Acting is your passion. It lights up your soul. It makes your heart sing. You feel like you’re meant to be doing it in this lifetime on earth. It’s your path. It’s where you belong.
At best it feels sacred.
At worst you feel like you’re on a roller coaster. After the brief highs come the long intense lows. The visceral fear and anxiety that you'll never work again and won’t have money to pay the rent.
What If This Is the Acting Breakthrough You’ve Been Waiting For?
What If "The Star Is You?"
It really could be.
Read on if you are.............
An Actor Who's Struggling To Book Jobs
You feel like your hands are tied. You can’t audition for the good roles because you don’t have an agent and you’re not in Spotlight. But you can’t get either of these till you’ve featured in a film.
What if you found a way to by-pass this and land a role in a film which is guaranteed to be released?
And you get IMDB credits which can be a stepping stone to Spotlight.
Get internationally recognised in their own right, perhaps by passing the need for Spotlight at all?
Finding It Tough To Make Connections in the Acting Industry.
You’re not the best at networking and don’t have time to attend lots of different events, chasing industry connections.
What if you had an opportunity right now to work with an established international acting professional?
As well as the opportunity to network with working actors?
Disappointed Your Acting Training Hasn't Paid Off.
You imagined you’d progress through the levels gaining a robust foundation of skills and honing your craft. You assumed you’d be that much closer to getting an agent and booking jobs.
But the longer you attend the classes, the more despondent you get. What's the point in paying all this money if you're not improving your skills?
What if there is a training course with an innovative and holistic approach that helps create real breakthroughs in your skills?
What if it also gave you a guaranteed IMDB credit and a film role?
Worried About Running Out Of Time and Money In Your Acting Pursuit.
Your inner catastrophiser pipes up often, insisting that no job now means no job ever. It warns you'll end up unhappy and penniless, having wasted your life chasing acting. Lying in bed, anxiety grips you—trusting your desire to act feels like a BIG mistake. Your gut cramps, your throat tightens, and the fear is all too real.
What if you had an acting opportunity in front of you right now that was going to deliver a concrete, guaranteed outcome?
No more wasting your time. An opportunity that gives you a role in a film that will be internationally released and an IMDB credit?
You can finally feel as if you are taking a solid step towards your dream.
Feeling Invisible Beyond Your Country With No Idea How to Gain Global Exposure.
You’ve been lucky enough to get work within your national TV industry but you want more. You want to go further. You’ve love to get work on. “ “. Yet you feel invisible to international casting agents, directors and producers.
What if there was a guaranteed opportunity to get IMDB credits and to be in a film that is released internationally?
You show up when any international casting director, producer, or director does a Google search on you?
Finally you can build up your global online presence and credibility.
Getting booked for an international film or TV role feels a lot more in reach.
Losing Motivation For Acting and Your Mental Health is Taking A Toll.
You feel alone, comparing yourself to confident, successful peers. You hide your despair, dreading the question, “Have you thought about getting a proper job?”
Your inner critic calls you a fraud, insisting you’re not booking work because you’re not good enough. When you feel shit, you comfort eat, binge Netflix, and stop applying. Deep down, you fear that giving up on acting means giving up on joy—and maybe even life itself.
What if this is your time to come in from the cold?
You're welcomed into a supportive training environment where actors are valued and nurtured.
Where the group is sensitively facilitated to work as a team and where the process of how we get to the outcome is as important as the outcome.
The Star Is You Academy -
Propelling You Towards A Guaranteed Movie Role
The Star Is You Academy is an international acting program designed to revolutionise traditional acting training and guarantee professional acting credits for participants. Led by Michele Lastella, a filmmaker and former instructor at the New York Film Academy, the program combines rigorous acting training with a direct path to industry recognition. The last cohort were engaged in every step of the creative and acting process for the thriller film, Spy & Rule. It is now in post-production status.
What type of film would you like to co-create with us and star in next?
What’s Included in the Program?
- A New Approach to Acting Training – Combining the best elements of classical acting methods (Lee Strasberg, Stanislavski, Stella Adler, and Meisner) with ancient meditation techniques to enhance emotional depth, presence, and self-empowerment.
- A Focus on Actor Wellbeing - The acting industry can be tough, but TSIY offers a supportive space where actors feel valued. Led by a therapeutically trained facilitator, the program prioritises mental and emotional well-being alongside professional growth.
- Guaranteed On-Screen Role – Every participant is cast in a professional film or an online TV series, ensuring real-world experience.
- Guaranteed Release – Unlike standard acting programs, where filmed work may never see the light of day, TSIY ensures that all projects reach an audience. This is due to agreements Michele Lastella has made with Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, YouTube Official Movies Channel, Tubi, The Roku Channel, Plex, and Xumo amongst others.
- A Direct Path to IMDB Credits – The program is structured to provide actors with legitimate industry credits, enhancing their professional visibility.
- On-Camera Training & Professional Filming – Students not only train in acting but also gain hands-on experience in a professional filming environment.
- Career Acceleration & Industry Access – The program offers direct exposure to international markets, removing the traditional gatekeeping barriers actors face.
Hear what Alexandra has to say about her experience working on the film Spy & Rule.
The Details
Duration: 16 weeks
Format: Weekly online training and rehearsals (2-hour sessions)
Course Start Date: May 2024 (exact date TBC)
Course Location: Online with two cohorts per week. One is for Lisbon participants and one is for London participants.
Cost: £299 (equivalent to just over £11 per hour). Payment link is provided after signing up.
Guaranteed Role: Every participant will be cast in a professional film
Guaranteed Release: The final project will be publicly released onto streaming channels such as
How the Filming Works
Final Two Weeks: The last two weeks of the 16-week training are dedicated to filming the project.
Group Size Dependent:
If the group has more than 20 members, the film will be shot on location.
If the group is under 20 members, the film will be created in a hybrid format (specifics TBC).
Hear how Salisa benefitted The Star Is You Academy.
This Is For You If You Are:
A Working Actor
- This is for you if you are a dedicated actor continually refining your craft. You see every role as more than just a performance—it’s an opportunity for deeper self-discovery and connection. Acting is your vehicle for personal growth, and through your work, you help audiences do the same. You are eager to explore a new acting method that could unlock emotional depths you have yet to reach.
- You relish collaborating with industry professionals and value learning from their experience.
- You want to build your IMDB credits, knowing that each one strengthens your professional profile.
- You recognise a valuable opportunity when you see one and are ready to seize it for greater international recognition.
- You appreciate fresh input from respected actors worldwide, embracing new perspectives.
- You thrive in a professional yet supportive environment that prioritizes the well-being of the actor.
An Actor in Training
- You are committed to your acting journey but feel stuck in your training. You know what you need to improve, but something is holding you back. The slow progress and industry barriers—like the struggle to land an agent—feel frustrating.
- You are willing to learn and be taught.
- You are open to self-reflection and constructive feedback.
- You take a professional approach, recognizing the importance of punctuality and commitment.
- You are a team player, eager to grow alongside others.
An Aspiring Actors (No Prior Training or Experience Needed)
Maybe you’ve always dreamed of acting but have doubted yourself, convinced that breaking into the industry is impossible. Yet, despite that inner critic, the thought of acting still excites you.
We welcome you—no experience required. All we ask for is:
- A willingness to learn.
- A team spirit.
- A professional attitude.
Non-Actors Seeking Industry Experience & Personal Growth.
You are someone who constantly strives for self-development. You see personal growth as part of your calling and a way to positively impact the world. You’ve explored various self-improvement paths—therapy, group work, new hobbies—but something about acting intrigues you.
You are drawn to acting as a way to:
- Break free from self-imposed limitations.
- Show up for yourself more fully.
- Move past fear and into boldness.
- Gain confidence and emotional depth.
- Express yourself with clarity and authenticity.
Hear what Coji gained from The Star Is You Academy.
Meet The Team
About Michele Lastella, Founder and Film Director
Michele Lastella brings an unparalleled depth of experience in acting, directing, and film production to The Star Is You Academy. With a background as a director, producer, and educator, Michele has designed and developed the exclusive training method that Alexandra will deliver to actors within the program. His expertise in both theater and cinema, honed at the prestigious National Academy of Dramatic Art in Italy and through his leadership role at the New York Film Academy, ensures that participants receive a rigorous, internationally recognized approach to performance. His method not only equips actors with the skills they need to thrive on screen but also guarantees their participation in a professionally produced film—an opportunity that sets TSIY apart from traditional acting training.
Beyond training, Michele is the driving force behind the production aspect of The Star Is You Academy. As a filmmaker and the founder of Sustainable Media Corp., he will personally oversee the shooting of the final film, ensuring that participants work within a professional, high-caliber environment. His extensive industry connections enable him to secure international distribution for TSIY productions, guaranteeing that every actor’s work reaches global audiences on platforms such as Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Roku. With Michele at the helm of production and distribution, TSIY is not just an acting program—it is a direct gateway for actors to gain IMDb credits, real industry experience, and international visibility.
About Alexandra Stevens, Teacher
Alexandra Stevens is a dedicated acting coach and Gestalt psychotherapist with a unique approach that integrates therapeutic techniques to enhance actors' emotional authenticity and overall well-being. Her journey into the world of acting began with her own training, where she discovered not only the joy of performance but also the profound emotional and psychological challenges that come with the craft. Recognizing the power of therapy in deepening an actor’s connection to their emotions, Alexandra combines her expertise in Gestalt and EMDR therapy with her acting coaching to help performers unlock their full creative potential.
Respected within the industry, Alexandra was recently selected as a Stage 32 Acting Lounge Moderator, a role that recognizes her unique ability to bridge the worlds of acting and psychology. She was chosen for this position due to her journey of reinvention, resilience, and deep emotional exploration, as well as her expertise in Gestalt and EMDR therapy. Her work helps actors connect with their emotions, instincts, and embodiment to enhance their performances in a deeply transformative way. Through The Star Is You Academy, she delivers the training designed by Michele Lastella, equipping actors with the skills they need to excel on-screen while fostering their well-being both on and off set.
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