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- [00:00]
Sam Valentine
Fast Forward Productions. The women are speaking. What's up, guys? Welcome back to another episode of the One Broke Actress podcast. An honest account of actor life, plus a few lessons I learn in the process. I am your host, Sam Valentine, and today I'm going to be handing off the mic to not one, but two guests who are going to share their stories and advice and tips for actors who come specifically from the LGBTQIA and and trans community. Now listen, those of you who do not identify with any of those communities, do not turn this off, do you hear me? Because there are some important lessons for you to take in here. One, you're going to learn how to be a proper ally to these communities. Two, those of you who want to write interesting stories, you're going to hear how to incorporate the trans and LGBTQIA community into your stories more properly. And three, we're going to talk about knowing yourself a little bit better, which, God knows, we all need to process. Now, for my LGBTQIA and trans actors, I want today to be a safe space for you because today we're going to talk to Jace Allen and Rainn Valdez. Jace's pronouns are they, them, and they are. The Director of Operations and Education and ACT now la, as well as a trans, non binary actor, writer, and community builder from. Yes, that's right, Kansas, my people. And we also have Rain Valdez with us, who is an actress, writer, producer, and out and proud Filipino transgender woman who started ACT Now. If you've been looking for a place to feel seen and comforted and heard and taken care of in terms of your acting class, we are going to set the standard for you today. Today's podcast is going beyond the life of these actors, but also to the space and projects they have created and what we can learn from all they have done. We get into very detailed specifics, like whether or not to tell an agent or manager that you are trans or lgbtq. We go into image versus gender. We talk about the gift of transitions, and not just for trans actors, but the rest of us in our careers. We talk about how to protect trans actors as allies, how to be there for them, and how to write better stories. Plus the relationship with current media and how they both feel about representation in our current climate. And the first way that we are going to support trans actors, non binary actors, and all LGBTQIA actors is listening to today's podcast because you all know I feel very strongly about the current political climate and if there's anything we can do to better this space for ourselves and Others, it is our job to do it. So without further ado, please enjoy Rain Valdez and Jace Allen.
- [02:53]
Jace Allen
Hi, I'm Jace Allen.
- [02:54]
Rainn Valdez
My pronouns are they themselves, and Hi, I'm Rain Valdez. My pronouns are she and her.
- [03:02]
Sam Valentine
I was introduced to you, Jace, from our mutual friend Ashley Platz, who's been on the podcast multiple times. She was one of my first actor friends in la, and she introduced me to act now and everything you guys are doing in that group. And I think that we were saying before we started that for so many actors, it's almost impossible to picture themselves in this career because it's hard to be what you haven't seen succeed. And I can't fathom what it would be like to be an actor who's not even seen an actor of the transgender space, an actor who is not seeing themselves in anything or doesn't enjoy any representation they're seeing. And I want to talk to you guys specifically about how, before we get into everything about act now, um, how are you guys feeling about current storytelling, tv, film, everything you're seeing? I know Emelia Perez made it across the. The world, in a sense, but do you feel like everything still feels monolithic? How do you feel seen right now in Hollywood and feel free to add own tidbits of, like, who you are and. And how you identify in the world?
- [04:14]
Rainn Valdez
Yeah, that's a really good question. I. I really want to love these films. Emilia Perez and Will and Harper. These are the two that, like, everyone was like, oh, Rain, you should watch. I would love to know what you think about it. I really wanted to love them because creatively, I think there are things that we can appreciate artistically, creatively. But my issue with these films is from the lens in which they are told. And so Will and Harper, greatest of intentions, but it's still from the lens of a cisgender, you know, filmmaker, a cisgender friend or ally or whatever. So we're. We're still otherizing Harper. We're still focusing on the otherization and the sationalization of Harper's transness. And for that reason, I didn't enjoy it as much. Same thing with Emilia Perez. Emelia Perez, artistically, creatively, had a lot of great stuff to enjoy, but I think when you're constantly focusing on the sensationalization of our bodies, our transition, the transformation, the surgeries, it just kind of takes the human aspect out of the character, and then it just turns trans people into caricatures, which is something that, like, we've been fighting against since the dawn of filmmaking. And again, that's particularly in part because the filmmaker was coming from a CIS male privileged lens and there, there wasn't really any point of view that that felt like was authentically from the trans experience, from the trans lens. So when I write my stories, when I tell my stories, when I create spaces, we always make a point to showcase every point of view. Every, every, every lens, every experience, not necessarily just mine as like a trans woman, but we don't ever try to vilify anyone. We don't otherize anyone. We don't. We try because I think the beauty, the beauty thing about storytelling is the emotion in which you communicate it, because emotion is universal, emotion is, you know, everyone can relate to that. And so if you're centering a trans character, but focusing on the emotions of what they're going through and not necessarily the identities of what they might be or who they might be, or, you know, who they used to be and who they are now, you're able to actually relate to them in a human way. And that's my foundation of storytelling, right? Like, you know, I don't need to validate my existence. I don't need any film or anyone to validate my existence. I exist, therefore I am valid. And that's always been my foundation of how I live my life and how I tell my stories. And so I think with some of these films, like Emilia Perez and Will and Harper, it's always this invitation to validate our existence. And that's something that I've always fought against.
- [07:36]
Jace Allen
First off, it's like, it's hard to like publicly critique any trans piece of art right now because there is such, like you said, those are the two main ones that got through in the last year, like two, you know, so that's my first instinct here. My second is I'm coming from a non binary lens where my gender is sort of always in flux, changes day to day. I did identify with Harper a lot because, you know, I lived most of my life identifying as a CIS gay man. And I'm, you know, also white, I don't know if you can tell. And I love to travel the country. I've been in so many places in the country and I really identified with like the road trip aspect of it. It often puts us on a similar plane as humans traveling through each other's lives in brief moments. And also being from a small town in southeast Kansas, I've always felt like my toe is in the small pond and in the big, you know, the big city. Or whatever. Emilio Perez. Similar to what Rain said, there were elements that were really great, was really artistic, and there are things I really liked at it, but it, you know, it made us, it made us a Jo joke in a lot of ways too. I mean, that one song that we don't have to talk about comes to mind in particular. And I cackled. I was like, oh, this is camp. This is funny. When I first saw it, you know, and the more I think about it, like, and, you know, then there's the whole controversy outside of the film with the lead actor, which is a whole different thing. Like, I often think about, like, how much we need to be available and how much we should be online and that sort of thing. And, you know, in today and age, I, you know, I wish for the paths where we could have a little bit more anonymity in our artistic lives. And that's still sort of my goal to, like, create that life for myself in a way. And I'm on a podcast.
- [09:37]
Sam Valentine
Yeah, yeah, well, listen, I understand that, right, because it feels like now we have to. You have to create your art and you have to share it while you're creating it and, and share the process and share the. And I'm, I'm a fan of it, but there are also days where I'm like, I wish I could just do this quietly, alone and show you when it's done. And I feel like there's pressure to not do that anymore.
- [09:59]
Jace Allen
Yeah, the other part, like, I was sort of away from acting for a long period of time. So, like, I have a lot of training that dates back till I was in high school, which is, give or take, 15, 20 years ago. But I took a lot of time off, so I still feel in many ways new to the industry. So I'm still sort of learning who I am. And, you know, I, I just came out as non binary 5, six years ago, which still feels pretty new. I still feel very much like a baby in that respect. And when we come out, our coming out experiences, you know, take us back to adolescence. So the further we are from the actual chronological adolescence, the more challenging it is to. And there's sort of a rush as an older person who has come out to, like, get to that place of like, full existence or whatever it is. So I sort of feel that pull to it. I don't know if that makes sense.
- [10:53]
Sam Valentine
But I am fascinated by this story because. Well, first of all, the only way I can relate to this is that in Hollywood, as we age, we hit new milestones and it feels like we have to reinvent ourselves and figure out what our new conformity is to get cast in projects. So I can't fathom what it's like to change a gender or to feel like you've truly found yourself and now you have to do it in front of other people and let agents know along the way. It just feels so minuscule in the process. So I would love to talk about that next. But before I drift too far from this idea, what would you like to see? To all of our actors, writers, producers, people who are listening, who have the ability to get stories told, to get scripts read, what would you like to see in terms of representation?
- [11:42]
Rainn Valdez
I think for me, it's very simple. I would love to see a trans character or a queer character, LGBTQ character, be the lead, but not. But not have the story be centered around their queer identity. So I'd love to see a romantic comedy with a trans woman, but. But not let it be about their transness. You know, it's just a part of who they are. And in order to do that, you have to really write it from a place of including the community to kind of get what those unique experiences are. I think that's one. One of the reasons why I really appreciate about Schitt's Creek, you know, this. This. This television show about Dan Levy's character, like, being gay and all that, but it wasn't really about that. There wasn't a coming out moment. There wasn't a conversation with the parents or anything like that. It was just so normal. So I'd love to see. Just like that.
- [12:34]
Jace Allen
I love that moment. There was like a slight coming out moment when it was like, sometimes I like a rose and sometimes.
- [12:40]
Rainn Valdez
Oh, yeah. Yes.
- [12:42]
Sam Valentine
You know, like, it was just a conversation. Right. And not a. And not like a. I'm telling my parents in my life.
- [12:49]
Rainn Valdez
Yeah.
- [12:49]
Sam Valentine
And then it was beautiful.
- [12:50]
Jace Allen
Stevie's just like. Stevie's just like, all right.
- [12:54]
Rainn Valdez
Yeah, great. Yeah.
- [12:56]
Jace Allen
And that's funny because that show takes place in a small town. And actually, as a monolith, what we hear about small town America is, you know, the super right wing conservative things. But actually it's sort of like that in a small town, you just go about your business. We are who we are. Nobody's really making out in the streets, no matter who they are, you know, that sort of thing. You know, nobody's arguing in the streets. Like New York. I kind of miss that about New York, actually. I think, what do I want to see? I'm just Enjoying being an actor again and learning and now teaching and experiencing. And I think I still don't see a place for myself right now in the greater sense of the word Hollywood. So I still think that I'm going to need to create my own work, much like Rain has been doing for a long time, in order to see myself and tell the stories I want to tell. And I'm a little bit more heady. She'll tell you this straight away. This has been my, you know, when we were in acting, she was my teacher in acting class, class for a long time. And my. My note is like, I am a heady person. I think a lot, I think. And so that's always my struggle is to get on my head, both in my acting, in my life, and just sort of like get into action.
- [14:09]
Rainn Valdez
You know, One thing that I would love to see is just like trans people doing the classics. I got cast in A Streetcar Named Desire and I'm like, I never saw myself as Stella until I was asked and I was like, wait, what? And so, you know, and then once I got into it, I was like, oh, my God, I'm Stella. And we just got to act. We didn't have to talk about being trans. We didn't have to advocate for ourselves. We literally were just playing and having fun and just like enjoying and really discovering this Tennessee Williams classic.
- [14:48]
Jace Allen
Just seeing the cast photo from A Streetcar Named Desire, I know everyone that's in this production on different levels. Something in me just relaxed and got chills when I saw the cast photo of Brian Michael Smith, Rain and Jamie Clayton. Something in me relaxed similar to. I still get emotional how my body relaxed when I walked into act. Now for the first time, will you.
- [15:10]
Sam Valentine
Talk us through what that is and how it got created?
- [15:15]
Rainn Valdez
Yeah. Thank you. Oh, gosh. Act now. La. Just my most precious creation. It was maybe eight years ago when Scarlett Johansson was cast in this film called Rev and Tug and she got cast to play a trans man. And the community kind of went up in arms about it. But it was at a time in the industry where they were listening to us. So, you know, I was interviewed and I was talking about it and a lot of the stuff that I remember being asked was, well, you know, how can a film like this get financed if there aren't any big name transactors? And so. And you know, and I simply replied, there are big name transactors within our own community. But see, the thing is, is you get to that point when opportunities are created. So if the opportunity is there, but it's not being given to us, and it's given to someone else who's already established. That's where we have to really talk about casting in its most authentic form. Right. So when that conversation happens, it was sort of like, question of, like, so where do we find more transactors? And I didn't really have an answer. I remember just being like, where do we find ourselves? And I was like, well, we're, you know, we're here. We've been doing this for a really long time. We're starting to come out of our shell. So then I had this idea of creating a acting class that's lgbtq, trans centered, where we get to be the majority in the acting class. And what I loved about it is it kind of removes the initial shock of walking to an acting space and having to advocate for yourself as a trans person and also kind of in a way, sort of explain your existence. You know, before Act Now, I was always the only trans person in an acting class. And it got really challenging sometimes because it takes away from the craft itself. When that's the main focus of your craft. It's like, oh, so what can you play? Oh, we're going to cast you in this and we're going to catch. Oh, you can't play that because so and so is not going to want to make out with a trans woman. You know, so there was all of these, like, things, nuance that you have to kind of navigate when you're in an acting class, because an acting class is a very intimate space. And so I wanted to create a space that can still harness the intimacy of an acting space, but allow for it to be majority of trans people. So that way the safe space in which you are invited to get uncomfortable is there.
- [17:55]
Jace Allen
When I try and explain act now to folks, it's a safer place to get uncomfortable and really get to the root of ourselves as artists.
- [18:05]
Sam Valentine
We all know how challenging acting class is already, and I don't know how many of you have been through those classes where they break you down to build you up, but those in and of itself are relatively useless to me because I think this podcast is called One Broke Actress because I think all of us are a little broke in some capacity. We don't need to be broken further. We got it. We need to be aided.
- [18:26]
Rainn Valdez
No, I love that because similar to act now, it's sort of like it's a space where we can love ourselves through the brokenness. It's. It's different from other acting classes because we we, we acknowledge that we're all broken and we just like nurture ourselves through it.
- [18:46]
Jace Allen
Well, I think piggyback on what Raina's saying is there's no code switching. We spend most of our lives as queer people code switching. And on top of that, when we do walk into spaces and we are out and proud, whatever that means, then we do a lot. We, we, we turn into a sort of instructor in our own right. When we're just trying to learn on our own.
- [19:10]
Sam Valentine
Yeah, that's a, I mean it's a heavy burden to carry. I, I, it's exhausting to try and show up in a space and absorb. But also people have follow up questions for you, but space contingent. Right. Knowing what you're walking into is so huge.
- [19:23]
Jace Allen
Yeah.
- [19:24]
Sam Valentine
And I'm so, I'm very, very curious when it comes to class and teaching class and being in class and dealing with acting roles. Oftentimes when we get breakdowns, the first thing you see is a gender. You get an age range, you get a gender. And it's changing now to some extent for some of the roles I see. But are there things you notice as actors yourselves that you instantly put on roles when you see a gender associated with it especially?
- [19:56]
Jace Allen
Well, I think for me as a non binary person, it's rarely a non binary person and if it is, it's thrown in there. Like if they really want a woman, they're throwing in their non binary as well, but they really want a woman. I felt empowered in the last couple years of returning to this industry and proudly saying my pronouns when I, I'm self taping or whatever. And I've sort of vacillated between doing, you know, male auditioning for male roles and non binary and queer roles. I don't want to be just pigeonholed into queer roles necessarily, although it would be hard to hide. I think it's a little bit more scary right now because the reality is we, we're seeing all the larger production companies, the larger, you know, studios, they don't have to cast us anymore. And I don't know that they had to before, but I've hesitated a few times and in the past few self tapes of like giving my pronouns and just auditioning for the role I'm auditioning for and knowing that I, as a person of varied experience can get to the essence of any character.
- [21:08]
Rainn Valdez
Yeah. What I like about act now is we pride ourselves in teaching beyond the binary. So we give our actors a lot of permission to pick roles that is based on their authenticity. And not necessarily based on gender. Like, what is it about this character that you can relate to whether if it's identified as female or male or man or woman in the script, bring that, like, bring that to the role. And I think that's when we find the most interesting performances. I mean, some of the best performances that I've seen in my entire life was just teaching act now. But, yeah, but on a personal level, I think now I'm at a point in my career where I'm auditioning for female roles, but if a non binary role comes into my inbox, I probably won't audition for it unless it's and, or because I identify as a binary trans woman. And so for me it's, I'd rather just stick to my lane and audition for, you know, the female roles and, or for the trans roles that I can bring my own authenticity into.
- [22:16]
Sam Valentine
Yeah, yeah, you touched on this earlier with the, with the thought process of that movie, that Scarlett Johansson movie. And I actually got into a few debates with people close to me in that one. And I will never forget one of the topics that kept coming up when I was like, they can't. She cannot lead this movie. It's inappropriate. Was, well, what does that mean? Like, does that mean that someone can't ever play. Like, can you never play someone who maybe is a lesbian? Or can you never play someone who is made? But, and I, I really struggled to get my point across because I don't exist in these communities. So for conversations like that, especially when it comes to making people comfortable. Rain, how would you address that argument?
- [23:07]
Rainn Valdez
Very good question. I think for me it's like the debate has always been, well, you know, Scarlett Johansson should play whatever role she wants to play. And yes, absolutely, I completely agree. If that's the case, then we as trans people should also be able to play any roles that we see ourselves fit. And I think for me, it's not that I mind that Scarlett Johansson wants to play a trans masculine man, it's just more so that if you get to do that, we should be able to create our own content as well. And we should also be able to play characters that are trans and that are also non trans roles, that are CIS roles. Right. And now that we're, that we reached the trans tipping point, which was around that time with the Scarlett Johansson rub and tug thing, it became a conversation of do we continue letting CIS people play us and take our roles and our opportunities, or do we start speaking up about representation and opportunity in a way that, like, listen we have been here this whole time. If you want to tell a trans story, let us be a part of it or finance our trans projects as well, and you can. You can do away with. With your trans project.
- [24:29]
Jace Allen
Yeah. I feel very similarly. And I will always want to see Glenn Close play a man. You know, like. Yeah, I mean, like I said earlier, we are artists, we are actors. We are there to get to the essence of what's on the page. Anybody, theoretically, can play anybody. But historically, we have not even been allowed to play ourselves. And if we have, we've been allowed to play a certain version of ourselves, which we embrace, we love. We love our sex worker roots, we love our clandestine roots. So let us help tell those stories at least.
- [25:12]
Sam Valentine
So let's talk about the actual process for our actors who might be listening to this, who are actually considering transitioning or have no idea how to broach this topic or don't want to go out for the type of roles that they're getting because they're not being seen as themselves. How do you broach this topic? Obviously, there's a lot of inside work before you get to the outside, but how do you broach this topic with agents, reps, people inside of the business? Rain, I'm sure you've had this conversation with so many actors inside of your groups.
- [25:47]
Rainn Valdez
I don't know, it's really hard to give advice to that, except for that. Trust the journey. Trust. Trust the process and trust. Look for the synchronicities in people. When you're looking for representation or when you're trying to come out to an agent or a manager, I think you just kind of have to trust that the synchronicity is going to either reveal itself to continue to be an incredible partnership, or. Or it's going to reveal that it's time to move on and find different representation. For me, what's always worked out is when I am my most authentic self, then the right people kind of show up and the wrong people kind of start to drift away.
- [26:33]
Jace Allen
This is why I've been following a Rain reign around like a little puppy for the last two and a half, three years.
- [26:39]
Sam Valentine
How has this come up for you, Jace?
- [26:41]
Jace Allen
How.
- [26:41]
Sam Valentine
How have you. How have you had to deal with this in process?
- [26:45]
Jace Allen
The only thing I would add is, which Rainn basically said was just find community. Find pure, authentic community wherever you can. And sometimes it happens accidentally. It's that synchronicity is huge in my life. And when I get away from that gut feeling, my instincts, that's when I'm getting further away from myself.
- [27:05]
Sam Valentine
When. When you decided to exist non binary and to just tell everyone and this is, this is who you are and you're existing as yourself. And you started auditioning again, what changed for you?
- [27:20]
Jace Allen
Well, I came out as non binary about three or four years before I started really like focusing in on acting again. I just have to tell a story of how I got to act now. That's the best way to do this because training at ACT now allowed me to be more myself to take on a Meryl Streep role. I moved back to la. I did my undergrad here in Long beach and move back 2021 pre vaccines. I sort of had felt the calling happening. And, you know, part of that was I wanted to get back to acting. And I had started like a zoom sort of one on one class. And so I got here and I wanted to audition for certain acting studios, comedy studios, and I did that and I got in and this particular comedy studio was having their diversity festival and, and it was online still and they did like, they do like a programming of like over a weekend, like a diversity programming. And there was one called Actors of Trans Experience and who was one of the panelists. But Ms. Rain Valdez and I went to a workshop earlier that day. They had the chat closed on the Zoom, so we couldn't interact really. We just had to be there. And synchronicity is like. It took every little tiny piece of this data for me to find. But in this particular workshop, the chat was open and as Rain was speaking, a gentleman by the name of Nikki Cutler, Nick Cutler, amazing transmasc actor, brilliant space maker, community builder, said in the chat, I take acting class with Rain Valdez. She has a studio dedicated to us who I haven't gotten this thorough with it in a while. And so I found Nikki on instagram and I DM'd him. I was literally that weekend or the previous week looking at other acting classes, but then I looked it back now and I was like, oh, this is ongoing. Oh, this is just for us. Oh, I have to do this. Not that I got the information from Mickey and I signed up. I found a monologue. You know, we send out resources to our students to help them find. And this is sort of a controversial topic for our acting studio at ACT now is that we let our students pick their own material because we want them to pick things that they're interested in or they. They have never been able to do before and blah, blah, blah. It tends to be a little bit more work Than, you know, an acting teacher handing you a script. But we don't want to put what we see necessarily on them. Anyway, so I'd picked out this monologue and it happened to be a non binary character from this. There's a website from non binary and trans monologues and scenes. I sat, I got there early and I sat in my car and I called my friend from college and I said, I don't know, man, I'm so scared. She talked me through it and I'd worn a little makeup that day, my hair was blonde and you know, I had just had a fresh cut and I walk in and Rain is facing the door and we just locked eyes and I, I was like, don't see me like that, you know, like what is happening. I had the same experience with Alexandra Billings and I don't think that's an a coincidence for us trans people. We see people, you know, like I said, we've been searching for ourselves, through Hollywood, through other people for our whole lives. Some of us, some of us, some of us have the benefit of transitioning very early. Some of us don't. I came out in my 30s as non binary. I came out as gay, basically the 90s. So I had another coming out and I walked in, did the class. The, the students who are new to act now have to pick a monologue and do the monologue. And we go at the end of the class so we can kind of see how the instruction works with the scene work that's happening, which kind of rolls over. People that want to go multiple months will come back in multiple months and they'll just continue doing scene work. But if you're new to act now, you're going to bring in a monologue. We want to see what you are choosing for yourself, what you're coming in with, you know, that sort of thing. And. But she makes us go last the monologue. So we're sitting there the whole time and this was a sold out class. Freaking out, freaking out, freaking out, waiting for her to be mean, because that was what I was used to. And Rain Stern sometimes and she sees us, but she's not mean. I wouldn't say if you gotta meet her and you just know, you gotta book her and you'll just know. And I got up and I did my monologue and Nikki was in class too, so I had already had that connection with him and I had already connected with several people. Zach Binder, who is an amazing actor and puppeteer and comedian. And then I got up and did My monologue, I used Nikki because he's the one that I knew the most at that point. And I had to stop and start again, which, you know, we often have to do. So literally, my first time in front of a CLA. An acting class in probably 10 years, I did the monologue. It was okay. I felt good about it. And I don't remember any of the feedback. Rain will kill me for this, but I. I haven't watched many of the videos of my scene work because it's still very hard for me to watch. I do feel the transition that's happened since I've stepped foot into class, but it's hard for me to still watch myself, which is something that I'm currently very much working on. The affirmation of who I am in this moment right now. So I did. It went well. Class ended, and something lifted from me, some sort of trauma from past acting classes. Something released, and I was lighter and I just kept coming back. I kept coming back. And then I was like, do you need help? Let me stage manage. And then I got to stage manage and, you know, and now I'm instructing the scene study class.
- [33:39]
Rainn Valdez
Wow, that's a beautiful story. I don't think I've ever heard it in its entirety like that. Thank you for sharing.
- [33:45]
Jace Allen
Yeah, thank you for being there.
- [33:48]
Sam Valentine
Okay, Now I feel like an interloper in this beautiful moment.
- [33:51]
Jace Allen
No, please. I'm just like.
- [33:54]
Rainn Valdez
Well, thank you, Sam, for facilitating this. This is. I mean, otherwise, I'd never would have. I don't know if I would have gotten a chance to hear this story in its entirety with all the emotion and all the backstory.
- [34:06]
Sam Valentine
That is just such a beautiful. I think not very many people get to say that they felt that good from a class. You don't. That it's very hard to. And I'm a big encourager of actors to switch up where they're going if they don't feel like they're getting supported or getting better or those type of feelings. But also just having a place to land that's softer and a cushion because the world is hard. I don't need everything else that I'm a part of to be. And to know that you felt that scene. Just walking in the door and being able to do a full monologue as yourself is not. It's not something you hear very often in a black box stage Rain. What do you think it is that really makes this space different for especially, like. Especially our actors who are listening her might not be trans, but, like, lgbtqia or in that space, what have you cultivated there that. That gives people that openness?
- [35:07]
Jace Allen
Yeah. And to be clear, act now is a queer centered, trans led acting studio. So anybody of a queer identity or questioning queer identity come into our space?
- [35:19]
Rainn Valdez
Yeah, I think that's a great question, Sam, because I think for me it's. It always goes back to my intentions. When a new student comes into my space, I embody that intentionality of making sure that I am there to be in service of their discovery, their exploration, their navigating through who they are as an actor and as an artist, because I was given that opportunity when I was younger. And so for me, it's creating the intentionality, creating the space that when you come into my space, it's not about me. It's never really been about me or what comes out of my mouth or how I teach. It's always been about how can I help you? And sometimes they don't know that. And so I think that's what makes me a really good teacher, because you don't have to come to my class to know what your intentions are, but we can figure it out together. I can kind of guide you and kind of like sort of teach you or. And I teach based on experience. I always teach based on storytelling. So I always relate to my students with my experiences in this industry, how I came to be, how I became a teacher and how I create art for myself and how I'm able to find purpose through community and through telling my stories. So, yeah, for me, it's always just been this, this intention that if, if you're coming into my space, I'm immediately going to be on your side and I'm immediately going to be rooting for you. And I don't think that every acting class is that way.
- [37:13]
Sam Valentine
Definitely not. Definitely not. You said something especially beautiful in there that I want all of the actors who are listening to this to hear, which is you felt very protected as a, as a younger actor. And I help actors. A lot of people who are listening to this help actors in different ways. How can we help protect our trans and LGBTQIA actors for those of us who might not have had similar experiences.
- [37:44]
Jace Allen
Speak up when we're not around.
- [37:46]
Rainn Valdez
Even when we are around, speak up for us. And.
- [37:49]
Jace Allen
Yeah, yeah, I don't know much more to say than that. Just speak up when we're not around. Speak up when we're around.
- [37:54]
Rainn Valdez
I think my, my answer would be make us feel like we belong there in any, in any space and do, do, do anything. That you can think of that would make me feel like, oh, I'm welcomed and I belong there. And. And it doesn't take very much to do that. It's the simplest way for a trans person to feel welcomed, feel seen, feel heard, feel protected.
- [38:27]
Jace Allen
I think another thing that a result of what's happening with our acting studio is whether it's a new actor, completely new to acting, or an actor that's acted for years, and this is their first all queer sort of acting theater, film space is. We're, we're also by proxy teaching people how to advocate for themselves. And I would just want to impress upon, you know, other trans non, binary, gender expansive folks that might be listening is advocate for yourself. And if it's not met with open ears and open arms, it's not for you, you know.
- [39:08]
Sam Valentine
Yeah, I want to know how you approach this, because actors have asked me this inside of my groups when they are reaching out to reps or introducing themselves to casting directors. For example, do you put this in your emails? Do you state who you are or do you let people find out who you are? Because Hollywood functions in trends a lot, just like every other business. And you know that it comes in waves. And you don't. I don't think a person is a trend. But at the same time, I want every actor to capitalize on every possible help that they can get. Because life, this business is complicated and hard. What would you say to that?
- [39:51]
Rainn Valdez
Yeah, I think. I think if you're gonna be an actor, you kind of have to be comfortable with the idea that you'll have to be public in some way. But I think the beauty of that too is you get to decide how public or how open and revealing you want to be about any parts of you. And I think there is an opportunity to capitalize in how you identify. But at the same time too, it's. If you're an actor and you just want to act and you just want it to be about that, then it's really just about showcasing the talent. It's really about showcasing the work. And I think for me, you know, when I was looking for reps, I was being honest. I was telling people I had something to show for it, you know. Cause I had been creating my own work and they were getting into film festivals, so I was getting all these accolades. So when I had a meeting with a manager or an agent, I had my talent sort of backing me up in a way that maybe some of the newer actors don't have yet, because they don't have that kind of material, which is why in Act Now, I always encourage our students to write, shoot, produce, direct, cast yourself in it, and then act your heart out. We encourage that because it's one of those things where, like, for me, I wasn't able to get the kind of opportunities that I knew I was capable of until I showed them that I could do it. And so once I started showing them the characters that, like, look, see, I did this because I know I could do it, then that's when the auditions got better. That's when they're like, oh, my God, we know who she is. We know what Rain's about. We know her vibe. We need to bring her in for this role. We need to bring her in for that role. So it's like, that's when they start to get to know you. Which is why I think with act now, we're always, like, encouraging our actors to bring in pieces, bring in monologues that they pick for themselves. Because the better you know yourself, the better you're going to be able to communicate what that is, who that is, what that brand is to agents, managers, and casting folks. Right? And sometimes it takes a little bit of investigating in order to get to that point. You know, it took me a while to figure out, oh, I'm the transgender Sandra Bullock. Like, it took me. It took me, like, a while to get there. But then once I got there, it's like, oh, my God. You know, it's like. And then the auditions got better, and so it's like, you know, but I. I discovered that through. Through being in an acting class and through. Through my writing and through, you know, creating and producing and. And then suddenly I had this brand that I could capitalize on, and it worked, and it's still working. But again, I chose to be that out. I didn't have to, and I didn't for a very long time. And so I think some of the trans actors that I really, really admire and that I really looked up to are the ones that are so just paving their own way, you know, Like, Patty Harrison doesn't talk any. She. You know, she doesn't. She doesn't play trans. She doesn't talk about it. She doesn't. You know, but that's her way of representation, and that's her way of advocating for our community. And I think. I think it works, and I think it's working, and. And I admire it, and I appreciate it. And then there are other, you know, trans actors who will only play trans roles and will constantly speak on it and. And advocate for our rights. And, you know, Laverne Cox is doing an incredible job constantly. Constantly, just like, advocating uplifting the community. And. And. And that's not an easy job to do. And she does it so well. And so for me, it's like, I think you get to choose now. And I think that's a beautiful thing. You know, we've gotten to that point where Hunter Schaeffer can just be Hunter Schaeffer and still do incredible work. And if she wants to speak on it, then that's her prerogative at this point. But. But we've earned that. You know, we've earned our place that we get to have Hunter Schaeffer just be Hunter Schaeffer. And that's, I think, the most beautiful thing about the work that we've been doing as a community is that these younger talents just kind of get to do their thing.
- [44:24]
Sam Valentine
Useful. So useful for so many actors, too. That's just knowing yourself is like the ultimate battle. Right? It's like the. It's the thing we're all trying to do. And some of us doing it on a microphone, some of us are doing it inside of our Instagrams, and some people are doing it at home with a journal. You know, it just depends on the person and how they choose to facilitate it. I could ask you about a hundred thousand more questions because I'm like, how did you make your own work? Tell me about writing your stories. I want to hear how you guys found each other. What type of work do you like to do? Jace, where are. Where are your thoughts on all these things? But I will let you guys go because we are getting close to time. Where can we direct everyone to in case they don't like to look at podcast show notes?
- [45:06]
Jace Allen
Our Instagram for Act now is at now la. My personal Instagram is at Live Laugh. Jace. Jace is spelled J A S E. And the website is rainbowrated.com and my.
- [45:25]
Rainn Valdez
Instagram handle is Aignvaldez. R A I N V A L D E Z. I have a new short film that just came out today. It's called oh, my God. Congratulations. Thank you. It's on YouTube. We wanted it to be. We wanted it to premiere on Transgender Day of Visibility. It's a short film that celebrates trans femme rituals. It's a romantic comedy, so totally on brand and. Yeah. So go to Aignvaldez at Act Now LA to find all the things that. That we're doing.
- [46:05]
Jace Allen
Yeah, awesome. Also want to give out. We have a scholarship program which you have lovingly donated to. And this helps us sustain the business, pay ourselves, give free classes to those that can't necessarily pay for it themselves. Yeah. And if you got some money and you want to be an angel donor, hit me up.
- [46:27]
Sam Valentine
Yes, please. Make more content about things you don't know. Folks. Thank you guys so much for doing this. I really appreciate it.
- [46:34]
Jace Allen
Thank you. Thank you, thank you.
- [46:36]
Rainn Valdez
Thank you. Sam. Thanks for having us.