Stand In Leah Lackey
Leah discusses the job of the stand in, what its like to bake for celebrities and the importance of homemade pies, doing your homework, Ozark, Prisoners, and so much more.
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Theme Music - Tatyana Richaud
Theme Mix - Charles Papert
Follow Leah’s son John’s travels on instagram at @john.lackey and @lackeylodge and check a few of his photos below!
After we recorded the podcast, Leah texted me this and I wanted to share it here.
(Character climbs on soapbox)
A side bar point--- I forgot to mention Ga stand ins (and the podcast is NOT about this), but we are always discouraged from joining the union, often being told we will "not be hired" or have "limited options"...most stand ins do not make a "living wage" or have benefits in GA; they would, if they were unionized. (I knew that going into it, but with the millions of dollars that go into shows, it would be nice for stand ins to make a little more money and be able to go to the doctor. I'm lucky to have insurance, but if I were single, and did this full-time, I would not survive).
Because GA is a "right to work state" they don't HAVE to hire union members like other states do - so productions always hire non union bg and stand ins to save $$$, especially since there's not a huge SAG bg and stand in presence here...even though there could be! We also don't get any meal penalty (or even eat sometimes) if production goes over schedule.
I know the interview purpose was not for that reason, but I feel a sense of responsibility to kinda stand up for GA Stand ins and just say something...I also learned recently that by CA and NY standards, I would have been paid for all of my off-camera reading for other characters, my phone calls (where I was representing the character on the other line) and running lines with the actor -- those are considered a separate adendum to the job and stand ins get paid separately/more for that extra work, being considered "off camera actors" Ga does NOT do that!
The ability to make a little more and have insurance would be life changing for some people.
(Climbs off soapbox)
