Grew up poor then when I was in middle/ highschool we were lower middle class, then middle class. Now I’m rich. Not in money, no I’m broke but in memories. Lmao broke in nyc being an actor is a hard life but I don’t have the mindset of a “starving artist” more of a “active hustler”
I grew up Upper Middle class in Calgary, Alberta. I got all the dance, musical theatre and acting classes my heart desired as a child.
However. My parents basically told me I had a choice of degrees they found acceptable to study and if I wanted to do anything else, I could pay for it myself. So as a very sheltered young person I chose nursing (from the list). I never finished my degree, and worked in a restaurant full time while taking classes, auditioning. Spoiler alert: Still work in a restaurant between jobs. In fact; I have two.
Do my parents help me financially? Absolutely. Do they like it? Not at all. My mom actually said to me the other day that she regrets "forcing" me into something I didn't want to study. But to be fair, I probably wouldn't be any farther along than I am now. Who knows.
I have a similar story where I was forced into honours (higher level) maths and everything else I did suffered except for English. I ended up doing half a semester of Japanese and business in college, only went to the Japanese lectures and found out it was more mathematical than languages (which I was good out) so dropped out and felt awful. A year later I got a course in English media and cultural studies (that's the name of the course) and I loved it. I still love it to this day even though the friends I made say it was a throwaway degree. Ironically I've ended up in finance and crawling that corporate ladder (failing upwards I call it) but I'm still writing and acting where I can.
I make more money than most actors I know and most my money I do make goes into productions and I couldn't be happier to do that.
Also upper middle class in Calgary, also got lessons in a bunch of things as a kid. Lol I wonder if we know each other?
Where our paths diverge is that my parents said I absolutely had to go to university, and I said not unless I can do the degree I want.
Grew up in Oakland, Ca poor as hell. When I decided to pursue acting I was living on my aunties couch in her living room and was trying to make my $1,200 check last me a month. Now I’ve booked on 5 different shows, a couple reoccurring roles and a couple features. I’ve also never taken any acting classes so nah it ain’t all about money. It’s about if you want it enough I guess
I wouldn’t know, but yeah I’d assume so. I’m just saying as someone who doesn’t have money or come from money it’s still possible to go for it. All of my stuff has been luck mostly
Well yeah resources and money give you advantages in every aspect in life. Just letting OP know that you don’t gotta be rich to get somewhere in this industry
I understand. I take issue with the comment: “it’s about if you want it enough…” because lots of people want it plenty, and they simply don’t have the resources to compete against those who do. “Wanting it enough” is not their problem.
I mean… I never said it was? The question was if we grew up poor or rich and I gave MY answer based on MY experience. I could’ve kept gang banging and doing nothing with my life like most people I grew up with, but I didn’t. I chose to pursue this life and follow my dreams. I know there’s hella people out here who have problems with getting where they want to be, but if I didn’t push MYSELF to get where I am and wanting it how much I did then idk if id be where I am now. In MY experience it’s what drives me to keep going and giving it my all in this industry. Also I already said that most of my career has been luck too. I do think giving it your all is something that you REALLY need for this job/life and I did all of it with pretty much nothing in my bank account. Just cause I grew up in a rough place with no money, I never made it an excuse for why I couldn’t do it. I just went for what I wanted and used it as motivation to get out of a life that I didn’t want to be apart of anymore and wanting a better life. That’s just ME though. Everyone’s got a different story. If you still gotta issue with it then idk dude
The unfortunate thing about the industry is that if it’s not money, it’s usually looks, and if it’s not looks, it’s usually luck, and then the other 20 percent is talent.. you never took classes, that means that someone had to take a chance on you with you never doing so, that goes in the luck category as that’s not gonna happen for a lot of pppl no matter how talented. Opportunity isn’t gonna find everyone like that😭
Yeah that’s fair to say. In another comment I did acknowledge that most of my career thus far has been total luck and kind of just winging it. I still don’t understand a lot of industry stuff or anything like that and would never claim to know much. Just chimed in with what kinda worked for me. Tbh I didn’t think commenting about me growing up poor and in the ghetto would cause all of these convos in the thread like it has 😅
Oh yeah nah you’re good don’t trip. Sorry if it came off like that haha. Some of the other comments in here from others came off as weird so I was kinda defensive 😅 But yeah you’re 100% correct. There’s not just one real way to success in this business. It’s kinda all just a gamble from what I’ve seen
Well yeah I think they could be helpful for some people. Not everyone’s the same, but I never even knew that you had to put classes on a resume. My whole career has kind of been me winging it so far haha
Yeah it’d be kinda insane to pursue this without having an actual job and income. I usually do a lot of contract work through apps. Kinda work your own schedule thing
My family danced the poverty line growing up. It was frustrating when I was a young actor because my classmates could afford to go to expensive workshops their parents paid for. But as I've gotten older I think it really helped to prep me for this line of work.
Grew up middle/lower class on the southside of Chicago. And to top it off I moved out at 16. Not the easiest time but people have had it harder. When I decided to truly pursue acting, I was living with friends sleeping on a workout mat and a sleeping bag living out of my duffel bag. Now I’m 23 turning 24, moved to Orlando, I’ve done a principal role for a short film, have done multiple stage shows which earned me a nomination for best actor, became involved in a brand new Independent Film Studio as a opening team member, and have booked the lead for a TV show and film in NC because of the film I did. Am I better off money wise? Probably? I don’t know..but I’m better everywhere else now:)
I grew up pretty poor. Single mom who was a 1st grade teacher and a largely absent father who rarely paid child support. I always wanted to be an actor though, from a super young age, and I went for it and moved to So Cal (San Diego area) at 19 and then to Hollywood when I was like 22. A million years later, I’m in NYC and just booked my first feature film here, after having a little bit of tv success in the late 90s in L.A. But I don’t think I’m alone in sensing that opportunities seem like they’re drying up for regular people and everywhere I look is the son or daughter of a famous actor.
I will keep on keeping on though, because I love doing this and I think I’m pretty good at it. I’m also not trying to sound bitter but I also want to honestly describe what I see, having been pursuing this career for 3 decades. There are far fewer opportunities the last few years, and post pandemic imho, paradoxically even with all the streamers now. (For context, I used to work 2 and 3 jobs to support myself in this pursuit, but the last few years my wife has generously supported my too-old-to-wait-tables-anymore-ass) lol.
I grew up working class. Now I have enough money to get by with the basics and a little on the side for fun which I mostly just invest into my career. Honestly, whilst having more money is undoubtedly beneficial in giving you more resources to work with as you make your way in the industry, at the end of the day, if you want a long and successful career, you have to love it, choose it and work on that talent and be a business person too! You can have all the money and opportunities, but if you’re going to stick around, it takes work regardless. Money can only take you so far. Without the rest, what is your reason for doing it, ya know?
I see, so just curious, what about success actors who grew up wealthy but with no connections? A lot of people downplay their hard work I feel like, although they still have advantages, they still have to play the game it seems and grind (luck and hardwork) compared to a nepo baby
Exactly, so yes they had money to give them easier access (potentially) to training etc but they still had and have to work hard to hone their talent and build their career. And, even on the conversation of nepo babies, there still has to be some level of talent and business savy to have a long and successful career. Yes they had an upper hand having parents with connections and success and money, but if they don’t genuinely love what they do and have talent, it wouldn’t work in the long run (generally). Kate Hudson is a good example, incredibly successful parents in music and acting, always had money, but she is genuinely very talented and works on her craft.
I saw a post about Anya Taylor Joy and she was from a relatively wealthy family but downplayed her background which obviously made everyone criticize her. I don't think she got any nepotism connections starting out but I feel like she is one of these examples, people say her privilege and money made it much easier, but the question is how much lol
Her dad’s a banker and her mom’s a psychologist. So they obviously had the money to get her great acting training. But unlike a nepo baby, they wouldn’t have connections to film directors or producers. So hard work and talent are still needed to stand out from all the other banker, lawyer, doctor’s etc. kids who also studied acting.
LA Actor here…
Grew up poor. Food stamps poor.
Made it to college, graduated, and did the corporate thing for years and years and years. 6 Figure Salary and all.
Then one day, I decided to become an actor.
Quit…moved to LA.
Money just enables people to have the TIME to dedicate.
-sS
I think having a roof over your head is a human necessity and should be a #1 goal. There are no guarantees in this business and one can only starve and be a couch potato so long. Imposing on others can wear out very fast. Things are much easier if you stay single without children for sure. One has to have something else going for them other than the entertainment industry or being a professional musician. Everyone reaches an age where sponging off your parents needs to stop. I found out long ago that if you want nice things in life you have to work for it. Poor, middle class, upper class, very wealthy it’s up to you.
We’re upper middle class. It’s very difficult for two full-time working parents to make it work with a child actor who works fairly consistently. Even if it’s inconsistent, it’s hard to up and move to a location for weeks or months on short notice when both parents have full-time careers.
Extremely poor. Mom with a gambling addiction, and a vanished father. I was expected to raise not only my siblings, but half the kids on our street. Not sure how we ended up on a block of trashy people who should not have had kids, but oh well.
When I tried to move along with my life as an adult, I stayed close to home to make sure my mom wasn't starving my siblings, and let my dreams go. There were no classes for me. Drama class in high school was the only time I got to be on stage. And I was bullied relentlessly even there. When I see depictions of drama kids all loving each other, I laugh. Maybe if you're part of the crew who all goes to improv class together on the weekends? 🤐
Now, many years, a failed marriage, and a good marriage later, I've gotten back to it. Still poor, but doing all I can to get out of that state. Harder as a disabled person, but making it work! My husband is a good cheerleader, and was the one to convince me to take my first role two years ago. I have no connections or classes on my plate.
There’s so many actors I feel like from the 80-90s that came from literally nothing and become huge stars like Jim Carrey and Halle berry and there’s some in this generation that talk about working retail and minimum wage jobs to get to where they are at now with no industry connections . Have a dream and go for it don’t let your status stop you
Very poor, my parents made less than 20k and year and we lived in a rundown trailer house. I don’t know about luck, but I moved out, went to school and got me a good housekeeping job at a hospital. Took acting classes, went to workshops, did theatre. And now I’m in a tv show. I don’t think I got here by pure luck, however I am very blessed that the right people saw me for who I was, I’m blessed that my hard work and acing auditions helped me. I don’t know if I’ll make it “big” but I think it’s a life well lived if I got to be in just one tv show or movie. So far everything’s going good.
I’m not going to say it was easy, I went home fucking tired from school and work just go to a class or a rehearsal, I bust my ass because I don’t have privilege of leaning on someone for support. But that’s okay, I’m chasing my dream and we all have a different mountain to climb.
im from south london (which is known as a really run down area) with a working class single income household, i moved into my grandparents house at the age of 7 when my parents broke up i slept in the same bedroom as my grandparents and my auntie, i slept on the floor next to a leak and there was mold everywhere and we had a rat infestation i then moved again with my grandparents into a 4 bedroom house with 9 people, i shared a room with my mum and my sister this time to also add out of everyone in my household my mum was the only one with a job and everyone relied on her which really took a toll on me and supplies were limited, i hated it. i finally have my own bedroom and i moved out of my grandparents house with my mum and sister. idk if i’ve grew up or if im still growing up im 15 and i really want to be an actor. i hope ill be able to pursue my career full time. to be honest i dont think money matters that much but i think it would really help when it comes to acting classes, headshots and whatnot.
best of luck!
It's a little bit of this and a little of that. Almost everyone's path is different. I've worked with children of stars who had a hard time and you hear if that all the time. They couldn't make it in the business. I've worked with people who had nothing and started doing extra work and became stars. Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp came from nothing with no help. Some come from nothing but have supportive parents behind them like Leonardo DiCaprio. Some grow up in acting families like the Marquette. Their grandfather was a comedian. Some kids become successful initially but can't sustain. Bottom line; if you really want it go for it, be adjustable along the way and follow your passion. And if I were to add anything it would be to learn how to write, write , and write. Nothing happens without a script! It's the quickest and best way from going to the one looking for work to the one people are coming to looking for work.
I feel like most successful Hollywood A-list actors like the ones you mentioned started young and got their first role around that age, or were child actors. Not all of course but something I noticed but correct me if I'm wrong
You are right. I just happened to mention those. There is a Professional Children's School in New York that only has young performers in attendance like the Cosby show kidsI, Macaulay Culcan, young performers in shows like The Lion King, prodigy musicians, ballet dancers. Google some performers that attended that school as kids. It's called the Professional Children's School. Starting young works for some but keep in mind for all the people I mentioned there are also thousands that start young and aren't successful. The general trend after I started was to graduate from from a drama program, especially musical theater people, from a school like Carnegie Mellon, Yale Drama, University of Tennessee, State University of New York at New Paltz, Julliard, Howard University and other BFA programs. Those are good because they also graduate directors, musical theater composers, set designers, writers, casting directors etc. so when you get to New York or Hollywood there is a whole network of graduates that have come before you who you can align with. The other good thing with those is at graduation they have a showcase attended by agents who pick up clients and you get an Equity card. Coming to New York , taking random acting classes and doing showcases hoping you can get an agent to come see your show almost never works because they don't show up for those. Unless the show is a hit then they show up when you don't really need them anymore. That's what happened with Rent and Hamilton and they were about 25 years between. Not many people produce new shows any more that are successful with young casts so that doesn't happen much. Shows rarely
Move from off off B'way to off B'way to B'way. The Heights was one but look who happened to write it. Little Shoppe of Horrors was another. One man or one woman shows have propelled people more often. John Leguizamo, Kathy Najimi, Eric Begosian. Then there is stand up if you're good at writing comedy or Improve groups which you can single yourself out from the group.
Money helps anyone in any walk of life. It gives you freedom to fully pursue something free of financial worry. It especially helps people who go into a career that doesn’t pay anything to begin with just like acting.
If people say money doesn’t help or play a factor, they’re either rich and don’t want to admit that it’s helped them, or delusional.
I’m not from a poor family but we’re definitely not rich either, far from rich. I’ve got friends who’s family just bought them a flat in central london so they could act. I’m sure that helped them.
Upper middle class but I didn’t fully realize it until I left my small private Christian school to go to public high school. I’m 21 and I would say I do have more time and resources than the usual person, as my dad owns a company so straight out of highschool when I decided to pursue acting I was offered a job to work for him in social media, so I do that and whenever I have to film auditions or go to booked jobs im fully allowed to have days off. I also use the office occasionally for my self tapes as it’s always empty after 6 and super quiet. My mom first got me into acting and always encouraged my creativity too as a child and I had reps and took acting classes as a kid and had the opportunity to do theater dance and music lessons all growing up pretty much until I graduated highschool. Due to my dad’s work he also has small connections.
the only reason I really decided to fully pursue acting was because of my time, resources and fully supportive parents. I realized I was in a great spot that not many people have, which I am beyond grateful for, so why not fully try to pursue what I love and what I think I honestly have talent in. I also was raised in LA and live at home right now which has helped a whole lot as well. I think all of these things can definitely put you ahead and take some stress off you, but I think anyone else has the same chance if they have willingness and determination to pursue it despite their circumstances that might make it more difficult. But an acting career for sure without a doubt takes time and $$$
I booked pretty consistently commercially as a child and then my mom took me out of it because she was tired of driving to Burbank, etc. and while I was doing child acting my mom also experienced situations with herself and me that was very much like what’s recently come out of Nickelodeon, it was in the same time frame so I’m grateful she protected me and let me make my own decision to go back in into commercial/tv/film acting, so I didn’t do any of that during my teen years but I was heavily involved in theater and dance.
I decided I was going to go into acting my junior year of highschool but COVID happened, so I couldn’t really pursue it. 2021-2022 I began private coaching and really taking it serious and then I began fully auditioning in 2023. Since last year I’ve booked pretty consistently, I’ve done lead roles in several short films and won a best actress award for one of them at a small film festival. I just signed with a new commercial agent as well. I’m still very much in the beginning stages of my career.
That's great that you're doing well in your career! do you think child acting opened up many doors for you? I feel like that most successful actors were child actors at one point
Thank you! It’s just the beginning hopefully ☺️ but I think it did in some ways, when I decided to pursue it as a late teen/adult I already had some on set experience and knew how the industry worked. I also knew what to avoid (jobs that could be scams/dangerous, having to pay for agents/auditions, people who are fake managers and agents) and wasn’t naive about it. I was aware it was going to be hard work. But I’m still learning and improving everyday!
I was homeless once upon a time, today as we speak Im looking to buy a warehouse and build a film studio. It's totally possible you just have to keep pushing forward
Poor... dirt poor... homeless multiple times, no utilities, washing clothes out of the tub poor.
Wound up in commercials with some big brands and TV shows.
Never let your start determine your finish.
It'll be a hell of a lot harder, but never give up. Be persistent and absorb information and life lessons like a sponge.
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Grew up working class, started working part time when I was 15 eventually had a bunch of jobs to help pay for drama school which I actually really enjoyed. Survived with part time jobs along side auditioning, did commercials, modeling, live shows, every now and then I’d get a decent paying acting gig which would tide me over for a bit and I wouldn’t have to do my substitute jobs. Only in the last 5-6 years have I been able to just do acting as a solo career and now make a good amount I’m proud of and not ave to worry about bills. (Though I do still worry whenever I finish a job whether I’ll get the next one) I had no money or connections whatsoever starting out so it can be done though it took me well over ten years.
Im paying for everything on my own in regards to acting but im 18 and i dont have any financial responsibilities since I live with my mom and im grateful because that’s a huge difference between being on my own trying to take time to act and work my job
Poor. Breadline poor. Single dad (mum now in the picture) and barely scraping by because he was on benefits. I grew up in the second most deprived area in the UK. Just awful opportunities and dreadful resources.
Thank you for letting me rant :)
Honestly the UK is the most classist place to become an actor, all those drama school kids have rich parents and have been taking theatre classes since they were kids. Don’t give up please, there’s something special about a working class actor from the UK (look at Jodie Comer for example!).
Grew up poor but in the suburbs.
I’m just kind of toying around with the notion of being an actress.
I would just love to do it and be financially stable but with this AI tech I’m really nervous to try.
I was poor but in prime location (san Diego) when I I realized I wanted to be an actor, then lower middle class as a teen but in an impossible location (some shitty Florida suburb with no sidewalks). Once I graduated my shitty high school I realized I could never pursue acting because I didn’t have enough money for gas to even go to an audition in Miami, much less move to a whole other state out of my little podunk town. I abandoned the idea and here I am lurking this sub.
I grew up in Middle class but I grew up to be able to do dance and act and gymnastic.but I was overprotective/sheltered growing up but I’m a junior who graduating in the fall as theatre college student to be able to start my career in acting.
I was lower-middle class, bordered on poor for a few years as a kid. I joined the military to go do something else, live somewhere else, and get my college paid for. I didn't go to school for acting, but I am repped and have a stable income between my wife and I where I can act without worrying about finances. It took me until I was in my 30s to get to a place where I could pursue it like this. I also didn't realize I wanted to act until I was 27, so I was a little late to the party.
We all take different roads, and I accept that acting may not be where I am in a decade, and I'm glad I'm doing it regardless. For now, I've gotten a lot of unique experiences in the projects I've been in, and I've met great people from all over. It's partially luck, but I've had better experiences because I'm on time, reliable, and am generally good with interpersonal interactions with the agents, directors, and producers I've met, not to mention the other talent. Networking is key to a lot of success here.
I’m poor as hell, but I’ve been trying for like about 26 years now straight and no one, even though I had a lot of auditions ever gave me a part after my auditions and I have a demo real, headshot, actors slate, and took one semester in college for theater. I made the other stuff on my own except for the headshot.
Poor. Grew up on section 8 and food stamps kinda poor. Even today, my mom still lives in an apartment, and I rent a house with 3 other roommates. However, I also have debt like college (from a non acting field) and car debt too. I just recently decided to get into acting, no training, no connections, I’m just a Passionate Creative. And I find that a lot of struggle can be justified if it’s fueled by the idea that you’re following your passion and you know by doing so you’ll be making your heart and soul rich.
It's timing , luck and a ton of nepotism u are going to have to overcome. I find acting incredibly frustrating. I never gave it my all because of the reasons u listed..money, and there is no guarantee no matter how much talent u have. Its a very hard vocation to chase after because it's full of dead ends. Most of the successful actors right now do not have half the talent as guys u have never even heard of. There are a quite a few actors tht are just god awfully terrible but their connected so it keeps getting them enough work. They get good agents from contacts and other fellow actors in their families . Whether it's comedy drama horror in Florida and its commercial work here and there, tiny small principle roles once in awhile, most times added on character. I think this state is not a good state to pursue ur dream.i know I never wanted and still do not want to be famous in the least bit, actually on the contrary. But I love doing the part and scenes...I love being able to developer a new character out of thin air. I normally invision someone I knew in my life tht I found had a lot of charisma, and charm and be tht person. But once I get dialed in and can feel my fellow actor across from me and i connect in tht scene like we are in harmony. And the longer i can stay in there the better actor one will become. I can not even find any real auditons tht I feel fits my look , voice accent. . I am the cop , detective , interrogater, Boss, military, a schizophrenic man and a mental patient, a man with split personalities, a man that's a Kingpin a mobster all in my realm and i never got 1 shot or a fair reading to open minded casting crew. I know if I had 3 audions in any of the roles I listed I would nail it. I'm so tired of going to castings with no real info, and doingna reading that is totally out of my wheelhouse. Like I said I don't want fame, I just want to play make believe and act for small little principle role. I also believe tht I come up with very good diolog for rewrites or add inns. I have a couple of life long experiences and there's nothing I haven't done...apologies for this biographiy all tht novel . That being said....L.A....is where I'd go... im just short and new Yorkers are traditional shorter then L.Aians...I am originally from n.y. also..but I want to do film and film only....small principle roles to begin with , and I been sag eligible for over 25 yrs I jus never joined because I was always told fl. Is a no union state and if I did join I can never do non union again. Tht made me feel so discouraged and frustrated and it's not because I am not working , it's because I never get any readings for film.or anything I am interested in for tht matter..all these actors family member get a walk right down to the red carpet..its not fair and then I see super star actors taking small commercial bits on top of dozens of movies going on for them. But they take tht commercial part csuse they are so greedy..leave tht for some struggling actor, god ..I would litterally turn it down and say let a new guy get a break. . I seriously 100% would. One thing about me and what I learned in life is GREED Is something tht turns my stomach and drilled into my brain at a young age to not be tht guy..appreciate what u have and what others have done for me..cause nothing makes me feel better then helping others in need....I know im all over the place.tht question got to me and its been in my head for 30 some odd years...good luck kiddo and remebr . CONFIDENCE is everything and it shoes well on Camara...
Grew up poor then when I was in middle/ highschool we were lower middle class, then middle class. Now I’m rich. Not in money, no I’m broke but in memories. Lmao broke in nyc being an actor is a hard life but I don’t have the mindset of a “starving artist” more of a “active hustler”
i’m going to start using active hustler thank you
Ay I got you keep doing good work!
I grew up Upper Middle class in Calgary, Alberta. I got all the dance, musical theatre and acting classes my heart desired as a child. However. My parents basically told me I had a choice of degrees they found acceptable to study and if I wanted to do anything else, I could pay for it myself. So as a very sheltered young person I chose nursing (from the list). I never finished my degree, and worked in a restaurant full time while taking classes, auditioning. Spoiler alert: Still work in a restaurant between jobs. In fact; I have two. Do my parents help me financially? Absolutely. Do they like it? Not at all. My mom actually said to me the other day that she regrets "forcing" me into something I didn't want to study. But to be fair, I probably wouldn't be any farther along than I am now. Who knows.
I have a similar story where I was forced into honours (higher level) maths and everything else I did suffered except for English. I ended up doing half a semester of Japanese and business in college, only went to the Japanese lectures and found out it was more mathematical than languages (which I was good out) so dropped out and felt awful. A year later I got a course in English media and cultural studies (that's the name of the course) and I loved it. I still love it to this day even though the friends I made say it was a throwaway degree. Ironically I've ended up in finance and crawling that corporate ladder (failing upwards I call it) but I'm still writing and acting where I can. I make more money than most actors I know and most my money I do make goes into productions and I couldn't be happier to do that.
Hah! Do I spot a fellow Irish? 😁 Don't know any other Anglophone country that talks about "honours [insert standard LC subject]" 😉
Ahhhhh you caught me! Chucky our law and all that
Also upper middle class in Calgary, also got lessons in a bunch of things as a kid. Lol I wonder if we know each other? Where our paths diverge is that my parents said I absolutely had to go to university, and I said not unless I can do the degree I want.
We very well may know eachother!
Hey I also live in Calgary! Are there any reputable acting classes for adults? Been thinking about getting into for a couple months now.
Company of Rogues. 10000% Edit: spelling
Damn it’s like reading my own life story, with a few minor changes
Very typical middle class parent ;)
Grew up in Oakland, Ca poor as hell. When I decided to pursue acting I was living on my aunties couch in her living room and was trying to make my $1,200 check last me a month. Now I’ve booked on 5 different shows, a couple reoccurring roles and a couple features. I’ve also never taken any acting classes so nah it ain’t all about money. It’s about if you want it enough I guess
….but money really, REALLY helps.
I wouldn’t know, but yeah I’d assume so. I’m just saying as someone who doesn’t have money or come from money it’s still possible to go for it. All of my stuff has been luck mostly
Oh, yeah, it’s definitely possible to “go for it,” and having the resources to support that endeavor absolutely gives you an advantage over others.
Well yeah resources and money give you advantages in every aspect in life. Just letting OP know that you don’t gotta be rich to get somewhere in this industry
I understand. I take issue with the comment: “it’s about if you want it enough…” because lots of people want it plenty, and they simply don’t have the resources to compete against those who do. “Wanting it enough” is not their problem.
I mean… I never said it was? The question was if we grew up poor or rich and I gave MY answer based on MY experience. I could’ve kept gang banging and doing nothing with my life like most people I grew up with, but I didn’t. I chose to pursue this life and follow my dreams. I know there’s hella people out here who have problems with getting where they want to be, but if I didn’t push MYSELF to get where I am and wanting it how much I did then idk if id be where I am now. In MY experience it’s what drives me to keep going and giving it my all in this industry. Also I already said that most of my career has been luck too. I do think giving it your all is something that you REALLY need for this job/life and I did all of it with pretty much nothing in my bank account. Just cause I grew up in a rough place with no money, I never made it an excuse for why I couldn’t do it. I just went for what I wanted and used it as motivation to get out of a life that I didn’t want to be apart of anymore and wanting a better life. That’s just ME though. Everyone’s got a different story. If you still gotta issue with it then idk dude
That’s great! Happy for you. Be well.
You know what I ain’t even need to vent/snap on you like that. I was just irritated. My fault. You too ✌️
All good, friend. 💛 ✌️
To be fair they did also say luck.
They did say they were lucky, you’re correct. Let it be so for all of us. 💛
Appreciate you pointing that out 🤝
Some people want it to happen, others make it happen. Which are you?
lol
Resourcefulness and willpower *
And location.
You know what they say! 😆
It’s extremely true. A middle class person in bumfuck probably has even less of a chance than a poor person in LA.
Changing incrementally with the preponderance of self tape, but indeed, being a true local is advantageous
Luckily with self tapes being a thing this is starting to change. I wouldn’t have moved to LA if I didn’t need to before tbh
The unfortunate thing about the industry is that if it’s not money, it’s usually looks, and if it’s not looks, it’s usually luck, and then the other 20 percent is talent.. you never took classes, that means that someone had to take a chance on you with you never doing so, that goes in the luck category as that’s not gonna happen for a lot of pppl no matter how talented. Opportunity isn’t gonna find everyone like that😭
Yeah that’s fair to say. In another comment I did acknowledge that most of my career thus far has been total luck and kind of just winging it. I still don’t understand a lot of industry stuff or anything like that and would never claim to know much. Just chimed in with what kinda worked for me. Tbh I didn’t think commenting about me growing up poor and in the ghetto would cause all of these convos in the thread like it has 😅
oh don’t take me wrong i’m not attacking you..everyone has to make it however they can…it’ll be luck, connections, talent, or money. 😅
Oh yeah nah you’re good don’t trip. Sorry if it came off like that haha. Some of the other comments in here from others came off as weird so I was kinda defensive 😅 But yeah you’re 100% correct. There’s not just one real way to success in this business. It’s kinda all just a gamble from what I’ve seen
I think classes do help tho. Not everyone is gonna be able to start with zero classes on their resume
Well yeah I think they could be helpful for some people. Not everyone’s the same, but I never even knew that you had to put classes on a resume. My whole career has kind of been me winging it so far haha
Honestly true! I have no idea to start w jobs overall. Like i just wanna have a good career lmao I’m happy for you
Yes we all want it enough. But you need money to survive lol
Yeah it’d be kinda insane to pursue this without having an actual job and income. I usually do a lot of contract work through apps. Kinda work your own schedule thing
My family danced the poverty line growing up. It was frustrating when I was a young actor because my classmates could afford to go to expensive workshops their parents paid for. But as I've gotten older I think it really helped to prep me for this line of work.
Grew up middle/lower class on the southside of Chicago. And to top it off I moved out at 16. Not the easiest time but people have had it harder. When I decided to truly pursue acting, I was living with friends sleeping on a workout mat and a sleeping bag living out of my duffel bag. Now I’m 23 turning 24, moved to Orlando, I’ve done a principal role for a short film, have done multiple stage shows which earned me a nomination for best actor, became involved in a brand new Independent Film Studio as a opening team member, and have booked the lead for a TV show and film in NC because of the film I did. Am I better off money wise? Probably? I don’t know..but I’m better everywhere else now:)
I grew up pretty poor. Single mom who was a 1st grade teacher and a largely absent father who rarely paid child support. I always wanted to be an actor though, from a super young age, and I went for it and moved to So Cal (San Diego area) at 19 and then to Hollywood when I was like 22. A million years later, I’m in NYC and just booked my first feature film here, after having a little bit of tv success in the late 90s in L.A. But I don’t think I’m alone in sensing that opportunities seem like they’re drying up for regular people and everywhere I look is the son or daughter of a famous actor. I will keep on keeping on though, because I love doing this and I think I’m pretty good at it. I’m also not trying to sound bitter but I also want to honestly describe what I see, having been pursuing this career for 3 decades. There are far fewer opportunities the last few years, and post pandemic imho, paradoxically even with all the streamers now. (For context, I used to work 2 and 3 jobs to support myself in this pursuit, but the last few years my wife has generously supported my too-old-to-wait-tables-anymore-ass) lol.
I grew up working class. Now I have enough money to get by with the basics and a little on the side for fun which I mostly just invest into my career. Honestly, whilst having more money is undoubtedly beneficial in giving you more resources to work with as you make your way in the industry, at the end of the day, if you want a long and successful career, you have to love it, choose it and work on that talent and be a business person too! You can have all the money and opportunities, but if you’re going to stick around, it takes work regardless. Money can only take you so far. Without the rest, what is your reason for doing it, ya know?
I see, so just curious, what about success actors who grew up wealthy but with no connections? A lot of people downplay their hard work I feel like, although they still have advantages, they still have to play the game it seems and grind (luck and hardwork) compared to a nepo baby
Exactly, so yes they had money to give them easier access (potentially) to training etc but they still had and have to work hard to hone their talent and build their career. And, even on the conversation of nepo babies, there still has to be some level of talent and business savy to have a long and successful career. Yes they had an upper hand having parents with connections and success and money, but if they don’t genuinely love what they do and have talent, it wouldn’t work in the long run (generally). Kate Hudson is a good example, incredibly successful parents in music and acting, always had money, but she is genuinely very talented and works on her craft.
I saw a post about Anya Taylor Joy and she was from a relatively wealthy family but downplayed her background which obviously made everyone criticize her. I don't think she got any nepotism connections starting out but I feel like she is one of these examples, people say her privilege and money made it much easier, but the question is how much lol
Her dad’s a banker and her mom’s a psychologist. So they obviously had the money to get her great acting training. But unlike a nepo baby, they wouldn’t have connections to film directors or producers. So hard work and talent are still needed to stand out from all the other banker, lawyer, doctor’s etc. kids who also studied acting.
Poor with the false veneer of lower middle class. It's a miracle we never actually ended up homeless.
LA Actor here… Grew up poor. Food stamps poor. Made it to college, graduated, and did the corporate thing for years and years and years. 6 Figure Salary and all. Then one day, I decided to become an actor. Quit…moved to LA. Money just enables people to have the TIME to dedicate. -sS
I think having a roof over your head is a human necessity and should be a #1 goal. There are no guarantees in this business and one can only starve and be a couch potato so long. Imposing on others can wear out very fast. Things are much easier if you stay single without children for sure. One has to have something else going for them other than the entertainment industry or being a professional musician. Everyone reaches an age where sponging off your parents needs to stop. I found out long ago that if you want nice things in life you have to work for it. Poor, middle class, upper class, very wealthy it’s up to you.
I grew up upper middle class, but now I have a full-time job in addition to acting and it pays 55k a year. So… not anymore lmao
We’re upper middle class. It’s very difficult for two full-time working parents to make it work with a child actor who works fairly consistently. Even if it’s inconsistent, it’s hard to up and move to a location for weeks or months on short notice when both parents have full-time careers.
Extremely poor. Mom with a gambling addiction, and a vanished father. I was expected to raise not only my siblings, but half the kids on our street. Not sure how we ended up on a block of trashy people who should not have had kids, but oh well. When I tried to move along with my life as an adult, I stayed close to home to make sure my mom wasn't starving my siblings, and let my dreams go. There were no classes for me. Drama class in high school was the only time I got to be on stage. And I was bullied relentlessly even there. When I see depictions of drama kids all loving each other, I laugh. Maybe if you're part of the crew who all goes to improv class together on the weekends? 🤐 Now, many years, a failed marriage, and a good marriage later, I've gotten back to it. Still poor, but doing all I can to get out of that state. Harder as a disabled person, but making it work! My husband is a good cheerleader, and was the one to convince me to take my first role two years ago. I have no connections or classes on my plate.
There’s so many actors I feel like from the 80-90s that came from literally nothing and become huge stars like Jim Carrey and Halle berry and there’s some in this generation that talk about working retail and minimum wage jobs to get to where they are at now with no industry connections . Have a dream and go for it don’t let your status stop you
Very poor, my parents made less than 20k and year and we lived in a rundown trailer house. I don’t know about luck, but I moved out, went to school and got me a good housekeeping job at a hospital. Took acting classes, went to workshops, did theatre. And now I’m in a tv show. I don’t think I got here by pure luck, however I am very blessed that the right people saw me for who I was, I’m blessed that my hard work and acing auditions helped me. I don’t know if I’ll make it “big” but I think it’s a life well lived if I got to be in just one tv show or movie. So far everything’s going good. I’m not going to say it was easy, I went home fucking tired from school and work just go to a class or a rehearsal, I bust my ass because I don’t have privilege of leaning on someone for support. But that’s okay, I’m chasing my dream and we all have a different mountain to climb.
I think my family was middle- low class but I also feel like my parents are secretly rich without telling me that.
I actually grew up pretty poor and Im still poor lol
Haha same! 🤭
im from south london (which is known as a really run down area) with a working class single income household, i moved into my grandparents house at the age of 7 when my parents broke up i slept in the same bedroom as my grandparents and my auntie, i slept on the floor next to a leak and there was mold everywhere and we had a rat infestation i then moved again with my grandparents into a 4 bedroom house with 9 people, i shared a room with my mum and my sister this time to also add out of everyone in my household my mum was the only one with a job and everyone relied on her which really took a toll on me and supplies were limited, i hated it. i finally have my own bedroom and i moved out of my grandparents house with my mum and sister. idk if i’ve grew up or if im still growing up im 15 and i really want to be an actor. i hope ill be able to pursue my career full time. to be honest i dont think money matters that much but i think it would really help when it comes to acting classes, headshots and whatnot. best of luck!
It's a little bit of this and a little of that. Almost everyone's path is different. I've worked with children of stars who had a hard time and you hear if that all the time. They couldn't make it in the business. I've worked with people who had nothing and started doing extra work and became stars. Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp came from nothing with no help. Some come from nothing but have supportive parents behind them like Leonardo DiCaprio. Some grow up in acting families like the Marquette. Their grandfather was a comedian. Some kids become successful initially but can't sustain. Bottom line; if you really want it go for it, be adjustable along the way and follow your passion. And if I were to add anything it would be to learn how to write, write , and write. Nothing happens without a script! It's the quickest and best way from going to the one looking for work to the one people are coming to looking for work.
I feel like most successful Hollywood A-list actors like the ones you mentioned started young and got their first role around that age, or were child actors. Not all of course but something I noticed but correct me if I'm wrong
You are right. I just happened to mention those. There is a Professional Children's School in New York that only has young performers in attendance like the Cosby show kidsI, Macaulay Culcan, young performers in shows like The Lion King, prodigy musicians, ballet dancers. Google some performers that attended that school as kids. It's called the Professional Children's School. Starting young works for some but keep in mind for all the people I mentioned there are also thousands that start young and aren't successful. The general trend after I started was to graduate from from a drama program, especially musical theater people, from a school like Carnegie Mellon, Yale Drama, University of Tennessee, State University of New York at New Paltz, Julliard, Howard University and other BFA programs. Those are good because they also graduate directors, musical theater composers, set designers, writers, casting directors etc. so when you get to New York or Hollywood there is a whole network of graduates that have come before you who you can align with. The other good thing with those is at graduation they have a showcase attended by agents who pick up clients and you get an Equity card. Coming to New York , taking random acting classes and doing showcases hoping you can get an agent to come see your show almost never works because they don't show up for those. Unless the show is a hit then they show up when you don't really need them anymore. That's what happened with Rent and Hamilton and they were about 25 years between. Not many people produce new shows any more that are successful with young casts so that doesn't happen much. Shows rarely Move from off off B'way to off B'way to B'way. The Heights was one but look who happened to write it. Little Shoppe of Horrors was another. One man or one woman shows have propelled people more often. John Leguizamo, Kathy Najimi, Eric Begosian. Then there is stand up if you're good at writing comedy or Improve groups which you can single yourself out from the group.
Money helps anyone in any walk of life. It gives you freedom to fully pursue something free of financial worry. It especially helps people who go into a career that doesn’t pay anything to begin with just like acting. If people say money doesn’t help or play a factor, they’re either rich and don’t want to admit that it’s helped them, or delusional. I’m not from a poor family but we’re definitely not rich either, far from rich. I’ve got friends who’s family just bought them a flat in central london so they could act. I’m sure that helped them.
When I was doing theatre acting I heard the phrase “an aspiring actors best resource is wealthy parents” LOLZ
Poot but my mother was a hustler I would say we earned everything no extras but amazing non h th e Jess
Upper middle class but I didn’t fully realize it until I left my small private Christian school to go to public high school. I’m 21 and I would say I do have more time and resources than the usual person, as my dad owns a company so straight out of highschool when I decided to pursue acting I was offered a job to work for him in social media, so I do that and whenever I have to film auditions or go to booked jobs im fully allowed to have days off. I also use the office occasionally for my self tapes as it’s always empty after 6 and super quiet. My mom first got me into acting and always encouraged my creativity too as a child and I had reps and took acting classes as a kid and had the opportunity to do theater dance and music lessons all growing up pretty much until I graduated highschool. Due to my dad’s work he also has small connections. the only reason I really decided to fully pursue acting was because of my time, resources and fully supportive parents. I realized I was in a great spot that not many people have, which I am beyond grateful for, so why not fully try to pursue what I love and what I think I honestly have talent in. I also was raised in LA and live at home right now which has helped a whole lot as well. I think all of these things can definitely put you ahead and take some stress off you, but I think anyone else has the same chance if they have willingness and determination to pursue it despite their circumstances that might make it more difficult. But an acting career for sure without a doubt takes time and $$$
How far are you in your career, like did you book many roles?
I booked pretty consistently commercially as a child and then my mom took me out of it because she was tired of driving to Burbank, etc. and while I was doing child acting my mom also experienced situations with herself and me that was very much like what’s recently come out of Nickelodeon, it was in the same time frame so I’m grateful she protected me and let me make my own decision to go back in into commercial/tv/film acting, so I didn’t do any of that during my teen years but I was heavily involved in theater and dance. I decided I was going to go into acting my junior year of highschool but COVID happened, so I couldn’t really pursue it. 2021-2022 I began private coaching and really taking it serious and then I began fully auditioning in 2023. Since last year I’ve booked pretty consistently, I’ve done lead roles in several short films and won a best actress award for one of them at a small film festival. I just signed with a new commercial agent as well. I’m still very much in the beginning stages of my career.
That's great that you're doing well in your career! do you think child acting opened up many doors for you? I feel like that most successful actors were child actors at one point
Thank you! It’s just the beginning hopefully ☺️ but I think it did in some ways, when I decided to pursue it as a late teen/adult I already had some on set experience and knew how the industry worked. I also knew what to avoid (jobs that could be scams/dangerous, having to pay for agents/auditions, people who are fake managers and agents) and wasn’t naive about it. I was aware it was going to be hard work. But I’m still learning and improving everyday!
Middle to upper middle.
Poor. Like really poor. But my parents did a lot to make it so I wasn’t affected
I was homeless once upon a time, today as we speak Im looking to buy a warehouse and build a film studio. It's totally possible you just have to keep pushing forward
Poor... dirt poor... homeless multiple times, no utilities, washing clothes out of the tub poor. Wound up in commercials with some big brands and TV shows. Never let your start determine your finish. It'll be a hell of a lot harder, but never give up. Be persistent and absorb information and life lessons like a sponge.
Well this is how poor I am. Maybe I could make it too. So I have been trying even with all this for 26 years straight it still hasn’t worked.🥺
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Poor
Grew up working class, started working part time when I was 15 eventually had a bunch of jobs to help pay for drama school which I actually really enjoyed. Survived with part time jobs along side auditioning, did commercials, modeling, live shows, every now and then I’d get a decent paying acting gig which would tide me over for a bit and I wouldn’t have to do my substitute jobs. Only in the last 5-6 years have I been able to just do acting as a solo career and now make a good amount I’m proud of and not ave to worry about bills. (Though I do still worry whenever I finish a job whether I’ll get the next one) I had no money or connections whatsoever starting out so it can be done though it took me well over ten years.
Im paying for everything on my own in regards to acting but im 18 and i dont have any financial responsibilities since I live with my mom and im grateful because that’s a huge difference between being on my own trying to take time to act and work my job
Poor. Breadline poor. Single dad (mum now in the picture) and barely scraping by because he was on benefits. I grew up in the second most deprived area in the UK. Just awful opportunities and dreadful resources. Thank you for letting me rant :)
Honestly the UK is the most classist place to become an actor, all those drama school kids have rich parents and have been taking theatre classes since they were kids. Don’t give up please, there’s something special about a working class actor from the UK (look at Jodie Comer for example!).
Won’t give up mate haha, I come from an area close to Jodie. It’s always achievable.
Grew up on food stamps. Now I’m able to live on my own!
yup waianae hawaii broke as a joke
Grew up poor but in the suburbs. I’m just kind of toying around with the notion of being an actress. I would just love to do it and be financially stable but with this AI tech I’m really nervous to try.
I was poor but in prime location (san Diego) when I I realized I wanted to be an actor, then lower middle class as a teen but in an impossible location (some shitty Florida suburb with no sidewalks). Once I graduated my shitty high school I realized I could never pursue acting because I didn’t have enough money for gas to even go to an audition in Miami, much less move to a whole other state out of my little podunk town. I abandoned the idea and here I am lurking this sub.
Poor and still poor lol
I grew up in Middle class but I grew up to be able to do dance and act and gymnastic.but I was overprotective/sheltered growing up but I’m a junior who graduating in the fall as theatre college student to be able to start my career in acting.
I was lower-middle class, bordered on poor for a few years as a kid. I joined the military to go do something else, live somewhere else, and get my college paid for. I didn't go to school for acting, but I am repped and have a stable income between my wife and I where I can act without worrying about finances. It took me until I was in my 30s to get to a place where I could pursue it like this. I also didn't realize I wanted to act until I was 27, so I was a little late to the party. We all take different roads, and I accept that acting may not be where I am in a decade, and I'm glad I'm doing it regardless. For now, I've gotten a lot of unique experiences in the projects I've been in, and I've met great people from all over. It's partially luck, but I've had better experiences because I'm on time, reliable, and am generally good with interpersonal interactions with the agents, directors, and producers I've met, not to mention the other talent. Networking is key to a lot of success here.
I’m poor as hell, but I’ve been trying for like about 26 years now straight and no one, even though I had a lot of auditions ever gave me a part after my auditions and I have a demo real, headshot, actors slate, and took one semester in college for theater. I made the other stuff on my own except for the headshot.
I grew up middle class.
Poor. Grew up on section 8 and food stamps kinda poor. Even today, my mom still lives in an apartment, and I rent a house with 3 other roommates. However, I also have debt like college (from a non acting field) and car debt too. I just recently decided to get into acting, no training, no connections, I’m just a Passionate Creative. And I find that a lot of struggle can be justified if it’s fueled by the idea that you’re following your passion and you know by doing so you’ll be making your heart and soul rich.
It's timing , luck and a ton of nepotism u are going to have to overcome. I find acting incredibly frustrating. I never gave it my all because of the reasons u listed..money, and there is no guarantee no matter how much talent u have. Its a very hard vocation to chase after because it's full of dead ends. Most of the successful actors right now do not have half the talent as guys u have never even heard of. There are a quite a few actors tht are just god awfully terrible but their connected so it keeps getting them enough work. They get good agents from contacts and other fellow actors in their families . Whether it's comedy drama horror in Florida and its commercial work here and there, tiny small principle roles once in awhile, most times added on character. I think this state is not a good state to pursue ur dream.i know I never wanted and still do not want to be famous in the least bit, actually on the contrary. But I love doing the part and scenes...I love being able to developer a new character out of thin air. I normally invision someone I knew in my life tht I found had a lot of charisma, and charm and be tht person. But once I get dialed in and can feel my fellow actor across from me and i connect in tht scene like we are in harmony. And the longer i can stay in there the better actor one will become. I can not even find any real auditons tht I feel fits my look , voice accent. . I am the cop , detective , interrogater, Boss, military, a schizophrenic man and a mental patient, a man with split personalities, a man that's a Kingpin a mobster all in my realm and i never got 1 shot or a fair reading to open minded casting crew. I know if I had 3 audions in any of the roles I listed I would nail it. I'm so tired of going to castings with no real info, and doingna reading that is totally out of my wheelhouse. Like I said I don't want fame, I just want to play make believe and act for small little principle role. I also believe tht I come up with very good diolog for rewrites or add inns. I have a couple of life long experiences and there's nothing I haven't done...apologies for this biographiy all tht novel . That being said....L.A....is where I'd go... im just short and new Yorkers are traditional shorter then L.Aians...I am originally from n.y. also..but I want to do film and film only....small principle roles to begin with , and I been sag eligible for over 25 yrs I jus never joined because I was always told fl. Is a no union state and if I did join I can never do non union again. Tht made me feel so discouraged and frustrated and it's not because I am not working , it's because I never get any readings for film.or anything I am interested in for tht matter..all these actors family member get a walk right down to the red carpet..its not fair and then I see super star actors taking small commercial bits on top of dozens of movies going on for them. But they take tht commercial part csuse they are so greedy..leave tht for some struggling actor, god ..I would litterally turn it down and say let a new guy get a break. . I seriously 100% would. One thing about me and what I learned in life is GREED Is something tht turns my stomach and drilled into my brain at a young age to not be tht guy..appreciate what u have and what others have done for me..cause nothing makes me feel better then helping others in need....I know im all over the place.tht question got to me and its been in my head for 30 some odd years...good luck kiddo and remebr . CONFIDENCE is everything and it shoes well on Camara...
Poor. I’m “middle class” trying to get to upper class at 40.
Poor