The Maggie Flanigan Studio provides a two-year professional actor training program designed to prepare serious actors for long-term careers on both stage and screen. In this interview, Belén Cusi discusses the decision to train with the studio after working as a commercial actress and model, and the effects of finishing her program online via Zoom at the height of the pandemic.

Two Year Acting Program – Belen Cusi Interview

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Q: Belén, before we get into questions about the pandemic and acting classes on Zoom, just a little bit of background about yourself. What did you think it meant to train as an actor before you started studying at Maggie Flanigan Studio?

Before I started studying at Maggie Flanigan, I was mostly a commercial actress and model. That’s how I was introduced to the business. The acting work I had done up until that point was mainly in commercials, with a few supporting roles in various TV films, and I did that for several years. What drew me to Maggie was the idea of training for more profound behavioral and character work. I wanted to evolve beyond being naturalistic and approachable for the camera into dramatic acting for theater and film/tv.

Q: How has your idea of training changed after finishing the first year of the two-year program?

It has expanded and become so much more personal than I thought it would be. When I interviewed with Charlie, I said I wanted to act because I wanted to live other experiences. I want to be outside of myself and inhabit different characters and other lives. Charlie said, “Yes, but it’s still you.” I was running away from myself, and what the training has taught me is that I must run toward myself to be the actor that I want to be. It has opened me up to transformation not just on an artistic level, but a personal level one also.

Q: Had you ever worked with the Meisner technique before you started training at the studio?

No.

I was running away from myself. What the training has taught me is that I have to run towards myself to be the actor that I want to be.

Belen CusiStudent, Two-Year Acting Program

Q: If you could pick one or two things that resonated with you about the Meisner technique, what would those things be?

I would say the first and fundamental thing would be working from our imagination and not from past personal and traumatic experiences. The idea of strengthening our muscles of creativity and how that can also enrich our lives beyond acting. That leads me to the second thing, which I think is embracing your inner child and bringing a childlike wonder and innocence — and fearlessness — to our work and lives.

Q: What would you say is the biggest thing that you learned about yourself that surprised you during this first year of training?

I was surprised by how deep I was able to go. This work has sort of saved my emotional life. It has reconnected me with the essence of who I am emotionally, and it’s allowed me to reclaim or begin to reclaim my vulnerability and to embrace that. I was surprised and humbled by realizing that the work… works. I trusted Charlie and Maggie from day one and felt myself growing, and I’m so excited to continue on that journey.

Q: Can you talk a little bit about the auxiliary classes?

Sure. It felt very holistic and integrated to have the voice classes and the movement classes. I’ll even mention the theater history class because it gave context to a lot of the work we were doing, especially coming from a non-theater background. It enriched the experience. Voice and movement were going hand in hand with the work we were doing in Charlie’s acting class. Charlie would tell us we have to loosen up and open our instrument and ease the tension. I was so glad to be doing that in the movement class. Not being able to have movement and voice while training via Zoom has only highlighted the value of having that holistic approach in person. I can’t wait to be able to do more of that work again.

Q: How did the sense of community affect your experience this year in the studio and classes on Zoom?

I’d say both experiences in person and online have shown the importance of having an artistic community. I’ve always been very much of a lone wolf, and I came into Maggie, like I said, pretty emotionally unavailable and very focused on my career path and nothing else. It took me a couple of months to warm up to the people in my class and open up, but that’s why I came to Maggie. I wanted to be surrounded by other artists, by other people on the path. I found it invaluable to have that energy and connection, it became the life support to my artistic life that I wouldn’t have had otherwise. It became important and helpful not only to get to watch my peers work and give them feedback, but to have them observe me and us all grow together. It gives you comfort that you’re not alone on this path and that the struggles and the doubts that you’re experiencing, other people are experiencing too.

Q: What was your experience finishing up the first year online with the virtual platform?

Yes. The example I always give is a silly one, but if you’ve ever had to break up with someone or have a difficult conversation over the phone or even Facetime, it’s not much less uncomfortable as seeing them in person. Sure, we don’t have the physical spontaneity, but I’ve found the acting work to translate beautifully to the camera. We’re human beings, we adapt, we’ve gotten used to it, and so much of the industry’s work will involve screens moving forward that I completely embraced it. I found that having to do the work by myself was harder, yes, and it challenged me to go deeper.

I’m delighted that I took that on and I’m looking forward to doing the second year online.

Q: Did you feel like Charlie’s expectations and standards changed because the classes were online?

I think Charlie handled an unprecedented and wildly confusing situation with a poise and vulnerability that allowed us as a group to process the transition together. Once we found our footing online and established our new normal, we were back in business. Charlie has never faltered in his standards with us and continues to push us even harder now because of the extra effort required to work on this platform.

Q: You have already been doing a lot in the entertainment industry, being an artist and a creative. Why was this program important for you? What would you say to someone who thinks that they don’t have time to train in a program like this?

That’s a great question and a valid concern. I had wanted to train for a few years, and those same excuses would always deter me from pursuing a program. It’s too late, I’m too old, I’ve already lost way too much time, I need to work, I need to make money, I don’t want to pause the momentum that I’ve created. But when push came to shove, and I got serious about film acting, I said, “Okay, the time’s going to pass no matter what.” I can grind day in and day out trying to build a reel (I didn’t have a film reel) doing jobs for free, figuring it out as I go. Or do I want training under my belt that, combined with hard work and my perseverance, can better position me to enter this industry as a competitive player?

For me, I thought, “Well, I want to master my craft. I want to work on myself as an artist.” This is not going to be time wasted or getting further behind. This is a life experience that, I can now say, is changing my life, and it’s also moving my career forward. I’m confident that I’ll be in a stronger position coming out of it. I would encourage anyone passionate about the art of acting to pursue serious training at any age.

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Professional Two Year Acting Programs – Maggie Flanigan Studio – Belen Cusi Interview

Q: How would you describe Charlie as a teacher?

Charlie is a demanding acting teacher. He is not a forgiving teacher. He sees his students. I feel seen by Charlie, and I see him seeing my peers. He knows just the right things to say or not to say or do or not to do that will get us to the next rung on the ladder. He demands excellence from us. He pushes us. He has helped me reframe and redesign what my work ethic looks like as an artist. That’s one of the most significant gifts that I think he offers as a teacher because that’s what you need to learn as a teacher. I teach piano students, and what you want to teach is a way to work, not just how to produce results. I think Charlie does that.

Q: What are you looking most forward to about the second year?

I am very excited to be back in the classroom with Charlie and my classmates and very enthusiastic about getting into more intense scene and character work. To truly create these characters and get into different latter aspects of becoming another human being for the screen.

Q: Do you have any final bits of advice or encouragement for anyone on the fence right now about committing to training?

I have words of encouragement only. If you’re thinking about it, do something about it. Time will pass regardless. As an artist and as a person, you will be richer for it.

Two-Year Acting Program

Learn More About the Two-Year Acting Program

To learn more about the two-year acting program and the studio’s online acting classes, visit the studio website https://www.maggieflaniganstudio.com and contact the studio with any question by calling (917) 794-3878.