Meet Nathan Shaw from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, who moved to LA three years ago to pursue the “American Dream” and forge a successful career in Hollywood.
Was there a particular reason you chose LA?
At the time I was playing ‘Peter Pan’ over at Tokyo Disney Resort in Japan and some of my fellow performers had graduated from AMDA (The American Musical and Dramatic Academy). They had locations both in NYC and LA. After already training and working within dance and musical theatre, I thought it was about time I finished off the “Triple Threat” training package and dedicate myself to a full-time acting program. Los Angeles was my number one choice because of well… The weather ha ha. No, I joke. I read up on the faculty and reviews of both campuses, and the opportunity was of course much greater on the West Coast.
What do you miss most from home?
Apart from family, nothing so much stands out. I recently went back to the UK for six weeks whilst my new O1 Visa was processing. It became clear after a couple of days that there was nothing much left for me there anymore. My life, career and friends were now in the U.S from the previous three years of living in LA. I can get my PG Tips and Heinz Cream of Tomato Soup at Ralphs so I’m all good in that aspect.
What was your first impression of LA and has it changed since? If so why?
Of course you get the impression from the movies that U.S Colleges are all just a bunch of frat partyies. So of course I was only a little bit disappointed that it didn’t live up to that expectation! But evidently performing arts college is all about the work, the work and the work, and that is what I was there to do. I graduated in February 2015 from AMDA LA and never looked back. My career is on the verge of taking off, I’m back for another three years and there’s only positive things ahead!
What do you find the biggest difference is living here versus Wakefield?
I don’t see any sheep or farms? No, I don’t miss the fact that there is no relevance to ‘Emmerdale’ here. One of the biggest differences is obviously waking up to a blue sky and the sun shining everyday. However, in terms of the work – there is so much more opportunity. Back in the UK, I would maybe have one or two auditions a month. Whereas here in LA, you can have two, three or four a day. If you live, sleep, eat and breathe entertainment, you need to be in entertainment capital of the world.
Do you have a hidden gem in LA that you want to share with us?
Apart from the Lakeside Car Wash on Riverside Drive in Burbank, who do a mean $20 detail (shout-out to them for cleaning my Ford Mustang every month) and the Backyard Marinated Steak Hot Plate at Tender Greens, I haven’t found many hidden gems recently. The Wisdom Tree Hike has a pretty amazing view but I’m still yet to hike to the Hollywood Sign and take one of those infamous selfies. Maybe I’ll find the time in these next three years?
What would you suggest to others who are thinking about making the move here?
It’s not for everyone, but at least give it a shot! If you are truly dedicated to performing then you need to immerse yourself in this world. If you’re not a performer, then the lifestyle is next to none. Just make sure you get a car with air conditioning.
Lots of our members join our group Brits in LA seeking out words of wisdom – what is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
If you were to ask me about advice to aspiring performers wanting to make the move to LA, I would say this: As Troy Bolton would say in ‘High School Musical’, “Keep your head in the game”. Ha ha. It’s a tough industry and it’s not for everyone. On a serious note though, here’s the thing, acting is more than just embodying another character, it goes deeper than that. The world needs entertainment, TV, film, theatre. The people who watch us, live through us and we may or may not think it at the time, but we (as performers) have the power to save someone’s life. They religiously watch these TV programs each day, each week. They latch on and relate with a specific character and their story as it could potentially represent something that they are going through personally. They way you make your choices as an actor when portraying a character not only impact the story line, but the world.
So maybe that is something to think about when you’re struggling with a specific scene or audition or big move (LA or London or wherever in the world)? If you were watching yourself or your character, how would you react? What would you want them to do? If this was happening to you as a real person and you weren’t “just acting”, how would it effect you personally?. Give it a shot! Maybe it will help bring some new perspective or insight to whatever you need help with.
Lastly, how can we find out more about you?
You can follow me on Social Media (Instagram @nafboy) and (Twitter @nath_shaw). You can also take a look at my website and IMDb page to see what I’ve been working on and what is to come.
