- +1 (310)-392-0815
- [email protected]
- 10820 Washington blvd. Culver CIty, CA 90232
Learn how to create an Oscar winning performance
A creative home for a community of passionate actors.
Our acting school in Los Angeles incorporates acting techniques from Stella Adler, Sanford Meisner, Uta Hagen, Lee Strasberg, and Stanislavski taught by some of the best acting coaches in Los Angeles.
Celebrity acting coach and award-winning film director Michelle Danner and her faculty offer private acting lessons for those serious about honing their craft. Michelle trained extensively in New York and Paris with Uta Hagen and Stella Adler. Michelle has taught acting for over 27 years and has worked with many A-list actors on-set and in private acting lessons. She worked with actors such as: Henry Cavill, Gerard Butler, Abigail Breslin, Zooey Deschanel, Penelope Cruz, Andy Garcia, Salma Hayek, James Franco, Seth Macfarlane, Michelle Rodriguez, Isla Fisher, Luke Wilson, Emily Van Camp, Donald Sutherland, Kyle MacLachlan, Mireille Enos, Ryan Phillippe, Chris Rock, Enrique Murciano, Josh Bowman.
She made her feature film directing debut How to go Out on a Date in Queens , which was nominated and won four L.A. Film Awards including Best Director. Her second film Hello Herman premiered at the Hollywood Film Festival and had its international premiere at the Monaco Charity Film Festival where it won the award for social relevance.
The Bandit Hound was released in 2016. Michelle’s film, Bad Impulse, premiered in the US in December 2020. Michelle’s film, The Runner, was released by Saban Films in 2022.
Her latest Film, Miranda’s Victim, premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival starring Abigail Breslin, Ryan Phillippe, Luke Wilson, Emily VanCamp, Mireille Enos, Josh Bowman, Andy Garcia and Donald Sutherland. It’s a riveting true story of the creation of the Miranda Rights told from the perspective of the victim.
The family comedy, The Italians, will premiere this Spring, starring Matthew Daddario, Rob Estes, Perrey Reeves, Olivia Luccardi, Lainie Kazan and Abigail Breslin.
Michelle just finished Principal Photography on a Romantic Comedy in Puglia, Italy called Under The Stars which stars Alex Pettyfer, Eva De Dominici, Toni Colette and Andy Garcia.
She is in development for her next projects including the Rom-Com Starstruck, a Sci-Fi thriller Helios, Party Crasher, a true story about life and fame, and Girl in the Red Corner.
She is in development for her next projects Starstruck, a modern Romantic Comedy, The Italians a family comedy and The Uninvited, a true story about life and fame.
Acting coach Michelle Danner
Kate Blumberg
Acting coach
Kate Blumberg teaches monologue and on camera acting for film and television.
She is an actress, acting teacher and producer from Cape Town, South Africa.
She graduated from New York University Tisch School of the Arts with a Bachelor of Fine Arts with honors. She also trained at the Atlantic Theater Company Acting School in New York City. As an actress she recently completed filming the Gray Man opposite Ryan Gosling.
Heather LeRoy
Voice acting coach | Acting coach
- Heather is an actor, director and acting coach.
- She teaches the Meisner acting technique, Strasberg Method and acting for film and television.
- She currently holds a BFA in film from Emerson College.
- She studied, Lee Strasberg in NY, Meisner, improvisation and standup comedy.
- As a director she works in narrative film, commercials and music videos.
- She has written, performed and toured 2 theatrical one woman shows and holds workshops exploring the artist’s voice through weekend solo show writing workshops.
Derek Jeremiah Reid
| Acting coach
- Derek Reid is a director and professional acting coach in Los Angeles and has been teaching for the past 15 years at the Michelle Danner acting school.
- He teaches on-camera auditioning for film and TV, as well as improvisation and private coaching.
- Derek Jeremiah Reid is halfway through his second term as the best Obama impressionist in Los Angeles, described by LAWeekly as “terrific.”
- He is the former host of the Fox Family show The Basement and the Weekend Chill, as well as the actor, writer, and director of Top Story Weekly, L.A.’s longest-running topical sketch show.
- Reid is considered one of the best comedy acting coaches in L.A.
- He is a founding member of the improv team Robert Downey Jr.Jr. and the mastermind behind the Edgemar’s premiere team Hidden Fortress (the only Japanese improv team in the world).
Josef Lemieux
Acting coach | Movement coach
- Josef LeMieux is a director and professional acting coach — one of the best at Michelle Danner Acting Studio in Los Angeles.
- He teaches Meisner levels 1-4, Stella Adler levels 1-4, Stanislavski levels 1-4, and Utah Hagen level 1 including on-camera auditioning for film and TV, as well as movement and private coaching.
- He has worked with Larry Moss, Fay Simpson and Jean Louis Rodrigue and is a certified meditation teacher and embodiment coach.
Teferi Seifu
Acting Coach | Award-Winning Film Editor & Producer
Teferi Seifu is an accomplished film editor and producer, best known for his work on the critically acclaimed feature Miranda’s Victim, which premiered to rave reviews at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in 2023. The film secured both domestic and international distribution and is currently streaming on major platforms.
He also received widespread recognition for Wade in the Water: A Journey into Black Surfing and Aquatic Culture, a groundbreaking documentary that premiered at the same festival. Celebrated for its powerful storytelling and cultural impact, the film has screened at festivals worldwide and is set for release in December 2023.
Teferi’s previous credits include The Runner (2021), Bad Impulse (2019), and The Bandit Hound (2016)—all available on major streaming services. With multiple new projects in development and post-production, he continues to shape the evolving landscape of contemporary cinema.
As an acting coach, Teferi brings a rare blend of industry experience and creative insight. He combines Meisner and Stanislavski techniques with the practical strategies of the business of acting—helping students not only refine their craft but consistently book roles in film & television.
Julian F. Henning
MFA., Ph.D., E-RYT 500
Dialect coach | Acting coach
- Julian is a graduate of Harvard College and Circle in the Square Theatre School. He has a Ph.D. in Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute and an MFA in screenwriting from AFI where he received a scholarship from American Express in the name of Anthony Hopkins.
- Associated with the Michelle Danner Acting Studio since 2005, Julian is one of the best acting coaches in Los Angeles, with an in-depth background in awareness training, including yoga and meditation from an ashram in India.
- He studied movement for 20 years with prominent 5 Rhythm teachers Michael Molin Skelton and Jo Cobbett.
- He teaches Voice and Speech, Movement, Meisner Technique, Accent Reduction, On-Camera, And Anti-Anxiety Toolkit For Actors.
Morgan Nicolas Scott
Voice acting coach
Morgan Nicholas Scott teaches Voice and Speech and has an MFA in theater from the University of Maryland and holds a B.A. from UC San Diego.
Acting Credits: Limp Wrist on the Lever, Everybody, Twelfth Night, End Days (animated), Uncle Vanya (virtual). Regional Credits: Bonnie & Clyde The Musical (Monumental Theatre Company); Amazing Grace The Musical (Museum of the Bible); PYG, or The Misedumacation of Dorian Bell (Studio Theatre); Little Shop of Horrors (Constellation Theatre Company); The Snowy Day (Adventure Theatre).
National Tour: Amazing Grace The Musical 1st National Tour.
Jeff Lawless
- Jeff Lawless is an American actor and a graduate of New York University where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Drama from the Tisch School of the Arts.
- A California-native with roots in theatre, Jeff has brought dynamic performances to stages and screens across America.
- He has trained in various acting methods, such as Stage Combat, and understands the importance of being a well-rounded artist in today’s industry.
Vanessa
Acting coach
- Vanessa instructs Acting for film and TV as well as improvisation for Children and Teens as one of the best acting coaches at the top acting school in in Los Angeles, Michelle Danner Acting Studio.
- She loves and respects classical acting techniques. This motivates her to constantly find different ways to encourage creative individuals to put their heart and soul into their craft without compromising the wellbeing of the mind, body, and spirit.
- She has been acting since she was 12 years old and is classically-trained, playing roles from Shakespeare to Neil Simon.
Malu
- Malu loves acting and has been doing it for the past 10 years.
- She’s one of the best acting coaches in Los Angeles. Malu has an MFA in Acting for Film and has been classically trained, playing roles from Shakespeare to Neil Simon.
- She has studied Acting for the Camera, Scene Study, Voice & Speech, Movement, Voiceover, and Improv among other classes at Michelle Danner. She is also fluent in Portuguese.
Valerie Debler
- Valerie Debler is one of the best private acting coaches in Los Angeles, in addition to being a director and writer.
- She is a graduate of the Stella Adler Studio of Acting in NYC and has studied acting at the Warren Robertson Theatre Workshop.
- Her directing credits include contemporary original works such as The Secretary by William Bodes and The Theory of Everything by Nicolai Thecatus, as well as classics such as Antigone by Jean Anouilh and Dirty Hands by Jean Paul Sartre.
- She directed several original works at the Summer’s Director Festival at the American Theatre of Actors.
Brian Drillinger
- Brian is a founder and the Creative Director of the Edgemar Center for Arts in Santa Monica, CA. He’s one of the best and most prolific acting coaches in Los Angeles.
- His technique has evolved through his work with noteworthy acting teachers, including Uta Hagen, Milton Katselas, Larry Moss, and Terry Schreiber.
- He has collaborated with renowned writers and directors, such as Neil Simon, Herbert Burgdoff, Gene Sachs and Margaret Edson.
- Brian has produced, coached and acted with Jason Alexander, Ron Perlman, Anne Archer, Norman Reedus, Patrick Dempsey, and Tony Shalhoub among many others.
Doug Kaback
- Doug Kaback is a well-known actor, director, and playwright
- He has written over 40 plays which have been presented internationally. He has won several accolades for his work as an actor, including in films such as The Immigrant, Crossing Delancey, The Elephant Man, Talley’s Folly, Woyzeck, and Tom Jones.
- Doug is recognized as one of the best acting coaches at Los Angeles. He has served on the Department of Theater faculty at Cal State Northridge (CSUN) since 1994 and as an adjunct faculty at U.C. Santa Barbara.
- He holds an MFA in Drama from U.S.C. and a BFA in Dramatic Art from U.C. Santa Barbara.
Mig Macario
- Mig Macario has appeared in over 50 films and numerous commercials such as E*TRADE, Bubly, Uber Eats and Cigna.With his many years in the industry, Mig has also worked with Johnny Depp, Jenny McCarthy and Robin Williams.Mr. Macario was nominated for a Jessie award for his portrayal of Song Liling in David Henry Hwang’s M. Butterfly.He has also had guest appearances on Shut Eye, Rush and Fringe. He was part of the talented cast of Dan Gilroy’s Velvet Buzzsaw with Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Zawe Ashton and Toni Collette now streaming on Netflix. Mig also played the iconic character of “Bashful” of the seven dwarfs on the hit series Once Upon a Time. Guest star and recurring credits include Ruby Herring Mysteries, S.W.A.T., Kidding and The Order.
Todd Weeks
Todd Weeks is an actor, theater director and teacher. He is an Acting Ensemble Member of the acclaimed Atlantic Theater Company in New York City, where he has taught its Meisner-based acting technique through the New York University Tisch School of the Arts Undergraduate Program.
- Todd starred in HBO’s All The Way opposite Bryan Cranston as Chief of Staff Walter Jenkins, as well as starring roles on When We Rise, an ABC mini-series on the history of the LGBT movement.
- Other starring credits include Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders, Timeless, and Falling Skies.
- In theater, Todd is an Ensemble Member of the acclaimed Atlantic Theater Company in New York City, and has performed in ATC/world premieres of The Voysey Inheritance, The Loneliness of the Long DIstance Runner, The Jammer, Sea of Tranquility, The Cider House Rules, Distant Fires, , Boys’ Life (also at Lincoln Center Theater), and The Lights (LCT) among others.
- Broadway: The Full Monty (original cast); The Last Night of Ballyhoo, Summer and Smoke, Our Town. National Tours: Angels in America, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Off-Broadway: Some Americans Abroad (Second Stage), Therese Raquin (CSC). Regional: The Full Monty, Lucky Duck (Old Globe); Angels in America, Of Mice and Men (Dallas Theater Center); Copenhagen (Playmakers Rep); appearances at Humana Festival, Williamstown, Hartford Stage, Alliance, George Street, and Mark Taper Forum. Todd directed for Atlantic’s 10×25 one-act series (This Backstage Life) and The Laguna Playhouse (I Loved Lucy). Television: Modern Family, Detroit 187, Men of a Certain Age, The Defenders, Rubicon, Numb3rs, Medium, The Unit, Law & Order(s), Ed, One Life to Live, among others. Film: Cafe Society, Brightest Star, The Maiden Heist, The Deal, Heterosexuals, Love Thy Brother, Mind the Gap, Amos & Andrew.
Contact us
IN-PERSON ACTING CLASSES
We offer acting classes in Los Angeles to help you hone your craft & jumpstart your career.
Our acting school teaches every acting technique: Meisner technique, Lee Strasberg’s method, Stella Adler, Stanislavski’s method, Uta Hagen, and the Chekhov technique.
ONLINE ACTING CLASSES
Best training in the world no matter where you live!
KIDS AND TEEN ACTING CLASSES
Learn to develop a solid acting technique and foundation. We focus on fun improvisational games, auditioning techniques, and working on scenes and monologues across comedy and drama.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
Study Acting or Filmmaking in Hollywood.
F1 Student visa and M1 visa USA for applicants wishing to study the conservatory program
Short term acting classes
We offer customizable short-term Acting Programs that can be tailored to fit your budget and the length of your stay in Los Angeles.
Acting workshops
Join LA's Best Acting Workshop,
Golden box and Breaking into Hollywood the roadmap to working.
Film and television workshops for adults, children and teen
Our Mission
The Michelle Danner Acting School’s philosophy is that artists can draw upon all different acting techniques & form an individual “Golden toolbox” to use when approaching a role or a scene, whether it be for film, television, or theater. The acting school’s acting techniques are based on Meisner, Strasberg, Stella Adler, Uta Hagen & the Stanislavsky acting Technique.
Michelle Danner’s alumni include Penelope Cruz, Seth MacFarlane, Salma Hayek, Henry Cavill, Zooey Deschanel, Gerard Butler, Chris Rock, Chris Martin, Michael Peña, Michelle Rodriguez, Kate Del Castillo and many others.
The acting school offers classes for all levels: beginner, intermediate, and advanced.
• Classes include:
• Acting for Film
• Scene Study
• Cold Reading
• Musical Theater
• Movement
• Voice and Speech
We are one of the elite acting schools in California, known for training successful actors.
A variety of acting classes are offered in Los Angeles to help students hone their craft and jumpstart their careers.
What makes us different
Our acting program differs from other acting schools in Los Angeles, since we teach every acting technique & method, including the Meisner technique, Lee Strasberg’s method, Stella Adler, Stanislavski’s method & Uta Hagen technique.
Online Acting Classes
Scene Study & Monologues |
Meisner acting technique |
Cold Read Auditioning |
Improvisation
- Develop a strong acting foundation.
- Learn to make powerful acting choices
Acting Techniques
• The Actor’s Golden Box (acting technique) | Meisner Acting Technique | Stella Adler Acting Technique | Uta Hagen Acting Technique | Stanislavski Acting Technique | Training & Workshops: | Audition Training Classes & Workshops (Film & Television) | Scene Study Classes & Script Analysis | Improvisation | Performance & Preparation: | Acting Demo Reels | Voice & Speech | General American Accent & Dialects | Industry & Career Guidance: | Breaking into Hollywood: The Business of Acting | Coaching Options: | Private Coaching (Audition Coaching, Dialogue Coaching, On-Set Coaching) | Online Coaching & Private Acting Classes
Contact us
Call us to find out about the best acting classes in Los Angeles and to learn more about our best acting teachers in Los Angeles, 310-392-0815 or email us at [email protected]
Unlock your full potential as an actor—enroll today and take the first step toward mastering your craft with world-class training and personalized coaching
Contact Info
- 10820 Washington blvd. Culver CIty, CA 90232
- 310-392-0815
- Mon-Fri 10am-6pm
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