Axel Webber Turned to Charlie Puth Following His Rejection From Julliard

Getting rejected from some colleges is a part of many people's journey into adulthood, but not everyone can get therapy from famous musicians when they're dealing with that rejection. If you have a big enough following on TikTok, though, you may find that celebrities are more than willing to explain exactly why getting rejected from your top choice isn't the end of the world.

On Jan. 9, TikTok user Axel Webber, who has more than 2 million followers on the platform, posted a video in which he announced that he was going in for an audition at Julliard. Following the audition, Axel said that he felt like he "botched it."

"The guy gave me absolutely no reaction," Axel explained. "He just stared, right into my soul. He didn’t even say anything until he said ‘thanks’ and then joined the other breakout room in the Zoom call."

The following day, Axel posted another update in which he announced that he had been rejected from the school. He shared the email in his update, which said: “Dear Axel, on behalf of the Juilliard division, thank you for your interest in our program and for sharing your talent with the faculty. As you are already aware due to our callback process, you are no longer in consideration for admission for fall 2022."

“We gave it our best shot, which is the only thing we can do," Axel said after showing the rejection note. "Now we’re gonna have to find a different way to be an actor."

Fortunately, the blow Axel took after being rejected was softened somewhat by his fans, who assured him that he would emerge stronger than ever and also reminded him that Adam Driver also didn't get in the first time he auditioned.

In addition to reassurance from fans, Axel also got some advice from Charlie Puth, who was also rejected from Julliard. In a comment on Axel's video, Charlie wrote that he had taken his rejection hard too. “Hey friend…I also didn’t get into Juilliard … but things ended up being just fine for me. I cried too," the singer wrote.

Charlie also posted a video in response to Axel's rejection in which he offered some advice based on his own experiences.

“Not only did I not get into Juilliard but I didn’t get into five of these prestigious schools that I wanted to get into that I thought would better my career,” he said.

“While I do think school is great and I didn’t end up going to Berklee, prestigious conservatory for the arts is not going to be the thing that defines your career as an actor,"

“It certainly wasn’t the only and most important thing that made my career happen. We experience rejection every day of our lives, and as hard as it is to swallow in the moment, it’s the thing that pushes you further creatively," Charlie continued. "I like your videos a lot, there’s something very special about you. And I like your tiny apartment. You’re gonna be okay bro I promise."