I studied all night and the next day when I went into work, I told my boss straight up that I had an audition and he let me go early. He knew I was serious about acting and I was out of excuses.
I went to the building, up the stairs and I remember looking around and seeing no set demographic for the part. That showed me everything I needed to know. I was able to make this role authentically mine.
I remember going into the audition room and asking casting if I could take my shirt off. Through their hesitation my shirt was off before they could lift their eyes from the page. (My characters name was shirtless guy,) I'm sure the long scar on my stomach created so many questions and concerns and truth be told, I used to think that my scar would hold me back from getting roles.
I went into the scene, one take, snapped into it and everything flowed. I walked out of the audition room and before I could drive off. I called a friend and I remember telling him "I got my power back." so many auditions and no bookings could lower your self-esteem in LA, so I focused on controlling how I felt about my auditions but not giving pressure into the results of them.
The next week, I received a call from my manager and I was cleared to work on my very first television series in Los Angeles, the same year I moved there. After our table read, producers asked what I'd like to name my character. I told them Donnie, because if I'm known for any name in Cali, from my first gig. I wanted it to be my name.
