My mother up until a few years ago used to ask me “when am I gonna get a real job?”.

I consider myself a quite smart individual and yet, I had to ask the obvious in this case: “what do you mean a real job?”

Apparently a real job -according to my mother- is one that has a standard time table, pays you a standard amount of money at the end of the month and usually involves the individual dreading the end of the weekend. I don’t blame her; she used to work in a bank.

But the thing is, my mother’s viewpoint, represents perhaps the majority of people. Who fail to understand the difficulties and hardships an actor -and radio show host- has to face.  I’ll get into that in another post.

What I want to discuss tonight, is that itty bitty thing called “pay day”. And in this industry, especially in Cyprus where our Union fails to exert any kind of authority, it is one big issue.

Yes, I understand you are giving me the chance to portray all my lovely talents on your lovely wooden stage, but you see, I still need to get paid for my work.

Yes of course speaking into a microphone and reading two paragraphs isn’t exactly what you consider “hard- work” but it is work and I’d like to be compensated for it.

Of course I understand that you can find someone else to do it for much less, even for free, yes.

But you see, in this life, you get what you pay for.

I’ve been working in this industry for many years, with love, hard work, dedication and with an impeccable work ethic, to allow anybody to shame me for demanding what is right and what I’m worth.

And that’s my message to all fellow actors out there: don’t cheapen yourself for cheap people, don’t go after a quick buck; it’s only gonna backfire.  Know your worth and accept nothing less than that; don’t allow yourself to be bullied for being a professional and demanding to be treated as one.

Christina x