| Aspiring Actor Works at Maketing himself in Hollywood |
| Dularge Native Jared Day Follows his Dream |
“One definition of Hell is when you die having the person you
are meet the person you could have been,” explains aspiring
actor and Dularge native Jared Day whose own resume and
biography reads like a movie script.
“Sometimes it takes a leap of faith to make dreams come true.
But most of all, it takes hard work and people who believe in
you until you believe in yourself,” proclaims Jared who credits
his family, his Louisiana roots, two teachers and one
Terrebonne Parish resident for profoundly changing his life.
Day, who recently starred in his first major role in a feature-
length film, “Go For Broke 2” and also had roles in the movies
“Because of Winn-Dixie” and “Call Me: The Rise and Fall of
Heidi Fleiss,” thinks his prospects are improving, but he also
believes persistence and patience are vital parts of any actor’s
“rite of passage” in a very demanding profession.
“Every ‘over-night success’ represents years of effort,
experience and training to learn your art,” explains the former
LSU cheerleader, counter-terrorism instructor, Territory
manager, TV Co-Producer and promotional model who
walked away from successful, more traditional careers to take
a shot at his real passion—acting.
Extensive experience in promotions, sales, Community
Theater and even as a Nicholls and LSU cheerleader has
grounded Jared in how to “market himself” and “sell” his
ability to carry any role.
“I’m passionate about acting. I hope that acting will some day
give me a platform as a celebrity to touch people’s lives in a
positive way,” explains Day who learned his work ethic from
his dad, who works offshore and his mother. His mother,
Lavina Liner, who was a skilled and celebrated cruise line
Head Cook, sacrificed many personal comforts so Jared could
attend schools that enabled him to overcome childhood
learning disabilities. His grandfather, a Louisiana shrimper,
passed on unique cultural roots.
Ft. Myers Middle Academy teacher Betty Maher ignited his
interest in drama, and assured him he could overcome the
Tourette syndrome, ADD and Dyslexia that inhibited his early
education. Sonja Pitre, currently a guidance councilor at
Oaklawn Junior High, tutored him, fought for changes in the
educational system and took every opportunity to encourage
him. All helped to vastly improve his self-image.
Larry Blanchard, owner of Body Elite Fitness Center in
Houma, gave Jared a chance by employing him in his gym
which helped to create the foundation for fitness that has
become an important aspect of Day’s personal life.
Given that few things came easy to Jared and he had to
overcome poorly understood learning disabilities, the divorce
of his parents a bout with Anorexia and Bulimia as a youth and
saw his childhood home destroyed twice by hurricanes Juan
and Andrew, his prevailing positive outlook and strong
foundation in faith is unexpected.
are meet the person you could have been,” explains aspiring
actor and Dularge native Jared Day whose own resume and
biography reads like a movie script.
“Sometimes it takes a leap of faith to make dreams come true.
But most of all, it takes hard work and people who believe in
you until you believe in yourself,” proclaims Jared who credits
his family, his Louisiana roots, two teachers and one
Terrebonne Parish resident for profoundly changing his life.
Day, who recently starred in his first major role in a feature-
length film, “Go For Broke 2” and also had roles in the movies
“Because of Winn-Dixie” and “Call Me: The Rise and Fall of
Heidi Fleiss,” thinks his prospects are improving, but he also
believes persistence and patience are vital parts of any actor’s
“rite of passage” in a very demanding profession.
“Every ‘over-night success’ represents years of effort,
experience and training to learn your art,” explains the former
LSU cheerleader, counter-terrorism instructor, Territory
manager, TV Co-Producer and promotional model who
walked away from successful, more traditional careers to take
a shot at his real passion—acting.
Extensive experience in promotions, sales, Community
Theater and even as a Nicholls and LSU cheerleader has
grounded Jared in how to “market himself” and “sell” his
ability to carry any role.
“I’m passionate about acting. I hope that acting will some day
give me a platform as a celebrity to touch people’s lives in a
positive way,” explains Day who learned his work ethic from
his dad, who works offshore and his mother. His mother,
Lavina Liner, who was a skilled and celebrated cruise line
Head Cook, sacrificed many personal comforts so Jared could
attend schools that enabled him to overcome childhood
learning disabilities. His grandfather, a Louisiana shrimper,
passed on unique cultural roots.
Ft. Myers Middle Academy teacher Betty Maher ignited his
interest in drama, and assured him he could overcome the
Tourette syndrome, ADD and Dyslexia that inhibited his early
education. Sonja Pitre, currently a guidance councilor at
Oaklawn Junior High, tutored him, fought for changes in the
educational system and took every opportunity to encourage
him. All helped to vastly improve his self-image.
Larry Blanchard, owner of Body Elite Fitness Center in
Houma, gave Jared a chance by employing him in his gym
which helped to create the foundation for fitness that has
become an important aspect of Day’s personal life.
Given that few things came easy to Jared and he had to
overcome poorly understood learning disabilities, the divorce
of his parents a bout with Anorexia and Bulimia as a youth and
saw his childhood home destroyed twice by hurricanes Juan
and Andrew, his prevailing positive outlook and strong
foundation in faith is unexpected.
Few folks who knew the shy, overweight Jared in elementary
school would recognize the rock-hard ex-Louisiana Guardsman
who added combat training to the Kung fu and Aikido he learned
while attending ten different middle and high schools in Louisiana
and Florida while growing up. Then he trained with former
Israeli Special Forces agent/instructor Doron Benbenisty,
learning counter-terrorist, survival, Krav Maga and self-defense
skills that come in handy in many of his movie roles.
Jared admits, however, he enjoys displaying Latin, Swing and
ballroom Dance talents learned while an assistant dance
instructor in Baton Rouge as much as his martial arts.
His resume includes convention, advertising and sales
promotions, stunt work, roles in 16 major, short and direct to
video movies, a variety of work in theater, hosting events and
voice-overs.
Currently, he’s enrolled in the advanced acting class at the
Living the Art Institute with instructor Kimberly Jentzen to hone
his skills.
“Acting is a business and you have to market yourself. I’ve
recently turned down a few roles because my manager and I
didn’t feel they were good career choices. You invest a lot in
your roles and in marketing yourself—in things like portfolios,
marketing materials, acting lessons or networking. It’s fortunate
I don’t mind working. Many aspiring actors last less than a year
in Los Angeles, but persistence pays off and the joys of success
long outlast the pains of which it took to achieve that success.”
Jared believes. “Most people want the ‘Baby’ of success but
they aren’t willing to go through the ‘labor pains’ that are
required.”
Will Jared ever come back to Louisiana?
“I love coming home and being with my family. I have aunts and
uncles and cousins all over Terrebonne Parish. And no one
makes gumbo like my mom or home made bread like my
grandma. But Los Angeles is the hub of the entertainment
industry and this is where I need to be,” he notes, adding
Louisiana is doing a lot to attract the movie industry and he
hopes to someday work on a movie close to home.
Jared adds many of his relatives are South Louisiana Electric
Cooperative Association (SLECA) members and he even recalls
entering the SLECA Youth Tour contest in the 1990s trying to
win a trip to Washington D.C.
Does Jaded have any advice to other aspiring actors?
“You have to be willing to do what nine out of ten people aren’t
willing to do—to live like they will never live and to have what
they will never have. I didn’t want to wake up someday and
wonder what if I would have taken that leap of faith and tried to
do what I really love doing,” Day explains. “Look around—how
many people do you know who wouldn’t take that leap. I don’t
ever want one of them to be looking back at me in a mirror.”
To learn more about Jared you can visit his website at
www.jaredday.com or go to his IMDb.com page.
school would recognize the rock-hard ex-Louisiana Guardsman
who added combat training to the Kung fu and Aikido he learned
while attending ten different middle and high schools in Louisiana
and Florida while growing up. Then he trained with former
Israeli Special Forces agent/instructor Doron Benbenisty,
learning counter-terrorist, survival, Krav Maga and self-defense
skills that come in handy in many of his movie roles.
Jared admits, however, he enjoys displaying Latin, Swing and
ballroom Dance talents learned while an assistant dance
instructor in Baton Rouge as much as his martial arts.
His resume includes convention, advertising and sales
promotions, stunt work, roles in 16 major, short and direct to
video movies, a variety of work in theater, hosting events and
voice-overs.
Currently, he’s enrolled in the advanced acting class at the
Living the Art Institute with instructor Kimberly Jentzen to hone
his skills.
“Acting is a business and you have to market yourself. I’ve
recently turned down a few roles because my manager and I
didn’t feel they were good career choices. You invest a lot in
your roles and in marketing yourself—in things like portfolios,
marketing materials, acting lessons or networking. It’s fortunate
I don’t mind working. Many aspiring actors last less than a year
in Los Angeles, but persistence pays off and the joys of success
long outlast the pains of which it took to achieve that success.”
Jared believes. “Most people want the ‘Baby’ of success but
they aren’t willing to go through the ‘labor pains’ that are
required.”
Will Jared ever come back to Louisiana?
“I love coming home and being with my family. I have aunts and
uncles and cousins all over Terrebonne Parish. And no one
makes gumbo like my mom or home made bread like my
grandma. But Los Angeles is the hub of the entertainment
industry and this is where I need to be,” he notes, adding
Louisiana is doing a lot to attract the movie industry and he
hopes to someday work on a movie close to home.
Jared adds many of his relatives are South Louisiana Electric
Cooperative Association (SLECA) members and he even recalls
entering the SLECA Youth Tour contest in the 1990s trying to
win a trip to Washington D.C.
Does Jaded have any advice to other aspiring actors?
“You have to be willing to do what nine out of ten people aren’t
willing to do—to live like they will never live and to have what
they will never have. I didn’t want to wake up someday and
wonder what if I would have taken that leap of faith and tried to
do what I really love doing,” Day explains. “Look around—how
many people do you know who wouldn’t take that leap. I don’t
ever want one of them to be looking back at me in a mirror.”
To learn more about Jared you can visit his website at
www.jaredday.com or go to his IMDb.com page.
“I took a lot of abuse in school from both teachers and students
but after we moved to Ft. Myers after Hurricane Juan destroyed
the livability of our home, I was tested at the genius level. I still
had a lot of self-esteem issues, but with my mom’s support and
achievements in drama, my perspective improved. I began to
realize that while people may do evil things, God uses bad
experiences and circumstances to make you a better person,”
Jared believes.
“Whether it’s about a career, excelling in athletics or becoming
an actor, achieving a goal is like walking a tightrope. You have
to focus on where you’re going, not where you are on the rope.
Life is one percent what happens to you and 99 percent how
your react to what happens to you,” he adds. “Everything
happens for a reason.”
Jokingly told as a 12-year-old that if he wanted something he’d
have work for it, Jared got a job and he’s pretty much been
working ever since. He thinks his work ethic is passed down
from his father and mother.
“No plan for success will work unless you do,” Day proclaims.
He gave up a successful career in sales, marketing and
modeling/promotions in Baton Rouge to take his best shot at
acting. Today he works as a promotional dancer / MC and waits
on tables at the exclusive Jonathan Club at the Beach in Santa
Monica.
“Actors need flexible hours since you may get a casting call at
any time. Regular eight to five office jobs just don’t work out,”
he explains. “Besides, I’ve seen some awesome sunsets on that
beach.”
but after we moved to Ft. Myers after Hurricane Juan destroyed
the livability of our home, I was tested at the genius level. I still
had a lot of self-esteem issues, but with my mom’s support and
achievements in drama, my perspective improved. I began to
realize that while people may do evil things, God uses bad
experiences and circumstances to make you a better person,”
Jared believes.
“Whether it’s about a career, excelling in athletics or becoming
an actor, achieving a goal is like walking a tightrope. You have
to focus on where you’re going, not where you are on the rope.
Life is one percent what happens to you and 99 percent how
your react to what happens to you,” he adds. “Everything
happens for a reason.”
Jokingly told as a 12-year-old that if he wanted something he’d
have work for it, Jared got a job and he’s pretty much been
working ever since. He thinks his work ethic is passed down
from his father and mother.
“No plan for success will work unless you do,” Day proclaims.
He gave up a successful career in sales, marketing and
modeling/promotions in Baton Rouge to take his best shot at
acting. Today he works as a promotional dancer / MC and waits
on tables at the exclusive Jonathan Club at the Beach in Santa
Monica.
“Actors need flexible hours since you may get a casting call at
any time. Regular eight to five office jobs just don’t work out,”
he explains. “Besides, I’ve seen some awesome sunsets on that
beach.”
Monday, November 14, 2005
Vol. 22, No. 8
Vol. 22, No. 8
Louisiana Country Magazine