Dear Lindsay,
I just read about your suspected DUI arrest yesterday and I hope that you're out of the hospital and feeling better soon.
Being famous is not easy, especially at your age when every single move you make is chronicled by the press and the rest of the world, because it seemingly leaves you no room to grow up and make the kind of mistakes everyone else your age is making without paparazzi coverage. That's a hard place to be and a hard thing to deal with - especially on a daily basis.
I know that things with your father are strained and that your mother is your best friend, but right now, at this difficult time in your life, you need two things: (1) a mother who is a parent first and best friend second, and (2) a safe place (whether it's rehab or somewhere else) to get away from the craziness of Hollywood and the entertainment industry, and spend some time finding your footing and getting grounded. And while I realize that the idea of taking time off from the business for a few months (I would recommend at least 4 months, preferably 6), is probably extremely scary to you, I also know that no one is going to forget about you in that short period of time. In fact, they will probably respect you more because of it.
Life is too short to be messing around with drugs and alcohol, especially in this business. And while it may be getting you great press coverage, it's certainly not doing anything for your career. The worse your behavior gets, the less people are going to want to work with you because the truth of the matter is this: the entertainment industry is a business first and foremost; a business about making money. If you're not able to work, or if you start causing production delays because of your behavior, you're costing people money and the more money you cost them, the less they are going to want to hire you. Is that what you really want? Or, do you really want to win an Oscar, which is what you keep saying? You can't have it both ways.
I understand how hard this business is and how scary it can be when you don't know where to turn or whom to trust, but let me tell you, there really are people out there who are willing and who want to help you through this difficult time in your life. I say this because I'm one of them and I would absolutely love to see you live up to your full potential as an actor and a human being. What a great example you could set for the hundreds of thousands of preteen and teenage girls who look up to you and who want to be just like you, especially your little sister, because I'm willing to bet that you don't want her to travel down the same road you're traveling down right now.
I'm 100% certain that if you can find a safe place to go and safe people to work with and to trust while you try to get your feet back on the ground, you can completely turn your life around and start walking down that "Oscar" road.
I believe in you,
Sharon
www.TheIndustryCoach.com
www.ActorsResourceCenter.com
