One of the biggest things I ever got out of acting was it helped me step out from behind the mask.

When I started [acting] around junior high, I was so shy and I loved acting because I was able to hide behind it. But then I really started to care about that art form and had the horrible realization that in order to be any good at it, I’d have to do exactly what I was terrified of doing and open my heart.

I hope that as a parent both of my performance and how I parent, I can model that for my son so he can see what kind of a difference it makes so he can be more engaged with life. 

As far as the other way around, there’s a local casting director who says that the actors who come back to audition after they’ve become parents are always better actors because:

 1) acting isn’t the most important thing in life.

2) they’ve been dealing with some stuff, so the stakes aren’t as high and they’re able to infuse it with some really powerful, salient feelings that they maybe had to deal with that morning because somebody was having a tantrum. 

But yeah, it’s real for them. They’re able to breathe through it and bring personalization and realness.

I’m Gin Hammond and I’m Living IncogNegro.  I’m glad you’re here and we’re on this journey together.  Find me on instagram here.  Send me a note here.