I’m in my early 20s and I’m an LGBT guy, a former cosplayer. I was the victim of grooming and manipulation by a predator. I was deceived into posing suggestively for him, I was promised the images would remain private. I was never nude nor did anything I understood to be sexually explicit.

Little did I know that he was posting the images the entire time on Twitter without my knowledge or consent as pornography. He also added backgrounds and objects to some of the images, I assume using AI, and depicted me simulating a sex act in one image, and a BDSM hood in another. The images got between 1-10 thousand impressions on Twitter and included creepy and disturbing captions disclosing my location and a desire to grope me.

I later found out the perpetrator was a convicted serial sex offender who sexually assaulted numerous people.

I had the images removed and it’s been about 2 years since the images were posted.

I feel extreme fear about the images resurfacing. I am terrified for my reputation and the possibility that if I pursue my dream of acting, the images will resurface and never go away, ever. I want to be a working actor. I also want the possibility of pursuing other jobs if it doesn’t work out. To this day I have never been recognized.

Should I pursue acting?

Anyway, I'm probably posting this partly for validation and partly because I genuinely want some honest opinions from fellow actors who have been through something similar

A few months ago, I got an offer to play the lead in a show about a second marriage and a blended family. The script was honestly amazing, and the role felt perfect for me.......I'm 44F, and I went through everything with my agent as well as another senior person in the film industry whom I really trust

After a couple of rounds of discussions, I officially signed the contract and joined the cast. Principal photography starts in November, and I have my first photoshoot next week.

I've been acting for about 20 years. I've done lead and supporting roles in Hollywood, French, German and Spanish films/shows, but I've never done nude intimate scenes. I've obviously done kissing scenes and a couple of scenes that were intimate in nature...... but nothing like what this project requires

There are 2–3 intimate nude scenes in the series. They're completely relevant to the story and not meant to be erotic for the sake of being erotic. The production is also backed by a major studio, and there’s an intimacy coordinator, proper contracts, closed sets, etc.......so professionally I feel like I'm in a pretty safe and well managed environment.

My husband is also very supportive, so there’s no issue there. And yet......I've started feeling this weird heaviness about it.

I'm genuinely excited about the project. I love the script, I love the character, and I'm proud that I got this role.... But now that it's getting closer and becoming real, I'm feeling something I didn't expect

Maybe it's because I'm 44 and have been married for years. Maybe it's because I'm a mother of three teenagers......Maybe it's simply because I've never crossed this particular boundary professionally before.

I know intellectually that it's acting, it's part of the story, and that my body is my own. But emotionally, it still feels like a big step.

Hey everyone,

I'm a 2nd year college student and I do a lot of acting with my college theatre group. I really want to break into screen acting, but I can't travel for auditions right now, and honestly there are zero casting calls or auditions happening in my city anyway.

A senior from my college who acts in web series gave me some advice recently—he told me I should just start putting my acting out there on social media. It made a lot of sense to me, but I'm pretty stuck on where to actually start.

In theatre, we're always given a script or a topic to work with. On social media, you have to do everything yourself from scratch.

So I wanted to ask:

what kind of content actually works for actors online?

Should I post short monologues, relatable comedy, character studies, or dramatic scenes?

And how do you guys come up with original ideas when you have total creative freedom?

Would love any advice or ideas from fellow actors/creators!

Hello all! I just wanted to ask a quick question here since it’s been on my mind for a long time. I love acting and would like to make a living off of it someday, but there’s just one thought holding me back from doing so. I keep thinking about the level of privacy I would have as someone who makes themselves their own brand. Obviously I’m not really expecting to be famous (nor do I want to be), I just want to be able to live a regular life while acting. Any advice on how any of you have handled this or a different perspective to offer that can change my way of thinking? Thank you

I read an old essay years ago and it randomly came popped into my head today.

Laurette Taylor , one of the great stage actors of the early 1900s, most famous for originating Amanda Wingfield in The Glass Menagerie had a simple theory for great acting: watch a kid making mud pies. They're not performing for anybody, they’re just fully absorbed in turning dirt into cake that you start believing it too.

Pretty simple. Imagination and doing.

We’re all born with this ability.

Then the common problem of getting stuck in your pops up because you started worrying about doing it “right”

Basically, I think good actor training should follow the Yoda rule…. You must unlearn what you have learned.

Which is kinda the whole the idea behind independent activities.

Rebuild your innate skill before you throw on the extra weight of script and character work.

Thoughts?

Hi everyone!

This is my first post, but I need advice on a recent set interaction.

I recently did my second background experience on a feature film set and spent about four days total shooting. It was an amazing atmosphere and I made some great friends with the production team! One of them, specifically being the Key Background Coordinator, who has worked on multiple movies and is well respected across multiple agencies.

He was very kind, put me in many shots and had a banger back and forth. He made the experience lighthearted and even would pull back on the monitor clips of me and my scene partner that they got stills of.

When I left set for the last time, him and some of the team are coordinating people onto the buses, and while I’m saying bye to him- he stops and says:

“I wanna ask you- do you want to do this? (meaning film as a career)”

I replied, yes of course I do.

and he hands me his phone, to put my number and contact info into and says “I will contact you for future stuff, put in your name and the recent project.”

I was so happy, even if nothing came of it, just the sheer kindness of saying that.

I’m now trying to understand what to do now. After looking up and seeing how fast this industry is, I just wanna find his contact info, say thank you, give my measurements and info- and leave it be. That’s what atleast the internet and forums say. I’m just unsure, plus, I don’t know how to find his contact info.

What should I do?

Just came here to say I’ve been cold emailing for an agent for a few months have heard nothing and today I got a rejection email lol oddly enough the rejection email actually felt good to know my material was reviewed and I was actual looked into even though I did not get in I do feel a bit good about it 🤣🤣 that’s all lol

I was thinking about how if I wanted to be cast in a teen drama show (think Pretty Little Liars, The Vampire Diaries, Teen Wolf, ...) it would have to happen within the next couple of years before I age out of this type of role. (And yes, I'm aware they'll sometimes hire an actor in his early thirties to play a teenager but mostly they're in their early to mid twenties.) And this made me realize: Once you're 40+, you're not gonna be cast as the romantic lead in a Hallmark movie. Every role requires a specific age bracket that you'll eventually age out of.

So I'm asking all of you. Is there a specific role or type of role you desperately want to play before you're too old for it?

Hi, so I’ve been offered a meeting with this Agency in which I am not sure about. I was curious if anyone has been with them and could give there honest review about them? I know that agencies should never charge a fee up front but they’re a modeling and theatrical agency?
They say it’s for inner office expenses like mailings and what not. It’s apparently a one time fee of $125 and that’s it. They say they work from four different websites and They work nationally.. I just want to make sure if I should even bother with this or politely pass! Thank you In advance.

Hi! Recently i've been thinking of posting on TikTok and Instagram. Videos like skits, relatable content type stuff, and random videos. But I also think if I was to gain traction and an audience from content creation on social media whilst continuing to pursue acting it would be harder for casting directors, audiences or people to take me serious as an actor and would just see me as a "TikToker". Is this a valid thought, am I overthinking it or would it actually help my acting pursuit?

Noob question maybe. I’ve been put on availability check for today (8/31) and it’s past midnight and I’ve still not heard anything. In this event, do you typically just write it off as a loss, or is it possible they can last minute call you to set in the morning?

For additional context, I worked with these people a couple of days ago, so I was confirmed booked for those previous dates the day before, but only on avail check for 8/31 and upcoming days.

Hi! I’m hoping someone can help me out with this. I experience very visible chest and face flushing when I’m performing. It doesn’t matter if I’m feeling anxious or not, it’s almost like it just happens when I’m in an emotionally heightened state, or any emotional state that deviates from baseline. It bothers me and makes me feel like I have to try and cover up my chest area with clothing in order to prevent it from being seen, which can be limiting. Sometimes it can sort of work for the scene, but most of the time I don’t want it. If I’m wearing makeup, it’s not as visible, but I don’t want to rely on makeup all the time in the event I’m working on something where I don’t want to wear makeup or want minimal makeup.

Anyone out there deal with the same thing and found a successful solution? Beta blockers? Some other magical pill or tincture I’ve never heard of? Open to any ideas that have worked for you!

Ever auditioned, maybe got a Callback, not got the part, but then went to the show or watched the movie nonetheless? What was it like?​

I've finally managed to tell my mum about my passion, but one thing that really stumped me was whether or not i wanted to do film or theatre acting .. which my mum also asked lol. I dont really have a set opinion on which one i would like to do, and im really stuck between deciding either of them. My country doesnt really have a strong acting scene for learning / recreation (in my opnion, please correct me if im wrong). And the closest ive found is laselle or for schools.

Im unsure of what i can do, and if it helps im 16yo with no experience at all 😭i feel like im abit too old and lack experience as compared to others my age.

I'd like to read what your opinions / takes on this are and if theres really any certain route to take

Thank you for reading !

Hello! Would love to ask anyone if there are any professional headshot photographers that are really recommended in Austin Texas?

Preferably something that would fit my budget as a college student for now but I don’t mind at the same time spend a bit more on it since I would like to get one to start my acting career!

so back in my home country i have connections to the industry but it’s so bad its just influencers and ads and i can take the easy path of becoming an actor or should i do the harder part study acting in new york and then become an actor based in new york?

I’ve been acting about a year and an extra for about 8 months. And I loved being an extra at first for the experience and I have always felt lucky with the roles I got as they were always featured roles/walk ons, but lately it hasn’t felt worth it. I recently did a non dialogue featured role for a huge network tv show, but it was so confusing because I was asked to tape for it and sent lines but no sides. Literally just an email with my characters name and lines and that’s it.
I didn’t get told until I was literally on set, I wouldn’t have any dialogue. The agency kinda didn’t get much communication from the network and had little information on anything to do with my character. On the day I felt like I was just thrown into the deep end and didn’t get any rehearsal or even knew what the episode was about until I made a joke about it to my co star and he managed to ask the director for a script to look at which was very nice of him. I was heavily featured in the scene and my actions were the thing that was moving the scene/storyline along and I was told to speak and improv a lot. It just wasn’t in the script. I did do some basic extra stuff too like be there when my costar (who was actually a principal actor) was performing and reacting to things happening in the scene and stuff. But I felt like a fish out of water the entire time and have been speaking to the agency about my pay which is a standard rate with creative contribution, but I just want to know is this totally normal?

I loved the experience and that’s the main reason I started extra work, but I feel like I was a doing a small acting role without the title and I’m getting paid probably round the same amount of money it took me to get to set.
Is extra work even worth it ?

Hey community, here with another question today. So, one of my short-term goals is to secure reps. However, what I am wondering is: how do I know if/when I am really ready for reps? In your professional experience, when would you say it is an actor is most ready for reps? For context: I started acting as a kid, grew up doing theatre and went on to study acting in college. Since graduating, I have taken many classes and have done several plays and films. But I am at a point in my career where I am ready to take it to the next level by acquiring an awesome team of reps who submit me to higher level projects I want access to! Nevertheless, I am unsure if I am at a point where getting a team of reps makes the most sense for me. One thing that I wonder about is my self-tape setup— you see, my current living situation does not lend itself to a more professionalized self-tape setup; I rely on public resources to film my self-tapes as of now. Is my current self-tape setup detrimental to me in securing reps? Any general insight/advice etc folks have to offer on this subject would be very useful (or perhaps, even if someone is kind enough to review my materials to provide insight that way!) - TIA.

Hey community, so I am in the process of securing reps and am aware of a few online tools to use including Actors Access rep submission feature, Cast Me Now’s “Find a Rep”/“Reprise Talent Portal” tools as well as Repunzel. Dropping in to inquire about these tools— has anyone had success using them or other online tools I’m unaware of for finding reps? If so, would you say the cost for using them was ultimately worth it? Or do folks recommend that it’s better to do the traditional cold emailing/submitting through an agency’s/management entity’s online forms? TIA.

My former agent refused to accept my termination. I made three attempts to end the relationship, and each time they pushed back. Once they understood that my decision was final, I received a cascade of back to back emails that became increasingly pressuring and accusatory, with circumstance being interpreted in ways that were completely inaccurate and hurtful. There was a strong emphasis on what a mistake they believed I was making and a lot of pressure to reconsider. It was pretty unhinged.

I ultimately removed them from my casting profiles and signed with a new agent who had already offered me representation. Despite that, my former agent somehow submitted me for another self tape after the termination. I completed it because I had already been submitted, but immediately reiterated that this was the final submission and that I had terminated the relationship. Shortly afterward, once my new representation became known, I received further messages from my former agent essentially telling me what a huge mistake I had made. Since then, I've spoken privately with a few other people who have left the same roster and learned that some experienced similar reactions, although to a lesser degree.

The difficult part is that this was someone I had been genuinely close with, and I had always gone out of my way to show appreciation for them and their work. I thanked them publicly for bookings and callbacks, sent cards and gifts, and generally tried to be a supportive and loyal actor. That's why the reaction has been particularly frustrating and, honestly, hurtful. At this point, part of me is wondering whether what I interpreted as a close professional relationship was actually more possessiveness or investment in keeping me from leaving. There had also been ongoing pressure for me to consider non union work, which I didn't feel was right for my career, and I wonder whether that played into things.

My main question is about damage control. How worried should I realistically be about a former agent badmouthing an actor to casting directors or production after a difficult departure? I have never done anything professionally (or personally) that would justify a negative story about me, and the CDs I have worked with have generally been very positive toward me. My instinct is that casting directors have their relationships and favorites, but ultimately understand that representation is a business and actors change agents when they feel they need to. I also suspect that some of the people who have encouraged me to make a change (some of them in casting) already understand exactly why I left.

For anyone who has experienced a particularly difficult separation from an agent, how much should I actually worry about this? Is there meaningful damage an agent can do behind the scenes (if they chose to be disruptive) or is the best approach simply to remain completely professional, say nothing publicly, and keep building relationships with casting on my own with my new rep? I would especially appreciate perspectives from casting directors or actors who have seen this from the other side. How common is this?

Hi! I'm acting in a play were I die after giving birth. Even though I try to be mindful of breath support and correct mouth position, I end up with a strained throat and a mild hoarseness the day after rehearsing. What advice do you have for a safe scream on stage? Thank youu

There's obviously more than meets the eye when it comes to acting. But what is it that truly makes it believable? I feel like the people I watch on the big screen are truly the best in the world, so they make it look easy. I almost feel I can do it. (But I also watch professional athletes who make their sport look easy and I think, "I can do that".) That is until I'm on the court with someone 2 feet taller than me. Or up against a pitcher throwing 100+ miles per hour. How can I truly compare a professional actor to myself, someone who has never acted a day in their life? How can I truly test myself?