How to Be a Famous Actress

Co-authored by Martin Bentsen

Last Updated: March 11, 2023 References Approved

Becoming a famous actress is a dream for many, but only a few are able to actually accomplish stardom. Becoming a famous actress means being up against immense competition, and is one of the most competitive industries that exists.^{[1]
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Trustworthy Source
US Bureau of Labor Statistics
U.S. government agency that collects and reports labor-related information
Go to source} Making yourself known to the masses and maintaining a successful acting career is hard work and takes dedication, passion, and a little luck. However, If you have the right strategy and follow through, fame is obtainable.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Learning the Art of Acting

1
Sign up for acting classes or join a local acting studio. Search online for classes offered by your community center or find an acting studios in your area. If you have no background in acting, this is a great way to meet other actors and actresses and learn the basics. Call the studio to see when the next class cycle starts and determine if it’s in your budget.
- A good studio will show you the basics first. Any studio or teacher who boasts, or worse, promises, they can make you a “star.” should be avoided.^{[2]
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- It may take years to develop and hone your acting skills, so don’t get discouraged if you aren’t a natural. Consider becoming an actress and focusing less on being famous.
2
Take drama in high school or secondary school. If your secondary education option offers it, drama is a good way to begin acting early on. Acting requires you to understand complex scripts, memorize hundreds of lines, and have the ability to perform in front of an audience. Taking drama in high school, for example, will give you an introduction into many of these key acting areas. Make sure to audition or register, depending on what’s required.
- Famous Actresses can be stars of stage or screen. Voice only work is common too such as radio or movie voiceover rolls.^{[3]
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- Taking drama in school can improve interpersonal skills, as well as, mental, physical, and emotional development.^{[4]
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3
Determine if you prefer stage, film or TV acting. Stage and screen acting are in very different environments.^{[5]
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Research source} Stage acting is a performance in front of a live audience. You'll be given time to rehearse and learn lines more so than on film or in a television show. You’ll learn stage acting in high school drama, but some of these skills also translate to the screen.
- Other differences include the ability to vocalize. Acting for television and film, utilizes microphones that are able to pick up minute sounds, while you need to resonate vocally on stage.
- Costume changes often have to occur much quicker with stage acting.
4
Major in acting in college or another tertiary education option such as an acting school. When looking for colleges or universities to attend, consider selecting an acting school. Some of the best schools for drama and the performing arts include The Juilliard School, Yale School of Drama, Carnegie Mellon University, and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts.^{[6]
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- Many of the top drama schools require an audition in order to be admitted.
- Try building a strong portfolio and take all the roles you can get while you're in high school to increase your odds of getting into a performing arts college.
- The competition for admission is often very fierce and includes filing a lot of paperwork.
5
Take opportunities to perform. Don’t shy away from a role if a producer or director thinks you’re a fit for it. If your high-school drama teacher wants you to be the lead role in the play, take the opportunity. In order to build your skills and develop your talent, you need to actively perform in front of an audience.
- You may have to perform in unpaid roles until you’re paid as a professional actress.
- Try to take roles that challenge you and will give you a greater diversity of skill.
6
Keep physically fit and active. Roles may require you to be in physically good shape to execute certain maneuvers or fit a certain image for production. Stage acting also takes physical prowess and endurance in order to continue vocalizing lines and doing actions on stage. By maintaining good physical health, you'll prevent casting directors from dismissing you because of the shape you're in.
- You obviously don't have to be a size 0, but you need to stay healthy and be able of adapt your appearance.
- Getting sick may also halt production if you've been cast in a critical role. Make sure to take vitamins and maintain a healthy and balanced diet.
- Make sure to get enough sleep.
7
Learn new skills, like singing and dancing, to broaden your talent. While it’s not necessary to learn how to dance, sing, or play an instrument in order to act, these skills will make broaden your range and make you more appealing to casting directors. See if you can take an extra class at a community center or get a special tutor to teach you these skills. Horse riding, archery, gymnastics, diving, martial arts, conjuring, juggling and circus skills are all performance skills that may increase your ability to become a famous actress.
- Anna Kendrick, Kristen Bell, and Emmy Rossum can sing, dance and act.
- If you want to become a famous musical star, then singing and dancing are usually a necessary talents to have.
8
Practice frequently to hone your skills. A great way to see your own progress is by taping yourself everyday to see how your acting skills are developing. Once you’re done with your scene each day, go over the tape and write notes on things that you can do to improve.^{[7]
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Research source} Practice audition scripts at home, and get friends who act to help you.
- Choose scripts in a genre that you find specifically challenging like comedy, romance, or drama, and practice them to hone your versatility.
- You can also do voice or movement specific exercises to improve specific aspects of your acting ability.^{[8]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Getting Auditions

1
Get a headshot taken by a photographer. A good headshot is critical to getting roles. Casting directors may see your headshot and call you in for auditions. Look online for photographers that specialize in headshots in your area and give them a call to schedule an appointment. Headshots exist to inform the casting director of your look, age, and who you are.
- Professional level headshots can be expensive, but a high-end headshot will help you stand out from the crowd.^{[9]
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  Martin Bentsen
  Acting Coach & Headshot Photographer
  Expert Interview. 8 May 2020.}
- Be as natural as you can in your headshot—you want to look like the best version of yourself.
2
Hire an agent. A good agent will have existing network connections in the industry and be able to get you auditions for roles that you wouldn't be able to get yourself. Set up meetings with management agencies and talk to different people in the industry to get referrals. Agents help you prepare for auditions and can impart useful knowledge about a career in acting to you. They may also help negotiate pay in some circumstances as well.
- Many agents charge you 10% of your earnings.^{[10]
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  Research source} Be wary of any agent who charges more than 15-20%, as well as any agency that promises to make you famous in exchange for a flat fee.^{[11]
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  Expert Source
  
  Martin Bentsen
  Acting Coach & Headshot Photographer
  Expert Interview. 8 May 2020.}
- Focus on applying with agencies that specialize in actors with a similar brand to yours. For instance, if you have a more intense look and you're hoping to break into horror films, look at agencies who've successfully helped other horror stars make it big.^{[12]
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  Martin Bentsen
  Acting Coach & Headshot Photographer
  Expert Interview. 8 May 2020.}
- Make sure to thoroughly look through any contract with an attorney or similar qualified professional before signing any agreements or contracts.
3
Surround yourself with other people in the acting industry. Networking in the acting industry is critically important and it can help you land roles if you know the right people. Make sure to keep in touch with directors and other actors and actresses and you may be the first in mind for a specific role.
- Remember to be pleasant and be easy to work with and talk with. If you get a bad reputation, it may make it harder for you to get auditions.
- Many actors will continue to work with the same people through their career.
- Never turn down the opportunity to attend a meeting to talk about a potential role or a new project someone is working on.
- Try looking for opportunities to work on-set, like production assistant jobs. That could help you make connections that may lead to extra roles or even larger parts.^{[13]
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  Expert Source
  
  Martin Bentsen
  Acting Coach & Headshot Photographer
  Expert Interview. 8 May 2020.}
4
Remain persistent, even when you are rejected. You won’t get all of the roles you audition for, but it doesn’t mean you should throw in the towel. Continue to hone your craft and network in the industry, and you’ll eventually you’ll be able to become a famous actress.
- Matt Le Blanc struggled to land a role for years before he ended up on the hit show “Friends” in 1994.^{[14]
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- If you keep getting rejected for the same roles, try to switch up the types of roles you’re auditioning for.
5
Attend agent workshops. Agent workshops or showcases are opportunities for actors to showcase their skills in front of casting directors or producers. Actors attend these workshops and do read scripts to potentially land roles in the future.^{[15]
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- Make sure that when you attend one of these workshops you’re dressed well and you’ve prepared a monologue.
6
Look for open casting calls in your area. There are sometimes open opportunities for actors to land a role in a movie or play depending on where you live. Most open casting calls require the actor have a head shot, and a resume of past performance.
- Check casting websites like Backstage, Actor's Access, Casting Networks, Project Casting, Casting Call Hub, Explore Talent, and Mandy to find casting calls and even opportunities to submit auditions online.^{[16]
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  Expert Source
  
  Martin Bentsen
  Acting Coach & Headshot Photographer
  Expert Interview. 8 May 2020.}
- Starting as an extra will give you insight into film production and performance.
- Don’t turn down opportunities to do commercials. Dakota Fanning, Farrah Fawcett, and Jodie Foster all starred in commercials before hitting the big screen.^{[17]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Staying Relevant and Popular

1
Hone your craft by practicing. Even after you’ve hit the big screen, it’s important that you improve over the duration of your career. That means learning from other actors, practicing your roles, and understanding screenwriting and characterization.
- Method actresses completely embody the role, taking on the personality and life of the character they are playing. This makes the performance more organic.^{[18]
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- As time changes, acting methods also change. Make sure to stay up on the latest trends and take advice from successful actors an actresses in the industry, even if they’re younger than you.
2
Be selective when choosing roles and pick good scripts. An easy way for an actress to fade into obscurity is to select poor roles. Don’t rely on your agent to choose things for you and read every script before accepting a role. Refuse roles that may hurt your career in the future. Additionally, don’t take similar roles on in succession or else you may be typecast.
- Be realistic with your acting range, and choose roles that you can be capable in.
- Don’t take roles that make you feel uncomfortable or require nudity, foul language or what you consider to be an immoral message if you don’t want to.
3
Understand your fan base. Once you have built a following, consider what it is that thrills your fans, what they like about you. Doing something vastly out of character could hurt your career, and make your fans turn on you. Staying to a succinct brand will retain many of your fans.
- Even though humans don’t have one dimensional personalities, as a famous actress you will be a role model to girls and women across the globe.
4
Stay active and keep looking for new roles. Because of how fast news and information is spread, it’s important that you stay in the forefront of people’s minds. Taking a couple of years off may mean people forget about you in that duration of time. Stay active and keep working. This may mean putting off relationships, having a family or developing a relationship.
- Some actors create bonds with producers or directors and go on to make numerous movies with the same people.
5
Move to an acting focused city. Moving to a city that has more auditioning opportunities available will mean that you’ll have more chances to find work. Keep in mind that this also means that the competition will be tougher in these areas. The best cities for acting include Los Angeles California, Baton Rouge Louisiana, Albuquerque New Mexico, Auckland, Mumbai etc. Research carefully if you are going to invest in relocating.^{[19]
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Trustworthy Source
US Bureau of Labor Statistics
U.S. government agency that collects and reports labor-related information
Go to source}
- Being around other actresses will also allow you to network in the industry and learn new things.
- In many acting centric cities the cost of living is higher than average.
6
Network through social media and YouTube. Social media has allowed a greater connection between actresses and fans, and is a must if you want to stay relevant today. Make sure to maintain a succinct social media and work with your manager or agent to develop a good strategy. Digital video has also made it easier to come out with custom content, and delivering this to your fans for free will help grow your your fanbase and career.
- Posting ignorant or negative things on social media can destroy your career. Make sure to work with your manager on what to say and not to say.
- Don’t get in fights on social media because it will lower your brand.
- Run videos that you post by your team to make sure that they will be liked by your fans.

Expert Q&A
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Question

What should I look for when I'm choosing an agent?

Martin Bentsen
Acting Coach & Headshot Photographer
Martin Bentsen is a New York City-based Acting Coach and Headshot Photographer. Focusing on developing an actor's ability to book more work, Martin advises clients on professional headshots, demo reels, biographies, websites, and how to connect with talent agents. He has taught actor marketing strategies at New York University, The Actor's Green Room, and Actor's Connection. He has taken over 6,000 headshots for City Headshots and teaches actors via classes, emails, and one-on-one consultations. Martin holds a BFA in Film and Television from New York University.

Martin Bentsen

Acting Coach & Headshot Photographer

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

You want to be careful of scams. For instance, there are fake agencies out there that will tell you they'll make you famous in exchange for a flat fee of $1000. Also, be careful of agents who charge much more than 15%. In general, 20% is the upper limit.
Question

Must every famous actress be pretty?

Community Answer

No, there are plenty of famous, fan-favorite actresses with a large box-office draw who are not best described as "pretty."
Question

I love acting and I want to be a professional actress but I'm scared to audition. I'm also concerned about school.

Community Answer

The only way to get over performance jitters is to performance and push through the fear. Many actresses have are afraid to perform or have some sort of anxiety. You can attend school, get good grades, and still do your core subjects while learning to act.