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Acting Coaches Los Angeles
When we asked working actors to name the most influential acting coaches in Los Angeles, the responses poured in. While many talented coaches were mentioned, two names consistently rose to the top based on reputation, impact, teaching methods, and real-world results.
The main criteria for choosing the best acting coach in Los Angeles included:
- Industry reputation and client success
- Personal experiences from students
- Word-of-mouth recommendations
- Teaching style and coaching methods
- Support in building a career, not just talent
Extra consideration was given to those who coach actors both artistically and professionally.
Best acting coaches in Los Angeles
Online | In person
Michelle Danner
Michelle Danner is one of the most respected acting coaches in Hollywood. She has worked with numerous A-list actors—both privately and on set. Her clientele includes Chris Rock, Gerard Butler, Seth MacFarlane, Melanie Brown, Jamie Lynn Sigler, Penélope Cruz, and many more.
Michelle Danner is one of the most respected acting coaches in Hollywood. She has worked with numerous A-list actors—both privately and on set. Her clientele includes Chris Rock, Gerard Butler, Seth MacFarlane, Melanie Brown, Jamie Lynn Sigler, Penélope Cruz, and many more.
She is also the artistic director of the Michelle Danner Acting Studio and founder of the independent film production company All In Films. Michelle’s holistic approach combines a deep understanding of the craft with strategies to succeed in the entertainment industry.
📍 Interested in costs? Check out our guide: How Much Do Acting Classes Cost.
Acting Coach vs. Acting Class: What’s the Difference?
Choosing between an acting coach and an acting class depends on where you are in your career and what you’re looking to accomplish.
Private Acting Coach
A private coach provides one-on-one training to help you:
A private coach provides one-on-one training to help you:
- Refine your technique
- Choose the right roles
- Strengthen your audition performance
- Get personalized career guidance
Acting Classes
Group classes offer the opportunity to:
Group classes offer the opportunity to:
- Learn foundational acting techniques
- Collaborate with fellow actors
- Receive feedback in a workshop setting
- Build a network within the acting community
Many actors choose both at different times. You may work with a coach for specific auditions or roles and attend ongoing classes for broader development.
What Kind of Acting Coach Do You Need?
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Different acting coaches specialize in different areas, such as:
- Scene Study
- Voice Acting
- Audition Technique
- On-Camera Acting
- Film and Theater Performance
Some coaches offer weekend acting classes, which can be ideal for working actors. As you grow, your needs will change. You’ll likely need a combination of experiences:
- A great acting class
- A powerful acting lesson
- A phenomenal acting teacher
Each step builds a stronger, more versatile actor.
Acting Coach FAQs
Who is the acting coach for Penélope Cruz, Salma Hayek, Henry Cavill, and Gerard Butler?
Michelle Danner has coached and directed the following Hollywood actors such as: Penelope Cruz, Andy Garcia, Salma Hayek, Henry Cavill, Gerard Butler, Abigail Breslin, Kyle MacLachlan, Mireille Enos, Taryn Manning, Ryan Phillippe, Chris Rock , Zooey Deschanel, James Franco, Seth Macfarlane, Michelle Rodriguez, among others.
What does an acting coach do?
An acting coach helps actors:
An acting coach helps actors:
- Create emotionally truthful performances
- Understand character motivation
- Develop a unique physical presence and voice
- Prepare for roles through script analysis and rehearsal
Great coaches also mentor actors on navigating the business side—auditions, networking, casting opportunities, and industry strategy.
Do famous actors still work with coaches?
Yes! Even the most well-known actors continue to work with acting coaches throughout their careers. Acting is a skill that must be continuously sharpened. Coaches can:
Yes! Even the most well-known actors continue to work with acting coaches throughout their careers. Acting is a skill that must be continuously sharpened. Coaches can:
- Offer fresh perspectives
- Help break down scripts
- Guide on-set performance
- Provide support in high-pressure roles
Can a Hollywood acting coach help with auditions?
Absolutely. A good acting coach can be a game-changer during the audition process. They assist with:
Absolutely. A good acting coach can be a game-changer during the audition process. They assist with:
- Cold reads
- Monologue prep
- Script breakdown
- Emotional connection
- Audition confidence and mindset
They may also help you prepare self-tapes or in-person auditions that stand out in a competitive casting environment.
Finding the Right Acting Coach in Los Angeles
If you’re serious about your acting career, finding the right coach or acting school is critical. A great acting coach will help you:
- Strengthen your craft
- Gain industry insight
- Build a support network
- Connect with casting professionals
- Navigate auditions, agents, and the business of acting
- Best acting coach in Los Angeles | Online or in person
- Work on your acting technique from comedic to dramatic material.
- Actors are encouraged to explore and work on great writing.
- Material will be assigned ahead of time.
- You will form a toolbox of your own and develop a comprehensive set of “acting tools” when approaching a role or a scene, whether it be for film, television, or theater.
- Acting coach | Scene study
- Focus on script analysis, the world of the playwright, finding your authentic self in the works, connecting to your partner, and living moment to moment.
- Unleash your imagination and keep your body, voice, and mind alive and finely tuned through relaxation and breath exercises.
Meisner Technique | acting coach
- Learn the Meisner Technique, one of the acting techniques that helps create powerful and truthful actors!
- You will learn the foundation of Sanford Meisner: exercises in repetition, independent activities, emotional preparation, and scene work.
- Your acting coach will give you consists of scenes and monologues to work on, during which time you will apply what you have learned in the exercises to your roles.
Improvisation | private acting coach
- Learn to think on your feet, have fun, and get out of your head through fun improvisational games and exercises.
- Learn to stay in the moment, roll with any sudden changes, and think quickly on your feet, which makes any person both a better performer and more adept in social interactions.
- Learn the skills that will make you more confident, creative, and better at public speaking and social situations.
- Discover characters you never knew you could play by being thrown into situations where you don’t have time to think.
Stanislavski method | acting coach
- The Stanislavski method is a set of techniques used by actors to portray emotions on stage by putting themselves in the place of the character.
- He believed in naturalistic performances that were as realistic as possible.
- He invented techniques that you can use to be a well-trained actor.
Stella Adler acting |Private acting coach
- You will learn the Stella Adler acting technique and explore the language and principles of Stella Adler’s approach to acting, including action, circumstance, and justification.
- Stella Adler believed that an actor’s talent lies within his imagination.
- She trained with Stanislavsky and studied the method but didn’t believe that an actor needs to relive past experiences to connect with the character.
Accent reduction classes| private lesson
Obtain a standard American accent and perform contemporary monologues from film and television.
Learn how speech works and how accents form, then engage in intensive study and practice of the consonant and vowel sounds found in General American speech.
Voice & Speech |Voice coach
This class focuses on voice and text work with storytelling and solo work techniques. Our unique approach produces a full-bodied experience with Classical text and original material developed by a working actor. Access your inner strength and empower your acting skills to increase your bookings.
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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