Many actors struggle for years to make a living. Often they need to find other part-time work to supplement their acting income. It can be helpful to have an agent. Working on commission, talent agents promote their clients to directors and producers and may have an edge in getting an actor auditions. Although few actors ever achieve stardom, this can certainly be an exciting and financially rewarding career. What Shakespeare called the “passion to play.”
Actors must memorize lines sometimes at great length. Actors rehearse their lines and performances with others in front of a camera or on stage. They must follow a director’s directions and some actors may need to learn a new skill for a part like dancing, stage fighting, or horseback riding. Some actors do voiceover or narration work for animated features or audiobooks. An actor needs the skills of creativity, memorization, reading, and speaking. They should be persistent and have physical stamina.
