As a child, I loved to put on shows and plays for my family and I loved to play make-believe with my Barbie dolls, but it never really occurred to me to be an actor. My first experience on TV when I was 5 years old in her birth town of Augusta, GA on the locally broadcast Trooper Terry Show. But I suppose my career really began as a model during my adolescent and teen years in the greater metropolitan Atlanta area and then in NYC as a young adult. I’ve appeared on Live with Regis & Kathy Lee a couple of times, CNN’s Style with Elsa Klensch as well as modeled in numerous locally and nationally distributed commercial and editorial print jobs in Women’s Wear Daily, Star Magazine, Detail Magazine and Mademoiselle among others. Then I moved back to Atlanta and began a career in commercial real estate which lasted for over 20 years. More recently, after a year of deep depression following a tremendous personal loss, I found my way back to the camera and acting.
Working on set last year in #Atlanta with awesome #Actor #AnthonyHopkins!!!!!! #actress #setlife #film #Georgia #life pic.twitter.com/4t6rhcEDx8
— Wanda Morganstern (@WandaMorgnstern) February 20, 2014
Did you study acting
When I began acting, I didn’t realize the actor could make choices. I thought the actor was only supposed to do what was written on the page. When I started taking classes, I realized it always about the choices the actor makes. I’ve had the very good fortune to have studied with some exceptional local Atlanta actors including Michael H. Cole and Steve Coulter. Steve is also a writer, so studying with him gave me great perspective of scene sturdy from a writers perspective. Crystal Carson gave me the freedom to really “be” the character. I study as often as I can and I love taking classes from different people because I always learn.
What acting technique do you use
I suppose if I have to give you a technique I use, it would be sense memory. I went to a yoga retreat one weekend and thought it was going to be like an exercise boot-camp, but it was more like a spiritual boot-camp that led me to a personal daily practice of tantra yoga and meditation. I mentioned this to Clayton Landey, another very accomplished Atlanta actor and teacher, who told me this would serve me well as an actor. He was right.
What wrong impressions do actors hold about acting
The biggest wrong impression is that it’s easy. It’s not. Many times we have to go to deep and painful place to bring a character’s pain to life. You can’t fake that. We have to learn lines and rehearse. That takes time and dedication.
Do you take courses to improve your craft
Absolutely!! I take classes and workshops as often as my schedule allows!! I also get private coaching for auditions.
What acting books do you read
Of course, Sanford Meisner on Acting and An Actor Prepares, as well as The Power of the Actor. I also love From Reel to Deal because it’s about the business of filmmaking.
How do you keep fit as an actor
There’s a really special place I go to walk. I also practice yoga and meditate.
When you’re offered a role, what do you do next
Read the script, always! Then I read it again. Gary Grubbs sent me a script, which I read immediately and sent an email back telling him how much I loved it. He told me that many actors don’t do that. He has waited days, sometimes weeks for a response. That absolutely stunned me. If a writer, producer or director has enough interest and faith in me as an actor to send me their script, I’m going to read it as soon as I have an hour or two to give it the respect it deserves, usually within 12 hours (unless I’m working on a film).
How do you take a character in a script to a honest, believable and breathing person
This is what I learned from Crystal Carson. I give the character a history, a past. The character doesn’t just start with the script. Something happened before that first page. It’s my job as an actor to create that history.
How do you stay fresh on set
When I’m on a film, it’s always about the character and the story. This is always my focus.
Explain one creative choice you took on set
I worked on a short film called About the Neighbor, which is part of an anthology. There’s a scene that called for a Valley Girl type dialog but it didn’t read “Valley Girl” to me. We did something entirely different with it and it worked. Filmmaking is always a collaborative effort
What do you want most from a director
I’ve worked on a few independent films where the director wasn’t confident in the vision, who asked others on set about their opinion and the next thing you know everyone on set is directing the film. It’s chaos working on projects like that. I love it when the director has a clear vision of the project and shares this vision with the cast. Table reads aren’t always an option, but they really help all involved arrive to set with the same vision for the film.
What actors do you long to work with
Meryl Streep
Why
She’s simply amazing. I always learn from the actors I work with, and who better to work with and learn from?
What advice would you give to actors
The same advice I would give everyone – eliminate the negative people in your life.
Briefly write about your career
I’m very grateful to have worked on a PSA with TranterGray Media that won an Emmy award. I played the lead, Amanda Donner, in About the Neighbor, a great story written by the incredibly talented Daniel Bamberg. It’s a story with a twist and it’s part of an anthology called Paranormalice being released this Summer. I just did an episode on Homicide Hunter that will air in the fall. And The Side Chick (2015), a comedic web series I had the good fortune to work on is up for 7 awards this week at the LA WebFest.
I’m shooting a pilot this month and a feature this summer in South Carolina. I’m very grateful to be working with so many talented people. I count my blessings every day.
