Actor
Portray characters on stage or in recorded or filmed productions including television shows, commercials, radio and online.
Job opportunities
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Jobs in SEEK right nowJob growth
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5-year projectionSalary
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Typical salaryJob satisfaction
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Job opportunities
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Jobs in SEEK right nowSalary
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Typical salaryJob growth
-
5-year projectionJob satisfaction
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On this page
- What's it like to be an Actor?
- How to become an Actor
- Top skills and experience for Actors
- Is Actor the right role for you?
- Actor role reviews
What's it like to be an Actor?
An Actor is a performer who portrays characters on stage and in recorded or filmed productions such as television shows, commercials, movies, radio, theatre and online.
Tasks and duties
- Attend auditions and casting calls for roles, learn scripts and parts, rehearse lines, cues and gestures
- Prepare for roles by undertaking research about a character, the historical setting or a character’s patterns of speech
- Network and liaise with agents, managers, industry contacts, venue managers and others involved in various productions.
How to become an Actor
Formal qualifications are not necessary to work as an Actor in Australia, however the skills and contacts gained through formal training are likely to increase your employability. Auditions and/or previous acting experience are the most common pathways in which to be accepted into a course.
- Consider undertaking professional training, such as at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) or similar performance academies. These are usually three-year undergraduate programs.
- Ensure you have professional headshots taken that you can take to auditions or send to agents and casting directors. Consider joining the actors’ union Actors’ Equity, which provides support, public liability and useful information for actors.
Latest Actor jobs on SEEK
Be one of the first to discover these recently listed jobs, or browse all Actor jobs on SEEK right now.Did you find this helpful?
Skills and experience employers are looking for
Having the right skills and experience can make you an in-demand applicant. Actor employers on SEEK are looking for job seekers with expertise in the following areas. Makeup Technology
Entertaining
Comedy Arts
Entertainment Industry
Diplomacy
Health and Safety Legislation
Safety Systems
Fashion
Child Care
Story Telling
Source: SEEK job ads and SEEK Profile data
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Latest Actor reviews
Feb 2025
Acting is the freedom to express yourself within the boundaries, which is the story
Experience5 – 9 years
Organisation sizeSmall (1-19 employees)
SpecialisationAdvertising, Arts & Media
The good thingsYou have to give auditions and be able to handle rejection because you don’t always get selected for the job, but you never lose Hope you’ve got to keep trying till you nail that gig.
The challengesThe hardest part of being an actor is you don’t always get the gig. You never know what the director is looking for and what they are casting for so you have to give it your best shot, but you have to...
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Oct 2018
Actors are a nesessary part of society’s self reflection, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.
Reviewer's QualificationBachelor of Fine Arts (Acting)
Experience5 – 9 years
Organisation sizeI'm self-employed
The good thingsThe best part of being an actor is being able to tell important stories and having fun playing characters that are both challenging and creatively fulfilling.
The challengesThe biggest challenges is finding a sustainable work/life balance. As for the job itself, the challenge is always finding the truth in the roles you play.
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Help people decide if your job is right for them - it only takes a few minutes.Source: SEEK role reviews
SEEK has not verified the truth or accuracy of these comments and does not adopt or endorse any of the comments posted on this page.SEEK collects and posts the comments for what they are worth and for information purposes only to assist candidates to find employment through www.seek.com.au
