An Actor portrays a character with their physical presence, voice, and ability to emote through both. To bring a character to life, an Actor must analyze their motivations via the script, memorize the dialogue in it, work with the Director to further develop the character, and mine their own emotional life to authentically embody the figure they’re portraying in the script. In addition to the work necessary for a particular role, Actors must always be preparing for their next job, as the nature of this profession is typically one of inconsistent work. Should an Actor gain a level of success or notoriety, they may also need to be present for promotional events and media tours to market their film or other project.
An Actor must make sure that their professional life doesn’t take over their personal life. For instance, it’s easy to spend an entire week learning lines or otherwise preparing for a role to the exclusion of their other day-to-day needs until their meeting or audition has happened. They may also spend considerable energy and time waiting for that phone call from their Agent or Manager about a potential callback or offer.
