Being an actor is hard
Dehumanising, cold and volatile
I was talking to an actor friend recently, and she told me a familiar story. Her agent contacts her with good news: she gets a commercial callback. She needs to do an audition over Zoom later that day. She moves her normal computer set-up to take advantage of natural light, hauling her backdrop and ring light from her office (all necessary parts of a kit for a working actor). It takes about half an hour to set up, and she realises too late that her laptop’s geriatric eccentricities mean her connection to the internet is unstable.
With minutes to spare, she changes to her phone. She is let into a Zoom room with a director and casting director, but they can’t hear her. She figures out her microphone, but now she’s upside down. She flips it around. Great. She’s ready to go. She says her two lines. ‘You seem stressed,’ says the director. He is lounging on his couch. ‘Just like loosen up a bit, yeah?’
My friend tries not to give the director the finger, smiles politely, and does another take. ‘Thanks,’ says the casting director, and hangs up the call.
That’s a good day.
As a creative artist, cold rejection is common. But no other artist faces it as coldly and often as actors. And no other profession has an underlying condescension underneath every interaction. Actors are pressured by everyone in their lives and jobs to be ‘grateful’ for opportunities, even if the opportunity sucks.
More: Even when they get the role, they are at the whim of a power structure that puts them at the bottom of a vast pyramid. And yet, it’s their face, their souls, and their vulnerabilities captured on camera or in front of an audience forever. They have the most risk, but have the least autonomy.
Having lived and worked with actors for most of my life, I’m amazed that more of them aren’t insane. It can very rewarding, of course, and it’s a noble profession. When the stars align, it can be the most empowering feeling of earth - you channel something divine and connect an audience.
But other times, it’s just you and your phone in a Zoom audition.
I’m writing a lot about self-worth now, and as my coaching business continues to build, I’m talking with more actors about health and wellness.
If this resonates with you, drop me a line or a comment. I’d love to talk.