Today we’d like to introduce you to John Lacy.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I moved to Los Angeles in 1987 to pursue a career in acting, and now I find myself 35 years later having a very dynamic career as not only an actor but an acting teacher, screenwriter, and filmmaker. My career has been a testament to staying focused, being flexible, and sustaining the tenacity required, which means developing very thick skin in an industry that will offer up more valleys than peaks. I have prided myself on staying active in my stage work, film and television appearances, teaching and mentoring young actors in my studio, and always developing and producing my own content. On February 28 I will be premiering my second feature film, ‘Rosebud Lane,’ in the Golden State Film Festival at the world-famous Chinese Theater on Hollywood Boulevard. Serious bucket list item checked off.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The greatest challenge for any artist looking to have a sustained career in Hollywood is how to manage your time, especially during those prolonged gaps when it doesn’t feel like any progress is being made. You are either without an agent, enduring a long span between bookings, growing out of a certain type and into another, etc. These droughts of activity can lead the actor without a compass to toxic self-doubt. Ultimately, it comes down to your own definition of success. My true success in this industry has been my endless passion and pursuit of inspiration that keeps me going through thick or thin, never taking for granted that I am doing what I love and pursuing my dreams. To do that I have made a lot of sacrifices, but at the end of the day, I am exactly where I want to be, doing exactly what I set out to do.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I have been consistently working actor for over three decades in Hollywood, and I just now completed my second full-length feature film that I wrote and directed. But what I am most proud of in my career has been my teaching and my mentoring. Starting my own acting studio and making myself available and accessible to any actor, young or old, with the passion to follow his or her dreams is the fuel that keeps me going more than anything else. I make my classes affordable and I give my students 1000% of my energy and focus when I am working with them. I can hang my hat on that.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
Like most people who survive in any challenging arena, I have had guardian angels and instrumental voices step into my path when I needed them most. Whether it was veteran character actor Charlie Haid taking an interest in me as a young actor when I did an episode of “Doogie Howser, M.D.” and then ten years later offering me an instrumental role on one of my favorite shows of all time, “NYPD Blue,” or stage director Scott Paulin trusting me to bring his vision for Horton Foote’s “Getting Frankie Married…and Afterwards” to life with the Open Fist Theatre Company… Mostly, though, I have my mother and father to thank for instilling in me a love of the written word and the collaborative process. I was raised in a house that appreciated the arts and I am very fortunate to have an incredibly supportive, engaged family who understand my pursuit and never stop cheering me on.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: rosebudlanemovie.com
- Instagram: @laceman34
- Facebook: Rosebud Lane movie
Image Credits
Ajay Jhaveri
Michael Vieyra
