What It Really Takes to be an Actor
When I tell people that I’m an actor, the first response is usually something along the lines of, “What have I seen you in?”, “Can you get me an agent?”, “How can I get into the industry?!” But, most people don’t realize that acting is less about being naturally talented and more about confidence, connection, being observant, and willing to grow through discomfort.
Acting starts long before you ever step onto a set. It begins with training and repetition. It’s hours spent reading scripts until the words stop sounding like lines and start sounding like thoughts. It’s taking classes, working odd jobs, learning about your expressions, your voice, your gestures, what makes you YOU. And let me tell you, it is not for the faint of heart.
Anna Cameron in a still from Mourning Meal.
What still surprises people is that acting is a business. You are the product, the marketing department, and the CEO of your own career. That means organizing your materials, constantly updating your reel, having a social media presence (eugh), auditioning constantly, maintaining your “look”, updating your headshots every year. It is hard work.
Success in this industry rarely happens overnight. We all hear the stories “Natalie Portman was discovered in a pizza shop!”, but what you don’t hear is that Natalie Portman was in theatre camps before that opportunity and was confident enough as an 11-year-old to impress an agent and casting director. You have to work at it every single day. Acting is pretending, yeah, but it is also revealing parts of yourself that might feel “ugly” or raw. It’s you playing yourself if you were faced with your characters choices, history, and relationships. You have to feed your creative side by reading, going out into the world and experiencing real-life, that’s why method acting is so helpful. But, you can build that experience every day by trying new things. It’s good for your craft, and your soul.
Anna Cameron in a still from Birthday Girl.
So, what does it really take to work as an actor? Dedicating hours to rehearsal, sometimes learning dances and song lyrics, exercising your breath and voice, realizing that your entire body is an instrument. Sacrificing time with your loved ones to audition. Forcing your loved ones to be your scene partner (thanks, Andrew). Sitting in a trailer alone for hours, going over lines again and again while you wait to be called. Getting soaked with “rain” on a freezing set (wet work is NO JOKE) for hours and having to remain positive and focused enough to say your lines at the drop of a hat. Taking rejection with a smile and an “it’s okay, I’ll get the next one”. It’s knowing that the goal is not to be “famous”, the goal is to work on the craft and to earn a living with that work. It’s knowing that you are the product that the director is looking to hire, not a character, it’s a version of you.
Ultimately, it takes confidence in your imperfections, and being be bold enough to be yourself.
