Aaron Speiser
Aaron Speiser | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 22, 1950 Manhattan, New York, U.S. |
| Education | Master of Fine Arts |
| Alma mater | Brandeis University |
| Occupation(s) | Acting coach, film director |
| Website | Website |
Aaron Speiser (born, 22 September 1950) is an American acting coach and film director based in Los Angeles, California.[1] He is the founder of the Speiser/Sturges Acting Studio, formerly known as Aaron Speiser Acting Studio, an acting school based in Los Angeles, California.[2][3] Speiser has coached some of the most notable individuals in film and television industry including Academy Award winner Will Smith, Academy Award nominee Virginia Madsen, and Jennifer Lopez.[4][5] He is currently the co-owner and partner with Kay Aston at The Screen Acting Studio in Los Angeles, California.[6]
Biography[edit]
Speiser was born in 1950, in Manhattan, New York, to Pola and Julius Speiser and was raised in the Bronx. His parents were the holocaust survivors who were of Polish descent. Speiser attended Brandeis University where he received an MFA degree in acting.[7] Later, he attended HB Studio in New York City where he studied with Uta Hagen, Bill Hickey and his mentor Kenneth McMillan.[7] He worked professionally in theatre, film and television for 15 years before fully committing to teaching.[8]
Speiser’s coaching technique is recognized for its frank honesty, practical approach and personal connection to the character and the story.[8][9] He is known for focusing specifically on the nuances of performing for the camera in the 21st century.[10][11] He is the longtime preferred coach for Will Smith, Virginia Madsen, and Jennifer Lopez.[5][12] He has also taught or coached several other prominent film and television artists including Martin Lawrence, Heather Graham, Karyn Parsons, Kevin Ryan, Lauris Reiniks, Jeff Dunham, Gerard Butler, Elijah Kelley, Hrithik Roshan and many more.[13][14] Speiser has also worked on the sets with several acclaimed directors and producers such as Michael Mann, Oliver Stone, F. Gary Gray, Peter Berg, Ang Lee, Reinaldo Green, Antoine Fuqua, Tim White, Trevor White and Barry Sonnenfeld.[15] He has been credited with on-set coaching in the making of various films such as Hustlers, King Richard, Out of Sight, I Am Legend, Hancock, Olympus Has Fallen and The Pursuit of Happyness.[16]
In 1994, Speiser directed the feature film, Talking About Sex, starring Kim Wayans, which he also co-wrote and produced.[17] The film received accolades at Palm Springs International Film Festival, and won the Best Film Award at Breckenridge Film Festival. Aaron also directed two episodes of The Wayans Brothers, “The Son of Marlon” (season 4, ep.13), and “Pops Gets Evicted” (season 5, ep. 16).[18]
Credits[edit]
| Year | Title | Credited as | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Marry Me | Acting coach to Jennifer Lopez | |
| 2021 | King Richard | Acting coach to Will Smith | |
| 2013 | After Earth | Acting coach to Will Smith | |
| 2013 | Open Road | Acting coach | |
| 2013 | Parker | Acting coach to Jennifer Lopez | |
| 2012 | Chasing Mavericks | Acting coach to Gerard Butler | |
| 2012 | Men in Black 3 | Acting coach to Will Smith | |
| 2012 | The Magic of Belle Isle | Acting coach to Virginia Madsen - uncredited | |
| 2012 | About Cherry | Acting coach to Heather Graham - uncredited | |
| 2011 | Machine Gun Preacher | Acting coach to Gerard Butler - uncredited | |
| 2011 | Red Riding Hood | Acting coach to Virginia Madsen | |
| 2009-2010 | Hawthorne | Acting coach to Jada Pinkett Smith | 16 episodes |
| 2010 | Kites | Acting coach to Hrithik Roshan | |
| 2010 | The Back-Up Plan | Acting coach to Jennifer Lopez | |
| 2010 | The Losers | Acting coach | |
| 2009 | NCIS: Los Angeles | Acting coach to LL Cool J | 5 episodes |
| 2009 | Law Abiding Citizen | Acting coach to Gerard Butler | |
| 2008 | Seven Pounds | Acting coach to Will Smith | |
| 2008 | Hancock | Acting coach to Will Smith | |
| 2007 | The Man | Acting coach to LL Cool J | TV movie |
| 2007 | I Am Legend | Acting coach to Will Smith | |
| 2007 | The Number 23 | Acting coach to Virginia Madsen | |
| 2006 | El Cantante | Acting coach to Jennifer Lopez | |
| 2006 | Last Holiday | Acting coach to LL Cool J | |
| 2005 | House | Acting coach to LL Cool J | 1 episode |
| 2005 | Slow Burn | Acting coach to LL Cool J | |
| 2005 | Edison | Acting coach to LL Cool J | |
| 2005 | Be Cool | Acting coach to Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson | |
| 2004 | I, Robot | Acting coach to Will Smith | |
| 2004 | Mindhunters | Acting coach to LL Cool J | |
| 2003 | S.W.A.T. | Acting coach to LL Cool J | |
| 2003 | The Italian Job | Acting coach | |
| 2003 | Deliver Us from Eva | Acting coach to LL Cool J | |
| 2002 | Rollerball | Acting coach to LL Cool J | |
| 2002 | A Walk to Remember | Acting coach to Mandy Moore | |
| 2001 | Kingdom Come | Acting coach to LL Cool J | |
| 2000 | Charlie's Angels | Acting coach to LL Cool J | |
| 2000 | Daddio | Acting coach to Donny Osmond | 1 episode |
| 1999 | Any Given Sunday | Acting coach to LL Cool J | |
| 1999 | In Too Deep | Acting coach to LL Cool J | |
| 1999 | Deep Blue Sea | Acting coach to LL Cool J | |
| 1995 | The Jeff Foxworthy Show | Acting coach to Jeff Foxworthy | 1 episode |
References[edit]
- ^ Tibaldi, Madeleine (2021-04-14). "The Guide To Becoming an Actor in L.A." www.backstage.com. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
- ^ CBS Los Angeles (2013-10-28). "Best Acting Classes In Los Angeles". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
- ^ Local Stories (2019-07-22). "Meet Shannon Sturges of Speiser/Sturges". voyagela.com. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
- ^ Bedoya, Aaron A. (2022-04-28). "'It was an act of love': Actor Danny Trejo walks green carpet for film premiere in El Paso". www.elpasotimes.com. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
- ^ a b Iannucci, Lisa (12 November 2009). Will Smith A Biography. ABC-Clio. pp. 84, 116. ISBN 9780313376115. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
- ^ Backstage Staff (2019-11-05). "Spotlight on Los Angeles Acting Schools and Coaches". www.backstage.com. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
- ^ a b Backstage Staff (2012-08-15). "Readers' Choice Los Angeles". www.backstage.com. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
- ^ a b "The Man behind the technique". www.thescreenacting.studio. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
- ^ "Aaron Speiser, a mentor". People. Time Inc. March 2005. Retrieved 2013-11-21.
- ^ "Approaches to Acting Technique". www.backstage.com. Backstage. 2009-01-14. Retrieved 7 August 2022 – via www.youtube.com.
- ^ Peikert, Mark (2019-11-04). "Speiser has coached Academy Award nominee". www.backstage.com. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
- ^ InStyle (2021-04-05). "Jennifer Lopez in Her Own Words (and Everyone Else's)". www.instyle.com. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
- ^ Ganguly, Prithwish (2013-11-21). "Hrithik Roshan's a smooth talker". www.dnaindia.com. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
- ^ Miller, Mike (2015-08-07). "Why Ice Cube's Look-Alike Son Still Had to Audition to Play His Dad in 'Straight Outta Compton'". people.com. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
- ^ Backstage Staff (2012-08-15). "Approaches to Technique". www.backstage.com. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
- ^ Kaplan, Stephanie (2021-04-06). "'I Love What I Do': Triple Threat Jennifer Lopez Declares She's 'Living A Dream' As Her Multifaceted Career Continues To Soar". www.morninghoney.com. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
- ^ Flowers, John; Frizler, Paul (8 April 2004). Psychotherapists on Film, 1899-1999 A Worldwide Guide to Over 5000 Films. McFarland & Company. pp. 209, 573. ISBN 9780786412976. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
- ^ Kanellos, Michael (2006-01-10). "Mark Cuban's acting career". www.cnet.com. Retrieved 7 August 2022.