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“Save your money, be good to people on set, be professional,” she said. “I always heard, my mom said, when I was growing up, ‘How you start is how you finish,’ so if you start with integrity and character and as a responsible human being, you’ll end that same way.  Take care of each other in this industry, that’s the best advice I have.”

The Next Gen event also featured an amazing list of experienced actors, Jennifer Garner, Jodie Foster, Chris Pine, Nick Offerman and Josh Brolin, all there to read Reel Stories, Real Lives, a collection of stories from members of the industry and their loved ones.  Also in attendance, making up the thirty-five years and younger guest list, was Armie Hammer and Elizabeth Olsen.

Watch Yvette Nicole Brown on the red carpet speaking to The Hollywood Reporter below. 

Peter is starring in two great upcoming projects, James Cameron‘s Avatar and Spartacus: Blood and Sand.

In my exclusive interview I did at this summers Comic-Con, we talk about his Spartacus character (Doctore), working with green screens and he even offers up some advice to actors.

Is this your first Comic Con?
This is my first Comic Con. I’ve done some sci-fi fantasy. I did 300, etc., but I’ve not really attended, usually because I’m working somewhere else at the time.  This time around Rob [Tapert - Executive Producer of Spartacus] and the guys actually flew me back for this.

Tell me about your character.
I get to play a character called Doctore on Spartacus, and Doctore is the gladiator trainer.  And it’s his job fundamentally to bring up the up and coming new gladiators and also to prepare sort of the well-schooled gladiators for each and every fight.  And you know what’s fascinating about doing this is you sort of get to see how Roman society worked way back when, I think 73 B.C.  And the fact that these stadiums could house 80,000 people, would come in and watch these fights.  Physically.  They didn’t have pay-per-view.  They had to show up.

I think you guys shot in New Zealand, right?
Yeah and we still are.  This is halfway.

Kind of on a little break?
Yeah, we do sort of little breaks where we come and introduce the show to everybody.  And we’re in Auckland and we have a crew that is really familiar with big feature work.  Head of makeup, Jenna Kens, has done a number of things, The Grudge. She did Zena of course way back when.  Done a number of quite successful shows.  Similarly for wardrobe and the stunts.  Our stunts are really phenomenal.  I think they do Narnia, you know, some of the guys worked on Lord of the Rings, so these are really good blood and sandals guys.

How do you get mentally and physically prepared because this is a long shoot, right?
Yeah, it is a long shoot.  It’s a change entirely of your year when you’re away for 8 months working.  But it’s the job I love to do.  And it’s a great environment to do it in.  So, yes, I’m not at home, but I’m exploring the world.  I’m in New Zealand, which is just beautiful.

Have you gotten a chance to jump off that tower?
I’ve watched many people do it, but thank God – (laughter) I think our producers would be – I think they have enough with us rolling around on the ground and all the stunts that we do, that they probably not going to let us do any jumping.

Now are you doing your own stunts or you try to as much as you can?
Yeah, at this point.  You know in my particular character’s case, yes I do everything myself.  As I say, they’re so talented, they’ve actually designed things that we can actually do that are really exciting and sort of visually impressive, so yeah.

Going into this did you have any sort of say in your character, the look of your character, what your character says?
I was very fortunate.  This was a project that Steve DeKnight and Rob Tapert picked me for.

Oh wow, that’s gotta be great.  You just kind of walk to the mailbox and see the script.
Well, your managers call you and say here’s what we want.  And hey, by the way, it’s Rob Tapert, who let’s face it is one of the more successful guys you could want to work for.

Hard to say no.
Absolutely.  It’s do this or do a cop show.  What would you prefer?  And this is just so brilliant.  So there’s that.  So what it meant was that there was already some pre-thought to what the character would be like, and so I don’t, there wasn’t any real need to collaborate on the look or any of that.  They had that really well-designed.  I think as you see from the clip and when you see the picture it’s so beautifully shot.

It looks amazing.
People are gonna get a movie every week.  And there’s beautiful phantom moments where there’s several thousand frames per second and you’ll see and it’s brilliantly choreographed.

Oh I’m sure (laughter).  Are you guys shooting a lot of green screen?
Yeah, the set managers have built most of the environment surrounded by green screen to create the atmosphere and on occasion of course with special effects definitely on green screen.  So it’s a combination of built set and green screen.  Very graphic novel-esque.  And also vividly colorful in the fact that it’s really taking everybody on a ride to a whole different time period.

Now you’ve obviously done green screen before.  Now does it get easier?
I think the familiarity allows you to sort of not think about it, but I do really, really think that you know it’s kind of part of the job to just enter your story and go for it.  We’ve got brilliant DPs and sort of camera people who capture the work, so I tend not to notice.  I really don’t notice.  It’s sort of you know, we’ve got a story to do.  Your other character’s in front of you, you interact, and that’s what we do.  And so the environment often doesn’t really impact.  If anything, because they’ve built some of the set, this is actually one of the more fun ones to work on because it’s sort of you stand in the gladiator arena, and it just, you feel it.  You’re in the sand, and you’re going oh my goodness, I mean, it’s pretty cool.  I really like doing this.

Do you still get nerves on the first day of shooting?
Absolutely!   I mean, and it’s also part of the fun of it is the butterflies that you always get just before action.  And you sort of, you’re prepped, you’re ready to go, you know the arc, you know where you’re going, and you’re in costume and there’s still a sense of like (takes deep breath) OKAY.  But I’m working with Andy Whitfield, the lead, who’s brilliant.  And John Hannah, who’s just a fantastic guy to work with.  And Lucy [Lawless] keeps us all loose, and you know, it’s a great environment to be working in.

When you’re not working, are you training acting-wise, or what’s your downtime like?
Well, truthfully, there’s not a lot of downtime.  There hasn’t been a lot on this particular environment.  One of the greatest experiences for an actor I think is working.  The truth of it is being so fortunate to get to perform I really appreciate the fact that I’m actually getting to do this thing on a day-to-day basis.  And for the past four months I’ve done it 5 days a week.  And so, the downtime is often in the sort of prepping and getting ready and then in studying the choreography for the next you know, and so there’s always work.  And when all that is completed, then I get a chance to get into a car and explore New Zealand a bit.  And that’s how I’ve been living (laughter).

Do you have any advice for actors?
Honestly I think that if, I don’t know if it’s advice as much as a learning, I think it’s really important to love what you do.  And ultimately in every step, I find myself checking and realizing, one, of course I’m so grateful to work, but just realizing I’m working at something I really enjoy doing.  And I think if anything just keep that joy.  Keep the joy of acting.  It’s more useful than learning the business or getting very clever, I think just love acting.

Check out my interview with his Spartacus: Blood and Sand co-star Erin Cummins!

There is no place for ego. Always remember that the story comes first. That’s why when the writer is in the room they always say, “He/She read it exactly as I wrote it. That’s the character!” Don’t make anything up to impress them. If you respect the writing and understand why you’re in the script, then you’ll know who you are and what your place is in the story. A lot of actors want so much to be remembered that they overshoot the audition by becoming more important than the series regular or the star of the feature. Unless you have your own series and you’ve become a major film star, you’re simply there to move the story along. Don’t become more important than the material. If you’re serving drinks in the scene, then you’re just a cocktail waitress. That’s it. Also, be careful of judging the material. If you do that then you might as well cancel the audition because you’re never going to get inside of it because you’re too busy outside making comments on it’s stupidity. You will never book that way. It’s sad to think that that’s all you are in this business, but you really need to accept that you are simply a clean vessel of pure emotion just lending yourself to the material to channel the character from the writer’s intent. Spend time knowing where emotions are located in your body so that you can easily tap into it at a moments notice. You are an instrument that needs to be practiced every day. Pick an emotion and journal where it is for you. When you’ve located the button, tap into it, sit with it and write it down for future use. There are tons of emotions to choose from. You might not get to it in a day. Once you’ve located it, exercise it and understand where it is for you. The only difference between a good actor and a brilliant actor is depth of feel.

Discipline is the key to building momentum. You need to think of yourself as a business. If you don’t work your business one day then your doors are closed for that day and you’re limiting your revenue. You can be a small business or a huge corporation. How much time are you willing to put into your business? Are your pictures and resumes easy to get to? Do you have a designated spot in your home to work your business? Make sure that you have all your tools ready to send out.

When you get the audition, make sure that you’re prepared. Do you know exactly where you are going? Map it out the night before. Lay out your clothes. Stay off the phone. If you’re still going over your script in your car on the way over and in the office, then you didn’t do enough homework. Don’t look at anyone in the outer office. The moment that you catch someone’s eye, they will talk to you. Bring music or put your head down and close your ears to all the noise and concentrate on what you’re going to do. Find out who is signed up before you and if you can, wait outside the room and go straight in as soon as they walk out. Do not engage.

Focus on who you are and what the place looks like in the scene. Make sure you have a strong personalization and opening emotion. If you don’t, then you will pick up the energy in the room. Don’t be concerned with how the casting director is reading. Listen from your point of view as the character as to what they are saying, not how they are saying it. The environment, the opening emotional moment and your personalization with keep you safe in the room.

Watch as much television and film as humanly possible. If you don’t understand the style and tone, you’ll never seem like you’re already on the show. Pick up TV Guide and see who is working. What are they wearing? What are the popular hairstyles? If you don’t look like you’re on the show, then why should they cast you? Try not to extend the imagination of the people who are hiring you. Give them what they are asking of you. How are you going to have any points of reference if you don’t know what is going on? Download a script a day. Break it down and do the research. Look up on IMDB pro the other shows the producers worked on. In television, they have it just as difficult a job as you do crossing over. If it’s an Aaron Sorkin show, then it’s a particular style that the network buys from him. Know what the casting director has worked on. What type of actors do they usually go for? If you’re a very real raw actor, don’t expect to work on Desperate Housewives unless you change your own personal style for the audition. Who are you and where do you fit into the requirements of the given medium? Maybe you’re just a feature film actor. If you do comedy, make sure you have tons of stand-up on your resume. Sitcoms usually star stand-up comedy people. Unless of course, you’re already a movie star and you back your way onto your own television show. Information is power.

The brilliance is in the specifics. Every line of dialogue is a separate thought. If you want to be an interesting actor, go over every moment and detail and cover it with deep understanding. Every scene is like a song. Listen for the music of each note. Especially in film auditions, take your moments. Circle action. Action will tell you what you are doing. Sometimes you can include action in your audition. If the script tells you that the character is making a sandwich but the dialogue is not talking about the sandwich, do not make a sandwich in your audition. If you are drunk and drinking wine, then drink wine. Never bring any props to your audition unless it’s already on you like a cell phone. The stronger illusion you create in the room, the better the ride. Set it up and let it go. Don’t be afraid to go for it. Believe me, if you don’t, someone else will. Why should they take your part? You already inconvenienced yourself to get to the audition, why not just get the job? Which would you prefer? Hitting a 10+ read in the room or knocking it out of the ballpark in your car on the way home? If you’re thinking about the audition for days afterwards and asking for feedback from your representatives, then you didn’t do your homework. You know when you’ve hit it hard. You know when you’ve given your best. You don’t need approval or feedback from anyone else about how you did. You know. Be honest with yourself. Never show your mistakes in the room. Learn to be that competitive gymnast. How many times do they fall during their routine and always end up standing strong with their arms held high in the air and their backs swayed and stretched out like it was the best performance of their lives?

After you’ve done all your work on the scene according to the writer’s intent, don’t forget your signature. Remember that you are unique. There is only one you. Put your special spin on it. Personality sells tickets! Make it personal. Figure out where this is for you. How can you relate to where the character is coming from? You can do all the homework in the world, but if you don’t truly understand what is going on with this person, how can you play it? Sometimes this step takes the longest amount of time. Allow yourself the time to understand. Stay out of your head and into your heart. The more information you have about the story, emotions and the character, the stronger you will feel about what you are doing.

“The Actor must approach acting like an Olympic Athlete, the more you practice the necessary skills - the more you will book. When a high level of discipline and concentration on the work is achieved, you will see incredible results.” Amy Lyndon

The Lyndon Technique
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