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The Life of an Extra
"The very next day I got on a plane for the costume fitting in L.A. – at my own expense."
By Katie Soo
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Working as an extra in a film isn't always as easy as it may seem. Youth Radio's Katie Soo recently flew to Los Angeles for a role as an extra in a film with Danny Devito. At the end of the day, her, "body was sore, my head ached, and then I realized they had paid me the wrong wage."
If you think the life of an actor is all about red carpets, well, think again.
Last month I was thrilled to get a call from my agent, who told me Danny Devito and Richard LaGravanese had handpicked me for a featured extra role in their upcoming movie. The very next day I got on a plane for the costume fitting in LA. – at my own expense. When I arrived, I got in the line with the other extras who had been cast as “Pre-Fit Asian Gang Bangers.” It’s such a stereotypical role!
We took a shuttle to the film location at a Santa Monica high school, where we sat around and waited. And waited. And waited. When lunchtime finally came, we were led out like sheep. It’s like that as an extra.
When the sun started to set, we were done filming for the day. My body was sore, my head ached, and then I realized they had paid me the wrong wage.
Working as an extra in films isn't always so bad, there were some good days on the set too. And I'm always learning about my craft and getting great experience.
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