What Is an Actor, Exactly? (2025)

Actors are storytellers who use their body and voice as tools to transport the audience into a different world. At its core, the word “actor” indicates someone who portrays a character in a performance. This could be for film, television, theater, or even voice work for animations and video games. An actor’s main responsibility is to bring a character to life by embodying their emotions, behavior, and perspective to an audience.

Narrative screenwriters and playwrights tell stories through a character’s experiences. Through this, we as an audience step into someone else’s shoes, walk through their world, and see life from their perspective. But who, then, is responsible for embodying that experience? That is the responsibility of the actor.

Embodying these characters is a craft that involves numerous techniques, each adaptable to an actor’s individual approach. Regardless of the technique used, a few foundational elements remain consistent in the process of acting.

Audition

Before stepping into the character’s shoes, an actor must first win the role. Acting careers are filled with countless auditions—some successful, some not. If you’re an aspiringactor just starting out, auditions are not just job interviews, they’re an education through experience.

Auditions and the casting process are a way for casting directors to assess an actor’s suitability for a specific role. Often, actors prepare audition monologues or perform scenes from the script, known as sides, in front of a casting director or project collaborators. Even if an audition does not secure a specific role, it is an opportunity for actors to showcase their talent and abilities, leaving a lasting impression on a casting director they may encounter again in the future.

Analyze scripts

Once an actor is cast, they must prepare for the role. This typically begins with a completeunderstanding of the screenplay, which is the blueprint for the project and the source of the foundational story elements, especially the characters.

Actors begin by reading and analyzing the script. Here, they can familiarize themselves with the storyline and their character’s motivations, backstory, conflicts, and relationships with other characters. Excavating the screenplay’s context and nuances is necessary to deliver a strong performance.

Develop characters

While many of the foundational elements of a character can be found in a script, not all the details are on the page. This is where actors, often in collaboration with the director, will develop the character beyond the page.

This can be a meticulous process, requiring actors to be imaginative and curious. When developing characters, actors might ask specific questions: What are the details of their childhood? What did their character always fear? What trauma did they endure? How have these things impacted their behavior as we meet them in the story? Character development, in many ways, is an investigation into a human being.

Watch the clip below to see how Chadwick Boseman describes his process of character development as “reading between the lines”:

Rehearse

During rehearsals, actors experiment with different ways of delivering lines, usingbody language, and interacting with other actors. It’s a collaborative process involving directors, fellow actors, and sometimes choreographers and coaches. Rehearsals often last for weeks or months, depending on the project.

Refine their technique

Many performers steep themselves in their favorite acting technique to improve their craft. These approaches come from acting schools and teachers who pioneered methods that define acting as we know it today. Beginning with technique is one of thebest ways to get started in the acting world.

• Method acting: Method acting stems from several notable figures in theater history, primarily Konstantin Stanislavsky, Stella Adler, and Lee Strasberg. This acting style teaches performers to fully immerse themselves in their character’s mindset, often for extended durations, to authentically portray realistic behavior in fictional scenarios.
• Classical acting: Classical acting is rooted in traditional theater techniques, such as Shakespearean acting. It emphasizes vocal and physical training and encourages understanding the language and style of classical works.
• Meisner technique: The Meisner technique, developed by Sanford Meisner, revolves around three core principles: repetition, emotional preparation, and improvisation. This approach is designed to ensure that these elements work together, enabling actors to stay present and engaged with their scene partners rather than depending solely on rehearsal or memory.

Perform

The actual performance is where all the preparation comes together. In the theater, performances are delivered onstage in front of a live audience. Stage actors perform multiple times a week, for weeks or even months at a time. Each performance requires the same level of energy and dedication as the one before it, as the actor aims to deliver a consistent and authentic portrayal of their character. This is a very different type of performance than screen acting.

Film actors have a different experience while acting for a specific frame captured on camera. They are often given the ability of multiple takes, but the final product is edited together from many different clips to create a cohesive performance. Depending on where the camera is and the frame of the shot, screen actors must be aware and have control over the smallest details in their performance.

Here, a young Ian McKellen breaks down the key differences between stage and screen acting and why it matters:

Self-promote

In the modern era, being an actor also involvesmarketing and self-promotion. With visual social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, actors can build a personal brand and connect directly with their audience. They can also use these platforms to showcase their talent and promote their work.

Additionally, actors often attend events and industry parties as a way to network and make connections in the industry. Having a strong online presence and being well-connected within the industry can lead to new opportunities for roles.

Those who take on larger roles will also have to market the film by attending interviews, red-carpet events, and press tours for the project.

Continuously learn

The best actors never stop learning. They often take classes to hone their skills, such as dialect coaching, martial arts, dance, or singing. Expanding theiracting skill set can open up new opportunities for different types of acting roles and also help them deliver more dynamic performances. Many choose to bounce between stage, screen, and voice acting, becoming a well-rounded performer who can adapt and deliver authentic performances in any medium.

Work hard

Thepath to a successful and fulfilling acting career is not set in stone. If you explore the careers of your favorite actors, you’ll find that each has succeeded through unique paths. While some got their start through acting school, many iconic performers didn’t attend or finish. Some of the greats, such as Christian Bale, Halle Berry, Natalie Portman, and Heath Ledger, got their start without formal acting education.

Regardless of an educational or training background, one characteristic is constant among all successful actors: dedication. Acting is a craft—one that can be studied, learned, and refined through years of hard work. Matt Damon said the one skill that has gotten him to where he is today is his willingness “to outwork anybody.” In an industry riddled with the abandoned hopes and dreams of everyone looking to make it, this sentiment proves to be the constant among nearly all successful actors. The path of an acting career is undoubtedly difficult and filled with rejection. But, for those who truly love the art and are willing to put in the work, it can be immensely fulfilling.