Should You Make Friends With The Competition?
Most actors walk into auditions guarded.
Silent.
Suspicious.
They sit in the waiting room pretending the other actors don’t exist.
Big mistake.
👇 Watch the full breakdown here:
Ready to Start Booking the Waiting Room Too?
Most Actors Treat Other Actors Like Enemies
Bad advice.
Old advice.
Fear-based advice.
Actors are constantly told:
“Don’t talk to the competition.”
“Stay focused.”
“Psych them out.”
“Protect your edge.”
But commercial acting does not work that way.
Because if the role is meant for them…
They’re going to book it.
And if it’s meant for you…
You’re going to book it.
No amount of silence in the waiting room changes that.
You Keep Seeing the Same People Anyway
Commercial casting is pattern-based.
Same casting offices.
Same age ranges.
Same types.
Same actors.
Eventually you realize:
"Wait… I keep seeing these people everywhere."
So why pretend they don’t exist?
Why sit there awkwardly scrolling your phone while everyone avoids eye contact?
The smart actors build relationships.
Rapport Is a Career Skill
Coach Mike teaches actors to stop “surviving” the waiting room…
…and start using it strategically.
Small talk matters.
Energy matters.
Rapport matters.
Simple questions open doors:
“Are you originally from LA?”
“How long have you been acting?”
“Do you still have family back home?”
That is how relationships begin.
Not through fake networking.
Through genuine human interaction.
The Actors Around You Can Become Allies
This is bigger than one audition.
The actors you meet today could become:
Future scene partners
Referral sources
Casting recommendations
Industry connections
Producers
Directors
Creators casting their own projects
Some may even call you about auditions your agent missed.
That happens.
A lot.
Smart Actors Pay It Forward
One of the most powerful lessons in this video:
Actors who help others often get help back.
Example:
You get a McDonald’s audition.
You text another actor you met:
"Hey, did your agent send you this one yet?"
That relationship grows.
Now you’re building a real network.
Not fake Hollywood networking.
Real trust.
Real reciprocity.
Real allies.
Producers Are Watching More Than You Think
Sometimes producers sit in the waiting room too.
Not dressed like producers.
Not announcing themselves.
Just observing.
Watching behavior.
Watching energy.
Watching professionalism.
Meanwhile some actors:
Ignore everyone
Sit stiff and cold
Pretend they’re above interaction
Then suddenly they’re called into a group callback…
…with the exact people they ignored 10 minutes earlier.
That creates awkward energy instantly.
Commercial acting is collaborative.
You must know how to connect with people naturally.
Great Careers Are Built Through Relationships
Some of the actors you meet in waiting rooms today…
…may end up becoming lifelong collaborators.
TV series castmates.
Creative partners.
Close friends.
That’s how careers evolve in this business.
Not through isolation.
Through connection.
“Make friends with other actors. They’re powerful allies.”
Quick Recap
If you want to build a stronger commercial acting career:
Stop treating actors like enemies
Learn rapport skills
Build relationships naturally
Help people before asking for help
Understand that casting is collaborative
The waiting room is part of the audition too.
Want to Learn How to “Book the Waiting Room”?
Inside the Free Zoom Audit Class, Coach Mike breaks down:
How to build natural rapport
What casting directors notice instantly
How actors accidentally sabotage themselves
Why energy matters before you even audition
Because talent alone is not enough.
People skills matter too.
Spend smarter. Audition stronger.
