A story from Young Sheldon you won't read anywhere else

Back in March, my daughter was asked to work as a background actor on a show called Young Sheldon. She loves being on set, and I love craft services, so we went together on another daddy/daughter adventure.

I didn't know Jon Favreau was directing this pilot. Nor did I know Jim Parsons would be on set. The former is as professional as they come, but he showed a tender side in working with kids. After lunch, he flipped through a Spot-It deck with a couple of the child actors. Cool.

And Jim Parsons said hello while I was watching my daughter in a scene. He was kind and so unassuming. He showed respect to all.

But the story I want to share is about an adult background actor named Chris. I didn't learn his name until midway through the day. I barely talked to him the first several hours as my daughter went through wardrobe, hair and makeup, and then shuttled to set in Burbank.

Chris kept to himself. I would catch glimpses of him standing off on his own staring into the distance. He didn't seem standoffish or rude -- just disinterested in the ten or twelve other background actors, the handful of parents accompanying their littles, and the various crew that waltzed in and out of the trailers and tents that make up a television shoot.

I don't remember how or when the conversations with Chris started, but I do remember just a touch of uneasiness as he seamed more interested in talking with my 12-year-old than with me. He wasn't saying anything remotely disarming, but in today's world, a father's guard is always up. But the more Chris talked with the kids and, as he grew more comfortable, the adults, the more I learned what an amazing man I was talking to.

In his mid-40s now, Chris joined the army in his 30s. He was the oldest member of his squad in basic training. He took artillery shrapnel in his head and other parts of his body and witnessed friends die in war. He readily acknowledged that his mind wasn't functioning correctly anymore.

What could I do other than thank him profusely for doing something I could never do? I've been having more and more conversations with veterans lately, it seams, and it amazes me just how removed I am from the horrors these brave men and women have endured. And they all underplay what they've been through.

Chris didn't dwell on his own story. He shared only what was pried out of him by his newfound Young Sheldon friends. What he did was look me in the eye, many times, and tell me he believes in me. I'd shared enough of my story with him that he should have told me what a foolish dreamer I was. Instead, he encouraged me. Sincerely.

So why does Chris's opinion matter? Is this a case where the audience hears what it wants to hear and applauds loudly just because it is appeased? After all, we tend to repeat the opinions with which we agree and dismiss the ones with which we don't.

Well, the point of this writing is not what Chris said to me, but what I witnessed later in the day.

After shooting a scene, Chris found his way to a somewhat-isolated chair in holding, which on this particular day, was the backyard of the Burbank house which serves as the exterior of Sheldon's Texas home. Chris sat down, put his head in his hands, and cried.

I put my hand on his shoulder, "You alright, man?"

He nodded and looked at me, unable to speak clearly.

"It's good. These are good tears," he struggled to get out.

I smiled back at him through a tear as he added, "God is good."

After a few moments, Chris went on to tell me that being on a TV show was one of his bucket list items and that this was the one and only background gig he would likely ever do. Post-war, his life is forever compromised, but on this day, at this very moment when I continued to hold my hand on his shoulder, I watched in admiration as a grown man cried tears of gratitude.

"Don't stop believing," was one of the last things he said to me before he was released.

We didn't exchange phone numbers or connect on Facebook or Instagram. I rarely do that with folks I meet one day on set. But I wish I had connected with Chris beyond that day. Frankly, I could use his encouragement again.

For those that watch the pilot episode of Young Sheldon premiering tonight (September 25) on CBS, watch for the man mowing his lawn across the street from Sheldon's house. That's Chris. He's a war hero who had a dream of being on a TV show. Like my bike-riding daughter, he'll likely be blurry if he's seen at all, but you and I know he's there. And we know how much it meant for him to be Sheldon's neighbor mowing his lawn in his overalls.

So you're telling me there's a chance...

"Nothing gives me greater satisfaction than helping nurture talent to do the best they can in the audition process." - Casting Director, Lisa London, from her book, From Start to Stardom

Last week I auditioned for a television show and the casting director took a phone call in the middle of my audition. Seriously.

Needless to say, I figured my chances of booking the role were pretty slim. And yet... like Lloyd Christmas (Jim Carrey), I always hold out optimism no matter how stacked the odds seem against me.

That's the attitude anybody going into this crazy business has to have. I've written about odds and statistics many times. The older I get, the more stacked against me the odds become.

But I know there's still a chance. And that's what keeps me going. Whether it's one in a hundred, one in a million, or, to borrow my 4-year-old's expression, one in infinity and beyond, I know there's still a chance.

Casting Directors like Lisa London also keep me going. In a town where obstacles can appear insurmountable, Lisa reminds me that many are fighting to help us achieve our dreams.

Visit fromstarttostardom.com to order the book
and find even more great acting resources!

With a long list of casting credits that includes Roseanne, Hannah Montana, Adam Sandler's Sandy Wexler, and a handful of projects currently in pre-production, Ms. London certainly has the experience to validate the advice she gives in her amazing book, From Start to Stardom: The Casting Director's Guide for Aspiring Actors.

At my advanced age - and with nearly 20 years of professional acting experience - I shouldn't still be labelled aspiring, but until I'm fully supporting my family on paychecks from acting jobs, that's exactly what I am. And, really, no matter what stage one is at in a career, one should always aspire to learn and become better equipped for further success.

For those just getting started as actors, I can't recommend From Start to Stardom enough. This is, honestly, the best beginner's guide to the acting business I've ever read... and I've read a ton of books on the subject. This is a must-read for aspiring actors of any age and parents of aspiring actors.

Lisa's approach is so uplifting and positive that it's easy to get lost in the glamour of becoming a star in Hollywood. When she writes about casting Miley Cyrus as Hannah Montana, Miley's first professional acting gig, it's easy to get lost in the dream and put oneself in the shoes of Billy Ray's daughter. But Lisa also reminds us just how miraculous it is to be "the one" for any role in any project.

Lisa London, CSA

What Lisa does so well in From Start to Stardom is break down the steps necessary for finding success. She provides sample resumes, offers headshot advice, explains how to get discovered, and uncovers the best ways to land an agent and/or manager. Then she tackles the next stages of a career by offering audition tips and explaining what goes on behind the casting director's door. The book even includes legal information for minors working in show business as well as a ton of resources for everything from the Screen Actors Guild to websites that list auditions to Los Angeles studio locations. The teacher in me is giddy with the comprehensiveness of Lisa London's book!

Again, this is a must-own book for beginning actors, but any actor, regardless of their career level, will benefit from these 166 pages. One paragraph in particular was just what I needed to read, and it came at it exactly the right time. With permission, I've included the paragraph here:

"Another killer of opportunities and creator of bad attitudes is self-invalidation. What is self-invalidation? It is making less of yourself, putting yourself down, focusing on your faults, thinking you are no good and that you will never meet your goals. This is something that will kill you as an actor or an artist. Sometimes, these ideas that you are no good, these negative thoughts, are things that you have heard from others. For example, you have a relative or friend who thinks you will never make it as an actor. You can't let your family's difficulties or lack of success become your problem. You must keep your dreams separate and not give up based on someone else's failures." (p. 107)

Man. I love these words. I need these words. Can you feel me? Leave a comment and let me know how these words make you feel.

Now, the flip-side to all of this is the harsh reality that more actors fail in this business than succeed. Look at me. While many would love to be in dozens of commercials, star in a bunch of independent features, have leading roles on cable shows, or an appearance on the number one television drama in the world, my bar is set at a level that I haven't even come close to reaching. At what point does common sense walk in and slap me across the face and convince me the bar is unattainable?

With apologies to some, the answer is, never.

This is my gift. I didn't ask for it, but here it is. I'm constantly asking God to be specific in how He wants me to use this gift. So far, I have to assume I've been on the right track. Only time will tell if my expectations align with His, but the path, I feel, has been the correct one for me; for my immediate family; for those with whom God wants me to interact.

Like most actors, I'm currently somewhere between start and stardom, and while I don't know if I'll ever reach the stardom end, I know if I'm persistent, I will be successful. That's what this business comes down to -- persistence. Dreams need not expire.

For those who desire a career in the movie business, specifically as an actor, get Lisa London's From Start to Stardom. Focus more on the start than the stardom and see what happens. As Eleanor Roosevelt said, "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."

I'm telling you there's a chance.

Visit http://fromstarttostardom.com to buy the book and learn more about the acting business!

Rattlesnakes and Auditions

Rattlesnake Bottoms.

That's the tongue-in-check moniker I've donned upon the open space in which I regularly run. About a mile from our house, Rattlesnake Bottoms is several acres of dirt paths, a dry river bed, and a horse-riding enclosure.

And rattlesnakes. Lots and lots of rattlesnakes.

Or so I've been told.

I've probably run down there 40 or 50 times, and I've never seen a rattlesnake. In fact, I saw my very first snake just last week, a harmless gopher snake sunning herself six feet off my path, completely disinterested in the sweaty dude tip-toeing closer to inspect her tail for a rattle.

Look, I hate snakes. Even the ones that can't kill me. I wasn't thrilled to see a head on that surprisingly malleable-looking stick. And to be perfectly honest, I can't say definitively I didn't see a rattle. Like I'm gonna get that close to check.

At any rate, assuming it wasn't a rattlesnake - and for the purpose of my illustration, let's assume just that - I have defied the odds by running rattlesnake-free in an area that multiple locals have told me is ripe with rattlers.

Winning.

Defying odds is great when it's in our favor. I feel fortunate to have avoided rattlesnakes at Rattlesnake Bottoms. I'm also thankful for every year I've avoided a direct lightning strike, each McDonald's meal that doesn't destroy my digestive track, and all the bug bites that weren't from West Nile infected mosquitoes.

But I still can't seem to defy the odds of landing significant auditions as a no-name average Joe.

I've yet to audition for a network or premium cable scripted show or major studio motion picture. I've been repped by well-respected agents the whole time I've been in L.A., but I've simply had too much working against me.

There's a pecking order out here I wasn't expecting, and I'm the krill trying to swim out of the baleen. When I got to Los Angeles, I had a ton of acting experience. But I didn't have any recognizable credits, a remarkable (or ethnic) look, or friends/family that could get me "in the door." Thankfully, two of those roadblocks are starting to be cleared.

I'll never be ethnic or remarkable-looking, but I'm gaining credits and making more friends. Something's bound to give. Hopefully.

Notice I haven't mentioned anything about talent? Talent does not a career start, but a career it sustains. I've yet to display my talent (or lack thereof) in front of the major players. I'm not dismissing the crime reenactment shows I've done, because they've all been a lot of fun, and I worked with great people on each of them. But they don't pay the rent.

Sure, I worked three days on NCIS, but the situation surrounding that whole opportunity is unique and something I'll write about another time. And it was barely a role, so it doesn't count.

As I defy the rattlesnake odds and succumb to the audition odds, I forge ahead, hopeful for stasis in the former and a change in the latter.

Mr. Berle (quote above) should be pleased with me. I've built many doors, but I still need the right people to open them. Opportunity is hard to come by out here, but when it comes, man, I'll be ready.

Align

"Most of us don't think about miracles that we could possibly do. We don't have a vocabulary of how God works with the specific things that He does, and we don't know how to align ourselves with what He is doing so that we can be His vehicle on the earth to deliver a miracle." - Bruce Wilkinson

I met a dear actor friend recently at Echo Park, my first visit to this valiant attempt at natural serenity in the heart of Los Angeles. Our walk around the "lake" placed us in the perfect spot at the perfect time to snap a photo of the fountain, the Good Year Blimp, a commercial jet, and the moon at the very moment they aligned perfectly together.

Trivial luck? Inconsequential coincidence? Silly throwaway moment? Yeah. Probably.
 
But it triggered a thought. And that's a dangerous thing in my malleable mind.

As conversation with my friend vacillated between acting jobs, life in LA, future projects, health, and God, the coincidental alignment in the dusk sky illustrated almost too perfectly our struggles as creatives. So many moving parts have to align for us to even have a chance at any kind of success.

Ricky Schroder said this about his full runs on NYPD Blue and 24: "It's great work, but everything has to align. The producers have to want you; the network has to want you; there has to be great writing; and it's not as easy as it may appear to the outsiders to make all those things align."

Just cuz you eat with silver spoons doesn't mean things come easy, eh?

Casting Director, David Rapaport (@RapaportCasting), recently posted on Twitter the graphic on the right. Out of 3,638 actors submitted for a specific role, only 272 were scheduled to audition. Don't get me wrong, 272 is a TON of actors to audition! But simply getting the opportunity to get into the room is a miracle.

Let's have some math fun. Make Danica McKellar proud.

Of the 3,638 actors submitted for whatever role Mr. Rapaport was casting (anything from a guest star on Supergirl to a co-star on The Flash or a principal on a yet-to-be-released pilot), 7.5% were invited to audition. Of those auditioning, assuming this is for one role only, the chances of earning the role are 0.37%. If we take a step back and calculate the odds of earning this role based on the full number of submissions, we get 0.027% odds.

Awesome.

Just for fun, do you know what the odds are of winning $100 in the Powerball? 0.007%. The grand prize odds are 0.00000034%.

But I'M the crazy one for pursuing a Hollywood career instead of playing the lottery.

I digress.

Back to the alignment of the fountain, the blimp, the jet, and the moon. Sounds like a Narnia sequel, doesn't it?

I've spent so much time treating myself like the moon in this alignment. The top. The pinnacle. The achievement of the goal thanks to the alignment of the pieces below.

But then I got to thinking - What if I'm the fountain to someone else's moon? This doesn't have to be all about me. I'd prefer if it wasn't, actually.

As I've mentioned before, so many unbelievable things aligned in order for my family to get out to Southern California. Yet as we face scary uncertainty in the months ahead, it's hard to avoid circling the track of second-guessing. What if we really did blow our entire life savings only to retreat empty-handed back to Minnesota to start all over again?

But then I step outside my own goals and ponder my involvement in somebody else's goals. Maybe I'm here not to reach a personal goal, but to help somebody else reach theirs.

You know what? I'm cool with that.

I'm just a vessel. I'm in a rented body breathing borrowed air. If God needs me to help align somebody else's stars, I'm thrilled to be the fountain or the Good Year Blimp! Fat jokes notwithstanding.

As a matter of fact, I'm in the process right now of launching some projects that could prove very valuable to others. I'm anxious to share more about the projects, but for now, let me just say that without amazing alignments of circumstances, these exciting opportunities would never have blimped their way under my moon. Now there's a visual.

I've connected with some amazing people out here and I can't know fully the impact I've had on them, if any. Again, it's not about me, but about my position in others' alignments that I'm focusing on now.

Somehow the thought trail from the alignment of the fountain, the blimp, the jet, and the moon landed at Genesis 22 where God told Abraham to bring his son, Isaac, to a mountain to sacrifice as a burnt offering.

I've always reflected on Abraham's part in this story. Until now.

What about Isaac?

Look, there is no way Abraham could have kept completely cool about the intended outcome of this journey. Isaac had to have suspected something, right? I get that Abraham was being an obedient servant, but come on! If he didn't stop a time or two with nervous diarrhea or anxious up-chucking, I would be shocked.

So let's not overlook Isaac's role in this lesson. He was a part of God's plan to align Abraham rightly with the Will of God. Isaac could have fled or put up a fight or brought up his suspicions to his mom. But he didn't. Isaac willingly went along regardless of any suspicions he might have had. Must have had.

We all know the story ends with God providing a ram to sacrifice in Isaac's place, but neither Abraham nor Isaac knew of God's plan as they willingly obliged to the call.

Maybe I'm more of an Isaac than an Abraham. Maybe I won't be blessed with many nations, but I will help an Abraham be blessed with his.

At any rate, I'm just willing to be used in whatever way God wants to use me.

And right now, I feel like He wants to use me to tell a joke.

You see, what most don't know about Abraham and Isaac is that before the journey up the mountain, Abraham needed to upgrade his GPS software. Unfortunately, his iPhone didn't have enough processor power (old phone, ya know?) to run the new software. Isaac told his dad not to install it, but Abraham insisted, saying, "God will provide the RAM."

I'm here all week. Try the salmon. It's delightful.

This is 40

"As I grow older, I pay less attention to what men say. I just watch what they do." - Andrew Carnegie

As I've hinted many times in this blog, I don't care for big talk. I appreciate big action. I'm turned on by hard work, passion, energy, effort.

I loathe laziness and entitlement, which seem to go hand in hand.

Quit reading if you feel the world owes you something. This message isn't for you.

But if you're on the fence about making a change, taking a risk, trying something different... please let me encourage you. After all, unsolicited advice from a non-expert is what today's Internet is all about.

The picture on the right was snapped mid-run on my 40th birthday. My 20-year-old body is long gone, but I'm okay with that. For 40, I'm doing alright.

There are plenty of 40-year-olds in far better shape. And I'm fine with that. This isn't a comparison game.

This is me. Justen Overlander. A guy who loves ice cream, Mountain Dew, and chocolate-covered espresso beans. I have Osgood Schlatter Disease in my knees, chronic back pain, a surgically repaired arm that's worse now than before the surgery, and asthma. Oh, and three high energy kids.

I have plenty of excuses to sit on the couch. To crash early. To recharge my batteries in a catatonic state with reruns mumbling in the background.

But that's not me. And I don't want it to be you.

I can hear the rumblings already. You think I have a better metabolism. You think I have more time. You think I'm genetically predisposed to have a leaner body mass. Or you think I should spend a few more months working out before offering fitness advice.

Nope. Nope. Nope. Maybe.

Metabolism is changeable. Don't believe me? Google it.

You're too busy? Cut something out. Quit Facebook a day or two a week. Skip the reruns once in a while. One trick I do, as a huge sports fan, is I DVR games so I can skip all commercials and much of the time between plays. I can watch a 3-hour football game in an hour and a half, if that.

Now... genetics. Yes, they play a part. It sucks. If obesity runs in your family, you have a bigger (no pun intended) challenge. But here's the thing... my family history is not lean, muscular creatures, as you can tell by looking at me. I have a bigger frame and a propensity to carry extra wait in my waist. Look at the bottom of my picture up there. Doesn't it look like my butt starts just below my rib cage? I hate it. And I don't know if the next five pounds I'm trying to lose is going to get rid of it or not.

Ugh. This isn't about me. This is about motivating somebody, somewhere who needs to get back on the healthy track.

So here are three tips from a dude that's doing okay, but still needs to do better (the tips are for me, too):

1) Stop eating when you're satisfied. Simple enough, right? Yet in today's world where super-sizing is expected and large portions are the norm, it's way too easy to overeat. Nowhere is this more challenging than on the set of most film and television productions in L.A. Man, the food! I'll blog about that one day (after we've all lost a few pounds, of course).

2) Drink more water. At home I have a glass of ice water with me always. Literally always. If you don't know how important water is in dieting, please Google it. One thing I'm trying to do more when I crave Mountain Dew is take a big swig of water. Usually it satisfies me enough to resist the soda. At least momentarily. Hey, it's not a magical elixir, but it's the single most important dietary supplement there is. Thank you, God.

3) Stop saying you're too busy. Seriously. No matter how busy you are, you are going to feel doubly busy when your state of mind dwells on it. I feel very blessed that I have so much to do. I love what I do. Acting, writing, spending time with my family, volunteering... heck, I even tolerate L.A. traffic because I love podcasts and audio books. I don't have much of what I would call free-time. Even when I'm watching a movie or a television show, I'm studying it. I only read books for education, encouragement, or potential screenplay adaptation potential. And I love it. I don't need free-time. I don't want free-time. I want to keep working hard. Making time for exercise is part of that.

I get it. You're scoffing at my words. You think I'm stretching the truth. You think I'm delusional. So be it. I just hope and pray that there's a purpose behind this writing, and this blog in general, and that it inspires somebody along the way.

Just in case my mediocre words and nearly adequate picture don't inspire, I decided to check in with my friend, John Hennigan, who's slightly more fit than I. Slightly.

You may know him as Johnny Nitro or John Morrison from WWE or Johnny Mundo from Lucha Underground. I just know him as a heck of a guy with incredible God-given talent and dedication. When his self-produced parkour action/comedy, Boone the Bounty Hunter, comes out, I'll be bragging it up big time. Such a fun movie!

Anyway, I asked John for his number one fitness tip, and he summed it up in one word: motivation. He elaborated, "If you don't have specific goals in mind when you get out of bed, you're going to be less productive than you could be. If you don't have goals in mind before you get to the gym, you're wasting your time. Find your purpose. Train to meet it. That's where motivation comes from."

I'll never look like John. Few will. But he hits the nail on the head when he talks about motivation. That's one thing that can't be taught. I don't know how to instill motivation into a person who lacks it. The knowledge we have about health and the dangers of obesity should be motivation enough to establish some sort of workout regiment and healthy eating plan. Right?

The satisfaction of a giant bowl of ice cream every night should not outweigh the importance of taking care of your body. Our bodies are temples, a fabulous gift from God. When I give my kids a new toy for Christmas, I expect them to take care of it, not treat it harshly. God expects the same in the way we treat our bodies.

Ugh. I know I ughed earlier, but I need to again. Ugh. This writing, read in the wrong tone, could come across the wrong way. I sure hope it's not received as a pat on my own back at the expense of folks who struggle with something that I've never really struggled with. I take that back... I actually do struggle with my body. If I quit running and ate and drank all I wanted to, I'd have 20 extra pounds of flub in no time flat. I really don't have a magical metabolism. At least not naturally.

What I wanted to do with this blog entry... what weighed on my heart (again, no pun intended)... was to just send encouragement. Not to 22-year-old gym rats that still have time on their sides, but to people like me who are climbing in age and maybe can't get away with our former eating and activity habits.

If this encouraged you, great. If not, just move along. I'll start blogging about some actual Hollywood stuff one of these days. That'll be fun. Maybe.

But I hope my heart is evident in this blog. I want the best for those around me.

Now, if you're looking for something a little more intense... if John's picture inspires you more than mine (I know it's such a close call), take a look at Out of Your Mind Fitness (http://outofyourmindfitness.com). It's a fitness program designed by John Hennigan and fitness trainer, Jeff Carrier.

When the motivation hits me (i.e. when I land a role that requires it), I would love to get into some more intense training like Out of Your Mind Fitness. For now, I'll settle for my hilly Santa Clarita runs and one Mountain Dew per week. Okay, two.

Oh, and for the record, John Hennigan is three years younger than I am. Wait'll you hit 40, Johnny. See what gravity has in store for your B cups.