I’d arrived in Hollywood in search of something. But unlike most new arrivals, what I was looking for wasn’t celluloid celebrity, but content for my next book – an investigation into the plight of aspiring actors. Most actors struggle for years before landing their first role – and fewer than one per cent end up making a living from the profession. Yet still they come in their droves. I wanted to find out why, what keeps them going and how they make a living in the meantime.