Tyler Langdon, a 2008 Notre Dame graduate, hopes that winning a 2010 Yahoo Hollywood Movie Award will jumpstart his acting career.
Langdon is currently one of 10 nominees for Yahoo's Hollywood Discover Award, in which aspiring actors submit monologues for voters to view and vote on the Hollywood Movie Award website.
"The award is for up-and-coming talent in Hollywood," Langdon said.
A resident of Dillon Hall while at Notre Dame, Langdon studied business and thought his performing career was over.
"I did a lot of acting before I came to Notre Dame." Langdon said, "I absolutely loved speech, but as fun as it was, I had to be practical, so I went to business school."
However, Langdon couldn't shake the acting bug. After graduation, he moved to California to attend a management program through Hillstone Restaurant Group.
"All the servers and cooks in the restaurant were actors and
they were always talking about auditions and roles they had," Langdon said. "Everything I had done before rushed back."
Langdon decided to pursue his dream and quit his restaurant job after two months to begin auditioning for acting roles.
"It takes a very long time to make it in this industry," he said. "Most actors you recognize have been doing this for seven or eight years."
Even though his career has not followed a traditional path, Langdon said his parents support his decision to try and make it in the acting business.
"My parents always support whatever I do that makes me happy as long as it brings respect to myself and my family," Langdon said. "They just don't want me to compromise myself for Hollywood."
His film credits include roles in "Pushing Daisies" and "The Pacific," according to his website. He also hosted two different shows about Thai food. Langdon eventually hopes to act on a sitcom and work in both comedic and dramatic films.
"I love the comedy on ‘The Office' and ‘30 Rock,' with more subtle humor and good writing and natural actors," he said.
Langdon recently landed a role for an upcoming movie about a man suffering from social anxiety disorder and his relationship with a female friend who studies his disorder for her graduate work.
"He's just a really dynamic character," Langdon said.
The transition from acting on stage and for speech competitions was different and a challenge for Langdon.
"The speech and debate gave me confidence, but it's just so big," Langdon said, "Acting teachers kept telling me to relax my face and think and play my emotions."
Langdon hopes that someday he could work with Leonardo DiCaprio, his favorite actor.
"He's a fantastic actor and has had some amazing roles," Langdon said.
While still in the restaurant business, DiCaprio came into the restaurant Langdon managed and the servers sent him out on the floor acting like a bus boy so he could see him.
"I was nervous just cleaning the table next to him," Langdon said.
Online voting for the Yahoo Hollywood Movie Awards started on Oct. 5 and closes Thursday.
