On the Come Up with Kimberly Sanchez
Explore the journeys of creative entrepreneurs who dared to dream big and turned their visions into thriving brands. Host Kimberly Sanchez interviews inspiring individuals that uncover the challenges, triumphs, and pivotal moments that shaped their entrepreneurial paths today.
On the Come Up with Kimberly Sanchez
Acting Out Your Dreams
We're thrilled to introduce our guest Jake, a dynamo in the world of commercial acting, modeling, and Tik-Tok! Jake jumped into the fray at the tender age of 16 and has since navigated the unpredictable waves of the industry, emerging as a force to be reckoned with. He's here to share an unfiltered account of his journey - from his first audition, the sting of rejection, to the thrill of landing his favorite commercials.
Looking back at our time together on set, we bring back cherished memories from our first commercial and how much we've grown since then. Jake's favorite projects and the lessons he's gleaned from his acting journey are intriguing and inspiring, painting a vivid picture of the industry's realities. This chat with Jake is your exclusive ticket into the fascinating world of acting. Join us for an epic journey into the heart of the acting industry!
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Jake Somnath (@jakesomnath) • Instagram
Hey, what's up y'all? Welcome to my podcast. I'm your host, kimberly, telling you why I'm busy and maybe talk about all things Jersey. So sit back and grab a plate into Kimbo slice of life. Hey, what's up y'all? We are here with Jake. Do it, do it, do it. I saw Jake episode 8 with Jake I was like is that corny guys?
Speaker 2:And then everybody behind the camera said that this so we were like silence.
Speaker 1:Jake is, would you say, commercial actor, would you say actor, would you say a model actor and tick-tock famous. What's up?
Speaker 2:bro, I'm trying to do it also.
Speaker 1:All of it is doing it all.
Speaker 2:I'm really, though really cuz I don't even want to live in. I want to do more than that, to be honest.
Speaker 1:How did you get into acting?
Speaker 2:man. Man, I just answered this question the other day. It's so funny. But basically Ever since I was a kid I just knew that I was gonna do something and the limelight, if you will right. I didn't know what the heck it was gonna be and then not. So I was about 16. I had a family friend that was over at like Thanksgiving.
Speaker 2:Could not give you the name, this girl, but God bless you, thank you. Shout out to her. I'm so like I don't know her names. I don't even know her before she even talked to me. But she's just like. She saw how tall was, she saw how to height and she was working with Kim Dawson at the time in Dallas. I'm gonna say here in Dallas, cuz yeah, but yeah, she told me to hit them up and I walked in there and they were like they seem a little interested in me. But I had braces on and for for modeling in Dallas. That's kind of like a no-no. So they basically said, when you get your braces off, come holler at us and then we'll see what's up, right? So I was just glad that I was even in there, because I'm always starting to get on that little, little acting journey right.
Speaker 2:And so I'm taking a long way here, by the way, and this is like the longest, but basically fast forward some years. I got my braces off, my teeth were straight, mmm and um, I I made my rounds to all the Dallas modeling agencies and they were all like, yeah, I don't know, I don't know about this kid, like I was like too skinny or to this or to that or something right. And so I was like, well, I know I'm gonna do this, so I'm not gonna. Just, oh, I heard, I heard a no from every agency in here in Dallas and so I'm gonna quit, not. So I made my rounds.
Speaker 2:I probably asked every agency here in Dallas a good three, four times and then finally my friend was with Agency we were previously with and I was like I didn't even know they did acting at the time. I thought that, oh, agency is like mom I that's how new I was to the game, right. So I asked them a can you put a good word in with me, agent? And I asked them and they said no, that actually I didn't get a response the first time, but then they said no and then the third time I'm me asking them, they were like, yeah, I guess I Guess, if you want it was, you know what I mean. So it's like I'm telling you, I'm like I'm stretch it over here to try and like even get signed, let alone start in the business, right. So I finally get like some, some footing in.
Speaker 2:I get a couple of commercials and I meet a Good friend of mine. Shout out to Jackson Kelly just at the Oscar, speaking to Oscars We've talked about us before this. He, his, he was on a film that got nominated. Shout out to Jackson, I would have meant a lot. So yeah, but anybody speaking to own him. He got me on with my agent that I have now God bless her Do vol Mack. Shout out but and then, yeah, that's.
Speaker 2:That's kind of where I'm at, it's been up since there huh, honestly, honestly, and so I'm very thankful for Everyone I just mentioned, honestly, even the ones that said no, I'm thankful because you help, you build some some grit on your on your, some Calluses on your hands and stuff like that. So very appreciative.
Speaker 1:Literally me and Jake were on set together. It was my first commercial, so it was your first commercial. Oh, it was Kind of like in the back. Take us in the sky.
Speaker 2:Hey, we was on it together. Hey, look on the TV. Yeah, yeah, that was my first ever like.
Speaker 1:That was my first one and honestly, my first and favorite.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because we were just like Pause for background and let that door close. To there we go.
Speaker 1:What are you saying? It was my favorite because I don't know, like just everybody there, like the people I was with and I mean it was. It was just so much fun for me, like my first experience in that.
Speaker 2:So I'll talk about life shirts like a little after this. But that one, the director on that one was saying, son, he was like that day was so rushed. However, you felt about that day. That guy is so much like he's even nicer than that on the other projects, but like that day I think they were very far behind. But like that's crazy. Like next time you work with him, watch out for it and like you'll just be like bro, like you were good the first time. You're great like when you're not rushed and you know what I mean. So, but yeah, I've worked with him on a couple of stuff. I said at HEB I told him that was my first one and he's great. Yeah, he's great like that day. Oh my god. And your first Hold on pause. But your first is like so Memorable and so crucial in the development of like which way I'm going this career. I'm glad you had a good.
Speaker 1:So I think that's why I hold it so close, oh yeah.
Speaker 2:I don't blame you, I don't blame you like, and that day was a lot of fun, like a lot of fun.
Speaker 1:So what is your favorite commercial that you've been in man, a project or?
Speaker 2:Okay, you just, you just made it harder with the last word in, but definitely I say commercial, I'll say HEB, and I want to put my first, first ever project was my first one, like I tell this story when in casting, a lot of times I ask you like give us a little bit about yourself. This is always what I say. So I'll practice this up a little bit, so let's see if I can get it. But basically it was with life chart. Life church shout out to them too. And so when I signed with that one agency, I didn't get an audition for like the first six months Right or my first agency I'm talking about, and so I was like dang, that, that point I was like to lose up because I worked so hard to get signed that it was like man, then I got to work so much harder to even get a job or audition right. So I finally got audition with life church right. And what did you read with me on that one on life church? My girlfriend's, my mother, but I think she read for me and Didn't hear nothing for a really long time. And then, out of the blue, I heard like I got it, and so I Pulled up to Oklahoma.
Speaker 2:It was an overnight shoot, right and so we're just, I'm so excited Like I'm literally standing on the DPs heels just seeing what he's doing with the camera and like wardrobe and make. I'm just like following them around like a lost little duck or something like that and I'm just like taking it all in and it's like, bro, I'm so like. I don't think a smile left my face the entire night. I was so happy to just be there, right, and let alone when I got my scenes in, I was like I was feeling that buzz you know what I mean that like, that hide, that you feel when you like, when you just on the camera, right, and so, yeah, that night ended and they said that's, that's a wrap. I literally cried, bro.
Speaker 2:Like I had the eyes I was like to my car.
Speaker 1:I was.
Speaker 2:Like I literally was crying tears enjoy, I literally like before I even got on my car. It's funny, we was outside of the church. I was literally praying to God, like, just thank you, like I finally found what I want to do. Man, I'm about to see you right now. Thank you, buddy, but yeah, I really. That's that's what it's, the first man. The first is so crucial and that was my first.
Speaker 1:But you have a special connection with that.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, that's why I love working with them. Hello, they're so nice.
Speaker 1:How do you prepare like for an audition? No, I don't, I just go.
Speaker 2:I really don't have a special way of Of preparing. I feel like I feel like I, you know one obviously learn your lines, right, because Especially now in the day of self-tape and stuff like that, you don't want to have a script but you couldn't get as many takes as you want on a self-tape, right, why? Why would you need to practice more? So, definitely, number one is laying the lines, for sure. And then I try to look at the character breakdown. You know how Kassan gives you a little bit of character breakdown, just like a bio of the character, right? I try to read the heck out of that. Most of the time it's good ones, so I try to see what this character is like. Sometimes it's some shitty ones, I ain't gonna lie.
Speaker 2:I got one the other day and I'm so sorry about this. I hope this Kassan doesn't see this but it literally said bright young man. What do you want me to do? And I'm telling you, this is not commercial, this is like something that's got a lot of lines in it and I did not know how to read for this character even a little bit. I was just being myself at that point, because that's all you can be if Because what I'm?
Speaker 1:a bright young man.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I appreciate that, but I didn't know what else to go off of. You're not giving me anything else to go off of. That's basically. It's very simple. I don't have a crazy routine. Smack myself in the face, dunk my head in some cold water, nothing like that. I don't have a crazy routine.
Speaker 1:What about?
Speaker 2:you. Maybe I need to take some pages out of your book or something. How do you prepare?
Speaker 1:Well, like you said, you got to put yourself into that character. So, when they don't give you much to go off of, you just got to make your mind up About that character. I got you, you know, because it could go one way or the character can go the other way. She can be happy or she can be sad, so you have to decide Right or dark, exactly.
Speaker 2:So they said right.
Speaker 1:So I was like, okay, she's happy.
Speaker 2:She's joyful. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So you just got to make up your mind about that character. Maybe more like yeah, more frame in my footing when I do something like that. I got a page out of Kim's book. I'm going to land every audition now, baby.
Speaker 1:What would be your dream role, like commercial or film.
Speaker 2:Man, I wish I could answer that I really I really do, but like it's with this, it's not even. I don't have a dream like role, like that. I literally just love doing it so much. I don't care what I'm doing, Like I just want to be on set and act Like. I know that sounds like maybe a certain way, but I like, oh, I can't pick, not. No, I really I just love being on set, Like that's what I do it for. I do it for what's this quote? Man, the man who loves walking will walk a heck of a lot further than the man that loves the, the angle or something like. I know I butchered that, apologies, but like, basically, if you love walking, you're going to get a lot further than the guy who loves that and go more. You know what I mean? I don't know. You get what I'm saying. I love that. Yeah, I really bad. I'm so sorry.
Speaker 1:Yeah, if you love walking, you'll walk anywhere.
Speaker 2:That's what I'm saying. So I love the walking, I love the journey of just like being there. I don't dream role, I don't know. So you have a dream role.
Speaker 1:I do actually what talk to me? Oh, I'm more like commercial. So I really want to do like flow from progressive or Jake from State Farm. Jake from State Farm like he's at it, like he is. You know football field, you're in a car, you're Anywhere grocery store, jake, like it's. You're in a shoe store, like Jake, experience it on. I want to do that. I was one particular state farm with.
Speaker 2:I could really feel you like, I could really see Not necessarily doesn't have to be Insurance or yeah, but you just happen to be face for guys over.
Speaker 1:Jay from St Farming bro flow.
Speaker 2:I would watch out.
Speaker 1:She's my nurse.
Speaker 2:Hey, I will watch out, cuz I could totally see I'm gonna have to have. I'm gonna have to keep that Jake from State Farm off you. I'm I. You got to watch out to Jake from State Farm. I know no beef with you, but I'm gonna need to. I need to come for my name.
Speaker 1:He got to me drag. If you don't know, I love Drake, okay.
Speaker 2:That's right, patrick, my home's like.
Speaker 1:Okay, yeah, I'm jealous of you too late man.
Speaker 2:Maybe we need a camp for safe arm and a Jake from State Farm and then we just be like duo, like what I, you know what I mean, like it's too, is flowing. The other dude, the white dude with this spiky hair you know I'm talking about her like her best friend, but he kind of annoying, but I don't know his name, I don't know his name either, but she's right. But yeah, that's awesome. I could totally see you in a role like that, for for a yeah, metatons folks.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's fine, maybe like ten years.
Speaker 2:It's a matter of less time than that, I think.
Speaker 1:What advice would you just someone who wants?
Speaker 2:to do something like this. Yeah, once that car goes by, let's you know. You heard that two miles. I Want to make sure it's picking it up, sir. Um, they give me one time to think of my answer there, I guess.
Speaker 2:Hmm, honestly, I Was talking to someone last night. I went to like kind of a modeling event last night and I was talking to this kid and he was basically like he didn't get in front of the camera because he was feeling a little. He was so like. So maybe self-conscious isn't the word, but maybe nervous or he wanted to wait for the right moment. Like all I want to get away talking my six pack, all I want to wait till like my skin click.
Speaker 2:Honestly, I think it's just go, go get it. Like you're gonna hear knows whatever, right, but If you just keep going after it, keep going after it. It's a marathon, not a sprint. Honestly, I'm coming so courty with the with the same today. Bro, I hope they're here relating with somebody out there, but it seriously is a marathon. On the sprint, I had a Ain't gonna do the math, but like I'm gonna say like throw a number 20, knows, before I even got signed with the agency, if I would have gave up on the first round of speaking all the agencies here in Dallas and I wouldn't be right here. I wouldn't, I wouldn't be acting, I wouldn't be, I'd be at home. Honestly, like I Think, just go out there and get it and don't give up. If you want it bad bad enough, you're going to stick with it and you're going to be successful. The moment you give up, that's when your dream ends. And that's what I heard, that while I heard that while.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I like that because I used to be on this social media app where you just can hear people talk, but it was like in real lifetime and they would be like for every no, it brings you one closer to your yes, that's right and that stuck with me. I'm just like, yeah, that's it, Because we hear. No, it's like you know, in this industry you're going to get rejected like regardless. But it brings you one closer to that. Yes.
Speaker 2:I have to ask you something how long have you been doing this for?
Speaker 1:Acting.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, you thought I'm in podcast.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the acting, the acting.
Speaker 2:I'm just starting to come on no, no, no, that's that, but like the acting part of it.
Speaker 1:I got signed January 2021.
Speaker 2:So that was this year in COVID, if I'm not mistaken 2021,.
Speaker 1:it was no, it was after COVID.
Speaker 2:After COVID Okay.
Speaker 1:So I went to a modeling school like summer of 2020. Like mid COVID, I went to a modeling school and then, after the modeling school, I took some acting classes and then I got signed January 2021.
Speaker 2:Gotcha, gotcha, congratulations, and then.
Speaker 1:So it's only been a couple of years. I'm still very, very new to the game.
Speaker 2:We all learn it all the time, but what I was going to say is so have you ever been on an in-person audition?
Speaker 1:Once and it was terrible.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I've never been, so I would ask you about that.
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh, it was so terrible. And you're like this girl is just not into it. I blank, I went.
Speaker 2:Was it commercial what?
Speaker 1:It was a commercial. They give you the script right there, so you got it on hand. Yeah, oh yeah.
Speaker 2:So you kind of have to see that's when it's okay to have your script like right there, when you audition.
Speaker 1:You know what I mean? Yeah, You're in a room with a bunch of people. They all kind of look like you and you're just like yeah like I'm pressured, yeah. And then I there was one girl I knew she was. She's actually the owner of the modeling school I went to.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:And I was like, hey, I was like and she's good, you know, she's books a lot too and she knows her stuff, and so I just felt really pressured. I was like oh God, I'm, this is new. Yeah, this is my first in-person audition. And when I got in that room I was like damn.
Speaker 2:I was like bro, learning the experience, though, like you know what to do now I'm probably like this girl is a no. Yeah.
Speaker 1:No, actually online. I've had twice two of them now.
Speaker 2:Second one better.
Speaker 1:Second one was better. There we go. It wasn't that bad.
Speaker 2:There we go.
Speaker 1:You learned from the first one, but the first one was yeah, it was out.
Speaker 2:We don't got to talk about it. We're going to talk about it, but I was being in a point with that when I've never done an in-person audition right, but even that one, I'll take that one too. Have you ever actually heard a no, or is it just like you don't hear from them? You don't hear from them.
Speaker 2:To me that is so much better than actually. I don't know. I literally in my mind, I try to be an optimistic person. All I hear is yeses, like either you get the job or maybe they still think it. In my mind that's how it works. I know that's like a crazy way of thinking, but it's like you just hear yeses, so that makes it a lot easier for me. I don't know.
Speaker 2:Unless I see the commercial. But then if you ever see a commercial you audition for it'd be like no hate, no hate for real.
Speaker 1:But then man, I could have bodied that one a little better.
Speaker 2:I could have done that. That's what I'm saying, but no hate for real, though.
Speaker 1:I know that sounds that's not a little bad, but but yeah, no, I auditioned and I just forget about it.
Speaker 2:Exactly. That's the best way to go.
Speaker 1:I love that process. I really do. I love that process.
Speaker 2:Uh, never hear, no man, I love that.
Speaker 1:So what do you do when you're not acting?
Speaker 2:Man? That's a good question. When I'm not acting, I literally am trying to find a way to get on set, whether that be like I'm literally me and my girl right now are learning Spanish so I can get more jobs to be on set more often. I want to tell you I love this. I have like an obsession with this, like I really do love it to my core. So everything that I do is really just I'm trying to get on set more. When I'm not acting, I'm learning something that could get me on set more when I'm not acting. I'm I'm learning how to apply for something that maybe I don't see on my normal routinely checks. That could get me on set more, like Facebook. I didn't know Facebook had like a lot of cast and I'm just not learning.
Speaker 2:Facebook has cast, so I'm about to sign up for Facebook literally today, man. But yeah, that's. That's what I'm doing, man, like anything.
Speaker 1:That's good, you're always learning.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, oh yeah, I'm trying, and it's good for the mind too. I love learning Spanish. Who would have thought you?
Speaker 1:seek Spanish. No, are you? That's another thing. I am Hispanic, but you know I Don't speak Spanish.
Speaker 2:I mean.
Speaker 1:I know like hi, how are you? How are you? It's your name.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no too late to learn, but um.
Speaker 1:Yeah, always learning, always learning, yes, always always. What's your favorite pizza? I?
Speaker 2:Feel bad now because you got a pizza right there. If I don't say veggie, I will feel no once you're fair, means it it's okay.
Speaker 1:It doesn't have to be the one I got so I'm hindi right.
Speaker 2:So I don't eat beef. I don't know what the heck pepperoni is, what is beef, pork or a combination of both, but I just never eat pepperoni. So because of that, as a kid, I always knew I was safe with cheese. This is probably the most boring as you gonna get, and this pressure cheese is my favorite pizza.
Speaker 1:Dang if I would have known that I would have gotten cheese and not veggies.
Speaker 2:I know I, I, I should have told you, that's not me.
Speaker 1:I was like I was debating. To check it cheese, it's boring. What if he's think that's boring?
Speaker 2:I know it's boring, but that's my favorite. I always feel like you know when you feel safe my instinct. I'm still gonna eat this veggie, though I'm still gonna eat the veggie, don't give me wrong.
Speaker 1:Yes, cheese, all right. All right, jake, thank you so much for coming on and sharing your story was episode 8 with Jake. Y'all All right guys YouTube Like another. Say back there.
Speaker 2:I know it's, it's okay, it's okay. We go rock with it. Have to say, jake with a let's go.
Speaker 1:YouTube, pam, don't forget to subscribe. Like you can listen to Kimball's life, the life on Spotify or Apple music or anywhere you get your pot. We'll see you on to.
