Name: Kate Jacobson
Year: Freshman
Hometown: Coral Springs, Fla.
Major: BFA Acting
Relationship Status: Single
Her Campus (HC): What made you get into acting?
Kate Jacobson (KJ): It’s actually a weird story. When I was in middle school, I started reading “The Hunger Games” and became obsessed with it like any thirteen-year-old. So when the movie came out, I was watching all the interviews and all the trailers before its release. As I was watching them, I was like, “Oh, this actually kind of seems like a cool job. They don’t really have to do anything and they just run around. And now they’re in a movie!” So I picked acting and I just stuck with it. It was the one job that I didn’t find anything wrong with.
HC: What drew you into the fine arts program here at FSU?
KJ: So, I auditioned at UF and I didn’t get in there because it was my first audition and it was a mess. But I also auditioned at UCF and I got in there. I was talking to the director of my high school drama program and mentioned how I got into FSU and UCF and I needed to make a decision on where I wanted to go. He immediately told me that I was going to FSU. When you graduate, there is such a large network of alumni. You’ll automatically have a job, get great training and there’s such an amazing reputation. So I picked FSU and when I got here, I just heard all kinds of things that reassured me that I made the right decision. On top of that, we’re number five on the list of top theater programs in the country. So I think I definitely made a good choice.
HC: I’ve heard that theater and music majors take more credit hours than average college students. How do you manage it all?
KJ: Yeah, I think I’m taking like 19. It also might be a little easier for arts people to have more classes because we don’t have to write papers for every single class. For example, I’m taking Voice, Acting, Intro to Tech, Stage Makeup and ENC 2135 this semester. We really don’t have a lot of homework for a lot of those classes. It’s kind of just finding time for reading plays, books and learning lines. So, no it’s not like papers and all that. It’s just work that takes time. Like for Stage Makeup, we get a kit at the beginning of the year and you decide, “Hey, I’m going to be Morticia from The Addams Family.” You apply all the makeup you need to become that character and then you’re Morticia. You have a practice, which is like a quiz, and a final in the class. You also learn about stage makeup itself because it’s a little different than regular makeup. It’s thicker and you have to make sure it’s applied well so that people can see it. So, you have to learn how to contour and do all kinds of weird stuff. We also perform scene showings. The first semester we get paired up and assigned a scene, learn the lines and have rehearsals and all that. Then, you go in front of the class and you tell the class your goals for that rehearsal and your character’s objective and obstacle. After all that, you do the scene and then your peers will give you feedback. I won’t lie, it’s kind of nerve-wracking, but you have to keep in mind that it’s just a rehearsal. People forget their lines and mess up all the time, so it’s not super high stakes. It’s just scary because you want to impress everyone and have the professor tell you that you did a great job.
HC: Who would you say is your acting role model?
KJ: Rachel McAdams! I just kind of just want her career. She’s extremely talented, has such a wide variety of roles and looks different in every movie. You can watch “Mean Girls” and then watch “The Notebook” and just be like, that’s not the same person. But it is! In comparison to big, well-known actresses in the business, I think Rachel McAdams and her career is something that’s attainable. Take Meryl Streep, for example, she’s nowhere near my age or my type and didn’t grow up in my generation. So I know I’m not going to be the next Meryl Streep. But with Rachel McAdams, she’s kind of in my generation and is someone who I think embodies the goals I have for myself as an actor.
Courtesy: Kate Jacobson
HC: Where would you say that you get more nervous or stage fright: on stage, acting in front of a big crowd or public speaking?
KJ: I think it depends. I took a public speaking class and I only knew one person in there. So, when I would give my speeches it would be in front of complete strangers. I would kind of just make every speech up off the top of my head though because I didn’t care. I would get a little bit nervous, but not too much. It’s definitely harder in acting classes though because you know everyone and their opinions matter the most. I think it’s easier in front of large audiences just because you can’t really see them and don’t know anyone. What helped me was to just really focus on the work and not what everyone thinks of you because if you do that, you’re done. But, you know, you just push through it, go for it, do the thing and hope for the best.
HC: So, how did you like freshman year at FSU? Was it an easy transition?
KJ: You know, it’s not better or worse than I thought it would be. I thought it would be different, though. I think I kind of expected the crazy parties and stuff like that. There are fun parties, but they’re just normal and you’re just hanging out. Also, I guess when I got here I kind of thought that it’s going to be super fun and we’re just going to have acting classes. But then I got here and it’s actually really challenging. I found myself struggling, especially in this movement class that we had to take. It took a while for that class to really click with me. Voice was another class I found challenging. I had no idea that we had to take either of these two classes. I just thought it was going to be acting classes all the time, but then I got here and we were doing voice class, which isn’t like singing at all. Instead, it’s like your actual voice instruments and crazy exercises. Just really weird stuff. The first month or two, I was just kind of like, “Where am I and what is going on?” But you know, the classes we do are just very weird and very artsy. It was just something I was not expecting and something that was more challenging than I thought it would be. For the most part, though, it’s been a pretty good experience.
HC: Where do you see yourself in the future?
KJ: I would like to be recognized. I think that’s everyone goal and if they say it’s not, they’re lying. I also want to be known for being a really good actor, not just a Matt Damon that’s like, “Hey, I’m famous and I pretend to be Asian people and I make crappy movies!” But then you have people like, Meryl Streep and Viola Davis, who are really good actors and they’re recognized for that. So, that’s kind of the goal of where I want to be. I just want to make good work. If I don’t get famous that’s ok. As long as I’m not making Matt Damon movies, haha.
HC: Do you see yourself moving to LA or NYC?
KJ: Yeah! I’m actually going to LA this summer just to go there and do extra work. I’m going to try and audition for some stuff if there are any short films and stuff like that. I love LA, so I think it’s going to be an amazing experience!
HC: Being that it’s the end of the semester, if you could tell yourself one thing now that you wish you knew at the beginning, what would it be?
KJ: Stop procrastinating! Which is still something that I haven’t learned. Please just give yourself enough time to do it. You can’t do it the night before. Get it done!
HC: What advice would you give to any incoming acting freshmen?
KJ: Oh, that’s a good one. I mean, for the ones that have been touring classes, I would tell them to not live in a dorm and if you can have a car, have one. But that’s not specific to the acting program. I would probably have to say to just be patient with yourself. If something doesn’t click right away or you’re not automatically good at something, that’s ok because you’re here to learn. So, just give yourself time, and eventually, it’ll click and you’ll get it.
Courtesy: Kate Jacobson