Noma Dumezweni's Top Tips for Actors

Noma Dumezweni’s Top Tips for Actors

On Monday we launched our new series of live conversations ‘Mountview LIVE: Giles Terera meets…‘. Giles was joined by two-time Olivier award winner and Mountview Artistic Associate Noma Dumezweni for an illuminating discussion prompted by questions from our students. The pair covered a range of topics from how to deal with rejection to how to stay creative in lockdown (and those other tricky periods of inactivity that can be all too familiar to actors).

Below is a summary of Noma’s inspiring advice for actors, much of which is applicable to anyone at any stage of life and in any career. Enjoy!

Noma’s Top Tips

  1. We all have to start somewhere.
  2. Let go of expectations and those disappointments won’t hurt as much. Let it go, keep it moving, let it go.
  3. Every job can give you something new – it’s an opportunity to learn.
  4. You are a storyteller regardless of what society tells you that you are.
  5. You are the only version of you that exists.
  6. The thing about this job is that you don’t do it on your own.
  7. Find your tribe – people that will understand your struggles and support you. (Noma cites Blacktress UK  as a vital support network for her development).
  8. When you’re in lockdown (or out of work) the more you can get out of your head, the better the world will be for you creatively… And on a day-to-day basis, make sure to take the time to cook, knit or do whatever it is that you enjoy!
  9. Learning to deal with pressure is an ongoing process. Ultimately you know what you need and don’t worry about what other people think.
  10. Trust yourself more than anything… we’re just storytellers, simple as that .Dumezweni

You can watch the full interview here This Links Farast.