Actor - axed once cast

[mooneus]

May be a tricky one for most to offer advice on, but I work as an actor. Last week I was cast in a role, we had our first rehearsal and today I received a phone call to say 'after careful consideration we don't think you're right for the role'.

When I received the call I was in a public space and didn't want to get angry over the phone, but I'm absolutely devastated. When I arrived at rehearsal it was clear that I was perhaps not as experienced as the rest of the cast. I think this made me a bit nervous and I did stutter over a bit of the script when reading. But I know from experience once I know the lines I'm fine. I kind of feel this was a rash decision and I wasn't really given a fair chance. However, I do understand that if they thought it wasn't working then its best to pull the plug.

They did offer to pay me for the day of rehearsal and said they would give me 'priority' when it came to casting future shows. However, I am in two minds about working with them again. I do appreciate them being honest and upfront with me, but at the same time I feel like I wasn't given a chance, when I know I can do better. Is it fair to sack someone on the first day of the job?

Any thoughts?

Sorry you didn't get the role, but I think it's a stretch you thinking you were 'sacked'. In paid employment, in any case you can be let go without reason after a day, so I can't see how your acting role was any different. At least they were honest and let you go quickly

Were you on contract with them? What did that contract say about notice?

Re taking the call in a public place, that was hardly their fault. You could have asked them to wait while you found a more private place to take their call.

Oh, gosh. Acting is such a brutal world. My advice is don't burn your bridges. Thank them for the opportunity and if they offer to cast you again, go for it. A lot of work in acting comes from good connections and building profession contacts. They don't have the time and resources to give someone a try, and people get cut all the time for many reasons. Try not to take it personally and keep trying.

It's fair in this context, sorry. There just isn't time to work with someone who isn't getting it in rehearsal, and a whole day - so 8 hours? - is long enough to get a sense of whether you're right and whether they can direct you. They must have felt they couldn't. Sometimes a cast doesn't work together, and it's not a negative judgment on your abilities but a reflection of that. E.g., the leads are giving big comic performances and you're going for naturalistic. Definitely don't burn any bridges, perhaps say you feel you were under par and would love a chance to show them a better performance. Then try to forget about it.

I don't know the industry but I would assume it to be pretty common. Someone is given a part at audition but after a few hours of rehearsals it becomes clear the fit isn't right. Must happen all the time.

It's gutting isn't it. I think you just have to shrug it off and give yourself a pat on the back for obviously being good enough for them to have offered you the part in the first place. As a pp said it really isn't necessarily a criticism of your ability, it can just be that once they'd seen everyone together your energy/face/voice wasn't the right fit. If it makes you feel any better I was supposed to go to a costume fitting this morning for an ad but got the call last night to say I'd been dropped. No idea why but guess someone else was a better match for what they wanted or they eliminated the role I was supposed to play. Happens all the time. Don't burn your bridges.

How experienced are you as an actor? You need to have the hide of a rhino. If you want a definitive legal position on this, you could contact your union - assuming you are a member of Equity? I don't want to say exactly what I do but I have worked with a lot of "resting" actors in a related profession (no, not call centres! :-)) and this kind of thing would be water off a duck's back. If you are experienced, I am surprised that you are dwelling on this, if you are inexperienced I'm afraid there is lots more to come like this.

Presumably it isn't the first time you've been let go?

I couldn't be an actor or a sales-person skin like tissue paper

"Break a leg" for your next audition, as they say in the acting profession!

I would make a good actor though as I'm massively superstitious