Braver Choices. Deeper Work. Powerful Performances.

Work with Award Winning Director Tom O’Brien – One of the Top Acting Coaches in London.

 

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Clients appeared in..

AppleTVPlus
BBC
Disney +
National Theatre
NBC
Sky
Sonia Friedman Productions
Universal Pictures
Young Vic
Netflix
AppleTVPlus
BBC
Disney +
National Theatre
NBC
Sky
Sonia Friedman Productions
Universal Pictures
Young Vic
Netflix
AppleTVPlus
BBC
Disney +
National Theatre
NBC
Sky
Sonia Friedman Productions
Universal Pictures
Young Vic
Netflix
Acting and performance coaching
More about tom

Hi, I'm tom

Acting & Performance Coach

I’m an Acting & Performance Coach and award-winning director, currently working between LA, London, and New York. I trained at the National Theatre in London, and over the years, I’ve had the privilege of directing and coaching actors on stages across the West End, Europe, and Off-Broadway.

My passion is helping actors unlock their full potential — whether that’s landing the job, deepening their craft, or rediscovering the joy of acting.

As a coach, I bring together powerful techniques passed down from some of the world’s leading practitioners. These tools expand your imagination, sharpen your instincts, and take your work to the next level.

My approach is practical, personal, and designed to meet you where you are.
Actors I’ve worked with have gone on to book major roles in Hollywood films, Broadway productions, and West End shows. My clients are currently appearing in hit series and films on Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, Amazon Prime, ITV, and the BBC.

I work one-on-one with actors based in New York, LA, Sydney, and beyond — in person and online — and also teach regularly as a visiting lecturer at ArtsEd, Mountview, and the National Film and Television School.

If you’re ready to elevate your process, build a thriving career, and perform with confidence and truth — I’d love to work with you.

Tom O'Brien, Acting & Performance Coach

BOOK NOW for a FREE consultation with me.

book your free call

Acting Coaching

with Tom O’Brien

Transform Your Auditions. Elevate Your Career.

My coaching programs are designed for actors who are ready to level up — to become renowned, in-demand, and consistently working.

Together, we’ll develop a personal, practical process that brings joy, confidence, and clarity to your self-tapes and auditions.

You’ll stop second-guessing yourself and start showing up with purpose and power.

I’ll work with you one-to-one to build a bespoke approach that plays to your strengths, tackles what’s holding you back,and gets real results — both in the room and on your career path.

After working with me, you’ll feel proud hitting “send” on that self-tape, and fully prepared walking into the room. You’ll be booking with intention, not luck.

This isn’t just about technique — it’s about transformation.

We’ll also build a clear, achievable roadmap for your career, with regular accountability and ongoing support.

You’ll get:

  • Personalised acting process coaching
  • Strategic career development
  • Character prep support
  • Monthly check-ins
  • A sounding board for questions, frustrations, and big-picture planning

If you’re ready to stop feeling stuck and start feeling seen, let’s build the career you know you’re capable of.

work with me

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Working with…

Arts Ed
Cameron Mackintosh Ltd
Chichester Festival Theatre
Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts
National Film and Television School
Soho Theatre
Stratford East Theatre
Watermill Theatre
Arts Ed
Cameron Mackintosh Ltd
Chichester Festival Theatre
Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts
National Film and Television School
Soho Theatre
Stratford East Theatre
Watermill Theatre
Arts Ed
Cameron Mackintosh Ltd
Chichester Festival Theatre
Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts
National Film and Television School
Soho Theatre
Stratford East Theatre
Watermill Theatre

Cherrelle Skeete

Building my career off successful shows and playing many supporting roles, I didn’t know how it felt to be in a process as a lead. The traumas of drama school clearly still lived with me and I didn’t know. I am in a new era of trusting myself, I’m in the driving seat.

Tom has been instrumental in this. He has helped me unlock a new approach to my prep that was rooted in my mindset. I have untangled a lot of wires, identifying the fears and blockages and walking right into them with my arsenal of tools to support me in the task at hand.

From screen roles in ‘Magpie’ and ‘The Inheritance’ to theatre roles playing the lead in ‘Beneatha’s Place’ at the Young Vic and now ‘Alterations’ at the National Theatre, we have manifested together and now I’m living it!”

– Actor (London, UK)

Alterations (National Theatre), The Inheritance (Sky), Beneatha’s Place (Young Vic), Black Cake (Hulu), The Midwich Cuckoos (Sky), Hanna (Amazon)

Ibinabo Jack

Since working with Tom I have benefited from a newfound curiosity and attention to detail when approaching self tapes. I would recommend these sessions to anyone who wants to establish a process which serves them, to identify and break habits that may be hindering them, and/or to renew their approach to acting. Working with Tom is a joy – the sessions are tailored to my specific needs and on the day, I feel challenged, empowered and ready to apply what I’ve learned in my next self tape.

– Actor (London, UK)

Vera (ITV), Big Cook Little Cook (BBC), Dreamgirls (West End)

Maddie Rice

Tom has totally changed the way that I approach self taping and auditioning. He helped me find a route to the kind of playfulness and creativity that I find when I’m on stage so that I am enjoying the process rather than stressing! The preparation techniques that he’s given me have gotten me out of my head and now I am excited when I get to use them. I’ve booked a job and got a recall (both off tapes) since I started working with Tom and it’s definitely in part due to the work that we have done together. I could not recommend him enough!

– Actor (London, UK)

Fleabag (BBC), Genius (Riverstone Pictures), The Other One (BBC), Ten Percent (Amazon Prime)

Genesis Lynea

My most significant improvements after working with Tom were confidence, imagination and specificity of character and audition preparation. I would recommend these sessions to anyone. Any person who needs a reset. Any actor at any level. Anyone who wants to feel like they have a support system to work through techniques or choices for a character. My overall experience of working with Tom was consistent, eye opening and warming! It felt like all the worries and questions I’d usually have bundled up inside of me were afforded a safe outlet in Tom’s sessions. I’d say quite simply REJUVENATING.

– Actor (London, UK)

Anne of Cleaves in SIX the Musical (Original Cast), Silent Witness (BBC), Casualty (BBC)

Amy Louise Pemberton

Tom was incredibly open and I really enjoyed being part of that process and journey. I felt very supported and in turn very clear on what we were setting out to achieve with this particular character. I would work with him again in a heartbeat!

– Actor (Los Angeles, USA)

Gideon – Legends of Tomorrow (Warner Bros), Scorpion (CBS), The Laundromat (Netflix)