Broadway Legend Joined: 6/30/05
Who is thinking of doing this?
Broadway Star Joined: 9/21/07
If you are thinking of doing this . . . and your other question about "using" someone else's acting style tells me you do should be looking for a GOOD THERAPIST to work out YOUR ISSUES. An acting career is NOT where you work out hatred for your family or the need to separate yourself from your own personality. These are the signs of a mental illness, which should be addressed before anything else.
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/18/03
I knew someone who did this. He took a suitcase to his high school graduation and never looked back. He had a lousy childhood, but he didn't figure out how to come to terms and make peace with that. He tried, but it didn't happen.
He died last spring at 75, and he was never able to have a truly intimate relationship in his life. The seeds were planted in his childhood and he never got away from them.
He was also a recovering alcoholic (35 years in AA) and had stopped smoking. Acting was a way to get away from that cessation of his familial ties, and when he got sober he had to realize that there was a high price to be paid all around.
Sad but true.
You can cut down your ties to your family, but you've got to stay in contact. It can haunt you a long time.
Who was it who wrote, "Family; They f--- you up"?
you can pick your friends but, you can't pick your family. And whatever may be going on, they are still your family...and some day you might regret never working out any issues. The best way to deal with both family and acting is put all your energy into what you love so much... become successful and show your family you can do it whether they like or not and... and that's just the way it's going to be. All parties will respect you in the end. Running away isn't the answer.
I am bumping this to give Cruel_Sandwich the attention he craves.
You need family to fall back on. Lots of students return home for a few months once they graduate. Even if you start working right after college, student loans won't pay themselves and you need to save up a lot before moving out.
Besides, I think it's healthier to at least try to get over family issues than to just run away.
Videos