On Saturday, May 30, my friend and I found ourselves outside in a line of over six hundred people, dripping sweat and contemplating how we found ourselves there. No, we were not in line for Chipotle, we were at an open casting call.
This flyer we found read that they were looking for extras for a "political drama" and, with some extra digging (Thanks, Google!), we figured out that the popular Netflix show "House of Cards" was casting roles as "congressman in background" and "angsty voter." I knew I would be perfect for the role. Well, me and a few hundred other people.
If you are unfamiliar with the show, Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright play Francis and Claire Underwood, a married couple with plans to take over Washington, DC. The Underwoods maneuver through the history of hurts and grudges of the people they have betrayed and lives they have destroyed. Basically, I just love this show because it shows me that people in the real world experience more drama than I do, and that's a reassuring feeling.
With filming in Annapolis, Maryland, my friend and I chugged our Starbucks and were on our way. Little did we know the people we would encounter on our way to fame.
1. The Mom who is "trying something new".
With kids, a job, and just the craziness of daily life on their plates, Maryland moms probably never dreamt of starring in a popular Netflix drama. But today, these moms did something different. They put on that business-casual dress and made their husband take their kids to that birthday party. Because instead they had to stand in line for four hours, texting their husbands, making sure that they didn't forget to wrap the presents and triple-checking that the cakes were made in a peanut-free space.
2. The professional extra.
This person will have gotten there way too early, but still late enough that they have to wait in line for hours. They will then share to anyone with ears their experiences being an extra on other shows and telling you the ins and outs of the "extra world." This person "could totally join the SAG if they wanted to," but they just don't want to pay the dues. Yeah, yeah, go brag about your role as a police officer on "Veep" to someone who cares.
3. The recent college grad who thinks he's hilarious.
I had the pleasure of standing behind a recent college graduate whose one and only joke was "I'm here to audition for the role of Frank Underwood." Slayer one, kid. This did not stop him from saying it over a dozen times to damn near every person who walked by. His attempt to crack jokes was painful, but I'm gonna give this kid an A for effort. Maybe he needed the sound of his voice to survive. I'm really giving him the benefit of the doubt.
4. That kid you knew from your Jewish youth group.
This nightmare-turned-reality occurred at hour two. This kid has seen you at your worst—with braces, at a convention, crying about some dumb boy at the dance—and now he has seen you again—dripping sweat, trying to find stardom. Thank Moses this kid didn't see me because I could not deal with the awkward catching up thing that people have to pretend to care about.
5. The person who is just done with it.
You can tell exactly who these people are—they are sitting down. Sitting down at open casting calls are a sign of weakness. Natural selection, if you will. So these quitters, ahem, I mean sitters, are usually on their phones, texting their friends about how horrendous their day has been, and they haven't even been seen by the photographers yet. I really feel for these people and wish them all of the successes in life, as long as they don't have to wait in a line outside for it.
6. The girl who just watches the show on Netflix, and is a really big fan, but didn't know what she was getting herself into.
This is relevant and relatable. Here I am, a young Sara, trying to get on the "House of Cards" set to take my picture and post the caption as “Underwood/Strei 2016." I sincerely thought that the line would be shorter, we would wait inside, and I don't know, maybe snacks? Clearly, I believe in good things and that cannot come about from an open casting call.
On the way to becoming famous, we all have to take beginning baby steps. Today, I made baby steps for four hours in the beating Maryland heat, while simultaneously getting a sunburn and becoming dehydrated. Cross your fingers you'll see me in the background as "walking girl #2." Dream big, kids.
