How many actors make it big: 60 Photos
Actors Who Made It Later In Life | photo paintings
Why Most Actors Dont Make It
19 Actors Whose Careers Were Destroyed Just As photo frames
Videos
Bill Duke Explains Why Most Actors Fail In Hollywood
David Harbour, Edie Falco & Jeff Daniels Teach You How to Make it in Hollywood | Vanity Fair
Matt Damon Talks About What it Takes to Succeed as an Actor
Actors Who Started Their Career Late
What Actors Were Doing Before They Made It photos
FAQs
What are your odds of making it in the film industry? According to a comprehensive study that examined 2,408,501 performers, “as low as 2% of actors are able to make a living out of acting.” Note the “make a living” part—we're not even talking about becoming the next Brad Pitt or Margot Robbie.
Is it hard to become an actor? It's important that you're prepared for the reality of this business: as an actor, there's no guarantee of success in the traditional sense. Sure, making it big is about talent—but it's also about having good luck and the right connections.
In reality, the failure rate for actors is high. According to the Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), approximately 90% of actors are unemployed at any given time. Additionally, only 2% of actors make enough money to support themselves solely through acting.
For while both male and female actors peak between 30 and 39, and while the 40s remain fertile territory for all actors, there's a definite gender skewing towards older male actors and younger female actors. Almost 25% of female actors book most of their roles in their 20s, against 11.6% of male actors.
Becoming a famous actor doesn't happen overnight. Knowing how to become an actor is hard work, and actually becoming a successful actor is even harder. That being said, it's important to keep realistic expectations.