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Entertainment
Former University student tries to make it big in L.A.
Jared Day juggles acting, other jobs
By Kim Moreau
Entertainment Writer
September 22, 2005
Jared Day has done many things. He’s been trained in counter terrorism fighting. He’s danced at bar
mitzvahs. He’s conquered learning disabilities. He’s been an LSU cheerleader. He’s dressed as a woman.
And only one of those things was as an actor.
Day is a former University student and native of DuLarge, La. who now spends his days in Los Angeles
working as an actor.
He recently starred in the straight-to-video “Go for Broke 2,” a sequel to the movie which originally starred
Bobby Brown and Pras, formerly of the musical group the Fugees.
For the part, he played a man who dresses as a woman in order to break into a prison and steal a woman’s
winning lottery ticket.
Day said he wasn’t aware he would be dressing like a woman in the comedy until he signed on for the part.
“They didn’t tell me until I got to the production office,” he said. “‘Oh, and by the way you are dressing like a
woman.’”
But “Go for Broke 2” is just the latest in Day’s acting career.
Day recently gained national recognition when his name was added to imdb.com, an internet movie database
that lists actors and their roles in various films.
“Having stuff on imdb.com validates you as an actor or a producer or a director,” he said. “People can go to
imdb.com and see what kind of projects you have done, to see who else has hired you. Imdb.com is one of
the big things you try to get onto to show people, ‘I’m a real actor. Other people hired me and you can hire
me too.’”
But Day did not always intend to become an actor.
As a child, Day was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome, Attention Deficit Disorder and dyslexia. The diseases
led him to self-image problems that manifested in struggles with bulimia and anorexia, he said.
He said it was a teacher at his middle school that inspired him to act.
“She picked me out and told me ‘you are good enough to do something’ and introduced me to drama,” Day
said.
Day said he has been trying to contact the teacher through the school board, but he can’t remember how to
spell her name. He has been trying to locate her to tell her what a difference she made in his life.
Day said a major part of his decision to be an actor is his drive to be a positive role model to children.
“I’m passionate about acting,” Day said. “I love acting, but the one thing that acting will give me as a celebrity
is a platform to speak and to touch peoples’ lives in a positive sense.”
Day went on to participate in drama at Terrebonne High School, as well as in Houma community productions.
After high school, Day decided to enlist in the National Guard. After receiving his military training, he
attended Nicholls State University where he began cheerleading.
“I got a taste of the athleticism it took,” he said.
Day then transferred to LSU, where he joined the varsity cheerleading squad and cheered for two years
before leaving to start his own business.
“I had a lot of friends graduating and not getting jobs on their career paths,” he said. “I decided, I’m going to
start making money and go back whenever I wanted to.”
Day opened several business selling insulation, educational software and running a networking company in
Baton Rouge, working in the entertainment industry on the side.
He said his business experience helped him to become a better actor.
“Everything you do in life is sales,” Day said. “As an actor you are trying to sell whatever you represent.”
Day decided to make the move to Los Angeles in order to be considered for roles.
“The hub of the entertainment industry is L.A.,” he said. “So it was a very logical decision. It wasn’t a matter
of if I’m going to move, just a matter of when I was going to move.”
While in Los Angeles, he began taking street survival courses with an instructor who had trained Israeli
special forces. After studying with him for a year, Day began to study counter-terrorism techniques and
eventually began to teach courses himself.
“I would train them in defensive tactics, how to escape from captivity, to get units ready for deployment in hot
situations,” Day said.
Day said he enjoyed the fulfillment teaching counter-terrorism gave him.
“It felt really good after training a group of specialized guys, and knowing that the training you were giving
them was going to help save their life and they were going to be able to come back and be with their family,”
he said.
Day said he stopped teaching counter-terrorism classes in order to focus on his acting.
“I didn’t want to look back on my life and say, ‘What if I had pursued my dreams?’” Day said.
While his acting has been successful, Day still spends time working jobs that pay enough money to support
him.
Day waits tables and trains people in self defense. He also attends weddings and bar mitzvahs to pump up
the crowd with his dancing skills as part of a party production company. Day studied Latin, swing and
ballroom dancing.
“I get paid to go to parties,” Day said.
For now, Day is only planning to improve on his stature in the acting world.
“I’m focusing with my agent on getting into a new category instead of going after the parts I’ve been going
after,” he said.
Day said now he simply has to wait for his big break to come.
“The hardest thing is lasting,” Day said. “You’ve got to figure out a way to last in L.A..”
But for Day, the answer is staying positive.
He said despite the hardships of unsuccessful auditions and the expensive lifestyle, he would never use the
cliche of calling the movie business a tough industry.
“I won’t ever let those words come out of my mouth,” Day said.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact Kim Moreau at kmoreau@lsureveille.com
Former University student tries to make it big in L.A.
Jared Day juggles acting, other jobs
By Kim Moreau
Entertainment Writer
September 22, 2005
Jared Day has done many things. He’s been trained in counter terrorism fighting. He’s danced at bar
mitzvahs. He’s conquered learning disabilities. He’s been an LSU cheerleader. He’s dressed as a woman.
And only one of those things was as an actor.
Day is a former University student and native of DuLarge, La. who now spends his days in Los Angeles
working as an actor.
He recently starred in the straight-to-video “Go for Broke 2,” a sequel to the movie which originally starred
Bobby Brown and Pras, formerly of the musical group the Fugees.
For the part, he played a man who dresses as a woman in order to break into a prison and steal a woman’s
winning lottery ticket.
Day said he wasn’t aware he would be dressing like a woman in the comedy until he signed on for the part.
“They didn’t tell me until I got to the production office,” he said. “‘Oh, and by the way you are dressing like a
woman.’”
But “Go for Broke 2” is just the latest in Day’s acting career.
Day recently gained national recognition when his name was added to imdb.com, an internet movie database
that lists actors and their roles in various films.
“Having stuff on imdb.com validates you as an actor or a producer or a director,” he said. “People can go to
imdb.com and see what kind of projects you have done, to see who else has hired you. Imdb.com is one of
the big things you try to get onto to show people, ‘I’m a real actor. Other people hired me and you can hire
me too.’”
But Day did not always intend to become an actor.
As a child, Day was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome, Attention Deficit Disorder and dyslexia. The diseases
led him to self-image problems that manifested in struggles with bulimia and anorexia, he said.
He said it was a teacher at his middle school that inspired him to act.
“She picked me out and told me ‘you are good enough to do something’ and introduced me to drama,” Day
said.
Day said he has been trying to contact the teacher through the school board, but he can’t remember how to
spell her name. He has been trying to locate her to tell her what a difference she made in his life.
Day said a major part of his decision to be an actor is his drive to be a positive role model to children.
“I’m passionate about acting,” Day said. “I love acting, but the one thing that acting will give me as a celebrity
is a platform to speak and to touch peoples’ lives in a positive sense.”
Day went on to participate in drama at Terrebonne High School, as well as in Houma community productions.
After high school, Day decided to enlist in the National Guard. After receiving his military training, he
attended Nicholls State University where he began cheerleading.
“I got a taste of the athleticism it took,” he said.
Day then transferred to LSU, where he joined the varsity cheerleading squad and cheered for two years
before leaving to start his own business.
“I had a lot of friends graduating and not getting jobs on their career paths,” he said. “I decided, I’m going to
start making money and go back whenever I wanted to.”
Day opened several business selling insulation, educational software and running a networking company in
Baton Rouge, working in the entertainment industry on the side.
He said his business experience helped him to become a better actor.
“Everything you do in life is sales,” Day said. “As an actor you are trying to sell whatever you represent.”
Day decided to make the move to Los Angeles in order to be considered for roles.
“The hub of the entertainment industry is L.A.,” he said. “So it was a very logical decision. It wasn’t a matter
of if I’m going to move, just a matter of when I was going to move.”
While in Los Angeles, he began taking street survival courses with an instructor who had trained Israeli
special forces. After studying with him for a year, Day began to study counter-terrorism techniques and
eventually began to teach courses himself.
“I would train them in defensive tactics, how to escape from captivity, to get units ready for deployment in hot
situations,” Day said.
Day said he enjoyed the fulfillment teaching counter-terrorism gave him.
“It felt really good after training a group of specialized guys, and knowing that the training you were giving
them was going to help save their life and they were going to be able to come back and be with their family,”
he said.
Day said he stopped teaching counter-terrorism classes in order to focus on his acting.
“I didn’t want to look back on my life and say, ‘What if I had pursued my dreams?’” Day said.
While his acting has been successful, Day still spends time working jobs that pay enough money to support
him.
Day waits tables and trains people in self defense. He also attends weddings and bar mitzvahs to pump up
the crowd with his dancing skills as part of a party production company. Day studied Latin, swing and
ballroom dancing.
“I get paid to go to parties,” Day said.
For now, Day is only planning to improve on his stature in the acting world.
“I’m focusing with my agent on getting into a new category instead of going after the parts I’ve been going
after,” he said.
Day said now he simply has to wait for his big break to come.
“The hardest thing is lasting,” Day said. “You’ve got to figure out a way to last in L.A..”
But for Day, the answer is staying positive.
He said despite the hardships of unsuccessful auditions and the expensive lifestyle, he would never use the
cliche of calling the movie business a tough industry.
“I won’t ever let those words come out of my mouth,” Day said.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact Kim Moreau at kmoreau@lsureveille.com
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