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Acting Coaching
Scene study, audition prep and script analysis that make language feel spoken, not recited — so the words become yours.
Acting & dialect coach for film, television and theatre
Make every word your own.
I coach actors to bring scripted language to life, build specific, lived-in dialects, and walk into auditions and onto sets ready — and I work with professionals who want to speak with clarity and ease.
Blade Runner 2049Perry MasonLove and DeathCruel IntentionsGeffen PlayhouseCold Comes the NightMoney TalksRoyal Shakespeare CompanyNext FridayStratford FestivalUCLA Theater
How I can help
Coaching shaped around the role, the script and the way you work — in person or online.
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Dialects for Film & TV
Specific, believable accents built for the camera — from audition tape through shoot days and ADR, with remote or on-set support.
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Dialects for Theatre
Accents that carry to the back row and stay consistent across a run, for individual actors and whole companies.
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Accent Modification
Clear, confident speech for professionals and newcomers — at your pace, without losing who you are.
How we'll work
Step one
Consultation
A short conversation about the role or your goals, your timeline, and how you like to learn.
Step two
A plan for you
Recordings, sound maps and drills tailored to the dialect, the character and the script.
Step three
Coaching sessions
One-on-one sessions in person or online, through auditions, rehearsals and filming.
In the room
Hands-on, specific and collaborative — working through the text line by line with every actor.
About
Hi, I'm Paul Wagar.
I'm originally from Canada. I trained as an actor at the Webber Douglas Academy in London, then worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Stratford Festival and the BBC, alongside actors including Judi Dench, Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart and Maggie Smith.
Over more than forty years since, I've run theatre companies in Toronto, Philadelphia and Los Angeles, led voice and speech at the University of the Arts, and spent 27 years teaching voice, speech and dialects at UCLA, where I coached more than 100 mainstage productions.
Today I coach actors for film, television and theatre — including ongoing work with the Geffen Playhouse — and work one-on-one with people refining their accent and speech. I'm based in Los Angeles and Victoria, British Columbia, and work in person and online.
Selected credits
- Film & TV
- Blade Runner 2049 · Perry Mason (HBO) · Love and Death (HBO Max) · Cruel Intentions (Amazon) · Cold Comes the Night (Bryan Cranston) · Money Talks (Chris Tucker) · Next Friday
- Theatre
- Geffen Playhouse — eight productions, including The Inheritance · UCLA — 100+ mainstage productions · Antaeus Theatre · LA Theatre Works
- Teaching
- UCLA (1997–2024) · University of the Arts, Philadelphia — Head of Voice & Speech · British American Drama Academy, Oxford
- As an actor
- Royal Shakespeare Company · Stratford Festival · BBC
The book
Acting with Text
A classical approach to actor training — used as a textbook at UCLA and in training programs around the country.
“Essential reading for any actor interested in learning the practical tools to create a specific, imaginative, moment to moment creation of a role.”
Kind words
Paul clarifies, in straightforward, no-nonsense English, the practical ways to access, develop and use one's voice as an actor with text.
Let's find the voice.
Tell me about your project or goals and I'll be in touch to set up a consultation.
pmwagar@gmail.com
Los Angeles · Victoria, BC · Sessions in person and online