The most important advice I have for young actors is not pleasant:
No one has your back.
They'll say they do. They might even help along the way a bit. The moment it's your ass or theirs, though, there will be zero hesitation before they turn on you.
I have to watch a popular VA preach being a friend to everyone when they have personally thrown me under the bus for their own ego and clout. It’s frustrating.
Speaking as someone who has interviewed 200+ actors for my podcast, I am shocked at the backstage politics that are prevalent in the acting world. And not just on camera, but VO as well.
I’m genuinely surprised that anyone is able to build lifelong friendships with actors.
You sure have spawned A Discourse here. I've had a mix of experiences from the exceedingly kind and uplifting to being deeply insulted, but your post has challenged me to do some self-reflecting to make sure I know the boundary between lowering the ladder for others and enabling poor behavior.
I believe in people. I have to. In the grand scheme of things, we aren't as bad as all this.
But actors. Whew.
Think about it. It's a group of people who can't watch a simple tv show without thinking "it should be me."
You. cannot. trust them.
"There's been a load of compromising On the road to my horizon But I'm gonna be where the lights are shinin' on me"
Buncha rhinestone cowboys, and you're going to end up being one of those compromises if you don't watch your own back.
I remember being used as an example as the only person on my performing course who'd worked that out. They were all stepping aside to give each other opportunities etc. and the principal sat them down like "y'all need to realise you'll be on your own out there".
