A Star Is Not Born: Realistically Planning a Future as an Actress

When you think of actors, you probably think of the glitz and glam of Hollywood. It is a career many desire to have because of this initial perception. Who does not want to live the lavish life of an actor? Who does not want to get paid to basically play dress up? The truth is acting is much more, and less, than that. In fact, there are almost no two actors with the same exact journey to where they are. The career itself is very subjective, which is quite the scary thought to many including myself. Since I was a kid, acting is all I wanted to do. However, I have also always been someone who enjoys stability and consistent next steps, which is why I have been terrified at the idea of pursuing acting for so long. It is not a career that guarantees success. It is not even a career that has one definition of success. What is not shown behind the flashing lights and the glamour is what it truly takes to “make it”. Like I said, there are different variations of “making it” as well. Because of this idea that a career in acting is not all one thing, I wanted to find the commonalities. Are there things anyone who wants to be an actor, whether it is theater, film, television, or commercial acting, can do to increase their chances for success? What are the steps necessary to be taken seriously in this industry? In this thesis, I am going to explore the intricacies of this career to try to answer these questions.