Begin an Acting Career After 30? Yes, You Can!
Why there is no age limit to becoming an actor
(By Javier Guerra)
(Photo: Moose Photos | Pexels)
What is a good age to become an actor? What age is too late to become an actor? Is 21 too old? How about 35? How about age 50?
The great thing about being an actor is that there is no age limit. There is no such thing as starting too early or starting too late. You can be discovered at age 12, age 18, age 40 or age 70!
There are plenty of actors who didn’t find success until later in life. One of my favorite stories is Ann Dowd. She pursued the craft for quite a while but never had much success.
Related: Top 10 List of Actors Who Found Success Later in Life
She finally broke through when she landed the role of Sandra Frum in the film Compliance (2012).
“Well, as it turns out, I was in my fifties, and I was 56 when I did the film called Compliance, which shifted things for me tremendously.”
(Ann Dowd)
Her career finally took off – at age 56! Since then, she’s been in numerous movies and television shows, most notably as Aunt Lydia on The Handmaid’s Tale.
The important thing to remember about age, when it comes to this industry, is that age doesn’t determine when your breakout moment will come.
Breakout moments are about timing, patience and luck. It’s about being in the right place at the right time. Being 21 doesn’t necessarily put you in the right place at the right time, any more than does being 41.
The other thing about becoming an older actor is that, with age, comes patience. A younger person may not have the maturity to wait for their breakout moments. So, they quit.
(Photo: Moose Photos | Pexels)
An older actor is in much better shape, from a maturity standpoint, to handle the highs and lows that come with being in a competitive industry.
Older actors tend to also be more committed. They have experienced more of life. They know what they want to do and are more determined to do it.
Also, check out this article by Tonya Tannenbaum. She makes a great point about the fact that older actors may benefit from a shrinking pool of talent. As younger actors become frustrated with the business and drop out, it leaves a lot of room for older actors who have managed to persevere.
So, forget about your age and just get to it. It’s never too late to be a successful actor!
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