When children are asked what their career aspirations are, they’re usually pretty optimistic. Some long to be professional athletes. Others aspire to be policemen, doctors or even the President of the United States.
And then there are those who simply want to perform.
For as long as she can remember, BYU alumna Erin Chambers has been center stage. She began singing before age 3, completed her first play at 7 and had fallen in love with performing by high school.
“It’s been a part of my life for pretty much as long as I’ve existed,” she said. “God’s given me talents and I love being able use them to make people happy.”
In 1999 Chambers was studying acting at BYU when she auditioned for the lead role in a Disney Channel movie. When she was cast in “Don’t Look Under the Bed,” her eyes opened to the opportunities that awaited her.
“I’d had supporting roles and small parts in movies before, but I was never the lead,” she said. “This was one of the first times that I ever considered, ‘Wow, I could make a living with this.’ Having the responsibility of carrying a film showed me that this path could really be a career for me.”
So Chambers pursued her dream. “Erin was an exceptionally talented young lady,” said Laurie Harrop-Purser, a former acting teacher at BYU. “When it came down to it, though, she had a work ethic. You run into a lot of students who think that just because they have talent, they’ll succeed. Usually, they’ll only find success if they’re willing to work for what they want.”
Though it often wasn’t easy, Chambers’ work ethic propelled her through BYU’s strenuous acting program. The program, developed by renowned actress and professor Barta Heiner, requires students to constantly audition for their classes, meaning that they must constantly apply themselves to even get into the courses required for graduation.
“There aren’t a lot of majors where you’re constantly taking tests just to stay in your program,” Chambers said. “You can’t slack off. You have to be on top of it. I think that’s one of the main things that helped drive me to make the most out of my college experience.”
Of course, Chambers’ natural talent helped as well. “She was able to tap into her emotions so well,” Heiner said. “She’s an open book. She can look at a character and channel the emotional makeup of that person. She’s always had a natural talent, an incredible vulnerability.”
After graduating in 2002, Chambers found herself surprised by the cutthroat world of Hollywood, but she was up for the challenge.
“In school, I had to audition for my parts, and it’s like that in the real world,” she said. “But the world is so much bigger than BYU, and there’s a lot of competition. Instead of auditioning against 10 or 20 girls for one part, you’re auditioning against hundreds. You can’t necessarily comprehend that when you’re still at school confined within the walls of the HFAC.”
Chambers’ dedication to mastering her craft has paid off. For over a decade, she made a living as a working actress in Hollywood. She has appeared in well-known projects like “Stargate: Atlantis,” “Cold Case” and “General Hospital.” She has also remembered her BYU roots — LDS audiences may remember her starring roles in “The Singles 2nd Ward” and “The Errand of Angels.”
“Everyone hears about making it big in Hollywood, but overnight success happens very rarely,” Chambers said. “I would tell anyone seeking a career to work their butt off and continue to always be learning, even when you leave school. Things don’t fall in your lap. If you really want something, you’ve got to be patient and willing to work hard.”
