WHAT IS THE SIZE OF YOUR DREAM? (TM)
I came to Canada as an immigrant with no English, no connections and a dream to act.
I arrived from Argentina as a teenager and was told more than once that I should choose another career. I didn't. I trained, kept going through rejection, and built a professional screen career that began in 1991. If you want to act professionally, part-time, or simply discover what you are capable of, the first question is the same: what is the size of your dream?
Imagine arriving in Canada from Argentina in the late 1980s, not speaking English, wanting to build a life in film and television. It sounded unrealistic to a lot of people.
For years I heard versions of the same message: find another career. You will never make it. Rejection was constant. The difference was that I kept training, kept taking action and refused to let someone else's opinion decide what was possible for me.
That journey eventually led to an award-winning career across film and television, including 120+ screen appearances and almost 90 episodes of Metropia.
I started without industry connections and had to learn the craft, the business and how to survive rejection.
Today, Alza Acting Studio brings that experience into practical training for beginners, developing actors and working professionals.
You do not need to have the same dream I had. You need a clear goal, strong training and the willingness to act on it.
“If it happened to me, it can happen to you.”
Walter Alza · Founder, Alza Acting StudioWalter
Alza
Actor · Writer · Director · Producer · Acting Coach
Walter Alza came to Canada from Argentina as a teenager and began his professional acting career in 1991. Over more than three decades, he built a body of work across Canadian, U.S. and international film and television, becoming known for transforming across nationalities, accents, drama and comedy.
In Metropia, Walter became the first Latin American-born immigrant male actor to star in an ongoing lead role in an English-language Canadian TV drama, appearing in almost 90 episodes.
His screen credits include Get Rich or Die Tryin', directed by Jim Sheridan and starring 50 Cent and Terrence Howard; Flashpoint; At The Hotel; Due South; and Netflix's Special Correspondents with Ricky Gervais and Eric Bana.
As an actor, writer, director and producer, Walter has also created and directed award-winning work. He founded Alza Acting Studio in 2005 to bring decades of professional screen experience directly into the training room. He teaches from lived industry experience.
“When Walter acts, you see the intensity of a beast in him.”
Jim Sheridan · Academy Award-Nominated DirectorWhat the media says about Walter Alza.
Selected comments from Walter Alza's acting career, public work and media archive across Canadian and international television, newspapers and entertainment media.
"Walter Alza — 30 years. 120+ TV and film credits." Award-winning actor, director, writer, and producer... Credits include Netflix's Special Correspondents with Ricky Gervais and Eric Bana.
The Process (The Alza 3-Step):
Step 1: The Intro Class.Learn the Alza Method and get comfortable in front of a HDcamera.
Step 2: The Blueprint.Private coaching with Walter to map out your headshots, resume, and agent strategy.
Step 3: The Work.Join our more experienced actors in the Next Level and Advanced classes.
Reasons to Join Walter Alza
The Tech
TheTechnology
- On-the-fly editing
- Multiple HD cameras
- Instant playback in classes
The Team
TheFaculty
- Working professional faculty
- Guest casting directors & producers
- Guided by Walter Alza's professional screen experience
The Culture
TheEnvironment
- Zero-attitude environment
- Diverse & supportive community
- Yonge & Bloor · Toronto
The Results
TheOutcomes
- Career planning & strategy
- Beginner to advanced levels
- Practical, hands-on learning
In Toronto TOBlog · Featured Toronto's Top Studios
Workshops As Featured in Backstage Backstage Magazine
Alza actors are on
screens worldwide.
Over more than 20 years, actors who have trained at Alza Acting Studio have gone on to work across major film, television and streaming productions in Canada and internationally.
17 reasons to join
the Alza family.
More than a class: practical film and television training, professional perspective, a supportive community and a studio built around doing the work.
Working professional faculty under Walter Alza's direction
You learn by doing from day one
Training from beginner through advanced levels
Personalized career planning and strategy
Guest casting directors, directors and producers
A structured method designed for film and television
Hands-on learning with practical fundamentals
Established Toronto studio serving actors since 2005
Professional on-camera technology and class production
Multiple cameras used in on-camera training
Playback review to see and understand your work
Zero-attitude, supportive training environment
Diverse, inclusive and welcoming community
Convenient Yonge & Bloor location in Toronto
Private coaching available with our faculty
Adult group training plus private coaching options for younger actors
Training shaped by Walter's professional screen career since 1991
We teach what the
masters taught.
Walter Alza’s goal is to do for his students what Meisner, Stanislavsky, Strasberg, and Stella Adler did for theirs — teach from the inside of the craft, not the outside.
Every instructor at Alza is a working professional. We don’t hire teachers who stopped performing. We hire artists who are still in the fight — and who bring that fire into every class.
Whether you’re a complete beginner or a professional crossing over to film — Alza is where your career is built.
The lineage we honor:
- Sanford Meisner — Truth in the moment
- Konstantin Stanislavsky — The foundation
- Lee Strasberg — Emotional depth & the Method
- Stella Adler — Imagination & bold character
- Walter Alza — 30 years of results on set
“Walter Alza has been an inspiration to many of my clients. He gives them confidence, perspective, and a new approach to auditioning — which ultimately helps them win the role.”Shari Quallenberg · Agent & Owner · AMI Artist Management Inc.
If it happened to Walter,
it can happen to you.
Walter came to Canada from Argentina with no English and no industry connections, then built a professional film and television career beginning in 1991. Your path does not have to look like his. What matters is getting strong training, clear direction and taking action on your goal.
Toronto · Yonge & Bloor · Film & Television Acting · Adults & Teens