RIYADH: Last weekend a group of aspiring actors, directors and presenters took part in a 3-day workshop conducted by the renowned Hollywood acting coach, Thomas Todoroff. He started his career as an actor, director and producer but is more known as a voice, speech and acting coach for some of Hollywood’s best.
He has been coaching and directing actors, in Hollywood, New York and around the world for over 25 years. In fact, not only actors, directors or musicians are interested in his workshops, but also professionals in other fields — such as lawyers and even stockbrokers on Wall Street — and those who need their voices and seek his coaching to improve their self presentations to the world.
Actor Robert Wagner, an Emmy-nominated veteran of over 130 films, says “Life is about making choices. What a rare gift Tom has for directing you to the strongest ones!”
Tom’s acting and directing workshops are carried out in his eight studios in New York and Los Angeles and other cities worldwide such as Montréal, Toronto, Vancouver and London. He recently held his second workshop in Dubai where a private group approached him and invited him to Riyadh. Tom, who was immensely impressed by the capital city and the many talents he encountered, left with a promise to consider it a future location for more workshops.
He is hoping for the theater movement in Saudi Arabia to pick up and he believes that it has to start accelerating for the image of this part of the world to improve. “In the 60s, Sidney Poitier was a black actor with so much grace and poise that he lifted his reputation and that of black people in the American film industry.”
Tom believes that every step we take toward knowing and introducing ourselves to people is, in a way, auditioning — “It is mainly about healing,” he says. Therefore when coaching, Tom believes that authenticity is of paramount importance.
Tom started his film career as an actor, screenwriter, producer and director for award-winning films starring the likes of Christina Ricci, Kerri Russell and Robert Wagner. He also worked as co-writer and actor in a number of small productions. He sees in himself a good player, as he engages in all his talents and enjoys being busy.
“Life is all about joy and how much one can tolerate; therefore, in order to have joy one has to follow his heart,” he says explaining that through doing what he is doing, he gets to meet new people, go to new places and constantly challenges himself.
Tom’ acting students have starred in hundreds of Hollywood blockbusters including; “Wild Wild West,” “Austin Powers,” “Love Actually,” “The Grudge,” “Shakespeare In Love” and “Grey’s Anatomy.” Said Alexander Payne, Oscar-winning screenwriter and director, “If I wanted to be an actor, Tom’s the guy.”
Back in his workshop in Riyadh, Tom coaches a group of expatriates and Saudis; his techniques include guideposts such as relationships, mischief, vulnerability and others. He sees in humor, the main tool for capturing the audience’s heart. Long after he has boarded his flight back to Los Angeles, one can only hope that passionate and dedicated people such as Tom can one day help build the entertainment industry in Saudi Arabia.
