About – Real Actor's Lab

HI, I’M SARAH…

…and I’m known best for helping actors get out of their heads so they can tell the story (instead of kill it!).

I’m a Los Angeles–based on-set acting coach, and I’ve been working with actors for over 20 years — on set, in the room, and in the moments that really count. I recently wrapped an indie feature dramedy shot in Newfoundland, Canada, starring J.K. Simmons, Abby Elliott, and John Reynolds. A few recent on-set coaching credits include the Netflix hit XO, Kitty, NBC’s This Is Us, Hulu’s Paradise, and Ryan Murphy’s Doctor Odyssey for ABC.

Alongside my on-set work, I coach professional actors privately as they prepare for major TV, film, and theatre roles. I’m the founder here at Real Actors Lab, where I teach classes, lead workshops, and help actors cut through the noise to do grounded, emotionally honest work.

I’ve been fortunate to train with some of the best teachers in the business, including Larry Moss, Royal Shakespeare Company voice teacher Patsy Rodenburg, and Linklater-trained voice coach Adele Cabot. I work with actors at every stage — from emerging talent to seasoned pros — and I’ve coached across film and TV sets, schools, camps, and theatre companies, including Off-Broadway’s LAByrinth Theater Company. My goal is always the same: help actors trust themselves, tell the truth, and do their best work when it matters most.

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HI, I’M ADRIA…

…and I’m best known for being able to incorporate my first hand experience as an auditioning, working actor with my extensive training in acting, writing, directing and filmmaking to help actors tackle their goals, both in strengthening their craft and their careers.

I earned a BFA in acting and directing from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and Playwrights Horizons Theater School. I began my career as an actress while continuing to study with teachers like E. Katherine Kerr, Tom Todoroff, Adele Cabot and Larry Moss, which is where I met Sarah. I’ve done time on both film and television sets, most notably Mad Men, Mad Dogs, The Artist, Bad Moms, You Don’t Mess with the Zohan, Scandal, Monk and Greek. You can check out my full list of screen credits here.

I also began writing stand-up early in my career to give myself more opportunity to perform, then spun that material into a rave-reviewed one-woman show called StripSearch, directed by Melora Hardin, about finding love and happiness with the help of a 12-foot pole. My film, Pie, starring fellow Mad Men alum, Jessica Paré, was a favorite on the festival circuit and won Best Comedy from NewFilmmakers Los Angeles. Now I’m developing my next solo show in collaboration with Tom Sadoski who will direct and produce. I’m a big proponent of actors creating their own material and am armed and ready to help you do that in my class.

In 2020, Sarah Gaboury approached me about coming on as a teacher at RAL. Without batting an eye, I agreed. I love supporting and helping actors sharpen their craft, fine tune their instincts and work through material for class and self-taped demo reels. I also love coaching actors for auditions, and my goal is to provide a firsthand, “in the trenches” perspective I always wished I had had.