A conversation with Cyrina Fiallo
Watch a few hours of TV on a given night and there’s a pretty decent chance LA-based actress Cyrina Fiallo will pop up on your screen; she has appeared in over 100 commercials and dozens of TV shows including High Potential, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Glee, Community, and Life In Pieces. (Check out her super impressive IMDB page here and her commercial reel here.)
I have been lucky enough to work with Cyrina on a few commercial projects over the years and I knew she would have some knowledge to share on a subject that can be challenging for actors of any experience level: working with famous folks.
MM: One of the cool things about pursuing a commercial career is that occasionally you do get to act with an iconic person—be that an actor, athlete, or other personality. At the risk of being real name drop-y, I know you’ve worked with many famous folks over your career; could you share a few favorite projects?
CF: Ha! Finally, an opportunity to name drop! Yes, I have been lucky enough to work with some incredible people. Since we’re talking about commercials, in the last few years, I’ve gotten to work with icons like Will Ferrell and Jamie Foxx.
Will Ferrell is an absolute legend and one of my comedy heroes, so working with him was really special. The cruel joke from the universe was that it was for a Paypal spot that only aired in Germany, so it can only be seen on my Instagram. BUT, we got to chat all day and improvise together and I felt like a tiny part of my dream to be on SNL was achieved just by getting to hang out with him.
And Jamie Foxx is lovely and hilarious and has an infectious energy that really gets people hyped up and excited to work. We did an Intel commercial together and he would sing between takes. He also plays really fun music on a portable speaker that he brings to and from set, which kept the vibes really high.
MM: In your experience, how much do the star(s) really set the tone on a commercial or TV/Film set? Is it noticeable?
CF: It’s absolutely noticeable. Everyone is looking to number one on the call sheet to establish the atmosphere. I never think there’s any reason to not be kind and professional and introduce yourself to those you’re working with (even if you’re a huge celebrity), but I don’t make the rules.
I’ve been fortunate enough to work with some notable athletes (and since I’ve been given a license to name drop) I did a Tostito’s commercial with Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski and they were both extremely sweet, cracking jokes on set and put everyone at ease. It’s also incredibly impressive to watch athletes be good actors because they are already at the top of their game in a completely different field. Drew Brees is a perfect example of this. One of the first commercials I ever did was with Drew and he was a total pro.
As a sidebar, I do have to say that in doing this interview I realized that in almost 20 years, I have never worked with a female celebrity in the commercial space, and have only worked with three female commercial directors so…that’s gotta change!
MM: Yes, that does have to change. If you were giving advice to an early career actor who had just booked a big commercial job with a well-known actor or personality, what advice would you give them? Any best practices? Things to do or not do?
CF: The first thing I’d say is be prepared for anything and everything. Big celebrities often have limited time to shoot, so be professional, know your lines and try not to stress.
The most important thing to remember is that there are a lot of cooks in the kitchen. There is always a script, but it changes many times before and during the shoot, so be as prepared as possible, but also flexible enough to be ready for anything that may come your way.
Second, don’t take things too personally! Because of the nature of commercials, many people will want to see it done in a trillion different ways. Sometimes I see actors panic, thinking they’re not giving the director what they want, but it’s only because they need plenty of options to choose from. You’re on set for several hours to likely shoot 60 seconds (if you’re lucky!) and sometimes as little as :06, so just know you are there because they loved what you did and had faith that you could roll with the punches. If you get overwhelmed, take a deep breath and remember you are there for a reason.
MM: There’s a dynamic I have observed in actors on set sometimes where they make the decision to be a fan rather than a co-worker. Can you talk about that fan vs. co-worker tension a bit?
CF: It’s tough because when you’re a fan of someone you get to work with, you know so much more about them than they know about you. Most of the time, celebrities are kind and respectful and introduce themselves. However, this isn’t always the case, so it’s very important to read the room! If a celebrity shows up on set and is just ready to do the work, do the work. Don’t try and become their best friend.
Naturally, after being with them for hours on set, you might get to speak to them outside of the scenes. If it feels right, it’s totally normal to say you’re a fan and acknowledge something you love about their work. I recently worked with national treasure Danny Devito and I couldn’t help but gush about one of my all-time favorite movies that he directed and starred in, Matilda. He then started talking about his own love for the movie and how they do live readings of it around the world (which I didn’t know!). By the way, I also have a shirt that says “Danny Devito” that I decided NOT to wear to set, and I think that was the right move.
MM: Ha! I bet he would have dug the shirt. Oftentimes when you’re acting with a celeb, you might know your lines and the ins and outs of your scene better than they do—especially on a TV show where the series regulars tend to be super busy people. Have you ever experienced this? How do you navigate those moments?
CF: Famous people are usually very busy. They also tend to be pros, so if they show up not being as prepared, they will likely catch up really quickly, so my advice would be to just know your stuff and be there for them. You’re acting WITH them and a bunch of people picked YOU to do that! You are vital to the scene or spot too.
Pay attention to everything going on around you. Listen to not only the direction you’re being given, but your scene partners as well. It will help you with everything, including timing, which is super important in a commercial. The director will often give you very specific beats you’ll need to remember so it can all fit nicely into a spot that will end up being less than 60 seconds. Sometimes, your portion of the commercial will only be one second long, so it’s very precise. Being able to absorb this direction quickly and efficiently will be the key to getting you hired again and again.
Also, try to avoid being on your phone between takes. That’s usually when people are trying to figure out how to make something better or work more smoothly, so pay attention to what’s going on. It’s a great way to learn what everyone else’s job is too, which is always valuable. And how cool that you got hired to be there! Really take it in! Your phone will be there for you when you wrap.
MM: Great advice. Any upcoming projects you would like to plug? Where can we see your work next?
CF: I have a couple spots with some very fun celebrities coming out soon! I’m also acting in a movie my best friend Natalie Morales is directing called The Girlfriend so I am over the moon excited about that!
MM: So cool! And thank you!
–Matt Miller is a commercial director and an occasional instructor at ASC.