About me

“EVERYONE CAN ACT.
EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE A RIGHT TO PROFESSIONAL TRAINING &
EVERYONE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO PURSUE THEIR DREAMS.”

Louise O’Leary, Artistic Director, StandBy Method Acting Studio

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Having been through the “official” drama schools, I knew there was a better, more efficient, and more accessible way to get the lovers of stage and screen to their rightful places as award-winning, paid actors. I knew from my own experience that I could lead those actors who have the passion for transporting audiences to other times and other places to do what their souls long to do.
That’s when and why I founded StandBy Method Acting Studio in Sheffield in 2010.
We quickly became the area’s leading Method Acting studio, so we branched out into London…and now the world.

Since then, hundreds of students have:
  • Stoked their innate fires for acting
  • Mastered networking with people who can help them in their careers
  • Developed a love for the behind-the-scenes work that leads to stellar, award-winning performances
  • Begun careers with major industry networks
  • Landed roles in plays in regional theatres, as well as global stages

StandBy offers 10-week programmes that help adults and youths master the art of Method Acting, which allows for total (and safe!) immersion into character erasing the lines between the two.
Because true acting is not acting at all. Rather, it is the conveying of emotion.
So when actors train at StandBy, they are learning far more than “acting”. They are learning to “become” the character they’ve been asked to portray.


Apply for one of our 10-week programmes here.

Our Students Have Been Featured On

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About Me

For me, personally, acting is one of the ultimate expressions of creativity and soul. That’s why I make it my mission to train actors to do more than recite lines or force emotion. I train them to learn how to BE any character for any role.

And I take that passion so seriously that I put everything I am into my students’ growth. That’s the reason that I pour myself into the feedback they deserve.

Because, in all honesty, I was not given that feedback at drama school and I know how deeply important it is to a budding actor’s ability to evolve into the star role they truly do want to play.

Louise O’Leary
Artisitc Director, StandBy Method Acting Studio
Sheffield & London

Some of our Most recent Student Successes


Luke Goddard, award-winning Best Male Lead at Sydney Film Festival; scouted by top UK agent, Narrow Road; Netflix series \”Lockwood and Co\”

Zane Alsaroori, Amazon Prime Film \”Everyone\’s Talking About Jamie\”; commercial for Fanta

Kimberley Dolman, landed a prominent agent in the industry who is helping her build a power portfolio

Zainab Adeyemi, two short films & landed an agent

Jonathan Blake, BBC soap \”Doctors\”; landed an agent who represents some of the biggest names from Game of Thrones and UK TV dramas

Jasmine Smith; landed representation with the former casting director of ITV soap, “Coronation Street”, Janet Hampson, and is now regularly auditioning

Peter Frost; produced, co-wrote, and starred in his own LA-shot short film that is being turned into a feature film

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