How one "BOOM" changed everything

As "Here Comes the Boom" has reached the number 5 spot in box office hits I can't help but be grateful and a bit shocked at how this one movie changed my life. May of 2011 I was preparing to graduate with a Health Science degree from Boston University. I was working as a group fitness instructor and personal trainer and had big plans of moving to the west coast to further study fitness and build my fitness empire. Then I got an email from a local photographer that said they are casting model types for a feature film starring Kevin James and Selma Hayek and that he could get me into the casting. I thought it seemed like a good opportunity. He asked me to send my headshot and resume. My resume was full of my health science education and fitness background and my head-shots were in black and white from the waist up (for the actors that are reading this feel free to cringe at the thought of me walking into an audition armed with THAT). 

I walked into a room full of beautiful girls, but only felt moderately nervous when they called my name. When you walk into an audition for a featured role with nothing to lose, carrying no pressure from the acting classes I had never taken, knowing my life would continue as usual if I did not get the part, the pressure is minimal. I walked into what was my first impression of what an acting audition was. There were six men seated at a table at the back of a large room (thankfully I didn't know at the time that those men were the big time Hollywood producers of the movie). A man working the video camera asked me to slate. I didn't know what that was so I made it up. It went something like "I am Olivia, I'm 5'11'', a photographer guy told me to come to this audition. I am a student at Boston University and I am into fitness although I don't know that much about MMA, but I could totally by a ring girl because I have taken a few boxing classes". Luckily, this crew found that speech endearing instead of unprofessional and apparently one of the producers had a daughter that was going to BU in the fall so I offered some advice on wearing layers in the cold temperatures and joining the social groups on campus. I left the room shaking each of their hands and thanking them for their time. Since I was naive to how an audition should go, I left thinking I had a shot and hoped that it would work out because it would be fun to work on a feature film.

Against all odds, I got a call about a week later. There would be a fitting and then three days of shooting, they assured me I would get a SAG voucher for each day (I didn't know what that meant). Finals were coming up and I knew I couldn't afford to miss my last few classes, but, I decided to embrace seniorititis and take the risk for the unique life experience. It was certainly an experience. I got to be on set of a major motion picture. I saw the amazing work and extremely long hours that went into film production. I got to shake the hands of the stars and get advice from a very kind and gracious Henry Winkler (The Fonz). I felt like I was pinching myself each day. The other ring girls were less thrilled, they complained on the long hours and the long breaks. I was enthralled by the whole process. As I sat there each day with a front row seat watching this amazing creation come together, I realized my life passion was not just fitness--My passion was in entertainment! I had just always been too scared to pursue it. This featured role was my introduction. It ignited a fire in me that I had not previously even known existed.  My plans for moving to California immediately altered from "build a fitness empire" to "be a leading lady". 

Armed with nothing but a SAG card and that fire in my heart, I did make that move. The last 17 months of my life have been a roller coaster of lessons. One hugely important lesson is getting cast as a leading lady is quite different than getting cast as a local hire featured background. Do not for one second think that I have skated easily through this town armed only with a cute face and charming personality. I have taken classes in technique, scene study, improv, audition technique, commercial audition technique, voice and movement, self-realization,  and character analysis. I have busted my butt with a personal trainer- thats right, the personal trainer become the trainee! I have dyed my hair to get the part and then spent months dying it back to get the next role. I have felt the heartache of rejection more times than I can count. I have been laughed at. I have been yelled at. I have been told more than once to "go back to middle America" and "you will never be a star". I have gotten the call back, been put on hold and never gotten the job. I have gotten the job and been downgraded on set. I have worked the job and never gotten paid. It has not been easy every day. But that fire is still burning strong and I want to one day prove to all the naysayers that I can do it, that I did find my life path that week on "Here Comes the Boom", that all the work that I have put in and will continue to put in will pay off in a huge way. Mostly, I want to prove to myself that I can do it, that I can reach this goal and live the life that I spent a lifetime dreaming about.

If you see "Here Comes the Boom" feel free to think of me and how with one little stroke of luck my whole outlook on life was altered. That one casting convinced me to chase my dreams. So thank you to the director and producers: Frank Coraci, Mary P. Ewing, Gino Falsetto, Kevin James and Todd Garner. Thank you for giving me the chance to work on this amazing production. Thank you for inadvertently encouraging me to follow my wildest dreams. And although I know the ring girl scenes were cut from the film. I am far more grateful for the experience and the encouragement to chase the leading roles that I now get to audition for. 

May you all discover and pursue your passions to the fullest each day. And may all of your wildest dreams become the happiest of realities!