We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jacob Seidman a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Jacob , we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?
I chose to answer this question as a celebration of confidence!
Throughout my life there have been moments when I felt confident, and experiences where I felt on top of the world…for a minute.
But today, I can say that I am currently stepping into the best version of myself that there has ever been. While that is scary to put out there, it feels really good to own it.
What I have been learning on this journey is that self love is important. For years the way I spoke to myself was anything but nice, things that I could never imagine saying to another person flowed easily through my mind about myself. It’s taken me time, and a lot of vigilant effort, but now I can catch myself when that nasty little voice tries to take control.
I am very lucky to be surrounded by people I admire. Artists who challenge me, inspire me, and motivate me to be better. For years I’ve said, “I can’t wait to be as good as them”. Shedding these layers of self doubt has allowed me to reach new levels of my artistic ability, and career that I had never envisioned as a possibility. No longer is there a box which I believe I reside in. Those were constructs made up by myself. And it’s not about being “as good as”, or “better than” anyone else. It’s about believing that I am equal. And let me tell you, I am having so much fun! This limitless feeling of possibilities and challenges is intoxicating. It drives me, and pushes me to accomplish all kinds of new things.
So hears to believing in yourself! Caring about yourself. Loving yourself. To putting the best YOU out into the world. To running wild with the people you love, and unearthing the adventures of your wildest dreams.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am an LGBTQ actor, writer, and producer based in LA. Originally from central Illinois, I’ve been a performer my entire life.
As we all know Hollywood can be a very difficult career path, one fraught with a lot of waiting. And I am not very patient! Encouraged by two wonderful acting teachers Mark McPherson (Studio 24/7) and Brian Cutler (Brian Cutler Actors Studio), I began to write for the first time in 2018, and immediately found the joy in creating my own work. You might say I’m addicted to creating now. I’ve written multiple screenplays and series, and in the process have found a tribe of fellow collaborators who have made my creative journey all the more inspiring and joyful.
I have two projects currently streaming online. “Fall to Fame”, a short film about a famous gay musician who comes face to face with his ex, and must validate the decisions he made to get ahead in his career. Currently streaming on the LGBTQ platform Dekkoo.
“Searching for Josh Brolin” currently streaming on Seekatv.com. Wow is this a fun project! My good friend Julie Phillips and I created this series the moment covid hit. 22 episodes each under 4 minutes, and filmed completely on Zoom during the quarantine. And if I may say so myself, it is a hoot! This show not only kept us sane and creative during the lockdown, but we ran every aspect of it ourselves. Writing, directing, editing, booking our friends as guest stars, what an incredible experience. And if anyone out there knows Josh Brolin or his step mother Barbra Streisand let us know!
My most recent short film “A New Era of Cowboy” is currently winning awards in the festival circuit, and we are beginning development to turn it into a feature film.
So even though I am still impatient, my creativity is constantly being satisfied by building art and working with my fellow collaborators. Having a collective and a tribe has made navigating Hollywood more exciting than I ever could have imagined.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
My acting teacher of 5+ years, Mark McPherson (Studio 24/7), has four things he thinks every good actor must do to be successful. I’m going to paraphrase them into terms that apply to anyone.
-Work hard, put in the hours, and keep getting better.
-Focus on your career. Do the administration, do the things you need to do to succeed. Because no one is going to do them for you.
-Be coachable.
-Have largesse. Be part of a team, support people who’ve helped you, pay it forward to people who haven’t. Good things come back to good people.
For myself these are the pillars that guide me. My advice to anyone, but especially for anyone entering the entertainment industry:
Find your chosen family and run with them. Work hard, harder than anyone else. And have fun.
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
I’m a nice Jewish boy, I can’t not choose the parent prompt! I am extremely lucky, I have incredible parents and a wonderful family who have never been anything but supportive of me. I think the most helpful thing my parents have done for me is support me unconditionally, but without doing the work for me.
They spent my childhood driving me to dance classes, and rehearsals, never because they pushed me but because I wanted to do show after show.
My parents have always been a sounding board, a place to turn when I need advice. When I was younger and newly embarking on this career path, I would call frustrated and distraught after bad auditions or difficult rehearsals. My dad would always say, “want to move home?”, to which I would reply with exasperation “No!”. And his response was always the same, “okay then figure it out”.
I think that’s one of the best lessons they gave me, work hard and keep pushing forward. If you decide to change paths (which I have done), great. If you decide to take a detour, no problem. If you decide to move across the country with no network and no game plan, we support you. Whatever it is, keep working towards something.
There will never be enough words to say how thankful I am for the support of my family. I wouldn’t be who I am, or accomplishing the things I am doing without their love and support.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jacobseidman.com
- Instagram: @jhseidman
