Today we’d like to introduce you to Mani Yarosh.
So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Well for starters, I’m an actor. I was born in New Jersey. I’m the oldest of four and I grew up with parents who really pushed us to be as well rounded as possible. So I guess I had an early introduction to acting, but more so through the lens of an extracurricular. Of course, what good is a suburban summer vacation without at least one round of local theatre camp? At this point, I should mention that I grew up with health issues which only increased in severity as I got older. By the time I was in high school, I had compromised mobility, a compromised immune system, and piss-poor class attendance. I was either kicked off of or had to quit any sports I was involved in, which was devastating. The bright side is that if it weren’t for any of that, I wouldn’t have been able to really discover something I love doing.
After my last surgery, we were living in Hell’s Kitchen in New York and I was fortunate enough to take these two acting classes which started as a means of catharsis but became something that I couldn’t at this point imagine my life without. When you’re in your teens, you’re maybe starting to contend with big questions for the first time… sexuality, identity, how you feel about things, and where you stand in the world. We would read these wonderful plays or pieces that didn’t necessarily answer, but answered to and informed those questions and experiences. Then we’d break it up and play games, share these deeply personal moments, or just talk. It was a very safe and deeply awakening process for me. I fell in love with it. One of my teachers pushed me into getting signed and within a year, I booked my first small role on SVU. I soon became SAG, graduated high school, and was accepted to Tisch for drama on a scholarship. I was fortunate enough to keep booking small roles and soon dropped out of school. I stayed in New York for a bit longer and eventually made the move out here.
Has it been a smooth road?
I don’t think it’s ever a smooth road but I try to enjoy every bit of it that I can. Admittedly it’s also hard to answer this question as San Francisco’s sky looks like that of a Jovian moon and we’re now six months into this pandemic- it’s a strange thing to focus on the struggles of your career when it feels like the world is struggling. To return to the question, I guess one of the biggest struggles or challenges is endurance. Usually the reasons an actor is cast in a role are either so arbitrary or so specific that at times it’s difficult to remember that you’re an artist. With that comes heartbreak, a lot of heartbreak. You really do need to have “thick skin” meaning you need to learn that you can’t take anything personally. Which is also difficult when your body, your voice, your face, your heart, your expression, your experience- everything that makes you, you- is what you’re using in your work.
Success, or even a semblance of it, can take years. You have to understand that this is a long game and you have to stay in it, however that makes sense to you. For me, it’s acknowledging that stability or traditional life goals at this point are not it. I’ve had appealing jobs and paychecks but they’re not often flexible with next day auditions or suddenly taking off if you book a role. Someone once told me that the second you choose your shift/day job over an audition, you need to rethink whether you can call yourself an actor. That sounds very extreme but there’s truth to it. We get to a point where life sets in and that can be very difficult to put on hold or walk away from. We all have bills to pay and want to enjoy our time in this messy world as best as we can. Again, endurance.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I’m an actor. My work includes Law and Order SVU, Criminal Minds, and Blue Bloods as well as numerous fun shorts and music videos. My most recent appearance was in Illenium’s music video for ‘Nightlight’ directed by Najeeb Tarazi.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
It took a while, but LA is actually great. There really is something here for everyone, and I love that people who come here say “yes” to things. Creatively that’s really refreshing. You do eventually find your place and find your people, and LA has this really cool weird way of opening itself up to you in its own time. The nature in California is astounding. Also, the food is so fresh! And there’s so much good food! There are certain food trucks I’m now very loyal to. The things I like least are probably everyone’s gripes. The traffic is terrible, parking is worse, and smog is gross. Brunch culture is a pestilence, but I think that’s everywhere. Also, I feel like too much sun can make you go crazy.
Image Credit:
Kelley Missal
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