I recently had the opportunity to exclusively interview Azeem Vecchio to learn five random facts about himself and what advice he has for emerging actors and actresses. Check out my interview with Azeem below:
Loryn: What advice would you give to those interested in becoming an actor or actress?
Azeem:
Step 1) I’d say starting off, it’s important to have personal clarity.
Why are you interested in acting?
What long and short-term goals do you have for yourself within the arts?
Step 2) Enroll yourself in some type of training. It's important to always stay nourished with a curriculum that will support, educate, and keep you an ‘ever-growing artist’. No matter what artistic level you’re at, there are always ways to work on yourself.
Step 3) Begin your journey by getting a few strong headshots that can really capture your brand. Also, set yourself up with a couple of acting profiles through different casting websites (start with https://actorsaccess.com/ and https://www.castingnetworks.com/)
Step 4) Audition! The audition process is a lot of fun, but it takes a lot of resilience because you might be auditioning for a long time before you book anything. You just have to commit to the preparation, stay confident, tell the truth, and love yourself regardless of the result- it’s a process!
Step 5) Once you have a few credits of experience under your belt, you can then set up your resume and a demo reel!
Step 6) Time to pursue representation. Signing with representation allows you to expand your business and partner with other creatives. Agents will open doors to various connections and managers can give you the personal support you need to succeed as a professional artist.
Patience and passion will keep the drive alive! It's always important to make sure that you listen to your heart, spend time and energy on things that build you into a better person, and try to only surround yourself with people who show you respect and love.
Loryn: Who is an actor or actress you’d love to work with?
Azeem: Honestly there isn’t really anyone I don't want to work with! I really love the impact that comes from collaborating with such a diverse group of storytellers. However, there are a few artists who inspire me not only to walk in their footsteps but to earn an opportunity to one day create footsteps with them! For example, Jordan Peele and Issa Rae are 2 artistic geniuses who I’d be ecstatic to partner with. In addition, I’d love to collaborate with artists like Denzel Washington, Will Smith, Daniel Kaluuya, Viola Davis, Michael B Jordan, Emma Stone, Sandra Bullock, Samuel L. Jackson, Adam Sandler, Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio- the list goes on!
Loryn: How has the pandemic changed you?
Azeem: Before the pandemic, I had the mindset that I needed to constantly be working hard, studying hard, and staying focused on achieving bigger and better results! With that being said, at the beginning of the pandemic, I found myself with an ‘uncomfortable' amount of free time. I struggled a lot trying to figure out how to structure my life appropriately. After some time, I was able to refocus my perspective and begin to take an honest look at what it means to achieve balance! I’d say the pandemic is still changing me, and that’s my point; I’ve come to understand that change really is the only constant. Over this time, I’ve been able to pause, change my perspective, and connect with who I am on a much deeper level.
Loryn: What lesson have your Dhar Mann characters taught you?
Azeem: Everyone is so different, yet no one is alone. None of my characters are alike, and yet all of my characters are living in honest and relatable circumstances. I’m really grateful I’ve been trusted with a wide range of characters because not only am I able to impact a diverse group of people, but I’m able to grow so much more as a storyteller! At Dhar Mann Studios we always tailor the message towards respect and kindness, and at the end of the day, that’s the best way to live!
Loryn: What is something people would be surprised to learn about you?
Azeem: My birthday’s on Halloween! Having a Halloween birthday has always been a lot of fun. Growing up, I’d usually end up doing a combination celebration of both my birthday and Halloween. Sometimes I’d host a costume-birthday party, or have candles in a pumpkin pie instead of a cake! Ironically I never really cared for candy or chocolate, so I would usually end up going trick-or-treating to hang with my friends and then just giving all of my candy away at the end of the night.
Be sure to stay updated with Azeem Vecchio by following him on Instagram: @azeemvecchio