We recently invited Jorja Fox and Eric Szmanda of the hit television series *CSI: Crime Scene Investigation *to share their professional and Academy experiences with us.

In what ways do you value the training you received at AADA?

AADA really taught me to be in the moment. To be as present as I can. I use that training all the time every day. The teachers had high expectations of us, but were very kind and supportive. I loved being in the middle of NYC. There was inspiration and excitement on every corner. I also loved that AADA was college credited. At that time, it was the only acting school that was college credited. I’ve always thought higher learning should be expansive and independent. AADA is both.

**You have been on three highly successful television series - *ER,The West Wing, *and CSI, all dramas. Do you have any interest in doing comedy?

I would love to do a romantic comedy…… I love romantic comedies. I feel really blessed that if I have been type cast, that it’s these gun toting, tough, smart, city women. I love comedy. I don’t think I’m very funny, unfortunately. But I would love to try….

What was your first professional acting job?

I got the lead in a small film. *The Kill Off *directed by Maggie Greenwald. It was a Jim Thompson adaptation. Very dark and gloomy. I played a very depressed kid who eventually becomes a heroin addict. I didn’t work as an actor after that for a solid year. The film went to Sundance. Although none of us could afford to go with it, it was very exciting.

How do you play a character that you do not connect to - or do not like?

I don’t. If my heart’s not in it, my work really suffers. It’s obvious when I’m not passionate about what I’m doing, which isn’t fair to my employers or me. I’ve had jobs I haven’t loved to pay the rent but never artistic ones. Bartending, temping, that kind of thing. If I don’t care for the story or the role I don’t take the job.

Was there a defining moment in your career when you realized you were a successful actor?

I’m still waiting for it. I’ve been very lucky. Every time I get a job, I’m sure I’m going to get fired. I’m not sure that it’s all that good for me to get too comfortable artistically. I’d rather be nervous than bored.

Do you have a favorite role that you have played?

My favorite role to date is ‘Sara Sidle’ on CSI. It was really rewarding to be with the show from the beginning and to take a fairly big risk, at least I thought so, by leaving the West *Wing *to go to CSI. I was so intrigued by the story and yet I thought it was going to be a big flop. Who would want to watch a show about death on Friday nights? I love Sarah’s intensity, her obsession with the truth, her lack of self-aware-ness, her humor and how smart she is. I love that she’s so much smarter than I am.

What advice would you give to current AADA students who are embarking on acting careers?

Do what you love. Be yourself. It sounds fairly corny, but there really is only one you in the universe. Instead of trying to be somebody else, be you. Nobody can compete with that. And it will give you at least one thing, probably many more, but at least one thing that nobody else has. Hang tough. Acting is such a balance of patience and persistence. Get used to that tight rope. And get used to and learn to love not really having a lot of stability in your life. I thrive on that. Where will I be next year? Where will I be next month? I love that.

We know that you run a theatre company - Honeypot Productions - and that you have written and directed for them. Were there any particular challenges you encountered doing this work and if so how did you overcome them?

There are always challenges. I run the company with several other folks. I could never do it alone. We’re trying right now to go from a small back yard theatre company to a legitimate traveling troupe. It’s a full time job for someone. All of us in the company have “day jobs.” The theatre is a collective hobby and mild addiction for all of us. So a lack of time is really the hardest part. Finding funding is always interesting. It is really great to have something creative though, that is really just for the fun of it. There’s no huge goal to meet or large entity to satisfy.That’s pretty rare these days in the “biz.”

Do you have any aspirations to write or direct for television?

Not so much. I think I’d be a terrible director. I am not detail oriented at all. And I’m not very visual. I would love to work with actors. I love writing, but I think I’d be really bad at the pace and collaborative spirit of writing for television.

What is the difference between acting on stage and on camera? And is there any way to prepare for those differences?

I think if I think too much about the differences that’s when I get tripped up. In theatre I really practice filling the room. A lot of stages use microphones now but I came up having to fill the space with my voice and still work at being as natural and again, as present as possible. On camera most of it is so small. TV in particular shoots so much in tight close-ups. It’s about being as still as possible and as natural and present at the same time. Of course the priceless thrill of theatre is the live audience that gives so much more than they get and the uniqueness of every single show. One of my favorite parts of TV and film is getting to do things over. So much less stressful, but also less original…..

Do you have any upcoming projects that you are excited about?

After January, I let myself think a little bit about summer ideas, which is usually just being the laziest person I know. I have never been a workaholic, yet I am always working on some play……..

Thanks so much for the opportunity to speak with you guys. Kiss NYC for me. I am always missing her…..