Perhaps it’s always been your dream to be an actor or actress, but life seemed to get in the way and now you fear that it’s too late and you’re too old to get started? Firstly, there is no such thing as being ‘too old’ to get into acting and secondly, it’s never too late!
While the idea of getting started may feel daunting and intimidating, if it’s something you really want, you won’t let anything stand in your way. Here is your ultimate guide to starting as an actor later in life.
There’s No Such Thing as Being ‘Too Old’
While you may think your golden years are long gone, the truth is that there are plenty of actors and actresses who got started later in life and now enjoy great success. Samuel L. Jackson, Jane Lynch, Morgan Freeman, Kathy Bates, and Alan Rickman weren’t household names in their twenties and are now some of the most well-known faces on the silver screen.
You too can also find success with acting at a later age, as long as you have confidence, persistence, and patience.
How to Get Started
While you may be excited to be the next ‘big thing’, you don’t want to go overboard at first and all you’ll need is two things to get started. Firstly, get your headshots done and secondly, sign up for a part-time acting class to help build confidence – you can always play best online pokies Australia on your mobile if it’s boring.
This will help you figure out if acting is something you really want to do and whether you should invest any further time and money into this pursuit.
Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway
Once you’ve attended a few classes and have a few headshots to show, you’ll need to attend your first audition. While you’ll likely be surrounded by people who seem like they’ve been doing this their whole lives and this can be easily intimidating, but you should feel the fear and do it anyway.
Don’t allow anxiety to overtake you and simply go in and show them what you can do. If you’re prepared you’ll have nothing to worry about.
Keep Acting as a Pastime at First
We would not recommend quitting your job and getting a small loan to start your acting career as there are simply no guarantees that it will work out, no matter how determined you are! Patience is imperative for actors and actresses – no matter the age – so you should keep acting as a pastime at first.
You may indeed get your ‘big break’, but don’t start typing your letter of resignation from your day job until it happens.
Build Up Your Portfolio
If you want to build up your acting portfolio, there’s nothing wrong with creating your own work. Why not put a play together to present at a local theatre or shoot a short film to submit to film festivals? You want to get your face out there, so why not take matters into your own hands?
