Skye LaFontaine used to model with her mom when she was really little. At about 2 years old she did a show with her and when they hit the stage and the lights hit Skye and she saw the audience, she froze. She knew that’s where she wanted to be for the rest of her life.
I was always a performer but that was the moment I knew that’s what I wanted to focus on. Being in front of an audience, telling a story, sharing a part of myself with so many people.
No feeling has ever been as satisfying. From there I started taking classes and auditioning. I worked with community theater groups in my area as well as audition for big shows like The Lion King when I got older. Film and TV came later on, once I had about 33 shows under my belt I took what I had learned and started the transition. I love it allm I
indieactivity: How did you become an actor?
Skye: I was always interested in being onstage, but it was my church’s Christmas pageant that really started it off for me. I performed with my schools but the pageant was fun because it was always different every year and always told the story from a different perspective so there were so many fun characters to play I lived for it every year. From there I moved into community theater and just couldn’t get enough.
indieactivity: What acting technique do you use?
Skye: I don’t use any one technique. I have studied many over the years, Meisner and Stanislavski like any actor who studied in college. I have been in classes as well outside of school and learned from teachers who all use those as a base and then make their own techniques. I make my own rules based on the lessons I learned over time, and apply them to my acting and my directing.
indieactivity: What wrong impressions do actors hold about acting?
Skye: Acting is not playing, or pretending. Acting “like” someone else is not true work. I’m not saying you have to be method and fully become another person for awhile, but never pretend, just be. Be the person, discover another life, take the time to create the story you want to tell and it will be an authentic performance and will connect with people right in front of you, or miles away.
indieactivity: Do you take courses to improve your craft?
Skye: I have taken many classes, over the years. On camera classes, scene study classes. I also went to school for acting, at CalArts, to get my BFA in acting.
indieactivity: What acting books do you read?
Skye: Honestly I don’t read books after the ones we were required to read in school. I am a kenistedic learner and while I adore reading I don’t learn from reading books, I learn from practical application.
indieactivity: How do you keep fit as an actor?
Skye: I was a gymnast for years so I still keep up with tumbling classes as much as possible. I workout at home too. That keeps me feeling healthy and happy. I also am a director, and I try to create my own projects as much as possible so I stay working. I also meditate whenever I can. All of that keeps me feeling fit in every way.
Skye: First I read all the materials I am provided, at least 4 or 5 times. Then I focus on my character. Using the materials I create a backstory and character profile as best as I can. Then using that info, I start working on the lines. I am lucky enough to have gotten pretty quick with my memorization, so I try to get the lines memorized as fast as possible so I can focus on the performance more.
indieactivity: How do you create a character from a script into a person?
Skye: The script and materials provided usually answer most questions I have. Anything else I ask the director. From that, and the character history I create, I work to make my character a fully fleshed out person, not something one dimensional and flimsy.
indieactivity: How do you stay fresh on a production set?
Skye: If it is an emotional scene, I try not to communicate as much between takes, so I can stay in that emotional truth. Although sometimes breaking it up can help it stay fresh if its several takes in.
indieactivity: Describe a memorable character you played?
Skye: I got to play a Succubus for a short horror film. It was the first time I got to work with prosthetics and contacts on film, and it was shot in 360° which was a brand new experience too. I had so much fun creating the character and the experience was fun and exciting! I shot that about 2 years ago, and there is a photo attached.
indieactivity: Explain one creative choice you took on set?
Skye: For a web series I did, the characters all introduce themselves as a trait, instead of a name. Mine was Backwards Hat Girl. The director said that every take had to be fresh, so I chose 5 different ways to introduce myself, as if I was using my actual name. It gave my scene partner something new to work with every time and presented itself as a little challenge to me.
indieactivity: What do you want most from a director?
Skye: Someone who understands the actors perspective and doesn’t ask for more than we can give, because that becomes a trial and takes the joy out of the work.
indieactivity: What actors do you long to work with?
Skye: Cate Blanchett.
indieactivity: Why?
Skye: I think she is truly transformative, she can play absolutely anything and her performances are so captivating. I can’t get enough of her!
indieactivity: What advice would you give to actors?
Skye: Be 100% yourself. Never apologize, never hide. Show everyone who you are, and fully give yourself to whatever character you get the privilege to become. No matter what the project, just tell the story.
indieactivity: Briefly write about your career?
Skye: I grew up doing plays with community theater groups, shows like Annie and Oklahoma. Annie was special because I did it 3 different times, and the last production I ended up playing Pepper, Burt Healy, and Mrs Greer. When I got older I worked with the Silverlake Theater Group and we did all original plays that we wrote out of discussions we would have with the director. From there I moved on and have done the web series Swingtime, a film called About Pie, a few horror shorts that don’t have names yet, and worked at Horror Nights at Universal.
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