Odd Birds by Ian Harding

Author:Ian Harding
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

LIFE IN THE WINGS

Probably the least “Hollywood” part of my life as an actor is actually being on set. The press junkets and the parties can be glamorous, but when we’re shooting Pretty Little Liars, I wake up and drive to work every morning just like most people.

Sometimes work starts early. If my call time is at 6:00 A.M.—which it is if I’m in the first scene of the day—I set my alarm for 5:07. Even though I wouldn’t call myself a superstitious man, seven is my lucky number, and I believe in starting the day off right.

I’m usually the first actor to arrive on set. I grew up in a military family, and I inherited my dad’s deep, almost panicky respect for punctuality. He believes that unless you are literally caught behind enemy lines, you need to be on time.

Two seasons ago the producers installed a shower in my dressing room. Originally, I thought it was a gift, but then Lucy told me it was put in because I always smelled really bad. I like to think she was kidding, but either way, I make sure to take a shower before work. I almost always use my on-set shower instead of the one at home, because I don’t want to wake up Sophia or the dogs.

After I get cleaned up, I usually eat breakfast on set. There’s a craft services room at the back of one of the soundstages, complete with an unlimited supply of bacon. Most of the cast and crew stop by in the morning, and it’s where I usually run into people at the beginning of the day.

The person I run into most often here is Troian Bellisario, who plays Spencer on the show. Troian, like me, is compulsively early. She’s constantly moving and constantly working. She’s an actor, yes, but she also writes, produces, and directs. She even directed a recent episode of the show. It’s fortunate that she isn’t evil—otherwise she’d easily take over the world. In the meantime, she makes a great breakfast buddy.

The only time us actors avoid craft services is when we have to shoot a sex scene. On those days, you’ll find me drinking coffee and doing push-ups in my dressing room. When it’s a sex-scene day, we’ll all avoid craft services so that we look nice and svelte when the cameras start rolling. All of us, that is, except for Keegan, who walks around eating entire pizzas before he has to take off his shirt.

Around my third plate of bacon—it’d be a shame to let it all go to waste—I’ll usually get a text from Lisa Hoggett, the set PA, telling me to get my ass over to hair and makeup. I’ll grab an apple on my way out so I at least keep up the appearance of making healthy choices.

Hair and makeup is in one of several trailers set up between the sound stages. We call this area “base camp.”

On my way over, I’ll stop by the PA trailer to say good morning to Matt Buckler.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.