Many Actors are represented by an Agent. An Agent puts their clients up for roles they think they are suited for and are often given breakdowns for castings that are not readily available to the public, they will take a percentage of the pay, often between 10% and 20%. You can gain an Agent by writing to them, inviting them to shows that you are in, or ask for a meeting. Starting pay can be very low, with some fringe production employing ‘profit-share’ models, but a small number of star Actors and Performers can receive extremely high wages – for example a pantomime star or West End lead can be paid tens of thousands of pounds per week.
