Meet Claire Dewar | Actress

We had the good fortune of connecting with Claire Dewar and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Claire, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I’m originally from Brisbane, Australia and moved to LA in 2021 during the pandemic. I first started on the stage dancing when I was 3 years old and danced competitively for 16 years doing ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, lyrical and musical theater. While dancing 6 days a week I also picked up acting lessons when I was 8 years old and started competing in Speech and Drama competitions as well as performing in plays with school, Brisbane Acting and Drama and Queensland Theater. During my senior year of High School I received my Diploma in Performance from Trinity College London.
Attending an Academic school, my arts dream was not supported by some of my teachers and looked down upon. A career in the Arts was not seen or encouraged as a full time job and if you pursued it you needed a plan B, but I never had a plan B because I knew what I wanted and I have succeeded. I was also very quiet and some teachers would not always give me chances because they didn’t think I could do it. This only gave me motivation to prove them wrong and prove that I was good enough.
I first fell in love with LA during a summer school at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 2018. During that summer I knew that the Academy was where I wanted to study and I wanted to become an Actor. In 2019 I returned again to the summer school and did a tour of the school. I applied to the Academy in January 2020 during my senior year and due to covid I wasn’t able to audition in person so I had to submit a self tape. I successfully completed my 2 year course and graduated with an A.O.S Degree. Prior to graduation I successfully auditioned for the Academy’s 3rd year Company.
Growing up with a busy schedule balancing school and outside of school acting and dance classes taught me how to manage my time, be persistent, organized and work hard. I’ve learnt not to listen to the people that doubt my abilities and just believe in myself and follow my dreams. These skills have followed into my adult life and have helped me get to where I am today.
Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am an Australian actress based in LA working in film, television and theater. During my Company year at the Academy, we performed the play Reasons to be Happy directed by Matt Neves and William Hart. I played the role of Carly and during the rehearsal process Matt and Will both believed in me and pushed me to be a better actor. I am most proud of this work and my acting improved as a result. Shortly after finishing Company I had the privilege to stage manage a new work called “Chekhov in Love” by Megan Ketch. This was my first professional taste of the industry after studying and I learnt so much from everyone about the industry, acting and the behind the scenes of theater.
Being an actor there is a lot of rejection and it is not always easy in this industry. You can apply for over 20 jobs in a day and only hear back from 3 or 4. I try not to let that rejection get to me since I know there are hundreds of people applying for the same roles as me. As of right now, my Visa only allows me to work in the industry, so being able to get a steady income is not easy to do. I have been lucky to have some paid roles and get work in other areas of the industry not just acting. I will be performing in an upcoming play with the Long Beach Shakespeare Company called “The Gift of Magi” which runs from November 24th – December 10th.
I always try to stay positive about life and not get affected by negativity. Persistence, patience, hard work and determination has gotten me to where I am today, and I believe these are some of my strongest qualities.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If you are new in LA and looking for good places to go I would recommend Laguna Beach for a nice beach day out, it is quieter, less busy and cleaner than Venice or Santa Monica. A good way to see the Hollywood sign is taking a horse ride up to the sign riding through the Hollywood Hills. My Grandad loved the horse riding even though he couldn’t really walk properly after but it was still one of his favorite things he’s done in LA. One of my favorite theme parks is Six Flags. They have lots of fun and big roller coasters to keep you busy all day. There are lots of good studio tours around Hollywood such as, Warner Bro’s, Universal and Paramount to visit and discover the behind the scenes and secrets of movie making. Sometimes there are red carpet events on Hollywood Boulevard where you can line up and try and see celebrities. My mum saw Benedict Cumberbatch once and he waved at her and said hi! If shopping is more your thing then the Culver City Mall has lots of great stores for all kinds of people. There are always lots of great concerts happening, some of my favorites that I’ve been to are Renee Rapp, Joshua Bassett and Alexander 23. The Grove has lots of great restaurants, with some fancier restaurants and more street food is available in the Farmers Market.
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to dedicate this shoutout to my family and friends, Brisbane Acting and Drama and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.
My family and friends have given me a lot of support and encouragement over the years to get to where I am today. My parents and Grandparents assisted me a lot financially and helped me with Visas and getting into the US during the pandemic. They come to LA whenever they can to see me perform in plays or just to be there to support me. My friends in Australia and the US have always supported me and been there for me whenever I needed them no matter the distance.
Marianna Psaltis, from Brisbane Acting and Drama, gave me my foundation and love of Acting and has always encouraged and pushed me to be my best. We spent many late nights having fun, learning monologues, poems and preparing for exams and competitions. During the pandemic, days before lockdown, she helped me prepare and submit my self tape audition for the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. She was ecstatic and one of the first to find out I was accepted a few days later. She has always supported and encouraged my dream of moving to LA and becoming a working actor.
Finally, thanks to The American Academy of Dramatic Arts who gave me the opportunity to refine my craft, and develop my confidence and ability to succeed in the industry. After attending the summer schools, Timothy Landfield encouraged me to audition for the full time 2 year program. My 3rd year in the Academy’s LA Company was one of my favorite years there. The teachers and students at the Academy became like my family and we all leaned on each other for support. Attending the Academy was a once in a life time opportunity and I’m very grateful for it.
Website: http://www.clairedewar.com/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/clairedewar?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
Other: IMDb: https://imdb.me/ClaireDewar Backstage: https://www.backstage.com/u/claire-dewar/ Actors Access: https://resumes.actorsaccess.com/1998761-5616534 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@claire_dewar?_t=8cuIXCDzna6&_r=1
Image Credits
Matt Tente Headshots The American Academy of Dramatic Arts Vova Goroshnikov