It Takes More than Talent

It Takes More than Talent

Before you leap into an acting career, take an honest look at your personality. Do you have what it takes to become an actor? If you answered, "Sure! I've got plenty of talent!" that's great. But it's only a start. Below is a list of qualities that will serve you well on your journey to fame:

Patience. It can take years of spaghetti dinners, lousy parts, and shabby apartments before you get your first substantial break. Can you make the sacrifice without stressing out?

A thick skin. Embarking on an acting career means inviting rejection into your life on a daily basis. It's not personal. It's just the way the business functions. If you want to be happy, don't let it rattle your sense of self.

Motivation: When it seems like there are no opportunities out there for you, do you sit around and whine? Or do you do something about it? Create projects yourself if you have to, but keep working.

A practical streak: It's great that you're creative and artistic, but you need to develop some business sense, too. That part in your friend's student film won't get you an Oscar, but it'll look good on our reel. The dog food commercial your agent set up will pay next month's rent. And learning to file your taxes properly will keep the IRS off your back.

The right attitude: It's all about the fame, the money, the glamour, right? Wrong. It's about the passion and the craft. Day in, day out, going out there and doing it again. Make sure you love it.

A self-nurturing instinct: You've just received your fiftieth agent rejection, your landlady is threatening to evict you, and even your most supportive friends are hinting it's time to get a real job. Do you berate yourself for your failures? Or do you draw a hot bath and pamper yourself? The ability to treat yourself lovingly even when everything is going wrong will keep you sane and centered.