Though Pierce is a classically-trained actor from Juilliard, he doesn’t believe that every actor needs to come from a classical theater background — but he does think that stage training is important. He explains:
My thing is have some training. Have some interest in the field about where you will go and learn how to do it. It shouldn’t be happenstance. You don’t have to get the full classical training, but you should at least take some class. You should come to an understanding of how you deal with material, how it broadens itself, all of that. Juilliard gave me the ability to go and do classical, contemporary, comedy, drama, everything.
You wouldn’t trust a writer who doesn’t read. I tell people all the time, get some training and become a student of your craft. My education about how to do this is ongoing. I’m getting one right now from Roger Robinson. Roger can make the simple act of lifting a spoon of yogurt into a work of art. I just gotta make sure I stay in the moment, because I’ll end up being a spectator.
(via)