Actress Julie Slack Opens up About Her Journey, Inspirations, and What Drives Her Passion for Performing in this Exclusive Interview
Q: Was there a specific performance or actor who made you think, “That’s what I want to do”? JS: Not a specific actor or performance, but rather, I knew that I wanted to be onstage (which is how I started out) because my parents would take me to the local community playhouse to see everything that they produced. From a very early age, I was absolutely dying to be up there. I truly thought every person on that stage was a star, and to me, they were celebrities. My mom told me that I had to be 8 in order to be in shows at the Playhouse, so on the morning of my 8th birthday, I woke up and asked if I could go audition! (By the way, I found out many years later that she’d made it up that I had to be 8! Apparently, she felt that 8 was a good age for me to be able to handle all of that). I did theater for many years, and then once I discovered film and tv work, I knew that that was my passion because I really enjoy small, realistic acting, (whereas theater is more broad, elevated acting). Q: Can you tell us about a role that challenged you the most, and why? JS: It wasn’t so much the role as it was the situation. I worked on a show on Fox called “The Resident,” and by the time I got there, it was an absolutely well-oiled machine (in its 5th
season). On my first day, I got there very early in the morning, and right away it was a total whirlwind. I remember someone brought me something to eat, but right as I got it, we had to report to set, so I didn’t get to eat! And then I was driven to the set and escorted by a production assistant to the specific location on set where I would first be filming. Everything was just so fast! (And I had to go to the bathroom so badly!) And then all of the sudden we were directed to rehearse, which meant that I was meeting my scene partner (which, for me, was the amazing lead of the show), the director, and the crew, all for the first time, and I needed to quickly switch into performance mode. And then shortly after that, we began filming that first scene. So, all in all, when I say that the situation was challenging, I mean that when you are on a network show like that, it is expected that you are extremely prepared, efficient, calm, and able to execute seamlessly, no matter what the circumstances. For me it’s always magical because it is everything I’ve trained and worked so hard for! But I think that’s where a lot of actors can let the intensity of the situation get the better of them. But I absolutely love that challenge! Q: What’s something surprising about working on set that audiences might not realize? JS: Just how many crew members are working behind the
scenes, and also, how much harder they work than the actors. Oftentimes there are two to three times as many crew members as actors, and sometimes, like on a network show, there can be like 100 plus people working behind the scenes! They are there earlier than the actors and stay much later. And with that, I think that audiences probably don’t always think about how collaborative a production is among all of the players. The actors are just cogs in the proverbial wheels! Q: How do you bring your personal identity or experiences into your work? JS: Oh, I love this question! Because my approach to acting is all about how I can use my own personality, my own past, my own inner thoughts to flesh out the character I’m playing (or auditioning for). I think that’s what creates authenticity in acting, because if you’re just “playing” a character, and not “infusing” a character with your own personality, then I think a performance will look like acting. So, I think it’s important to create a character through one’s own lens. That’s what makes each performance so specific! For me, I tend to bring in elements of humor and quirkiness because I generally see the world as being very humorous! Q: What advice would you give to aspiring actors navigating today’s entertainment landscape? JS: I think it’s important to try as many types of acting as you can! I now do a ton of voiceover work (personally- I do a lot of commercials), and I never would have even thought to try voiceover, but it sort of fell into my lap. But I feel so lucky that I was open to it, because it has become a huge part of my career. So, I would encourage aspiring actors to be open to whatever
they can try- each type of acting informs another. Q: What’s a role you’ve always dreamed of playing? JS: I would LOVE to work on a mockumentary. I’m putting that out into the universe! Q: What do you do to unwind or stay grounded outside of work? JS: I’m a mother of two and a wife, and I have two dogs, so I’m really busy with that part of my life! I spend a lot of time with my family, and truly just enjoy them! I love watching my children’s personalities blossom, and I’m incredibly proud of my husband and myself for the family we’ve created. My favorite nights are when my kids have friends sleep over because it means that I have them all under my roof, and it makes me happy to have a houseful! And I’m so lucky because my husband works from home, so not only is he my helper for auditions when I need someone to read with me, but I get to see him all the time. Oh, and I love to hike, and trail run with my puppy who has a LOT of energy to expend (my other guy is now too old to hike)! These days my dates with friends revolve around taking our dogs somewhere. But I love seeing friends that way- it fills my cup! This business has so many ups and downs, and it requires a lot of resilience, so when I feel both the downs AND the ups, I try to make a conscious effort to remind myself to focus on gratitude. And humor. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that I love to people watch and make up funny stories about them – hey, they’ll never know!