Did your acting career begin with the three lines in your primary school play, or was it the performance for the ‘rents, hoping they will say yes to that sleepover?

While acting is not for everyone, many have ventured into the industry. Whether your acting career flourished or faded, the question remains: How do you take acting to the next level… and that’s where Billie comes in.

Billie spoke to up and coming star, Tara Canton, about how she has taken her acting career to new heights, sharing insights into how to enhance your future in acting.

“Robyn Malcolm spat on me,” said Tara Canton as she described her audition experience for her debut role in the six-part TV show, After the Party, on TVNZ.

Canton said that Malcolm spat on her by accident while acting out a fierce fight scene. “I couldn’t break, it was so intense.”

Canton’s commitment to the role during the audition is what she said likely helped her book the gig.

“It’s important to trust yourself because you can so easily get in your own way” said Canton, who highlights that in any performative arts, perfectionism, control, and success measurements can often hinder growth and progress.

The New Zealand-filmed show, After the Party, has been deservingly screened around the world.

The show focuses on a family’s domestic ordeals after the mother Penny, played by Robyn Malcolm, deals with the fallout of accusing her husband of a sex crime occurring five years prior.

The series follows Penny’s journey to prove her claim, while trying to heal her relationship with her daughter Grace, played by Tara.

“The intense, hectic, and raw drama follows regular everyday people just trying to sort out their problems,” said Canton.

The triple threat booked the role at the end of her second year at the New Zealand drama school, Toi Whakaari; however, acting wasn’t always the plan.

Tara planned to attend a musical theatre school in London, but that came to a halt when the Pandemic began back in 2020.

Canton said she had never really thought of pursuing acting, but Toi Whakaari was right in her own backyard.

After the Party was Canton’s first-ever screen job which she booked without a casting agent.

“I was lucky enough to have a casting agent reach out to Toi regarding the project, and so I got a random email and had to submit a self-tape.”

“The opportunity fell into my hands, which I am very grateful for because it could have easily passed me by.”

Canton now has a casting agent but reiterates she is “very much not pro.”

When asked to give advice to those wanting to follow in her footsteps, Canton said being in the moment is one of the most important parts of acting.

“I believe everything happens for a reason, so no matter the level you think you are at, get out of your head, be in your body, and do the mahi.”

Whether you’re on that primary school stage or preparing for the performance of a lifetime, success in the world of acting hinges on dedication, resilience, and hunger to learn.

Tara Canton’s journey is a reminder that the unknown of the acting industry is exciting if you put in the mahi, so do the mahi!

You can watch After the Party on TVNZ+ on Demand (rated R16) or follow Tara on Instagram here.