Dad’s Advice
When Baena asked his dad for his best tips about how to pursue an acting career, Schwarzenegger had two pieces of advice that made things a lot simpler. The first piece of advice was explained in a way Baena could easily understand: do the reps.
Just like training in the gym, acting requires a lot of practice. Instead of repeating an exercise, focus on the repetition of lines until they become muscle memory. Such a simple piece of advice was invaluable to Baena, as was the second recommendation: find a mentor. And Baena knew exactly where to look for one.
Special Mentor
Eric Morris, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s own acting coach from the ‘70s, was the perfect choice as a mentor. The two began meeting three to four times a week to perfect Baena’s acting skills. It didn’t take long for him to perfect his craft.
“When Joseph first came to me, I called him Mr. Smiles-a-Lot. That’s all he did onstage. Over time, though, he learned that it was okay to express his frustration, his anger, his vulnerability—he became more affectable and expressive,” as Men’s Health reported Morris saying. It wasn’t long before Baena discovered his love for acting.