In The Moment Acting Studio

It’s incredibly difficult to cross paths with teachers nowadays who genuinely care about each individual person that walks through the door. A lot of acting schools can feel washed out. Laurel is someone who chooses to believe in the underdog. She cares, a lot.

At her school, you’ll be able to witness night after night that talent isn’t necessary-that you can learn how to do something through consistency, discipline, and curiosity. She is not interested in glamour. Like a true New Yorker, she cuts through the fat and meets each student exactly where they are in their life. She encourages playfulness. She wants you to be bold regardless if you feel confident or not. To her, it’s beside the point.

Year after year, I’d sharpen the ability to be affected by what is in front of me. To not plan anything. To seek discomfort. But most importantly, to be honest. This alone has been my foundation for every single job I’ve ever been on. I learned how to transfer my anxiety into courage at this school. I learned how to embrace uncertainty here. I learned how to tell the truth here.

Alan Trong

The Sympathizer (MAX), Tomorrow War (Prime), An Enemy of the People (Broadway) View More on IMDb

There aren’t enough words to express my gratitude for having been in Laurel’s class in the first 2 years of my acting career. Laurel has such a deep understanding of the needs of her students and how to seamlessly adjust her teaching method to connect with each individual person. She helped me build a solid foundation of being in the moment, character building, auditioning, and connecting with scene partners.

Laurel is not only an excellent teacher, she is an amazing person. She cares deeply about her students, building their love for the art, giving them a realistic understanding of what this industry requires, and how to stay grounded in the process. She does not sugar coat anything. Her honesty comes from a place of love and trust.

I will forever cherish my growth as an artist in her class and the self-confidence she helped me build at a time I felt overwhelmed, insecure, and lost! Looking back, years later, I have a much better understanding of how lucky I was to have Laurel as my teacher. I know now just how difficult it can be to find an acting coach as invested, skilled, and genuine as Laurel.

I cannot recommend Laurel enough. She is not a quick fix teacher. If you put in the work, she will help build you into an artist. If you are on the fence about joining [classes], jump in and get ready to work hard. You are in great hands.

Sharmita Bhattacharya

Arranged Love (E!), Grown-ish (Hulu), Four Samosas (amc+), Panic (Prime) View More on IMDb

No teacher has had more of an effect on my professional life than Laurel [Smith] Vouvray. More than ten years since my introduction to Laurel, and those first few lessons in her classroom are still the foundation of how I approach any character on any project.

Laurel brings her lifetime of experience and lessons from hundreds of students into every interaction. But more than just skill, she teaches respect for the craft and for the actor’s journey. She is an incredible resource and champion for the art of acting, both inside and outside of Texas. I could not be more honored to be counted among her students.

Harold Nieves Fisch

The Cleaning Lady (FOX), Snowfall (FX), and The Leftovers (HBO) View More on IMDb

Laurel Vouvray taught me to love the craft of acting and bestowed an appreciation of theater and film that has forever changed my life. I can never un-learn the lessons she taught which, to me, shows how powerful they are. She showed me what being a good actor means and it starts [with] being an empathetic human being.

I’ve studied with so many great teachers from New York to Los Angeles but I always come back to what has been most impactful, the lessons from ‘In the Moment Studio’ with Laurel.

Sanjay Rao

The Hitman (Netflix), The Flight Attendant (HBO), and Truth Be Told (Apple TV) View More on IMDb

For me, Laurel represents the bridge I walked across to becoming a real actor and a more present human. There was before Laurel and after Laurel, and she made all the difference.

She is everything I want in an acting teacher: she’s honest, she’s generous, she’s knowing, she’s tough and she’s funny. She is incredibly talented and knows what it takes to be great. She will see your potential and if you are committed, she will stick with you and see you through your specific hills to climb.

Laurel gives her actors the greatest gift which is the constant reminder to take your focus off yourself and put it on the person in front of you – to really listen and respond truthfully. Her knowledge and unique understanding of the Meisner Technique is unparalleled and she will give you everything she’s got if you are willing to put the work in.

Laurel is an incredible teacher and person, and I’ve yet to meet anyone that matches her authenticity and deep humanity. She made me realize that being an actor can be a worthy endeavor, and I am forever grateful to her for her wisdom, guidance, and support through the years. She’s the real deal, and if you’re serious about acting, then I cannot recommend her highly enough.

Ashley Rae Spillers

All That We Love (2024), Bookie (max), Rugrats (Didi Pickles 2021-2023), Vice Principals (2016), Las Vegas (2013), War Dogs (2016) View More on IMDb