Trading Corporate for Creative: My Acting Journey Begins at Age 41

I had been working in IT for nearly 22 years when my company downsized and, after a testing time personally, with a difficult divorce in 2007, I made a life-changing decision. They say that as one door closes another opens. Well, the door to regular and comfortable salary-earning did slam firmly shut and like any redundancy, fills you with that initial fear and trepidation. What has happened since then has seen me expand my professional and social network many-fold. My drifting focus has settled and I have found what I think is my ‘true-calling’. I was 41 years of age when the bug bit! Never too late.

I had registered with a Background Talent agency in Auckland, New Zealand in September 2008 and began to get regular work as an extra for Commercials and TV Series. I had no idea that some of the TV Commercials shot here in New Zealand were destined for overseas viewers. I can still remember the buzz I got from going to the agency offices, having a couple of photos’ taken and being up on their website the same afternoon. Ok, I thought, I’m not an actor yet, but getting roles on New Zealand staples’ Shortland Street and Power Rangers (the latter being my very first role) gave me the kick-start I needed.

I remember turning up 30 minutes prior to call-time on Power Rangers one cold Sunday morning at 5 am on an Industrial estate in South Auckland and being like the proverbial kid in the candy store. I have always loved films and had been following a few actors’ — Sir Anthony…