Daily Inspiration: Meet Josh Pais

Today we’d like to introduce you to Josh Pais.

Josh, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
When I graduated from a four years actor training program I was left with the question, “How can I bring spontaneity to my work as an actor?” The actor training I had was terrific – but it often left me in my head wondering if I was ‘doing it right.’ So I went on a two years journey seeking out directors and teachers who explored spontaneity and full-body inhabitation. I trained with people from all over the world. When I got back to the theatre group I was involved with – Circle Rep Lab, they asked me to direct some projects using what I had learned. I wanted the actors to actually create in the present moment as opposed to presenting what they had come up with the day before.

I wanted immediacy and the (creative) danger of creating in the unknown. I started training the actors to get out of their heads and connected to their impulses. We started showing the work. Audiences were on the edge of their seats because the work was so immediate. Soon different theatre companies asked if I could train their actors. NYU asked me to teach. “I’m not a teacher, I professed – but the requests kept coming – so I stopped resisting. That’s how The Committed Impulse Actor Training began. Committed Impulse has expanded to include actors at every level as well as artists in all mediums and passionate entrepreneurs. I’ve been teaching ever since between acting in TV and Film.

As an actor, I am currently filming Netflix’s new mini-series A Man In Full opposite Jeff Daniels, and have a handful of movies coming out over the next year. I started out acting in small basements in the East Village of NYC. And have since been in over 150 and TV shows and movies – starting with playing Raphael in the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. I blame my success as an actor on the Committed Impulse approach. In truth, I Integrate Committed Impulse into everything I do – whether that is working on a new movie or staying present in my day-to-day life.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I’ve been blessed to work steadily as an actor but I wouldn’t call it a smooth road. Early on, I tried to hide in my work. In a sense make acting choices so that I could feel safe behind a character. This made things rough – no money – no work. But as I started exploring how I could bring me to a character and reveal my truth within the work that my career started unfolding before me. I see acting as the ultimate spiritual practice. It requires being fully present and open in sometimes stressful situations. It requires having fun and staying loose when the pressure is on.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am proud every time I work on a TV show or film and create within the unknown with spontaneity and truth.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
To stay open. The life of an artist can have ups and downs – and a lot of rejection. It’s easy to put up armor to protect oneself from rejection. But we must remember we can’t selectively armor ourselves. We must keep our hearts and minds open to the each new adventure instead of bracing for a possible rejection. It’s counter-intuitive at times to stay open – but as long as we can stay out of our mental dramas – the world unfolds in beautiful ways to support our artistry.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://committedimpulse.com
• Instagram: @joshpais