What do commercial actors and celebrities have in common?

Recently, I had the opportunity to attend a few FYC (For Your Consideration) screening events through the TV Academy, where there were panel discussions after the screenings and I was in awe of being in the same room as so many well-known actors who enjoy acting in creative television shows.

Remember when celebrities wouldn't appear on TV shows because they felt it was an assault on their dignity?

Times have certainly changed, and now even famous people feel privileged to work on the stage, and the results are in our hands in the form of so many great roles being created for working actors and so many great shows being produced for us all to enjoy.

While participating in the panel, I was struck by how humble and grateful all the celebrities were. As they shared their stories of joy, fear, anxiety, etc., at one point I had an “aha moment” – what they were saying was the same thing every actor I work with every day experiences.

If you, as a working actor, think you have nothing in common with famous people, think again, because I'm sure you can all relate to the things mentioned here.

Self-recorded first audition

In many discussions, self-taping was taken for granted, for example, “I made certain choices for my first self-taped audition,” or “After I turned in my first self-taped audition, I realized I'd done something different than usual.”For an actor, their first audition is a self-tape recording.

Acting Coach

Celebrities don't go to acting coaches to learn how to act, but they work with them to help them figure out what choices to make. Acting coaches break down the story and coach the actor scene by scene. Every actor needs to have a support system and a coach they can trust.

An actor never rests on his laurels

Celebrities feel that they are only as good as their last job and that when their next role comes along they have to perform at their best again.

Celebrities get nervous too

Every celebrity we've spoken to so far has shared that they felt nervous at the beginning of their in-person meeting with the director, which is the professional acting equivalent of a callback. Actors all get a little nervous, but they know how to channel that nervousness into positive energy.

Looking forward to your reservation

She also spoke of her fears, such as, “Will the director end up choosing another actor over me, someone he's worked with in the past?” This is the same as it is for any professional actor who knows they're competing with other big names.

The result is unknown.

Celebrities can be very surprised by the impact the characters they play have on the storyline and success of their TV series. For current actors, how many times have you been pleasantly surprised by the characters you've played? The answer is: A lot.

Gratitude for work and being on the job

All of the actors are particular about the details on set, love their jobs, and appreciate their fellow actors who they work with.

Why am I writing this? I love the idea that an actor is and always will be an actor, no matter what level they are at. Every professional actor loves to savor the time they are working on a project, to have enough time to do what they want creatively, to feel their passion, and to know that there is nothing else they could or would rather be doing.

Thank you to all our viewers for providing us with such great content.

Did you know your Casting Networks Premium Membership now includes health and wellness perks and discounts? Click here to learn more about Thrive.

You may also like: