So, how do you succeed if you don’t look the part? Well, actors who make it in Hollywood usually master these three traits:
- Patience: This is one virtue you must have when working as an actor. Actors who race like a tortoise and not like a hare are more likely to succeed. It takes time to develop your craft as well as a name for yourself. The more people you meet in Hollywood, the more chances you will have for opportunity. The patience comes with knowing that one day that opportunity will present itself.
- Persistence: The one thing that most successful actors will tell you that they did on their road to success was that they never, ever gave up. Persistence is by far the most important virtue to have if you want to be successful as an actor. You have to believe that with each new day you are one step closer to your goal. The only way to lose is give up along the way. Stay focused and stay driven and success will find you.
- Passion: Acting is a craft that demands the utmost passion -- passion not only for the craft itself but also for the role that you are playing. Passion means commitment. By committing yourself to a character, you literally breathe life into that person. But also commit yourself to the idea of becoming a successful actor and more than likely you will achieve your goal.
One of the most important things you must learn about rejection is not to take it personally. Understand that the reason most producers, writers and directors choose the actors they choose is because in their minds they believe they most accurately portray the image of the character they have created. By learning and living by this general rule, it will allow you avoid being negatively affected by those roles that you don’t get while at the same time helping you better appreciate the roles you do.
Acting is such a difficult profession because there is only so much you can control and one of the main reasons that you might not get a particular role is because of something about you. It might be the way you talk, the way you walk, your age, your height, or any number of reasons. But if you give the best audition you can for every role you’re up for, you will eventually make a name for yourself and give yourself the best chance for long term success.