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How old is too old for acting?

By admin on September 15, 2011

I am 31 and plan on pursuing acting. It is something I always wanted to do but didnt because of practical reasons and because my family pushed me not to etc. Long story. But I do love it and i think I’d be good at it. I am even willing to take classes if necessary and all. I look pretty young too – I still get carded for cigarettes and generally dont look my age. But I do wonder, is being in your 30s too old to pursue acting? I mean I dont want to just do community theatre – I am actually hoping to make it to the big screen one day or TV. I dont want to just do this on the side as a hobby but full time. I am fully aware of the risks of the business and people telling you left and right it is hard and impossible etc. I know it is a tough business to be in but still. I dont like what I am doing with my life now and as someone said, “One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure its worth watching…” I want to make it worth..by doing what I like. So what do people think? Am I unrealistic? Do all actors need to start at 16 to make it?

Posted in | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Responses

5 responses to “How old is too old for acting?”

  1. Charlene Appleby
    Charlene Appleby
    September 15, 2011 at 4:42 am |

    No you don’t, You can do acting at any age…get trained up and join a group or drama school….this could possibly lead you to further opportunities :)

    C x

  2. bnk01
    bnk01
    September 15, 2011 at 5:19 am |

    The difficulty of finding acting roles in your 30′s and up – particularly for women – is the stuff of legend. Well known hollywood stars lament how tough it is, how their careers dry up. A handful manage with the few roles out there, some tough it out and revive their careers when they can play the older character roles.

    You are choosing an incredibly difficult goal, at the worst time of your life to try it.
    Go for it. Acting is never easy, and if you let the statistics hold you back, you’ll have to wait for the next life to try again, and reincarnation may or may not actually happen.

    But… don’t spend all your savings trying it – don’t go into debt or lose your friends/family/relationship over this. Don’t stake your emotional wellbeing on the idea of “making”" it, stake it on the idea of trying this, of making the best attempt you can, and of fighting for what you want.

    Good luck.

  3. Cogito
    Cogito
    September 15, 2011 at 6:15 am |

    Hi – you can start at any age, but you’ll still need a year or two of professional training and lots of experience before you’ll stand a chance of getting any paid work.
    I’m sure you’re well aware that it’s a very competitive business and you’ll be up against people who have a lot more experience than you at every audition.
    Aiming for ‘the big screen’ is perhaps optimistic – most pro actors never earn enough to live on, never mind hitting the big time, but that’s no reason not to try, and as you say, life is short and you should make the most of every second.
    I have no idea what you mean by getting ‘carded for cigarettes’ – I’ve never heard that one, but having a young attitude, determination and the willingness to learn will get you where you want to be.
    31 is nothing – just go for it!
    Find a good drama class, read plays, practise learning lines, and as long as you have talent, what’s to stop you?
    Good luck!

  4. Theatre Doc
    Theatre Doc
    September 15, 2011 at 6:50 am |

    Never too old to be an actor. At 31 you need to be in some community theater plays to find out if you have enough talent to invest your time and money on. Or do you have an acting background. So go to http://tao-of-acting.org and find out about acting and having a career in acting from my free ebook and my blog and the pages on the website.

  5. Shelby Edison
    Shelby Edison
    September 15, 2011 at 7:45 am |

    You are definitely not too old for acting! If you want to be a movie star, a community theater is really good practice, even if it isn’t what you want to do. I’ve heard that the actor for Edmond in the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Narnia) movie started out in a community theater, then someone noticed he was really good at acting and then he was a movie star before he knew it! Anyways, anyone can be a famous actor if they are good at acting! you don’t have to start acting at 16!

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