While Saratoga High is prolific in its production of doctors, engineers and lawyers, relatively few actors have come out of the school. 2011 grads David Mandell and Jay Lee are trying to change that. Both sophomores at USC, they room together and are majoring in drama.
Although Lee has been in one play as well as a few student films, he said he has not done anything he was paid for yet.
Lee said he doesn’t feel like student directors are as helpful in improving his skills as a professional director would be.
“I feel a bit selfish saying that,” Lee said, “considering that everyone here is really looking to improve himself, but I've found that there's already so much that I need to learn for myself that I need to pick and choose how I want to spend my days here.”
Mandell said that although he does not have any professional experience yet, he does have an agent who helps him book acting gigs.
“They are a prominent agency in San Francisco and recently opened up an office in L.A. A friend recommended me for an interview and an audition. I came in, talked a little bit, performed a monologue and they said they wanted to sign me about a week later.”
Mandell said he does not have a timeline for his career, given that acting is an unpredictable career.
“I believe I have as good of a chance as anyone for making it,” Mandell said. “I believe if I continue to work hard and stay positive my time will come.”
Mandell said that his experiences at Saratoga High influenced his career choice and developed his growth as an actor.
“My senior year of high school was the most influential,” Mandell said. “I worked on a show called ‘The Woman in Black’ with my best friend and current roommate Jay Lee. I had always know I had loved to act, but it was this show where I knew this was my career.”
Lee said that no specific event in high school influenced his decision to pursue acting; it sort of just happened. Lee credited former drama teacher Chris Mahle as having been a great influence on him.
“My first three years, Mr. Mahle definitely was one of them [a mentor],” Lee said. “I think the most important thing that he taught me was to really take charge of my own art. Ultimately, he taught us how to be autonomous actors.”
Lee also said “The Woman in Black’ with influencing him in acting.
“The very fact that the two of us [Mandell] remotely pulled it off is amazing to me,” Lee said. “But then again, we put in the summer and hours upon hours into that production. We sold out almost every show and actually added another show, which also filled up.”
Lee said that although he knows he wants to act for the rest of his life, opportunities are limited for Asian-American actors.
“It's something that's been on my mind lately, actually. There are very few movies and plays that seems to portray Asian Americans as anything more that two-dimensional stereotypes," Lee said. “We aren't going to be seeing an Asian-American Stanley Kowalski without the director and audience questioning why he's Asian any time soon.”
Lee said the problem stems from Asian Americans still being typecast.
“I guess the next best thing would be for casting directors to just be color blind in their casting, but I'm afraid that that may be too much to ask for in this day and age.”
Mandell said although he would like to be successful, his primary focus will always be good acting.
“My future goals include essentially to hone my craft to the best of my ability and be the best actor I can be,” Mandell said. “Of course more specific goals are Oscar nominations and acting beside people like Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks and the new Jennifer Lawrence.”
Mandell said that he would never want to do anything else.
“I chose acting because I wake up every morning and realize that is all I want to do with my life,” Mandell said. “Passion drives and should drive your career.”
Lee said he does not see fame as a goal.
“I don't plan on becoming a huge movie star. If it's meant to happen, it'll happen, and that's all I can tell myself because there really isn't any way to control that kind of thing,” Lee said. “However, I do intend to make a living as an actor, and from what I hear, even that is a challenge in itself.”
Lee said he also hopes to supporting his parents financially once he starts making money.
“They've worked too hard to support me through this career for me not to do that for them,” Lee said.
Lee actually did not decide he wanted to act for a living until his senior year of high school.
“I still hadn't decided if theater was what I wanted to be doing during and after college, so there was no practical reason really for me to put as much effort as I did into them,” Lee said. “But you see, I think that's how I realized that theater was what I loved.”
