About

Hi and Welcome to YourYoungActor.com!

I am Debbie, and I am the mother of two children, one of whom is a young actor in the Los Angeles area. We lived in the Southeast until my daughter was almost 7.

She had an obvious love for the stage starting at age one, and from then on I began looking for opportunities for her to perform. This turned out to be much more difficult than expected.  I did not know anyone who could help me with this.

She got an agent in Charleston, SC when she was five years old. She also got an agent in Atlanta, which was a very long drive from Charleston.

We later visited New York and Los Angeles to talk with talent agents, managers, and casting directors. Though we also really wanted to work with talent manager Shirley Grant in New York, at the coaxing of Craig Wargo, with Talent Management Associates, we decided to come to Los Angeles to launch Brooke’s show business career.

My daughter and I first moved to Los Angeles alone. We drove all the way from South Carolina to Los Angeles with some friends, enjoying the sights along the way. We stopped to see the Grand Canyon and visited Las Vegas.  Her father and brother joined us here 17 months later where we’ve all been living ever since.

We’ve learned so much during this journey into acting, and there are so many things I wish I’d known sooner.  We had to try to figure out most things on our own as we encountered them. We did not know where to go to get assistance, and we did not always make the best decisions. I want to share our experiences with others so that they can learn from our mistakes and our successes.

Sincerely,

Debbie Sikkema

P.S. The picture in the header on this site is a picture of my daughter ( 8 years old ) on the set of Beautiful Dreamer, a beautiful WWII film.  It was taken at Whiteman Airport in Pacoima, CA.

While working with Brooke Langton and Colin Egglesfield and with Lauren Woodland as her mother in Beautiful Dreamer, Brooke discovered how very much she loved acting.  It was a wonderful experience for her. When she was released from work on the first day of filming (due to the SAG requirements for minors) she said, “Mom, I want to stay and watch.” And she did until I finally dragged her away to go home over an hour later. She would have stayed until they finished filming for the day if I’d let her.

On IMDb <= Click Here

You can e-mail me: Debbie
@youryoungactor.com

DDMS Ventures, LLC, http://wwww.youryoungactor.com

 

 

84 comments

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  1. michaelb@guitars guitars guitars

    May 24, 2011 at 7:01 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment

    Acting can be an extremely rewarding career, good choice i hope all goes very well for you and your daughter. Im a musician and, being in the arts, I wouldnt have it any other way 😉 good luck

  2. Debbie Sikkema

    May 28, 2011 at 9:20 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment

    Thanks, Michael for your comments and well wishes. Being in the arts is indeed rewarding — though difficult! –Debbie

  3. Rick@Auto Detailing Clearwater

    June 16, 2011 at 6:15 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment

    This is a great website. We are trying to get our children involved in acting as well, but have no idea where to start.

  4. Debbie Sikkema

    June 21, 2011 at 2:47 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment

    Hi Rick,
    Thanks for commenting! I hope my website and my newsletter and other information you get from my site will be helpful to you. Let me know if there is something I can do to help!
    Good luck! –Debbie

  5. Kaxil@Live Streaming

    July 6, 2011 at 3:48 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment

    This blog post was absolutely fantastic. When I used to work in electroplating they sometimes encouraged us to write, but I could never come up with something as well written as that.

  6. Kaxil@Movie Download

    July 6, 2011 at 3:49 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment

    I appreciate your article about this topic. I was willing tell that I have not detect a kind of master thesis writer before this moment. Can you write the very great thesis writing or thesis sample?

  7. Lee

    July 23, 2011 at 4:24 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment

    As a Former Dance instructor think this is a good way of getting the best out of your kids…

  8. anniversary

    July 26, 2011 at 8:04 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment

    Thanks for another excellent post. The place else may just anybody get that kind of info in such an ideal method of writing? I have a presentation subsequent week, and I’m at the search for such information.

  9. Iwashiro@Pink Itchy Eye

    August 3, 2011 at 12:37 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment

    Thank you for wonderful info I used to be looking for this info for my mission.

  10. ann@purple calla lilies

    August 3, 2011 at 8:10 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment

    nice blog deb! keep it up! 😉

  11. mark@Costa Mesa Chiropractor

    August 4, 2011 at 11:34 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment

    I failed to leave comments. 🙁
    I hope you worry, as I do, that the futures of child actors seems awfully bleak. Still, we want them to have days in the sun. Parents must step up.

  12. Sam

    August 8, 2011 at 9:21 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment

    Thanks for posting up, Deb! I wish there was more info out there like this when I was younger and looking at getting into acting… maybe if my kids are interested in it this’ll help out.

    Thanks again!

  13. James @ Part time jobs in London

    August 12, 2011 at 4:51 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment

    I am really impressed that you dedicate so much time to your daughters future career- I really respect the amount of time you spent and hope I will do the same for my kids if they ever want to go into acting. Best of luck with your daughters career!

  14. Shawn@graco high chair

    August 12, 2011 at 12:03 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment

    Just watched a show the other night about child actors. Very intriguing program with huge insight into the industry. Never knew what some of these child stars endured while on shoots and off. It isn’t all about the money sometimes.

  15. Sam@Steam Cleaner Reviews

    August 14, 2011 at 8:14 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment

    Very interesting story about how you guys ended up in Los Angeles. I loved Los Angeles when we traveled there in 1996 and cannot wait to go back.

  16. Victoria Taylor

    August 19, 2011 at 12:39 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment

    Hello Debbie, and thank for this awesome blog. I am going to be honest I’m terrified of the whole show biz world. I don’t want for my kids to get swallowed up in all this. My children are beautiful, they are full of life, and loves to entertain, but I feel as tough they will freeze up when they say action, or say cheese!!!! I’m praying that God will send us to the right people…Thanks!

  17. John@build links

    September 27, 2011 at 1:06 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment

    Is that your daughter in the top banner? She is so cute. I hope I can see her soon in a movie, then I’ll tell my wife “I posted a message on her mom’s blog” lol.

  18. Debbie Sikkema

    September 27, 2011 at 8:14 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment

    Yes, that is my daughter on the set of a movie called “Beautiful Dreamer.” Thank you for the compliment! She filmed it when she was 8. She is taking a little break from acting right now (at least from tv and film acting). She is 14 and has braces! That is a tough age/time for girls in acting. Thanks for your very cute comment! And thanks for reading and posting on my blog.
    Best regards,
    Debbie

  19. klea

    October 7, 2011 at 9:43 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment

    to do into succes is not easy ….of course that to get the best cost a lot of sacrifices…the way you achived to be successful i hope you go higher and higher,and help other youngers to catch their dream 😉

  20. Debbie Sikkema

    October 12, 2011 at 10:58 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment

    Hi Klea,
    Thanks so much for reading my blog and for your kind comments.
    Warm regards,
    Debbie

  21. Debbie Sikkema

    October 12, 2011 at 6:13 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment

    Hi Victoria,
    I’m glad you like my blog. I can understand very well your fears. The world of show business is scary, and you must always be involved and know when to keep moving forward and when it might be best for your kids to take a break. Never push them but let them stay with it as long as they are happy with it. Good luck with this. Trusting in God and seeking his guidance certainly is a good way to go forward.
    To your success,
    Debbie

  22. Loft Beds for Girls

    October 28, 2011 at 8:58 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment

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  23. Blythe

    December 10, 2011 at 10:11 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment

    is your daughter now a good actress, has she been in any films? and how old is she now?

  24. seo

    January 31, 2012 at 9:51 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment

    I’m really impressed with your writing skills as well as with the layout on your blog. Is this a paid theme or did you modify it yourself? Either way keep up the excellent quality writing, it’s rare to see a nice blog like this one these days..

  25. Don@ How To Improve Writing Skills

    April 24, 2012 at 2:32 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment

    I’d be interested to know what those things you learned that you had wished you had known earlier are.

  26. Debbie Sikkema

    April 30, 2012 at 4:24 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment

    Hi Don,
    I think I replied to you already in email, but I’ll reply here, too. I wished I had had someone to ask questions of so I knew how this industry worked, that I had known more about the unions, what talent managers and agents do, what to expect in auditions, how the whole process of auditioning works, all about the work permit office and Coogan accounts and driving around L.A. Just about everything really — it was a slow process of learning for us! Thanks for reading and commenting here on my blog.
    Sincerely,
    Debbie

  27. Kevin@Car Detailing

    June 27, 2012 at 2:04 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment

    Hi Debbie, It was pleasure reading this blog really and all the relevant comments too. It looked nice also that you responded to each and every comment quite politely. I have seen some pics of your daughter and she is looking so beautiful. I hope that one day she will make her way through it. All the very best for your family.

  28. kid books

    June 28, 2012 at 1:37 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment

    It is truly a great and helpful piece of information. I’m glad that you simply shared this useful information with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.

  29. Debbie Sikkema

    June 30, 2012 at 10:29 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment

    Hi Kevin,
    Thanks so much for you kind comments! I do appreciate your compliments for my blog (and also for my daughter) more than you know. I work hard on this blog, and it is very nice to hear good things from my readers.
    Sincerely,
    Debbie

  30. shiane joyner

    July 5, 2012 at 4:49 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment

    Hi,my name is shiane and im 13.I have wanted to become an actress or model,but whenever I look online I can never tell if they are real.please tell me a website that you use thank you 🙂

  31. lyric

    July 15, 2012 at 2:00 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment

    hi im lyric im 14 im looking for some auditions,commercials i can do i have a certificate from a agency called barbizion for singing but i would love to do some commercials and more it could be great for my career as well please contact me a.s.a.p please and thank you

  32. right here

    August 7, 2012 at 5:51 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment

    I get pleasure from, lead to I found just what I was taking a look for. You’ve ended my four day lengthy hunt! God Bless you man. Have a great day. Bye

  33. Sharina @ Talent Management Software

    August 17, 2012 at 5:17 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment

    I read through the 1st 2 paragraphs and it digs my interest to continue reading. It has been a pleasure reading this article. Thank you for sharing this. This link may also interest you and your readers; Talent Mangement Software

  34. june@Shop Cocktail Dresses

    August 20, 2012 at 7:34 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment

    This is a great website. has lot of information that cannot find anywhere else. please keep posting your experiences with your child’s acting career. Thank you for sharing with us and Good luck! 🙂

  35. Trish

    February 11, 2013 at 9:32 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment

    Hello Debbie,

    Thanks for referencing Holdon Log.

    I noticed (b/c someone just purchased & referenced your site) that there is no link.

    http://www.HoldonLog.com is the best link.

    Also, bringing to your attention

    http://www.PerformerTrack.com We have the ONLY Coogan Account/Child Trust Tracking System. We also have an Affiliate Program: http://www.performertrack.com/stw-affliate.html

    If you’d like to review it, let us know. We’ll cross promote the review.

    I also saw you mention Goldstar. We love them. Even better is http://www.IndustryDeal.com. We pre-screen every vendor and, we have an Affiliate program.http://www.holdonlog.com/pages/id-home-affiliate.html

    Hope to connect with you soon!

    Best,Trish

  36. Desire Essays

    March 7, 2013 at 12:44 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment

    This is one of the greatest website among all i have visited in the mean time thanks for sharing such website on the internet and making it available to the readers 🙂

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