How to become an actor
How to become an actor
How to Become a Film and Television Actor
Many aspiring actors dream of having a career in Hollywood, and with time, training, dedication, passion, and patience, that vision can become a reality. If you want to become a successful film or television actor, there are some deliberate steps you can take to start making your way down that path.
Learn How to Act
The best Hollywood actors understand that acting is a craft. Regardless of credentials, many of these seasoned performers continue to work with coaches and mentors to hone their craft because they know there is always room to grow. As an aspiring actor, you can take a cue and sign up for a wide variety of acting classes. Work with as many styles and different groups as possible—try it all. From Shakespeare to comedy, and improv to cinema vérité, the more you know, the more well-rounded and versatile you will be to take on any roles that come your way.
Go Where the Work Is
New York and Los Angeles are where most of the casting directors work, live, and cast many of the shows shot in the U.S. and Canada. Recently, however, Atlanta has emerged as one of the hotspots for film and television gigs, primarily fueled by the opening of Tyler Perry Studios—one of the largest film production studios in the U.S.
Georgia is also known for providing lucrative tax incentives for filmmakers, so many choose to cast their work in the state. Although you don’t necessarily need to move to those cities, you stand the best chance of being cast in a role if you’re there.
To help you find casting directors, and vice versa, an acting agency is the ideal conduit. Here are the top acting agencies that can help lead you to a career in film, TV, and commercials.
Commit Yourself
The best actors are those who are willing to invest their time and let themselves be 100% consumed by the role they are playing, both physically and emotionally. This sort of dedication can take its toll on relationships, however. It’s hard enough to maintain connections if you’re devoting all your time and energy to your passion; it’s even harder if that passion requires you to shoot on location for months at a time and be on set for up to 20 hours a day.
Don’t Burn Bridges
Getting ahead in Hollywood is all about developing relationships and sowing seeds. You should always strive to be personable because you never know who might be able to help you down the road. An assistant you worked with years ago, for instance, might become a casting director, film producer, or talent agent someday. You can bet they’ll remember who was nice to them along the way. It’s never a good idea to burn bridges.
Be Persistent
There is one general rule in Hollywood: Talent won’t get you there, but persistence just might. Actors who are gritty and unrelenting likely have a better chance of success than the Juilliard-trained actor who waits in their apartment for an opportunity to come knocking. There is a lengthy list of actors who worked less-than-ideal day jobs until they got full time acting gigs.
It took Harrison Ford more than a decade working as a carpenter—which is how he recaptured the attention of George Lucas, who had previously cast him in «American Graffiti»—before he landed his breakthrough role as Han Solo in «Star Wars.» John Hamm waited tables as he took on smaller parts and went on many auditions before he earned fame as Don Draper at «Mad Men.»
Break Through Your Range
For years, Clint Eastwood epitomized the tough guy; Meg Ryan was the cutesy, girl next door; and Tom Hanks was the goofy, nice guy. These actors made their name playing specific roles because they found a niche that worked for them. Later, they were able to reach beyond their initial range. Finding your range is essential when you’re getting your start. It shows casting directors what you’re capable of as an actor.
It’s just as important to move beyond your initial range by continuing to learn new acting techniques. Doing improvisation can help extend your range. It is one of the few forms of acting where you have the absolute freedom to discover where your talent lies and where your repertoire could use some work.
Seek out as many acting opportunities as you can. From small plays to student films, you may be surprised how many seemingly insignificant opportunities can be catalysts to your entire career.
Have Patience
True overnight success stories in Hollywood are rare. It may seem like an actor or actress is entirely unknown one day and basking in the limelight the next, but the reality is that years of hard work and preparation earned them the accolades. Be patient—you never know when your break is going to come. At least three stars of «Orange Is the New Black» can attest to this notion:
All three actresses nearly gave up acting entirely before being cast in the award-winning series. Aduba was the closest to moving on. In the September 2016 issue of Essence, she related how she landed her role 45-minutes after deciding to stop acting. Meanwhile, Polanco kept working another full-time job during the filming of the first season, unsure of how things were going to pan out.
And then there’s the story of Chrissy Metz, who plays the role of Kate Pearson in «This Is Us.» Frustrated by fruitless efforts to land significant roles, she nearly moved back to Florida before getting cast in the critically acclaimed NBC series. Living on unemployment at the time, she famously had less than a dollar in her bank account. Her patience ended up paying off, and with enough persistence, yours can too.
How to Become an Actor
We are all at differing stages of our acting careers. For some of us, it’s the ‘wistful’ stage, where Romantic thoughts carry you away from your day job until a stack of papers brings you back to the real world with a jolt. Others are nearing the stage of collapse, where you have exhausted every acting lesson, every role in the community play, drained every last morsel of knowledge from Internet articles (such as this one) and still experience a perpetual sense of unease. Perhaps you have even reached that final, unfathomable stage called ‘success’, but are rattled by an all too familiar feeling of self-doubt? How do you become a “real actor”? How do you finally give yourself the permission to call yourself one?
Updated 16 August 2021
Redefine the Title
The word actor gets rather carelessly splashed around the place. In some ways, this is warranted, given that there are no set rules of who gets to call themselves an actor and what it is that actually qualifies somebody to be one. When starting out, it can be helpful to think about what it is that drives you to become an actor, so that you can get a better sense of what goals you’d most like to achieve. If you clearly know what you’re going after, you will move forward in that direction, however incrementally. It is invaluable to start a career as an actor understanding what drives you to do this strange and wonderful craft. It means each decision stems from a reason, rather than guesswork.
Every actor has their own set of reasons for pursuing a career. That being said, we’ve broken down three major factors worth your consideration:
For most actors, it is a healthy combination of all three of these factors (and more), and we each have a (sometimes) fanciful dream of them all working tidily together in the near future. However, having a clear personal definition of what acting is to you is essential. Set your goals, know your desired area(s) of focus and plan accordingly. If your passion lies in theatre, taking a three-day screen acting masterclass isn’t the most prudent investment. Likewise, if you’re trying to become famous, having a weekly Shakespeare reading may not be the best use of your skills or time.
Acquire Good Training
Attending Drama School
Regardless of your goals, you need to be well trained—and that doesn’t necessarily mean going to an acting school. However, acting school is, in our opinion, the best way to obtain solid training. For more information, have a look at our thoughts about drama school. Make sure that it is a reputable institution and that you have thoroughly researched its courses, teachers and alumni. Wasting up to three years and a lot of money is not desirable.
If you want to avoid drama school, or if drama school is repeatedly avoiding you at their auditions, think clearly and cleverly. Read the best acting books, vocal books, and learn from great actors by watching their work. Spend some time here on Stage Milk as well; this site was founded to support and nurture curious, hungry actors like yourself.
Forging Your Own Path
If you are going to train privately, seek out respected, reputable teachers and work on areas that you think are relevant to your ultimate goal. As with drama school, make sure you research anyone you’re planning on paying to help you act: there are too many people recklessly spending money on courses and masterclasses that often award little more than fleeting inspiration (and a large bill).
If theatre is your goal, study with a voice teacher, as that will be your weakness against trained actors. See a lot of theatre, read plays, and consider getting involved in community theatre. However, don’t take anything as gospel when working in this area; you have to be clever to avoid accumulating poor habits, which can be prevalent.
Get an Agent
Whether you are a well-rounded product of a drama school or an embattled, untrained actor, your first major goal in starting your career is to get an agent. Again, be clever. Find out as much as you can about the agents in your city and try your best to obtain one. For more information, take a look at our article on how to get an acting agent. If you cannot get representation, don’t give up. Create your own work, gain skills and try again. You can also look into casting websites such as StarNow that may offer acting opportunities with other emerging creatives. These won’t pay much (or at all), but can help you gain some experience and lines for your resumé.
Stay on the Pulse
Once you have an agent, or you have chosen to be your own, the process is the same: stay up to date with what is happening on stage, on television, and in film.
Networking is an oft-despised industry buzzword, but try to be social and open. Meet other actors, directors, writers. One day, your peers might run the industry, so be good to them! Some great things have happened to actors off the back of social gatherings, so don’t underestimate the importance of them. Just remember that not every occasion needs to be a job interview: know when to angle for work and when to enjoy yourself—you’d be surprised how quickly you can acquire a reputation as a climber.
Be proactive in your spare time. Use your days wisely. Regardless of what anyone says, you can work on acting on your own. If absolutely nothing is happening for you, make it happen. Put on a play, make a short film, start a play reading group. As we are so often told at drama school: ‘don’t wait for the phone to ring’.
There Are No Set Paths
As you move forward on any creative journey, it is important you realise that there is no set path. Trying to mimic someone else’s journey will likely lead to failure and disappointment. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have role models: quite the opposite, they are fantastic. Looking at why some people succeed and why you love certain actors is invaluable, but scrutinising your own success based on that of someone else is useless and likely to lead to comparison and bitterness.
Follow good principles, follow your passion, and trust yourself. Make your decisions based on what your goal is as an actor and then you can be comfortable with your own journey.
Maintain A Strong Support Network
Develop a strong, nurturing community around you of fellow actors and creatives: people you can work with and learn from, celebrate and commiserate with, who will inspire you to keep trying on dark days and keep you grounded when you taste success. This community can extend to family and friends, although it can be difficult for people outside of the industry to understand the constant cycle of uncertainty and rejection that would deter most who don’t chase the acting dream.
Appreciate Luck and Increase Your Odds
This isn’t the first time we’ve discussed luck and its importance in an acting career. Truth is, there is a lot of luck/divinity (depending on your proclivity) that is governing the success of us all. While it’s important to accept that, it’s never healthy to dwell on it. Instead, do whatever you can do to increase your odds. As Larry Moss once said in a masterclass: ‘Be so good they can’t afford not to hire you’. There is no way of knowing how true this adage, and many like it, actually is: if hard work and persistence really does (or ever) shines through. But the struggle to increase your odds, to hustle and find that next break is central to the actor’s life. Often, it’s what makes us feel more like actors than anything else.
How to Become an Actor: The Ultimate Guide [Updated 2022]
Everything you need to know about how to become an actor.
First we’ll discuss how to become an amateur actor. and then a working actor. and then finally a famous actor.
So what’s the quickest way to become an actor. in just one sentence? Well, here it is:
Join a legit casting website, upload a photo of yourself, and then start submitting to projects.
Now, I’m guessing you want a bit more info than that, and if so, you’ve come to the right place. By the end of this article you’ll know everything about starting an acting career with no experience, and how to take it all the way to booking consistent work and preparing for your first breakout role!
How to Become an Actor: The Ultimate Guide
Is it all glitz and glam?
Well, if you’re reading this article, you probably know it’s not.
The chance of becoming a famous actor is astronomically small – but it is possible if you’re strategic and keep pushing over the long run.
First, let’s make a distinction between the three types of actors:
A day in the life of a working actor consists of meeting with acting coaches, agents, and managers, taking classes, and submitting to auditions. If they book a job (usually 2-3 per month or more for busy actors), they’re on set working or rehearsing with other actors. They also spend a large portion of their day ensuring they take care of themselves – eating well, working out, grooming, etc.
A day in the life of a famous actor consists of meetings with their publicist, attending special events to speak or be honored, and of course, working on set and in rehearsals just like the professional actor.
What Actors Do
The primary job go an actor is to bring a character to life for an audience. The actor helps the director and writer tell their story. They memorize lines and bring emotion to them on stage or screen.
When on set, the actor needs to follow what a director asks them to do and make sure to hit their marks perfectly. They must do things the same way for each take (film acting) so editing is easy, and they MUST take direction well (even when it’s not given to them in a tactful way).
What Else Actors Do
There’s a lot more work that goes on behind the scenes. Actors spend their free time memorizing scripts, networking within the industry, taking classes & working with coaches, and reading actor resources such as blog posts like this to keep moving their careers forward.
They work out and eat healthy to look their best, some meditate to keep grounded and relaxed, and others work a side hustle to pay the bills.
There’s contract negotiations, meetings, cold emailing, and lots more, just like any business. But there’s also the occasional big premiere night, the breakout opportunity, and the walking down the red carpet while rubbing shoulders with stars.
The Top 6 Casting Websites for New Actors
Book acting work as soon as this week.
These 6 legit casting websites are the best places to find auditions FAST. This resource not only shows you where to find auditions, but also how to submit effectively to maximize your chances of being called in.
Here’s what’s included:
How to Become an Amateur Actor
What is an Amateur Actor?
As we briefly touched on earlier, an Amateur Actor is someone who is trained and loves performing but has not been paid for his/her work yet. Anyone wanting to become an actor needs to start here.
In this section, we’ll talk about the craft of acting and how to find the right classes or workshops for you.
So How Do You Break into Acting?
The simplest way to break into acting is to use Google to find some acting classes nearby.
Technically anyone, no matter how young or old, can become an actor. All you need is some basic knowledge of how stage, screen, or voiceover acting works, and a willingness to dive in and get started.
If you can memorize lines and deliver them in a way that captures the audience, you can be a great actor.
How Can I Be a Good Actor?
One of the biggest reasons actors don’t get picked during auditions is because they’re unnatural when they perform. They tend to overdo things or «show» their emotions instead of «hide» them.
In real life, we don’t «try» to show our emotions to people. We actually attempt to hide them most of the time, unless we have a specific reason to let the other person see our emotions (perhaps we want to make the other person feel bad, etc.).
Becoming a great actor is not actually about how much training you have. In fact, many actors (especially those who train in theater), tend to overact on camera and come off unnaturally. Sometimes the actors who never do any formalized training at all are the best actors!
Acting School & CareersHow to Become an Actor
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Discover your program in minutes
A successful career in acting requires equal parts talent and practice with a bit of luck thrown in. Actors at work can be seen and heard everywhere: TV, the big screen, the theater, on the Internet, in videos and on podcasts. They portray characters from the past that have impacted history, and they portray characters that are destined to impact pop culture in the future. Some dabble in a variety of entertainment mediums, while some stick to the stage, use their voice to create new worlds or dedicate their lives to the silver screen. Some make up the cast of extras that round out a production, while some achieve levels of fame that makes them a household name.
This guide serves as a starting point for anyone seriously interested in the world of professional acting. It includes a brief description of the real working life of actors and actresses, a rundown of the skills one must develop to succeed in this highly competitive field, and a list of steps to consider in pursuit of an acting career.
What Does an Actor Do?
To put it very simply, an actor works to portray a character in a movie, play, television show, theater production or any other variety of performance. But that’s not all there is to this interesting job.
Actors audition for roles and, if selected, perform those roles to bring the characters to life. Their work might be on a movie or television set, in a theater, during a live event or any other place where performance is needed. They might work on any level of the profession, from being an extra in a larger cast to appearing in starring roles.
Much of an actor’s time is spent rehearsing their part, working with directors and producers, meeting with agents or casting directors, reading scripts, attending meetings and otherwise attending to behind-the-scenes necessities. Some might spend grueling hours on set, while others might tour with a group to perform in many different cities. Some might move across the world to film on location. The work is often not steady – many actors will perform scores of characters during their careers.
Actor Salaries & Job Growth
Actor Salaries Across the US
Where actors happen to make the most money depends greatly upon their expertise, roles and geographical location. Areas where the performing arts are a prominent typically offer higher pay than rural areas, or those far away from production facilities. This tool can help aspiring actors research average earnings by location.
How to Become an Actor — 7 Steps Towards Superstardom
B ecoming an actor is a common dream that is all too often given up on. However, the fact that you are here reading this article shows that you are willing to take action on your dream by learning how to become an actor. Afterall, every successful actor started somewhere. To give you a better idea of where to start, we put together this guide of steps to becoming an actor and support you in pursuing your dream of learning how to be an actor.
How to become an actor
Enroll in acting classes
The very first step to get better at any craft is to learn. As it pertains to acting, enrolling in some type of acting class is a great place to start. Depending on where you live, most aspiring actors will find the best classes locally. These in-person acting classes will allow you to perform and gain feedback from acting teachers and coaches. It will also allow you to learn from peers.
If you’re unsure of which acting class to enroll in, acting coach Anthony Meindl recommends trying them all. Check out more on what Meindl has to say about trusting your gut when choosing an acting class in the video below.
How to be an actor with the right acting class
Acting classes will vary greatly depending on what kind of actor you want to become and what work you want to do. For example, becoming a comedic actor versus a dramatic actor may determine which class you enroll in.
Local acting classes, of course, are not the only way to learn how to act. There is of course the educational route.
How to become an actor
Seek higher education
Even if you already graduated from high school without any theatrical education, you might want to consider getting a BFA or MFA in theater.
Various universities such as New York University, Boston University, California Institute of the Arts, and The Juilliard School all have prestigious theatre programs. For a real glimpse into what it’s like to becoming an actor at Julliard, check out the day in the life video below.
How to be an actor • A Day in the Life
Even if these universities are a bit unfeasible, pursuing a BFA or MFA in theatre at any notable university has its benefits. Not only will you network with filmmakers in the school’s film program, you will be able to practice your craft while receiving constructive feedback from your professors and coaches.
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How to become an actor
Assemble a headshot, résumé, and reel
Before submitting to any casting calls or auditions, you will need something to submit. Typically, this involves assembling a headshot, résumé, and demo reel.
Headshot
A headshot is simply a portrait photograph. It’s important to get a professional headshot taken that is up to date. Don’t be afraid to show a little personality in your headshot either. After all, the goal is to stand out and get a call back.
Many headshots are taken in black and white to focus a casting director in on the emotion and eyes of an actor.
How to be an actor • Ed Norton Headshot
Résumé
Your acting résumé should inform a casting director on your relevant experience, unique skill sets, and educational background. As far as experience, you’ll want to list the name of the production you were in (stage or screen) as well as the role you played. These can help identify whether you were casted as a lead, supporting role or extra.
Oftentimes, unique skills can help you land a part. These skills can be singing, dancing, playing guitar, fluency in another language, accents, or martial arts. All of these can be valuable for a specific role.
Finally, your educational background might entail listing an acting coach, BFA or MFA degree, or a recognizable acting class. Here are some inside tips on what to include on your résumé directly from an acting coach.
How to become an actor • Making a Résumé
Demo reel
Last but not least, you will want to put together a demo reel. A demo reel is a video that showcases your best performances from past work.
For actors just starting out, your demo will consist of performances from commercials, short films, or student films you’ve worked on. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when editing together your acting reel.
How do you become an actor • Making a reel
To improve and build your résumé, you’ll need to work as much as possible. And the key to finding work as an actor is to find and submit to auditions and casting calls.
How to become an actor
Find auditions and casting calls
To become a working actor, you will need to stay updated with and constantly look for casting calls and open auditions for work. Commercials, student films, and indie films will all put out casting calls for the roles of their project.
One of the best resources an actor has to find casting calls is Backstage.com. Backstage allows you to search for roles by location and by specific role details. Many successful actors found their way into the industry through Backstage.
If you’re looking for options beyond Backstage that are effective and budget friendly, check out the video below.
How do you become an actor • Free casting websites
It’s important to constantly be looking for work. Until you tackle our next tip, the amount of effort you put into finding auditions and casting calls will directly impact how much work you get.
When you do get an audition, practice makes perfect. Whether it is an in-person audition or a self tape there are a few tips to keep in mind.
First, always audition «off book.» This means memorizing and knowing your lines inside and out so that you can give a full performance.
Within the confines of an audition, you must try to showcase what you are capable of. This means having a monologue prepared just in case that showcases your range.
For more tips on auditions and self-tapes, check out this video. You’ll get first hand advice from a working casting director to land that big role.
How to be an actor • Self-tape auditions
Auditions are the first tile in a domino effect of casting. More auditions mean more work. More work builds your reel. And a better reel will get you to the next step: singing with an agent.
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How to become an actor
Sign with a talent agent
You might be wondering, “Why should I pay a talent agent if I can use online resources to book jobs?” The truth is, most professional work as an actor will be found through talent agencies. This is because studios typically hire through talent agencies rather than public resources like Backstage. Agents then connect studios to actors that they represent.
Learn more about the benefits of having a talent agent and why it can be a game changing move in the career of an actor in the video below.
How do i become an actor • Agents
To recap, having a talent agent will open a ton of doors and opportunities for you to become an actor. You may not be even thinking about signing with a talent agency if you are just starting out, but it is a great goal to keep in mind.
How do you become an actor
Consider relocating
The volume of work you will find as an answer will depend greatly on where you live. While the obvious answer is to move to either Los Angeles or New York, these cities also have much more competition.
Explore your options in cities where the industry is largely prevalent, but less popular among aspiring actors. Cities like Atlanta, Chicago, New Orleans, and London should all be taken into consideration when relocating to pursue a career in acting.
How to be an actor
Be persistent
Finally, to become an actor you undoubtedly have to be persistent. The path to becoming an actor is filled with rejections, failure, and plenty of obstacles. To be successful, you’ll have to grow thick skin and discipline in pursuing your dream to become an actor.
Dig deep and find out why you want to become an actor and why it is so important and appealing to you. The answer is what will keep you moving amidst rejection and adversity.
UP NEXT
Best Free Casting Websites
It’s important for any aspiring actor to take actionable steps toward their dream. One step you can make right now, is searching for casting calls on some of the best free casting websites. Not sure what websites to search? Check out our next article of the best free casting websites online.