s this crazy statistic; every year 500,000 people move to Los Angeles to be an actor, and after 2 years 250,000 of those people leave — completely leave the industry — so it’s not people who are like, oh, now I want to be a director, which is more than valid, cuz that’s another thing too — especially for young actors — that I think we forget, [it] doesn’t mean you’ve failed because you’ve found another interest in the industry, it actually means that acting probably informed what you were actually meant to do. Because I have so many friends who are now writers and producers who studied acting in school, and they’re like, I want to be a writer so much more. So yeah, it’s really just [the] idea [that] you’re waiting in line, and you’re just waiting for people to get out of line. And at some point, you’ll get to the front and there’ll be casting directors that you’ve met multiple times who are like, wow, I’ve seen this person all the time, I think it’s finally time to get them something. Cuz it’s really just numbers. Cuz I’m a full believer that if you’re committed, you’ll book a co-star, I’ll book a co-star, I know we will, it’s not like it’s unattainable. And it’s not even me in a cocky way, it’s just statistically —
J: It’s gonna happen!
Cuz I’m a full believer that if you’re committed, you’ll book a co-star, I’ll book a co-star, I know we will, it’s not like it’s unattainable.
-Katherine Banos
K: — If you put time in, you’ll book your co-star, you’ll book a guest star, you’ll book a recurring, you might book a series; the only reason I say might, is because everybody has such different interests that sometimes not everybody ends up booking a series, [they] might want to do something else. But all of that comes with time and commitment to it, and understanding [the act of] staying in your lane and not worrying about what that person next to you is doing. If anything, I’d rather — even people I don’t like — I’d rather people I know, more often than not, get cast in something, than random people, because what’s nice is when I see people I know and I’ve worked with to an extent booking big things. I’m like, wow, holy [moly], this stuff is not unattainable!
J: It’s not a legend.
K: I have a friend I went to college with who just announced — because she had to keep it under wraps — she’s a new part in Frozen 2! And I’m like, how… how!? I don’t know how she got it — but granted she has really great management — but I’m like, wow, suddenly that movie that’s a major major franchise doesn’t feel like this high-pedestal thing anymore, because I know somebody [who’s] working on it. A girl I went to school with is also the lead on Riverdale!
J: Oh my gosh!
K: She plays…
J: Betty?
K: Veronica!
J: Veronica! Wow! Oh my gosh!
It means that you’re on the right path, when you start to surround yourself with people who are doing things. […] It’s just encouraging, like, oh yeah, you could do this, you definitely could do this.
-Katherine Banos
K: And I have a friend I went to school with that’s going to be in the new Top Gun movie, and I would rather see all of those people get cast, because it doesn’t mean I’m less worthy or valuable in that sense, because I wasn’t even in those rooms, so who [cares] if they booked those parts? We’re not in competition, because I’m not even in the rooms. But it’s the idea of, that’s so great, instead of seeing these strangers, because then it means that you’re on the right path, when you start to surround yourself with people who are doing things. And even though I don’t talk to those people — it’s not like we’re close friends — it’s just encouraging, like, oh yeah, you could do this, you definitely could do this. That was also a long-winded —
J: No, I love it!
K: I just love talking about this stuff!
J: That’s great! That’s good, that’s the point! You’ve made this very great.
K: Oh good!
J: Very interesting, and it’s a lot of good stuff. A lot of good stuff. Thank you so much!
K: Of course! Oh my gosh, it was so easy, I don’t care!
I hope you enjoyed Interview with Lady Macbeth!
Katherine taught me so much throughout the run of The Tragedie of Macbeth, and these past 3 articles have more than proven her wisdom and experience. In a way, writing these felt like an extension of the production for me. I am so grateful to have been able to share the stage with her, and I hope you got some knowledge out of reading these! Maybe it made you want to act, make your own movies, live without fear… Whatever it is, thank Katherine Banos. What an inspirational woman.
If you missed the first two, Part 1 is filled with her experience as Lady Macbeth and how she handled (and finessed) a difficult rejection, and Part 2 is all about the methods she uses to perform as Lady Macbeth!
If you want to see more articles like this and the other two of this series, comment and let me know! Also, sign up for our emails below so you don’t miss a thing! Make sure to check out our Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest as well.
Until next time!
