Conversations with Sara Gellert

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sara Gellert.

Hi Sara, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory. 
I am originally from Budapest, Hungary. I always knew that I wanted to be an actor, even from a younger age, but I did not really have anyone around me who was in the film industry. I remember the first time I saw Jesus Chris Superstar at the theatre when I was 8 or 9, and I just felt like I wanted to become a part of this world. At that age I did not know what acting was, I just recall this excitement that I had when I was sitting in the audience. Also, if you watched any footage from my childhood, you would see that I am either singing, dancing or acting on every single VHS tape. It took me quite a few years to open up about this dream to my parents because I was not sure about how they would react. Some parents might become very protective of their children if they say they want to be in the entertainment industry, so I just kept it to myself for a while.

Later in life, when I had more confidence in myself and more freedom, I decided to go to an acting school in Budapest, where I was able to learn the basics of acting and also developed a level of confidence with the craft. Then moving to Los Angeles really helped me to be able to fully focus on my career as an actress. It has been so amazing to be in the center of the film industry. I booked my first acting job 3 weeks after I moved to LA – and that was even a surprise to me. From then on, I slowly but surely started working my way up. At first, I was booking smaller jobs, but honestly, I was just happy to be on set, I did not even care about how big or small the project was. I would always exchange thoughts and methods with other actors on set, wanting to learn more about the industry, self-tapes, auditioning, etc. I was like a sponge, soaking it all up.

It was really important for me to simultaneously begin training with an established acting coach in LA, so I started working with Howard Fine. With his support, I was able to develop my skills further, understand a lot more about this industry and really dive into the craft of acting itself. He taught me so much about emotional work, how to properly build up a character, I have learned these really important skills that I am able to utilize every day. This all contributed to more and more bookings, bigger projects, larger scale, and better terms, and eventually, I was able to establish myself as a full-time actor. Now I have a manager, I work on really exciting projects every day, and I am so grateful for all of the opportunities that I get. I have waited a long time to let myself believe that this was a valid option for me, and I am so glad that I finally had the courage to take the leap because it is so worth it.

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 feel like having a “smooth road” is rare when it comes to acting – we all have our journeys. For me, it was challenging to even step on this path because of the fact that no one in my family was in the movie industry, so I feel like it was more of an internal journey in the beginning and coming to terms with my decision to become an actor. The thing is that even if you are embracing that part of your personality, it is hard to deal with the fact that most people (even those who barely know you) will try to talk you out of even trying or put an unnecessary expectation on you. So, I feel like it is hard to have the courage to step on this journey and not let others discourage you. At the end of the day, I felt like this was something that I really wanted to do, and if I did not succeed, at least I could say that I tried and not have the feeling of “what if – what could have been”. I completely understand why some people never end up verbalizing their dreams because it is actually really hard to go against the odds and believe in yourself, especially in an industry that is deemed to be quite competitive.

The other challenge for me was to move abroad and be further away from my family. Of course that comes with a lot of sacrifices, missing big events with family and friends. I also had to get accustomed to a brand-new lifestyle, being thrown into new environments every day. I am lucky because I had the opportunity to live in Australia and England before I moved to the US, so I was able to practice my accent and pronunciation from a younger age. The thing that has helped me the most is that I have always been interested in acting for the form of the art itself, I have truly been captivated by it. I can always go back to this thought when I have doubts – how lucky am I that I get to do this for a living?

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am currently working on a lot of special projects, but I cannot really share more details about these – just yet. I have recently finished working on a TV mini-series here in LA. We are also in pre-production for a feature that is coming out next year. Ever since I moved to LA, I have been cast in feature films, TV series, TV commercials, short films, music videos and I am always looking for new projects. I have had the opportunity to be the lead in a film that has been very well-received in the film festival circuit – we have won 3 awards, one of which I received as best leading actress.

I think one of the reasons why I have been able to establish myself here is because of my persistence. I live a very active lifestyle, and I love to be productive with my time, so even after a 12-hour shoot, I will go home and respond to every single email that I received that day. I do not want to miss any opportunities that could move my career forward. I take my work very seriously; I cherish every work relationship I have and I absolutely do not take any of this for granted.

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
I think it is important to find people who can guide you through this journey. These could be your parents, fellow actors, teachers, anyone who you can learn from. I always think of my parents when I face challenges because they both had to overcome so many hardships as young adults and despite those difficulties, they managed to provide such a great life for me and my sisters. Finding an acting coach who can help you grow can also be very useful. There are so many coaches you can go to in LA, it is really just up to you to devote some of your free time to search and find the right person who understands your needs and helps you grow.

I have learnt a lot about courage in the last few years, and I have also seen that fear of failure and others’ opinions can really hold you back. Through a long process of self-discovery, I have realized that it is really unhealthy to let these factors dictate your next moves. If you really want something, somehow, you will have to find a way to internally understand the process and to protect yourself from what others may think of your journey.

I also think it is so important to take action and not wait for someone else to figure out your own journey. If you see someone in person whose work you admire, just go over and say hello. What is the worst thing that can happen? I like to have an open mind when I am networking with people and let go of any expectations. I have learnt so much about the industry just by walking up to people and asking them important questions.

I think in the beginning it is essential to have a decent acting reel that showcases your skills as an actor. So, in the first period, it is ok to do projects for free, even just for the experience and for your reel. However, I feel like it is really important not to get stuck in this mindset and recognize when you are ready to move on to the next phase. Everybody has a different standard or minimum fee that they would like to get for a project; there are no set rules that we all need to follow. I just think that once you have a decent acting reel, it is important to give yourself grace and maybe stop doing things for free. You want to make sure that you are not being taken advantage of, and you have a certain standard for yourself that you and others need to respect. There is a lot of work that goes into acting; auditioning several times, preparing for each of those auditions, sometimes driving to in-person auditions,  working on your character’s backstory and relationships, and so much more, so it is really important to know your value and understand how your work can contribute to the final product. I do not think it is selfish to negotiate a salary that you deem appropriate if you are a professional who will put in the time, effort and work.

Contact Info:

• Website: saragellert.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saragellert_