I had two separate acting careers. I acted from age twenty-one to twenty-three, took a couple of years off, and then got back into it with Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The first time I was very worried about my speech and afraid I would stutter. I was not having fun. I quit acting and worked a variety of jobs to pay the bills. It sucked. Enough is enough, is how I felt after all the jobs. Because of the wide variety of jobs that I have done, I feel that I am well covered for any character I will have to play.
When I got back into acting my whole perspective had changed because I felt that it was my time to succeed. I loved the fact that acting was a constant challenge that allowed me to be artistic and express myself. I was having fun and just trying to make a good impression as opposed to feeling I had to get the job. This attitude helped, because I tended to stutter when I felt pressure.
Nick Brendon, Actor
Reprinted with permission from Surviving Adversity
