Actress of a Certain Age
My Twenty-Year Trail to Overnight Success
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A humorous collection of autobiographical essays from comedian and Somebody Somewhere actor Jeff Hiller, who shares his journey from growing up "profoundly gay" in 1980s Texas to his experiences as an inept social worker and how he clawed, scraped, and brawled to Hollywood's lower middle-tier.
While struggling to find success as an actor and pay the bills, something accidentally happened to Jeff Hiller: he aged. And while it's one thing to get older and rest on the laurels of success from the blood, sweat, and tears of your youth, it's quite another to be old and have no laurels. At forty, stuck in a temp job making spreadsheets, the dream of becoming a star seemed out of reach. But after twenty-five years of guest roles on TV and performing improv in a grocery store basement, he finally struck gold with a breakout role on HBO's Somebody Somewhere, playing Joel--the kind of best friend everyone wishes they had.
In his book, Jeff dives into the grit and grind of climbing the Hollywood ladder. It's a raw and often hilarious tale of the struggles, triumphs, and humiliations that shaped him into the wonderfully imperfect person he is today. With a mix of awkward charm and heartfelt honesty, Jeff shares his journey: growing up very Lutheran in Texas, navigating bullying as a gay kid, working as a social worker for unhoused youth and HIV prevention, and the endless ups and downs of being a struggling actor. For every one of us who have a dream that we're chasing--and chasing, and chasing--his is a funny, moving, and utterly relatable story.
About this Author
Jeff Hiller is an actor, writer and comedian who has appeared on TV shows such as Somebody Somewhere, American Horror Story: NYC, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, 30Rock, and Law and Order: CI, among numerous others. His film roles include Greta, Morning Glory, Ghost Town, and Set it Up, and he has performed on Broadway, off-Broadway, in Shakespeare in the Park, Disney musicals, and regional theater. Jeff regularly performs solo shows at Joe's Pub at the Public Theatre and improvises at The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in LA and NYC.
Reviews
"Suffused with charm and sparkling real-life anecdotes on the grueling Hollywood machine, Hiller's book is a must-read for any performer trying to make it in the entertainment industry. . . . A chatty, hilarious, effervescently entertaining autobiography anchored by self-deprecating humility and humanity."
"This book filled me with warm nostalgia for the New York comedy scene at the turn of the century! Jeff Hiller is a human crocheted blanket and I want to lay on a couch underneath him."
"Hiller, best known for his role in the HBO show Somebody Somewhere, strikes a balance between heartfelt and hilarious in his winning debut. . . . Hiller's humanity and vulnerability are front and center, making for a touching account of the uncertainties that accompany an acting career. This hits all the marks."
"All my favorite things about Jeff are in this book: his huge heart, humor and charm. Whether you take Actress of a Certain Age with you to the beach, on a plane, or while you do tee-tee pah-pah, you'll be in the best of hands."
"I had the pleasure of casting Jeff in my show Nightcap where he proved to be comedic gold. As a talent both on and off the page, Jeff Hiller is a creative powerhouse that we will be enjoying for many years to come."
"Jeff Hiller uses heart, humor and hope like encouraging lampposts to illuminate the way to others who might feel lost on the dark and twisty road to self-discovery and in his case--stardom. Actress of a Certain Age is like a hilarious, inspirational prayer to all of us from the Patron Saint of Late Bloomers."
"I loved this warm, wonderful, hilarious and tender book so much. I knew Jeff Hiller from Somebody Somewhere (And if you haven't seen it stop reading this blurb immediately and start watching. You're welcome.) and now I know him as the author of one of my favorite essay collections."
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