EP 6: Francesca Decker: Doctor Turned Actor

In this episode of Second Act Actors, I chat with Francesca Decker, a fellow doctor actor!! Francesca’s route into acting came about through her mother’s terminal illness, which occurred when Francesca was at medical school. After her mother’s death, Francesca started to make changes to her life and found the time and space to start acting classes, which blew her mind and sparked a passion that has stayed with her since. Eventually she and her husband moved to Los Angeles so that she could pursue an acting career.

Francesca and I talk about the therapeutic process of acting and how getting in touch with your inner child can allow you to access deeper emotions. We then move on to analyze how being a doctor can help with acting, which Francesca believes has really helped her. Later, Francesca gives advice on overcoming image issues when seeking a career in acting, especially when pregnant, and we get into the topic of balancing the demands of motherhood and acting. It’s not easy, but things seem to be changing little by little!

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Timestamps

[4:04] Francesca introduces herself and talks about her medical career

[6:00] Francesca’s mum’s illness and the birth of the concept of a human doctor

[9:28] Coping with grief and learning to focus on doing just one thing

[13:26] Francesca’s first acting classes

[16:37] Making the decision to move to Los Angeles and to go all in on acting

[18:16] Trying to cope with a habit of emotional restraint as a doctor

[22:05] The shame and fear of grief

[23:56] Improving your acting skills by getting in touch with your inner child

[25:18] Acting was going great….until March 2020

[27:21] Francesca’s intermission of practicing medicine during the pandemic