|
He
may be silly on That
80s Show,
but Glenn Howerton's a smart guy in real life with lots of
thought-provoking college tips to share.
He's
Not Your Ordinary Actor
by Lynda Kessler
April 2002
The CollegeBound Network NewsClick --
Livin' it up as Corey on Fox's
That 80s Show, Glenn Howerton is making his acting
dreams a reality and owes a great deal of his current hit
TV success to his educational experiences at the competitive
Juilliard School, New York, NY, where he earned a bachelor
of fine arts degree.
"I was one of those strange people who loved school,"
Glenn admits. "I was into everything, including sports,
debate, acting... you name it! But in the end, it was my parents
who really said I should pursue acting as a career, as odd
as that may seem."
However,
it wasn't only his parents who saw his potential. "I had gotten
scholarship offers for [acting], and colleges seemed very
interested. I realized that I loved acting and performing
more than anything else, and eventually ended up at Juilliard.
Acting has consumed me ever since."
As
for school, Glenn has his own philosophy. "When an individual
finally realizes that school is no longer about getting good
grades and pleasing your teachers and parents, that's when
the real adventure begins."
Glenn
realized this one day while sitting in class his second year
of college. "I was sitting in a voice class that I really
didn't want to be in when I suddenly thought, 'Wow, I don't
have to be here at all. So, why am I here? I am here of my
own volition, so why not just dive in and make the best of
it? If my teachers are pleased with my work, great. If not,
that's okay, too, as long as I feel like I'm doing my best
work,'" he says. "I decided then that every class was an opportunity
for me to become the best actor that I wanted to be, and as
long as I kept an open mind about what I was being taught,
it was okay to screw up, and not please the right people."
Another
thing that helped Glenn excel in school was getting along
with his professors while remaining true to his thoughts and
ideas. "I had many clashes with my teachers, but I chose to
respect their opinions whether or not I agreed with them.
I was able to try what they asked openly, but without losing
myself and my own instincts in the process," he explains.
"In other words, I began to personalize my education
there. I made it mine."
The
24-year-old actor's stance on the ideology, "To thine
own self be true," has stuck with him throughout his
career, and has never been more important than now. And, his
belief in being better than average is how he excels on That
80s Show. He wants to be more than the average sitcom
actor. "These days, it seems that anyone can be an
actor, but acting, like painting or dance, should not be elitist.
I just wish the standard for what is considered good acting
was a bit higher, and I hope to influence that standard."
Whether
you're aiming for a cinema career, wanna' surf the waves day
in and day out, or aren't even sure of your job passion, take
Glenn's words of wisdom to help steer you in the right path.
|
