What would you tell your child if they want to be an actor?

[Anonymous]

They are very involved with theater & drama and want to major in drama in college.

[Anonymous]

How old are we talking? I’d tell them to major in communications or something useful and act on the side.

[Anonymous]

Mostly depends on how rich you are. Can you support them while they try to make it?

[Anonymous]

Do they want to be poor?
Because there's probably a 99% chance of that happening if they intend to go that route professionally.
OTH, if the parents have deep pockets and want to provide the safety net, then sure, tell them to follow their dreams.

[Anonymous]

I would 100% encourage it! But I’d show them the devastating impacts of student loan debt. I think a lot of people have shared their experiences going into debt for theater degrees but it also applies to any degree that isn’t in demand. We live in a messed up capitalist system and that’s a bummer but we have to navigate it intelligently. I would also not pay for my child to get a theater degree unless they got a dual major in something else that paid $.

[Anonymous]

I'd suggest a dual major. I have friends who majored in theater but also got a degree in accounting or marketing or something like that and now they work in arts administration. Still not a ton of money, but it's a regular job that allows them to be involved in theater, and the skills are transferrable to other areas. And I would strongly advise them not to go into debt to get the degree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd suggest a dual major. I have friends who majored in theater but also got a degree in accounting or marketing or something like that and now they work in arts administration. Still not a ton of money, but it's a regular job that allows them to be involved in theater, and the skills are transferrable to other areas. And I would strongly advise them not to go into debt to get the degree.

Agreed.

[Anonymous]

I would tell them not to go to college in that case. Give them some $$$$, send them out to LA for 3 years to see if they make it. If not, college it is.

[Anonymous]

Buy them this book: https://www.amazon.com/Actors-Life-Survival-Guide/dp/1944648224/ref=asc_df_1944648224/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=266059698431&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8984494587368151974&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1025202&hvtargid=pla-417341871578&psc=1

Jenna Fischer (actress who played Pam in The Office) is the daughter of a midwestern teacher & engineer.

[Anonymous]

I would say - great weekend hobby, what will you do for a real job?

[Anonymous]

I would support them. I don't mean financially; they need to be able to figure that out on their own.

I have a friend who was always into acting/music/modeling in high school. I'm not sure what his major was in college but about 5 years after graduation, he moved to LA to pursue a career in entertainment. He got a really great job as a waiter at a high-end restaurant, and he was putting out music independently and performing on the local scene. He also did some modeling; he had a cover on one of those harlequin romance-type books, he had a small part in a music video, he did some commercials, etc. He eventually earned his SAG card and he still does some repeat commercial work for one of the companies he's worked with for years. He's in his late 40's now, has a kid, and his focus is now real estate. He has no regrets and has always supported himself. He did move back home once, for a year, to save money before his big move to LA. But he worked full time, contributed to the household, and was never a burden to his mother.

[Anonymous]

1. Have a backup plan if you don't make it as an actor.
2. Realize that even if you do make it as a working actor, it probably will not be the type of actor you see in the movies/tv and attending the Oscars. I have a friend who made it as a working actress and she has had a very steady stream of work playing "mom" roles in commercials and doing voiceover and other work for products targeted at middle-aged and older women--ads for things like swiffers, pet food, vitamins, etc. She does a TON of these. In fact, her career actually boomed in her 40s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do they want to be poor?
Because there's probably a 99% chance of that happening if they intend to go that route professionally.
OTH, if the parents have deep pockets and want to provide the safety net, then sure, tell them to follow their dreams.

But if they hit it just right, they could be very wealthy. Go for it, kid. Have a back up plan, but go for it.

[Anonymous]

I’ve told my kids we will pay for their Bachelor’s degrees. That will be our last major gift to them. I don’t care what they do afterwards as long as they’re 100% self-supporting. The expectation is that they’ll complete at least a BA, barring special needs and/or health issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1. Have a backup plan if you don't make it as an actor.
2. Realize that even if you do make it as a working actor, it probably will not be the type of actor you see in the movies/tv and attending the Oscars. I have a friend who made it as a working actress and she has had a very steady stream of work playing "mom" roles in commercials and doing voiceover and other work for products targeted at middle-aged and older women--ads for things like swiffers, pet food, vitamins, etc. She does a TON of these. In fact, her career actually boomed in her 40s.

This is so cool! I have always thought it would be fun to play a crotchety old person in commercials. Lucrative, too.