www.sheiladaley.com
Within the community Aaron and I share, Sheila Daley is an actress everyone fantasizes about working with. On the one hand, she's incredibly generous and giving. Every moment she's performing, whether it's a rehearsal, an improv performance, or the thirtieth take of some droll student film, Sheila brings 100% of herself and somehow scrounges an additional 10-20% from God-knows-where.
When a woman is as beautiful as Sheila, that kind of generosity can make a set and carry a film.
Between takes, she'll randomly start picking up lighting equipment or announcing call times, chipping in so her co-workers can focus on other things. Her attitude is notoriously positive, her smile is contagious, and her biggest problem is keeping her damn make-up and hair straight!
If you found a way to splice Eleanor Roosevelt with Sally Fields, and the resulting youngster was raised by that one unknown, unheralded high-school theater teacher in some Massachusetts mill town who quietly perfected the art of breaking and liberating the very best young actors, you still couldn't replace Sheila Daley. Her honesty and her work ethic are unparalleled. Her passion comes across with a simplicity that no director can mess up. Sheila Daley is the real deal, and we're very proud to have her.
On the other hand, Sheila is one of the most humble actors I've ever known. Right now, she's reading my praise and wondering what the hell she did to earn it.
Let me tell you how Sheila Daley earns praise like this.
When you give her a challenge that's outside her "type", it takes a moment for her to process what's happening... and then her eyes light up. All at once, the opportunity sets in. Suddenly she's beside herself with giddiness, playing with her new character in total, selfless confidence. Forgive me an example, if you will:
When we got into a discussion about the glib humor of Heartsgaard, she couldn't see how her natural performance worked for Simone. Why not cast someone with more electricity and color? Because that actress won't have to stretch, and the role will come off flat.
She caught my drift and threw it back at me like a twenty pound medicine ball. Whereas two seconds ago she wasn't sure she could do it, now she's giving me sass, playing with the dork culture of it... Simone was sitting right there next to me! Unreal! God, I love actors.
Then, I told her about a piece of street art Simone pulled in college called "Signs of Struggle". Her reaction was so awesome I had to call Gerard as soon as I got home:
TENNY
I think she actually demanded to have blue paint dumped on her naked body in the middle of Harvard Square, so the cops can drag her away and we can film it.
GERARD
Um... Did you marry her?
TENNY
Her boyfriend was there.
GERARD
So did you punch him out and marry her?
This, from a girl who ten seconds ago was questioning my casting choice! Are you starting to get the picture? Are you starting to see how lucky we are?
In less than thirty seconds, Sheila Daley became Simone Goddard. Simone then proceeded to tell me exactly how this movie is going to work. Hey, that's the character I wrote! I love it.
If Sheila's really down for something as daring as the stunt we discussed, I promise to get it on the DVD. Then, we'll get a fantastic photographer to do proper stills of the paint smears, so we can get her an art opening in character. If she puts on an evening playing the punk-rock performance artist, we'll even get the opening reception on tape! Everyone's drinking cheap wine, and Simone has her PBR as she chats up snooty art people... Already, the Heartsgaard DVD has the potential to be way cooler than I ever imagined.
Kids, here's a free lesson: Never waste a talent like Sheila Daley.
Don't wait for someone else to show you how brave she is. Don't let someone like me take all the risk, because I'll take the rewards. Give her all the challenges that fertile actors demand, and the payoff will be even more profound than you imagine.
Plus, you get to watch her face light up! Trust me, it's worth it.
As soon as I have my new computer, we'll be getting Sheila's info up on all the sites. In the meantime, check her out at www.sheiladaley.com.
Sheila Daley, welcome to the 8 Sided Ensemble! You're pure magic, and we're proud to have you.
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