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

[Anonymous]

I wrote a college guide and a career book for your kid. When I did public speaking I said to get an RN so they can audition during the day and do night nurse shifts 3 days a week.

Also, double major in drama and something else. They can also pursue k-12 teaching and higher education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My friends kid got signed by Disney at 18 for a 3 year deal at a flat one million a year. Went to college at 21

Ok but what was their preparation that led up to that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to NYU twenty years ago and was friends with lots of actors in Tisch. I know of exactly two who had decent careers in acting, one of whom is a nepo (her father is a famous actor).

Of those I knew the best:
1. Ex-GF: she interned at Vogue in college, now has a very successful career as a celebrity stylist, 100K+ followers on IG. Came from a very wealthy family, was always more interested in fashion than acting.
2. Successful friend #1: landed a recurring role on a very popular TV show in the mid and late 00s. Now works in local theater in LA, occasionally has bit roles, did some independent film. From the Midwest, working class background (like Jenna Fischer....but way less success)
3. Successful friend #2: father is a famous actor. She had some buzz after leaving NYU, did some Broadway stuff. Not acting a bunch these days, I think she's doing the mom thing.
4. Working local actor: teaches high school theater, does a lot of work in community theater in her home town (acting, directing, producing). Seems to love it the most out of our friend group. LMC background.
5. Working actor: moved to LA, has about 15 credits on IMDB in small roles. Works in the SAG union and very involved in union affairs. I think SAG union is her real fulltime job. Middle class background.
6. My former roommate: moved to LA after NYU, never really motivated. Last I heard, he was working at a gym in LA. Comes from an insanely wealthy family and has a big trust fund.
7. Middle Class Friend #1: stayed in NYC, became a professional recruiter. Nothing really happened with acting career.
8. Middle Class Friend #2: moved back to hometown, did MLM and became SAHM. Nothing really happened with acting career.

I think you're more likely to eek out a living as a working actor these days with the rise of streaming platforms (vs. 20 years ago when you were just vying to get on cable or broadcast TV). My suggestion?

1. Don't go to college
2. Take acting classes at Stella Adler, Meisner, Atlantic School, Lee Strasberg acting academies
3. Get an agent
4. Audition, audition, audition
5. Take some writing classes and start writing scripts. Studios wants someone who can create and act. It's all about content creation.
6. Develop a backup skill that allows you to WFH or has flexible hours to pay the bills.

Did you know Hilaria Thomas Baldwin?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wrote a college guide and a career book for your kid. When I did public speaking I said to get an RN so they can audition during the day and do night nurse shifts 3 days a week.

Also, double major in drama and something else. They can also pursue k-12 teaching and higher education.

What if they don't have the math skills to be a nurse?

[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.

Great advice. You can be supportive without being irrational.

[Anonymous]

I went to high school with Flo from the Progressive commercials.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wrote a college guide and a career book for your kid. When I did public speaking I said to get an RN so they can audition during the day and do night nurse shifts 3 days a week.

Also, double major in drama and something else. They can also pursue k-12 teaching and higher education.

What if they don't have the math skills to be a nurse?

Did they attend elementary school? It’s just basic arithmetic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Great advice. You can be supportive without being irrational.

My first boss was a Juilliard/Princeton grad (dancer) who transitioned to arts administration in her 30s. Very waspy family I think her ex was essentially American aristocracy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Great advice. You can be supportive without being irrational.

My first boss was a Juilliard/Princeton grad (dancer) who transitioned to arts administration in her 30s. Very waspy family I think her ex was essentially American aristocracy.

So, honest question, if a child is a Juilliard-level student, is that different?

I don’t know much about going to school for performing arts, but grew up in Baltimore and going to Peabody has some cache, but it’s still seen as a gamble. Like wow you must be really talented, but is there a better job prospect? I guess to me it proves more that you have talent but not so much that it will translate into job security. Is having that school on a resume a better indicator that one could moved into something like administration? What about moving to charitable giving?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wrote a college guide and a career book for your kid. When I did public speaking I said to get an RN so they can audition during the day and do night nurse shifts 3 days a week.

Also, double major in drama and something else. They can also pursue k-12 teaching and higher education.

What if they don't have the math skills to be a nurse?

I would still advise double majoring, but if someone wants to audition during the day after college, they are going to have something to do that. Pays the bills while they’re auditioning. If someone wouldn’t have the skills to get an RN, which is not ideal type of job for night shift work, then they could be a security guard with a night shift they could possibly be a copy editor at a newspaper, or some kind of publication with a night shift and they can also start their own business doing photography or something like that so they can control their own hours. It is literally not hard anymore to make money, not working a regular job due to the Internet because you can go directly to consumers unlike the past.

[Anonymous]

Your child will thrive as a politician, manager, corporate senior leadership team, or an accidental trainer.

I say, "Go for it!"

[Anonymous]

King Charles wanted to be an actor.

[Anonymous]

Who can forget in the film Dead Poets Society, when the son wants to be an actor?

[Anonymous]

Dealing with this now with DC

[Anonymous]

I understand this is an old thread...

But today, I'd tell them have you seen Gemini VEO-3? Good luck!