Actors, models & performers

How to Become an Actor (With Skills, Salary and FAQs)

Updated October 26, 2022

Becoming an actor is a common aspiration for many in entertainment. Since entertainment is a competitive field, becoming a famous actor involves a lot of hard work and dedication. Learning about what famous actors do and the steps to becoming one can help you determine if it's the right career for you. In this article, you will learn what actors do, how to become a famous actor and find some answers to important questions you may have about the entertainment business.

What does an actor do?

An actor is someone who portrays a character in media, including television and film. Actors may perform on a stage or set or act in voiceover work. An actor is a performer who has reached the top of their profession and achieved nationwide or worldwide renown for their craft.Actors may perform many of the following duties:

Auditioning for various parts, whether for television, films or on stage
Reviewing scripts, studying characters and accepting roles
Learning, memorizing and reciting lines from scripts
Rehearsing scenes with other actors
Memorizing stage cues
Working closely with the producers and directors
Giving interviews, press conferences and promoting their films, programs and other productions
Serving as a product ambassador or spokesperson
Doing voiceover work for radio or animated projects
Serving as narrators for documentaries, live-action programs or films
Singing and dancing for performances if scripted
Training and exercising to maintain a body type for the role they play
Managing their personal brand

Related: 4 Steps to Building a Brand

Average salary

Actor salaries vary because many professional acting projects have different budgets and some production studios have more money to spend on projects. Other factors for actor pay include experience and union membership. Actors make more money because their projects have consistently earned more for production companies.

Common salary in the U.S.: $11.31 per hour
Salaries range from $7.25 to $38.35 per hour

For current salary information from Indeed, click on the salary link.

Actor qualifications

An actor must be motivated because there is a lot of competition in the acting industry. Besides remaining dedicated to their profession, an actor must meet qualifications in the following areas:

Education

Generally, actors can enter the field from all education levels. Children as young as a few months can earn their first role. However, some education is recommended for teenagers and adults who want to hone their craft or advance in the entertainment industry.Actors can earn an associate, bachelor's, or master's degree in acting or theater. To earn these degrees, students can attend acting schools or conservatories or take acting courses offered at regular colleges or universities. The programs may include subjects like improvisation, acting for television and film and speech.

Training

Actors generally receive on-to-job training, but educational programs also double as learning opportunities. Actors learn as they work in new acting opportunities and as they give live performances as a part of degree programs. Additionally, actors can receive training from acting coaches.

Certifications

Though no specific certifications are available for actors, joining an acting guild or union is recommended. The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) is the most common union actors join. There are many benefits to joining the union, including access to a casting database, health benefits and contracts/collective bargaining. To join SAG-AFTRA, you must meet certain acting requirements, such as being a primary performer or proof of being a background actor for at least three days of employment.

Skills

Actors must exhibit most skills in the following areas:

Communication: Actors communicate with directors, other actors and crew members to ensure that projects are successful. They also communicate with members of the press and fans to promote their work.
Creativity: At times, actors can improvise their lines, songs or dance steps. They can also exhibit their creativity in how they deliver their lines. Another way actors use creativity is by imagining the motivations of and certain details about the characters they play.
Dancing: Actors who perform in musicals, for example, will likely be required to dance during musical numbers.
Memorization: Actors must memorize pages of text to recite lines and complete stage directions.
Public speaking: Actors must perform in front of an audience most of the time, whether it is a live audience or the cast and crew. Also, stage actors must adjust their voices so the audience can hear them.
Singing: This is required for most musical actors, but some voiceover, film and television actors may play characters who sing.
Technical knowledge: Actors can benefit by knowing how cameras and lighting/sound equipment works and understanding the roles members of the crew play in a production.

How to become an actor

There are many different paths one can take to becoming an actor, but the following are general steps aspiring actors can take to succeed in the entertainment industry:

Take a high school drama course. If you have a passion for acting and your high school offers a drama course, sign up for it. You will learn things like how to take direction to improve your acting.
Pursue postsecondary education for actors. While postsecondary education for actors is optional, acting schools and collegiate programs provide students with valuable experience. These schools may also have high-grade recording equipment that you can use to film yourself and your peers.
Earn a degree. This is optional, but actors who earn a bachelor's or master's degree in acting or theater can make themselves more desirable to casting directors.
Take part in local acting productions. Depending on where you live, small acting productions in local theaters may accept actors of varying levels of experience. These may also provide you with opportunities to appear on camera.
Find parts in commercials or work as an extra. Sometimes, actors first gain experience as extras in television and films or as they appear in commercials. There may be fewer requirements for these avenues, so look for opportunities online or through the classifieds.
Create a resume. Once you have gained a certain amount of experience, create an acting resume. Many producers and casting directors require resumes with acting titles or credits. You should also include any formal training or education you have in acting.
Get a headshot. Find a good photographer to take your headshot, which is an 8"x10" photo of you where your face is clearly visible. It acts as a calling card. Producers and casting directors require a headshot because it will make it easier to place you in roles with specific physical requirements. You can create a two-sided page with your headshot on one side and resume on the other to make it easier for casting professionals to review quickly.
Create a demo reel. If you have recorded footage of yourself in acting school, local productions, commercials or other larger productions, put together a demo reel to show casting directors. Your acting demo reel should only be between 90 seconds to two minutes, with clips that last from 20 to 30 seconds.
Get an acting coach. While this is an optional step, an acting coach can help you advance your career by giving you advice and teaching you new skills that you can use to get bigger roles. For instance, an acting coach might be able to help you imitate foreign accents or learn a new acting style.
Hire an agent. This is also optional, but you might need to hire an agent after gaining experience. Agents have connections to producers and casting directors. They can make finding acting jobs easier for you by doing many of the administrative tasks, like distributing resumes and headshots and making calls. However, agents take a percentage of your income as compensation.
Go on auditions for bigger productions. Until you are famous, auditions are crucial to your career. You need to prove yourself to casting directors, so audition confidently to show that you would be an excellent fit for the rule. You'll likely need to complete several auditions before earning your first big role.
Join an acting union. Once you have worked on enough productions, you should join a union because they provide actors with specific benefits. Being a part of a union allows actors to earn more money and increases their chances of being hired for certain roles.
Stay relevant. One of the best ways actors can stay relevant is to build a reliable network that includes actors, directors, producers and others in the entertainment industry. Actors can also make themselves available to fans and press members by maintaining social media accounts.

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FAQs about becoming an actor

The following are common questions related to becoming an actor:

What is method acting?

Many people believe that method acting involves changing one's appearance or staying in character for extended periods. Method acting also usually involves the actor using their own experiences, emotions and imagination to portray the character. Characters are more memorable and relatable when actors can insert parts of themselves into those characters.

What should I put in an acting resume?

Like a regular resume, your acting resume should be concise and easy to read. The resumes should contain your name, working phone number, email address, and union status. You may also need to include your weight, height, hair, and eye color depending on the type of production you are auditioning for. You may also include a link to a personal website, demo reels or social media profiles, but be discreet.When you are crafting your resume, you may include some of the following items you should include:

Training/degrees
Academic theater
Regional theater
Commercials/industrials
Broadway
National tours
Film/TV
Special skills (accents, languages, dancing)

When listing credits, you should include show titles, roles, directors and producing organizations. Since you may need to keep it to one page, list projects you worked on related to the job you audition for.Related: How to Write a Resume Employers Will Notice

What should I look for in an agent?

When looking for an agent, you should first do your research to investigate their background. You want to know who the agent has worked with and if they have a successful background in the entertainment industry. You should also ask about the rates the agent charges.