All your actor related feeds in one place  •  Actor's Forum

Log in to Actor's Forum to favorite the posts you're interested in and discard the ones you don't want to see again.
Access filtering functionality, search and more... It's FREE!

We have found 20,070 posts across 4 actor forums:

The 5 w's of acting by Timothy Miller  •  last post Feb 16th

When you’re trying to get into character, you’ve gotta nail down the 5 W’s. It’s basically the quickest way to stop 'acting' and start actually being the person.


Who: Who are you even playing? Who’s in the room with you, and how are they messing with your head?

What: What’s actually going on? What are you doing with your hands, and what’s the internal vibe or feeling?

When: What’s the timing? Is it 3 AM and you're tired, or the 1920s?

Where: Where are you hanging out? And where are you trying to get to next?

Why: This is the big one. Why are you doing any of this? What’s the goal you’re chasing?

Once you wrap your head around these, the character starts to feel real. It’s not just lines on a page anymore;
you actually get what drives them, which makes your performance way more natural.

best~
Timothy Miller 

Finding your truth by Suzanne Bronson  •  last post Feb 16th

 We all have different backgrounds and different training. We have different ways of approaching a character and different interpretations of the same character. So actors:


What does it mean to "find your truth" in a performance? Is it about being yourself, or finding a version of yourself that fits the character?

For me, I would say it is finding a version of myself that fits the character. If I can understand why my character is making the choices she is making, then I can find a version of myself that fits that character. How would I, behave if these were the circumstances of my life? 

What is your favorite Robert Duvall movie? by Sam Sokolow  •  last post Feb 16th

Few actors have been in more great movies, and brought such integrity and authenticity to every single role. Wow - what a career. What's your favorite Robert Duvall movie of all time? I have a big list, but I have to start with "The Godfather". What's yours?

2 Business Strategies Acting Schools Don't Teach by Aaron Marcus  •  last post Feb 16th

2 Business Strategies Acting Schools Don't Teach

https://youtu.be/_XX-CVjMrig

If you made interesting business decisions that helped your career, share them here and on the channel so we can learn from you.

Cast Yourself First...The Industry Follows: Create Your Own Work by Juliana Philippi  •  last post Feb 13th

Dear Heart Players,


I don't know about you, but as I went to acting summer camps, got my BFA, and continued studying, working, and learning as an actor, this one phrase was repeated "ad nauseum":

"Create your own work"

Right? And, to be frank, it irritated the living daylights out of me! I thought it was ridiculous, that I had to create work, shorts, characters, shoot films, but how?! It irked me...why am I preparing to act, when now it seems I have to be a freakin' filmmaker!

...Yes...you are a filmmaker.

When the pandemic hit, I literally had every security, every single part of my life I thought was "set and stable", washed away right down the toilet. But, right here...

I started creating my own work. Yup, all alone, with barely any money ( well, no money ), no glamorous sets, and almost no sense of what the heck I was doing.

Yet, it started...my mindset began shifting...from "Waiting, sitting down...waiting for someone to give me a chance"...to "I am the chance, I take a chance on me...I am casting myself in this role in this short film..."

CAST YOURSELF FIRST. Then...well, casting directors, producers, actors, the industry will see you, and start to bet on you too. But, you have to bet on yourself first.

What characters do you dream of playing? Cast yourself.
All alone, no friends (like I was), just yourself, your phone, and a tripod? Me too.
Not a writer? Don't need to be. We are actors, we are...already...born with the imagination, and the tools writers want FROM us.

For example: I love playing women who are passed over, downtrodden, servile, yet are quietly...watching...plotting...dreaming...and become someone entirely different by the end of the film. 

I shot and acted in a short recently, doing just that, while also using my unique and special talents, and passion, for flamenco and salsa dance, among many.

Maid Dances : https://www.stage32.com/media/4002458460795970304

Right now, with just your tripod, phone, and the unique set of passions, skills and emotions you have, what can you shoot, and cast yourself in?

Anything goes ladies and gents...unlock your imagination...

CREATE YOUR OWN WORK


Who is your Role Model? by Suzanne Bronson  •  last post Feb 12th

As artists, there many things that inspire us. We have other actors/writers/directors who we look to as role models or are on a career trajectory that we would like/admire. So I ask you fellow actors, who is your biggest role model or inspiration in the industry and why? 


For me, early on I would say Meg Ryan. She played the type of characters that I could see myself playing. That, of course, has changed since I have aged. I would say now, someone who inspires me is Reese Witherspoon. An actress my age, who has also managed a family and a production company. She knows longevity is key and not an easy thing for actresses over 40. 

I would really love to know who inspires you, male and female. GO!



The Surreality of Acting by Dennis Cherry  •  last post Feb 12th

Surrealism has been a significant influence on acting, particularly in the realm of theatre. It encourages actors to explore the subconscious mind and access new emotional depths, leading to more authentic and innovative performances. With A.I algorithms being programmed to take over the creative processes of the craft, what other platforms outside of established studios can we truly create? 

Remembering James Van Der Beek by Ashley Renee Smith  •  last post Feb 11th

I’m honestly heartbroken writing this.

James Van Der Beek has passed away at 48 after his battle with colorectal cancer. Hollywood is pouring out tributes, and reading them has been both beautiful and devastating. Sarah Michelle Gellar called it “a huge loss,” Chad Michael Murray spoke about his humanity and impact, and so many others have shared how deeply he touched their lives. It’s one of those moments where you feel the ripple effect of an artist in real time.

You can read their tributes here: https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/james-van-der-beek-death-tributes-1236659903/ 

As a kid, I was a massive Dawson’s Creek fan. I grew up in a small town where pursuing film wasn’t exactly a common career path, and I was the kid who was obsessed with movies anyway. Friends and family used to compare me to Dawson Leery. Sometimes it was because I wouldn’t stop talking about film. Sometimes it was because I fell in love with my best friend. It was always said with a smile, and I always took it as a compliment.

Then years later, when James was cast in Pose, I was blown away. Suddenly, this actor who had shaped part of my teenage identity was involved in a project I was actually part of. That felt surreal. Full circle. Like some strange, beautiful merging of the fan and the professional worlds.

I just wish I had taken the opportunity to meet him in person when I had the chance.

Reading that he met his final days with “courage, faith, and grace” makes the loss feel even heavier. Forty-eight is so young. A husband. A father. An artist who kept evolving and surprising us. From teen drama lead to sharp comedic self-parody to layered dramatic work, he never stopped stretching.

But what strikes me most in the tributes is how many people called him kind. Grounded. Generous. One of the good guys.

That’s the real impact.

For those of you who grew up with Dawson’s Creek, worked with James, or were inspired by his work, I’d love to hear: What role of his stayed with you the most?

That Performance...: What's your Favorite Acting Interpretation...Right Now? by Juliana Philippi  •  last post Feb 10th

February...is moving fast, y'all. Alla vamos gente...actores!  Pregunta:

What's that performance, in Spanish we call it "la interpretacion", which translates as "interpretation" , that just fires you up, and makes you remember why on Earth, you would ever want to be an actor?

I actually like "interpretation" way better, because it already puts us, as translators of a character, we speak for them, we are connected with them, to them. Performance, sometimes feels like we are "putting on", "trying", "thinking about instead of being", separate from the character... I digress...

For the moment, because there have been so many that just move me and inspire me, awe me, the work of Emma Stone in "Bugonia". I mean...it's freakin' insane, raw, visceral, out there, grounded, and totally and completely, unexpectedly human.

Adding in a close second, is Helen Mirren in "Goobye June", an absolutely gorgeous movie actually written by Kate Winslet's son, Joe Anders, and with a stellar ensemble cast including Kate Winslet, Toni Collette, Andrea Riseborough, among other fantastic actors. Helen Mirren plays a woman dying of cancer right before Christmas, and she plays it with such delicacy, simplicity, humanity, and true love, she took my breath away.

Who has made you keep on going, who has lit you up, who has made you want to be an actor, time and time again?

Adam Sandler, Dwayne Johnson, Jacob Elordi, Michael B. Jordan & More at the THR Actor Roundtable by Ashley Renee Smith  •  last post Feb 9th

I just watched The Hollywood Reporter Actor Roundtable, and it’s one of those conversations that feels less like a panel and more like a masterclass in why people keep choosing this career, even when it’s brutal.


Watch the full video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OK0nnxG6dU 

This roundtable brings together Adam Sandler, Dwayne Johnson, Jacob Elordi, Jeremy Allen White, Mark Hamill, Michael B. Jordan, and Wagner Moura. What makes it special isn’t the resumes, it’s how candid they are about fear, doubt, and choosing the cliff over comfort.

A few moments that really stayed with me:
Mark Hamill talking about Star Wars and admitting he had no idea what it was going to be, so he made the choice to play it completely sincere. That decision alone shaped an icon.

Michael B. Jordan unpacking rejection, the power of saying no, and how doing the right work early opens doors later. His reminder that “what’s for me is for me” hit hard.

Adam Sandler reflecting on being trusted with dramatic roles and how playing characters who care deeply actually changes how you show up in your own life.

Jacob Elordi and Jeremy Allen White both talking about injuries, detours, and accidents that redirected their paths, and how seriousness about the craft gave them calm and focus when everything else felt uncertain.

Wagner Moura’s refusal to lose his accent or cultural identity, and how embracing where you come from can be the thing that makes your work resonate globally.

What I loved most is how often they come back to the same idea: preparation matters, but at some point you have to jump. You can’t control how it lands, only whether you show up honestly.

What moment in this conversation hit closest to home for you? Do you believe sincerity still cuts through more than perfection?

No Acting Experience? 2 Resume Secrets That Get You Noticed By Casting Directors & Agents by Aaron Marcus  •  last post Feb 9th

No Acting Experience? 2 Resume Secrets That Get You Noticed By Casting Directors & Agents


https://youtu.be/CZ7jKMNsSgs

Are you creating an acting resume, but don’t have much experience? Let us know if you have any interesting special skills on your resume. Share it here and on the channel so we can learn from you.

Are you observing yourself while you’re speaking? by Angelika Heeg  •  last post Feb 9th

Are you checking yourself while you’re speaking or acting? Do you think about what others might think of you? 

Voice Acting by Jessica Putnam  •  last post Feb 7th

does anyone know or have experience sites that hire voice acting? I am starting to look into it.

The Six Factors Casting Directors Use to Assess Risk (And Why You're Probably Focusing on the Wrong Ones) by Andrew Higgs  •  last post Feb 6th

When actors don't get auditions, they usually assume one of two things: they're not talented enough, or the industry is unfair.

Neither is usually true.
What's actually happening is simpler — and fixable.
Every time a casting director puts an actor forward, they're making an unspoken promise to the director: "This person can do the job." If that promise proves false, the casting director's reputation suffers. If it proves true repeatedly, their career thrives.
So casting directors assess risk. Six specific factors, every time.
Most actors don't know what those factors are. And even the ones who do often tackle them in the wrong order — pursuing agents before they have showreels, networking randomly instead of systematically, taking any work rather than building the specific credits that matter.
It's not a lack of talent. It's a lack of system knowledge.
In my latest article, I break down all six factors and explain why the sequence you address them in matters as much as addressing them at all. 
Read in full here: https://thealchemyofscreenacting.substack.com/p/the-six-factors-casting-directors
Visit: https://thealchemyofscreenacting.com/

Odessa A'zion Audition Tape | Marty Supreme by Pat Alexander  •  last post Feb 5th

From phone booth to the big screen. The self-tape that landed Odessa A'zion her role in MARTY SUPREME.


(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7YYRo0VzEY)

Why you can’t think clearly in stressful situations by Angelika Heeg  •  last post Feb 5th

The mind is ready and suddenly there’s fog. 
Where would you say stress begins?

The Problem-Solving Mindset: What Casting Directors Actually Look For by Andrew Higgs  •  last post Feb 5th

Most actors walk into auditions thinking:

“Am I good enough?”
 “Will they like my choices?”
 “Do I look right for the role?”
After nearly forty years directing actors, I can tell you:
 We’re not thinking about any of that.
< div> The real question in every audition is:
“Will this actor make my job easier — or harder?”
If you’re in the room, talent is already assumed.
 Casting directors have already decided you can act.
What we’re assessing is whether you arrive as:
a solution under pressure, or
another problem to manage.
By the time we’re shooting, time is locked. Budgets are fixed.
 There may be a hundred people standing around waiting for the scene to work.
Actors who work consistently understand this reality without resenting it.
 They arrive with something that already works — and can adjust intelligently.
Actors who struggle often arrive hoping the director will help them find the performance.
The difference isn’t talent.
 It’s preparation.
Careers aren’t built on being impressive.
 They’re built on being reliable under pressure.
I explore this mindset — and why it’s the foundation of a sustainable acting career — in full here: https://thealchemyofscreenacting.substack.com/p/the-problem-solving-mindset-what
Visit: https://thealchemyofscreenacting.com/

Will actors standing in one place while talking in paragraphs keep an audience's attention? by James Woodland  •  last post Feb 4th

https://youtu.be/KlYl9jaHM3g

What is the last you do before your entrance? by Suzanne Bronson  •  last post Feb 4th

Are there rituals or routines that you do before stepping on stage or in front of the camera? What is the last thing you do before your entrance? I always put myself in the moment before. Where am I coming from? Why am I going here?  I would love to hear your answers.

One of those Acting Turning Points -- by Pamela Jaye Smith  •  last post Feb 4th

IT COULD GO EITHER WAY….


Anthropologist Irv Devore used to tell his class: if two human beings look into each other’s eyes anywhere on earth for more than six seconds, then either they’re going to have sex or one of them is going to kill the other one.

“How Common Knowledge Shapes the World” with Steven Pinker
On STAR TALK with Neil DeGrasse Tyson.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTQsOBLEIV8

It’s at minute 26:50