Jane Seymour's Story - written by Jane Seymour
exclusively for Hello- Part Three |
A few weeks later I returned to the United States for the promotion
of a film. During my stay there I met a casting director who gave me
an excellent piece of advice.
"Drop your English accent," she said. "If you start
talking like an .American, you'll find so much work here you won't
enjoy a minute's rest. There's no one like you here."
Her words started me thinking. Days later, in London, I talked about
it with my agent. He was furious.
"Very good, very nice! What an irresponsible woman! How can she
stuff that nonsense into your head; What does she know about it?"
"I suppose she must know something if her work is employing actors.
Don't you think?" I replied.
"I don't agree," he said. "You'll work in America when
somebody offers you a job there in a film. How are you going to leave
just like that? That would be foolish. You must wait until someone
calls you. That's the right thing to do."
His reasoning was quite logical, although too conservative. I didn't
agree with him. My chat with that woman had made me wonder about my
future. What's more, it was a challenge for me ... and I love challenges.
I decided to try it out. I spoke to Geep about it. He agreed absolutely.
"You must try it. If you don't, you'll always have doubts about
what could have happened. I support you. Go to America and if all goes
well, I'll leave my lob over here and I'll come to California and we'll
get married."
So; with almost nothing to my name except for a little money, a return
ticket and a lot of hope, I headed for my second American adventure.
This time things would be much better.
The first few months in Los Angeles were quite tough. I didn't have
much money and I had to take it really easy if I wanted it to last.
The first thing I did was to find a good diction teacher. I found her.
She charged a lot, but she was the best.
My tiny income could just about pay for a short course. So there was no option
for me - either I got rid of my English accent in that time, or that was that.
I had to make a real effort and work day an dnight at my accent.
I couldn't pay for an hotel so I decided to look for an apartment. And one day, while I was musing about my uncertain financial future in a supermarket queue, I heard a young girl say she was trying to rent her apartment. I told her I was interested and we clinched the deal right there and then, amid cartons of yoghurt and bottles of milk
