Aaron Speiser

Last updated
Aaron Speiser
Born (1950-09-22) September 22, 1950 (age 73)
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]

Contents

Biography

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

Film credits of Aaron Speiser
YearTitleCredited asNotes
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
2007The ManActing coach to LL Cool JTV 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 J1 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

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References

  1. ↑ Tibaldi, Madeleine (2021-04-14). "The Guide To Becoming an Actor in L.A." www.backstage.com. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  2. ↑ CBS Los Angeles (2013-10-28). "Best Acting Classes In Los Angeles". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  3. ↑ Local Stories (2019-07-22). "Meet Shannon Sturges of Speiser/Sturges". voyagela.com. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  4. ↑ 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.
  5. 1 2 Iannucci, Lisa (12 November 2009). Will Smith A Biography. ABC-Clio. pp. 84, 116. ISBN   9780313376115 . Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  6. ↑ Backstage Staff (2019-11-05). "Spotlight on Los Angeles Acting Schools and Coaches". www.backstage.com. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  7. 1 2 Backstage Staff (2012-08-15). "Readers' Choice Los Angeles". www.backstage.com. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  8. 1 2 "The Man behind the technique". www.thescreenacting.studio. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  9. ↑ "Aaron Speiser, a mentor". People . Time Inc. March 2005. Retrieved 2013-11-21.
  10. ↑ "Approaches to Acting Technique". www.backstage.com. Backstage. 2009-01-14. Retrieved 7 August 2022– via www.youtube.com.
  11. ↑ Peikert, Mark (2019-11-04). "Speiser has coached Academy Award nominee". www.backstage.com. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  12. ↑ InStyle (2021-04-05). "Jennifer Lopez in Her Own Words (and Everyone Else's)". www.instyle.com. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  13. ↑ Ganguly, Prithwish (2013-11-21). "Hrithik Roshan's a smooth talker". www.dnaindia.com. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  14. ↑ 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.
  15. ↑ Backstage Staff (2012-08-15). "Approaches to Technique". www.backstage.com. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  16. ↑ 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.
  17. ↑ 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.
  18. ↑ Kanellos, Michael (2006-01-10). "Mark Cuban's acting career". www.cnet.com. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
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