To dream of becoming an actress?

[BlackAppleCore]

Even though I'm 36?

Have always dreamt of it. I think I'd be good at it as I can completely become a different character/persona at will and can take on completely fake emotion to the point that I can convince myself that I'm upset etc. I know it's unrealistic now but HOW unrealistic is it?

It depends what sort of thing you're aiming for! Being a member of a local am-dram group - sure. Breaking into Hollywood? Less likely. Give it a go though!

Join a drama club and find out?

No-one here can really tell you because so many people who are interested in acting, think they are good at it.

In truth, they often really overdo the fake emotion or they can only do 'horror' and 'sadness'.

A drama club should help you find out and even if it turns out you're not good enough, at least the club will be fun.

Bill Ward became an actor aged 33 after pursuing a career in advertising so it's doable I suppose but it takes more than a persona.

Liam Cunningham started acting in his 30's www.dublinlive.ie/news/celebs/game-thrones-star-liam-cunningham-12764350

It really depends what you mean by 'become an actor'. Your odds of ever making a living out of it are low. I know a few people who have blown serious amounts of money trying to establish themselves (unsuccessfully). On the other hand if you mean as an amateur, crack on and dive in - there are tons of opportunities.

Is that you Theresa?

I just joined a local am-dram group and I will be 41 soon!! I am absolutely loving it. I don't expect to be on stage or screen but just to be able to get on the stage again (and 'proper' one at that!) Is fantastic. Give it a go OP!

Oops, obviously I will be on a stage!

Think I read somewhere that 90% plus of actors/actresses are unemployed at anyone time and most who do work don't earn that much. Not everyone gets the £20m a part that some Hollywood stars do

wait

Just join an am dram group.

However it is more than just making faces and convincing yourself you're upset.

I am going to have to wear some sort of showgirl outfit whilst singing, dancing AND WALKING DOWN STAIRS at the same time. I can neither dance nor walk very well to say the least, and singing needs to be worked on. I am cacking my whack, but you know what? I have loved every minute of it so far. Take the bull by the horns and go for it, I say. Otherwise you will possibly be left with this 'what if' feeling. I hate the 'rolo' thing but it does seem applicable here

Um, going by the way you talk about it in your OP, you e a snowball's chance in hell.

Sorry, but YABU.

Bit harsh inlove no need to be so dismissive. The OP's post probably hasn't come across particularly humble, but she did ask for advice

is this a bit of a phase or is it something that you have always wanted to do?

sometimes especially in middle age or certainly as it starts looming there is this sort of could of/should of/would of thing that overwhelms you a bit and you start thinking its too late to be a.... footballer/opera singer/surgeon or whatever. is this you?

look if you want to do it then of course you can give it a shot but you need to get into your local am dram and look at a course to give you some experience.

from what I understand it being an actor is all about contacts - who you know, getting known etc.

don't underestimate what a slog it will be but that doesn't mean you shouldn't give it a proper go but a proper go not a half hearted sort of thing.

...mine could possibly be a middle age thing to be honest. I always wanted to be an actress but never had enough talent. So now, I just think fuck it, I am going to give it a go my parents put me firmly in my place at 13 What's the worst that can happen?

It's not unrealistic, providing you're aware that you'll also need another job to support yourself in the early days (and possibly always!)

Get yourself along to an acting class. If you enjoy it, and are good at it, you can get a showreel put together and send it off to agents. Try & get some experience by doing some amateur dramatics, or some local profit share theatre. If you want to be taken seriously then you'll need to join something called The Spotlight, which is a directory of professional actors, and is around £150 a year.

Good luck!! There's no shelf life with acting.

There's no point sending a showreel to an agent when she has no experience.

Why imperial? Otherwise how do other people do it? I'm not being sarky there btw

Google Liz Smith. She got her first major role age 49.

Well, at that age then most actors will have around 20 years of experience. It's a career where people improve with experience, isn't it? And Liz Smith is very much the exception, I would have thought.

I'd recommend joining amateur dramatics and seeing how it goes.

You can only join Spotlight with proof of professional work or having trained at an acccredited drama school when you get drama school leaver status. It is indeed a professional directory and therefore there are restrictions on who is allowed to enter - it isn't just a case of paying up and off you go.

OP - I have worked in this industry for over 30 years and whilst I would never say you won't achieve your dream you need to think very seriously about it. When I first came in to the business it was 90% of actors out of work at any given time. Now Equity reckons about 98%. Since I have been in the industry Spotlight has gone from 2 books per sex with 2 actors to a page to the point where, when they stopped publishing the actual books recently, they were up to 8 books per sex with 4 actors to each page. It is a hugely over-saturated market.

Both the people cited earlier in the thread as having come in in their 30s were men. This is because it is intrinsically a deeply sexist business and the ages that women find toughest are their 30s and 40s. To start untrained and in your 30s would be extremely brave. There are very, very many women who are very talented and who have gone through an accredited drama school so are known to casting directors and who will have agents, for whom all work dries up at this point even if they have already had a reasonable career.

I would absolutely ageee with others on this thread - enjoy the local am-dram and carry on with your day job. Even if you do decide to become an actor you will need a day job.

It is difficult to make any living.

Imperial I have friends who were taken on by agents straight off the back of decent acting classes & a decent showreel. One is doing great, getting non stop work. Obviously, the big name agencies would never consider it, but smaller agencies would.

Yes, I should have clarified that you need experience before you can apply to become a Spotlight member. A couple of small credits will do, as far as I can remember.

But the OP hasn't had acting classes and doesn't have a showreel! That's completely different.

Never too late.. go for it