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Original poster

To wonder why so many actors are often unemployed when there are so many plays, TV etc being made?

62 replies

Jane379 · 03/07/2026 21:15

I love plays, musicals etc and I was recently thinking : there's clearly a huge amount of theatre shows, TV etc happening. And presumably there must be a limited pool of actors given that its reputation of being hard to make a living from surely puts many people off who would otherwise want to try.

Obviously many people will not be able to have a big part but why are so many actors unemployed often compared to other jobs? Are the same people being cast again and again for nepotistic or other reasons? Are there other explanations?

OP posts:
Original poster
Jane379 · 03/07/2026 21:34

BeaPerry · 03/07/2026 21:26

Or no one took it further because they did not gain employment -

its notoriously competitive with a
huge pool of trained performers/ actors and a lot of the shows will be drawing from an international pool,

only a tiny fraction will be gainfully employed in the industry in reality

Show quote history

a lot of the shows will be drawing from an international pool,

  • this is interesting, I wonder what impact globalisation has had? Before probably this factor at least would have been less though obviously it was still competitive.
OP posts:
XenoBitch · 03/07/2026 21:30

Uh, more actors wanting roles than there are roles.
I

TheCandidPoet · 03/07/2026 21:27

Because the money men want a 'name', to guarantee return on their investment. That's why you see the same actors over and over again in film and tv. It's incredibly difficult for even seasoned supporting actors to get anything these days, let alone newcomers.

Bulbsbulbsbulbs · 03/07/2026 21:27

Too many actors, not enough parts. It's as simple as that.

Of the 30 people in my year at drama school only 3 had any sort of career. Even then, you are looking at working for maybe 12 weeks a year and that's success!

BeaPerry · 03/07/2026 21:26

Jane379 · 03/07/2026 21:20

A huge number, though? I suppose I'm going from my experience at school & university which both had strong drama departments but virtually no one who took it further as a career due to concerns about employment.

Edited
Show quote history

Or no one took it further because they did not gain employment -

its notoriously competitive with a
huge pool of trained performers/ actors and a lot of the shows will be drawing from an international pool,

only a tiny fraction will be gainfully employed in the industry in reality

SockQueen · 03/07/2026 21:26

Jane379 · 03/07/2026 21:20

A huge number, though? I suppose I'm going from my experience at school & university which both had strong drama departments but virtually no one who took it further as a career due to concerns about employment.

Edited
Show quote history

Obviously enough still want to pursue it though! Enough people think the risk is worth the potential reward.

AuntyBulgaria · 03/07/2026 21:22

There are so few paying jobs, but there are 1000s and 1000s of wannabe actors.

Also so many productions pay so poorly if at all that actors earn more money in other temp work. An unemployed actor probably has another form of employment.

InterestedDad37 · 03/07/2026 21:22

SockQueen · 03/07/2026 21:16

There are more people wanting to be actors than there are jobs? It's not rocket science.

Competition is equally fierce in the field of rocket science, I believe 😉 🎭 🚀

Original poster
Jane379 · 03/07/2026 21:20

SockQueen · 03/07/2026 21:16

There are more people wanting to be actors than there are jobs? It's not rocket science.

A huge number, though? I suppose I'm going from my experience at school & university which both had strong drama departments but virtually no one who took it further as a career due to concerns about employment.

OP posts:
PinkArt · 03/07/2026 21:17

There is an unlimited pool of actors. A huge, ocean of them. Vast, vast numbers!
Behind the scenes jobs in TV easily get a hundred applicants per position and ours are less oversubscribed than on screen jobs!

Kepler22B · 03/07/2026 21:17

What a strange question. There are limited jobs and lots of people want them.

SockQueen · 03/07/2026 21:16

There are more people wanting to be actors than there are jobs? It's not rocket science.

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