On The Move with Actress Bridget Fitzgerald

My wonderful friend and actress extraordinaire Bridget Fitzgerald is baaaaaccckkkk! I love having her on here she is so funny, talented, and brilliant! The last time I had her on here she lived in New York, (read the interview here) now she’s made the leap out to Hollywood. You gotta love a girl who goes after her dreams. Seriously she is relentless! So before she gets too famous for Plain Talk I plan on having her back as much as I can. Welcome back Bridget!

What made you decide to swap coasts?
My dream is to be the lead of a romantic comedy feature film, so I felt like I needed to move to LA to really make that happen. Plus, I always wanted to grow up and be a real film actress and part of what would make that dream FEEL true for me was living in LA, so I had to make it feel true for me. It was a hard choice! New York has been my home for years, all my closest friends live there and will continue to live there. But the stars aligned, I had a good shot, and I took it.

What do you like least and most about LA?
Least I am gonna say the time difference between me & my folks. I love calling my mom after a big audition goes well, or after something nice and unexpected happens, but I can’t do that if it’s after like 6 during the week. I still do sometimes if it’s really important, but I guarantee the next day it’ll be like I talked to her zombie or something because she won’t remember it at all. Maybe next time I have something terrible to tell her, I’ll call her at like 11. 🙂 “What, you don’t remember us talking about that?”

What I like most about LA is how people get tv & film actors out here. I honestly felt like such a weirdo in NY because I was always modeling or acting and hanging out with fellow comedians who didn’t do any of that, so I would be like the odd girl out who brought healthy snacks to all the parties because I watched my figure, or who kept getting tired early because I would be up for the gym at 6 am before my day job, before an audition, before our shows, because otherwise, I wouldn’t have time to go to the gym and I wouldn’t be camera ready.

Whereas here in LA it’s not only ok to be focused on film and tv but also, everyone else is or knows someone who is, so they get it, and the pressure’s off to try to fit in more because I already do. It’s really nice to feel accepted, and it makes me feel at home.

Do you find yourself audition more or less in LA?
I am auditioning much more. There’s just a ton more shooting, plus I’m more serious & focused about my dream. I moved here for this. I’m not waiting- I’m hunting for opportunities to make that dream come true.

What projects have you worked on in LA? Where can we see you?
I’m in a short film called New Skin, which is great, directed by Christopher Carson Emmons & produced and starring Sabrina Culver which should be hitting festivals soon. Another one that I did in NY is still in festivals, Pearl. I shot a commercial out here that didn’t air, unfortunately.

You can hear me in the upcoming audiobook by Miv Evans playing the sassy and hilarious lead of How I Exiled My Inner B*tch. I LOVED IT. The lead of a romantic comedy!! One step closer, and I’m very grateful for it! If you love Sophie Kinsella, WAIT till you fall in love with Miv Evans.

Also, and this is exciting!! I wrote and directed my own sitcom pilot to star in called Musie. It’s going to be available for purchase online for only $1.99 from the Comcast online video store. So if you buy it, you’ll be able to watch it on your set top box as well. I hope you love it! I do, very very much. And you can get that for less than $2 no matter where you live.

Purchase: indemandnow.com or http://videostore.twcc.com/ starting September 1.

What was it like auditioning for your VO?
I actually did a bunch of VO back in NYC – that’s how I got my AFTRA membership. My first job was a laugh on a commercial for NY Lotto. I did a couple radio spots, NY Lotto again, Captain Morgan’s, also did some cartoon dubbing for Maya and Miguel – as a parrot! – and a little for Hope And Faith, dubbing a realtor. I also voiced a cartoon character for Rich Chapple’s webseries Justin Time, playing a snarky girlfriend.

You can hear what I’ve worked on here http://www.bridgetfitzgerald.com/voiceover.html.

As far as auditioning for Miv, well, I just really wanted it!!! It’s to play the lead of a romantic comedy, and a hilarious one! I just. Kept. Trying. When she would write back with notes, I sent her new stuff right away. I wanted it so hard and I took the time to make sure she knew that not only could I do it, and with her notes, but I really wanted that part! And why wouldn’t I? It’s a step towards my dream.

Do you have an agent in LA? If so how did you go about finding one?
I have two agents, Ross and Jennifer. I am freelancing with Ross Grossman at Affinity Artists for theatrical representation. I was freelancing with his NYC rep, Candi, who I LOVE but who lives in NY, and she got me the intro to Ross – hi, Ross!

My commercial agent is Firestarter Entertainment, Jennifer Layton (and her assistant Jodi Fleisher!). I got them through a friend’s referral – thank you, Nick Assunto! – after taking a lot of meetings with reps from another friend’s referral – thank you, Rick Cordero!!

What advice would you give to anyone looking to make the move to LA? What should newbies know about LA before taking the leap?
It’s easier than you think! Trust your gut & go when you’re ready. The car thing is scary, I get it. But it’s do-able. One day at a time, and why not today?

NY or LA?
LA is the city of my dreams. Grateful for the opportunity, but I’d love to visit you, NY – if only for hugs from my friends & a smear of my favorite tofu walnut cream cheese spread from Ess-A-Bagel. 🙂

A final word from Bridget.

25 years after When Harry Met Sally can the Rom-Com be saved?

AHHHHHHHHH this is my kind of debate! I love the rom com, even the name, and I know it’s formulaic, but that’s like a haiku to me – it’s formulaic in that it delivers the romance beats the way a well-sung action movie hits adrenaline at the right pulse points.

I think that the reason this article cites My Big Fat Greek Wedding is the reason this genre doesn’t need to be “saved” – it needs new blood and new twists and new turns. MBFGW hit a lot of the same notes of any rom com – including the evergreen When Harry Met Sally – but how it did it, the humor, was fresh and in balance with the amount of romance in the picture.

I think that’s the key – is that this is a spoonful of sugar genre, where you have to make it smart and funny, and that yes – as this article again cites – that’s going to TV a lot more now, the man power of writing that this genre needs to be truly successful is going to the epic arcs that good television sitcoms require as well to be truly potent. I think that as long as people like telling stories of how their folks met over barbecues will be how long this genre stays afloat – provided it can find the scribes and stars funny enough and smart enough to make it more about attractive stories vs. attractive people. That’s my two cents! xoxo

Thank you so much for your time, Gillian! I love being your guest and your friend. Thank you so much!