Today we’d like to introduce you to Chani Schwarcz.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Chani. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I was probably around the age of five when I promised myself that I was going to be an actress, and, since then, I can’t remember wanting to be anything else. I come from a very musical and creative family. Both of my Russian grandparents are professional musicians.
As a kid, my grandmother would often give me piano lessons. Growing up, my mother scraped together whatever she could to send me to ballet classes, performing arts summer camps, and, as I got older, guitar lessons. I was born and raised in California into a very Jewish orthodox community. I went to an all-girls’ Hebrew school until the age of 14, when public school became a better fit for me. At Alexander Hamilton high school, I took choir and theater company where I reconfirmed my determination to be an artist. Acting always made the most sense to me; the study of people, relationships, the cost of being a vulnerable human being always fascinated me. Acting was always my safe place. It also meant being part of something bigger and deeply important not just to me but to humanity as a whole.
After high school, I attended a Jewish learning program in Israel. For most of my life, I tried to convince myself to not pursue acting. I didn’t receive much support for it as a career or lifestyle. In Jewish culture, we observe Shabbat, which means that working Friday through Saturday is prohibited, and women are required to dress modestly and not wear pants. Though there are other guidelines that we are encouraged to follow, these two create the biggest divide between being a religious Jew and pursuing an acting career. Finally, at the age of 19, after my studying abroad, I told my mother that what I wanted most was to be an actress. After her initial worry about the challenges that come with this career, she understood that I had no other choice. One year later, I was accepted to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts where I discovered by artist’s voice, gained deep confidence in my skills, honed in on my craft, and made incredible, lifelong friends. Today I have managed to find a happy balance between my Jewish identity and acting goals.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I think, for as much as an actor can believe in themselves, they doubt themselves at least in equal measure. You want every moment to be pure and honest. It feels as though there is always more to learn more to explore. Navigating that desire for honesty, career stability, self-identity, love for the work can sometimes be difficult. Laying the groundwork is the hardest. Do I lean on what I’ve learned or construct a new way? On set, no one will tell you if you did a good job or not; they will just move on to the next take or give you a note that never feels like it relates to acting as you the actor experiences it. My advice? Trust your instincts. Don’t live by the character work alone to the extent that you fail to live in the moment. Do the work at home, and then leave it at the door once you are on set. I will advise an actor to always remain engaged and curious even if you’re not the middle of filming a project. Take a class online or in person, watch small theater, got to poetry readings, but always keep yourself involved in the arts especially if you are in between projects.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I find it hard to openly talk about myself in an evenly remotely boastful way. I’d like to say I’m proud of the way I treat others. Empathy, kindness, and openness are crucial qualities to lead with. For me, who you are as a person directly translates to the type of actor you are. An honest and wholehearted person makes an honest and wholehearted actor.
When I tell people I’m an actor, it always feels diluted. I consider myself an artist and not just an actor, as cliché as that sounds. When one says “actor,” the magnitude of that can get lost by the misunderstandings or even stigmas about what this actually means. Acting is the art of the human condition. The telling of stories through film and television provides one of the most profound and effective educational and healing tools that our society has at its disposal. It is these stories that teach us about the human condition and immerse us in some experiences we otherwise would have never had were we to limit ourselves to our subjective lens. Such stories can also often inspire us to evolve into better people with a far more generous capacity for kindness, empathy, and love. Perhaps, in a way, actors are the mirrors that reflect ourselves back to us in all of our gore and glory. This is what the term “actor” means to me.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I wish I openly admitted wanting to be an actor at a younger age. That is wholeheartedly it. Everything else that has happened has occurred for a reason and no matter what I wouldn’t change any of it. Nonetheless, I wish I stood by what I loved sooner. But better late than never. I know now more than ever to listen to your own voice and speak it with conviction.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1227 N Fuller ave.
- Phone: 3235591995
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/is.you.spicy/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chani.schwarcz.5
Image Credit:
Rebecca Van Buren (Headshots), Sarah Schwarcz (Gold dress), Victoria Hicks (Flowers), Charlie Robinson (Stage)
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