Actor resume example & writing guide

What should your actor resume include?   

As an actor, you’ll want to highlight key performances to grab the attention of casting agents, producers, and directors. An acting resume differs from a typical resume, which gives detailed examples of your experience and achievements. Casting agents are looking to see what roles you’ve played in the past and the productions you’ve performed in. However, much like a traditional resume, you’ll need to create an impressive professional summary that highlights your best performances and most prominent skills.  

Why use this actor resume example?

Making a great first impression is vital for an actor. Our resume example starts with a direct and succinct professional summary that provides the hiring manager with a snapshot of your acting success. This is closely followed by the all-important career experience section that outlines your credits and details of any related work experience in the entertainment industry. Education then wraps up this stellar actor resume.

Writing a great resume that highlights your background, education, and experience will go a long way to getting you where you want to be in your acting career. Casting agents, producers, and directors are typically time-pressed and will be reviewing tons of resumes. Using this actor’s resume example and writing guide will help you stand out and get the role you want!

Which key skills are relevant for an actor's resume?

When listing skills for an actor resume, make sure they are relevant to the job you want to audition for and be specific. If you sing, what’s your voice range? If you have stage combat training, in what style? The more specific you are, the more helpful you’ll be to casting directors. You should adjust the order of your skills if a job calls for a certain ability. If no specific skills are listed, consider what the casting agents might find unique about you.  Here are some key skills to include:

• Creativity

• Dancing and singing

• Film/Television/Theatre acting

• Accents

• Stage combat

• Improvisation

• Memorization ability

• Teamwork 

• Languages (including proficiency level)

How should you describe your work experience as an actor?   

The all-important work experience section is your opportunity to show the casting agent why you’re the perfect actor for the job. Align your resume with the role you’re looking to audition for, taking into consideration your past theatrical or film experience to tailor your resume for the job that’s being cast. If you don’t have experience in the type of role that’s being cast–for example, you want to audition for a commercial but you only have theatrical experience–then you should list your roles in the order of their relevance to targeted position. 

Once you’ve listed your credits, you can also include information on any related jobs you’ve had in the entertainment arena. If you’ve worked as a production assistant, set designer, or runner for example, you can include a brief outline of your responsibilities, along with bullet-pointed accomplishments. These roles will have provided you with valuable transferable skills and experience that can compliment your acting career. Check the acting brief so you can align your work experience with the specific role you’re targeting.

How can you create a professional summary for an actor's resume?   

The professional profile is your initial audition, so it needs to open like a great actor entering stage right. This doesn’t need to be a lengthy introduction, but you need to convey your accomplishments and key skills in order to hook the casting agent. Creating a snapshot of your level of experience and acting expertise via one sentence, followed by a short bullet-pointed list of your key qualifications is one way to get noticed.

Focus on displaying your personality in your professional summary and your ability to perform. Describing yourself as dynamic, talented, confident, collaborative, engaging, and accomplished will drive home that you're the ideal person for the job. Language skills are important to highlight here too as well as any additional skills you’ve acquired, such as script writing, editing, or production support.

Tips on developing an on-point education section for your actor resume 

Outlining relevant education or certifications can really improve the performance of your actor resume. Here’s some key areas to focus on:

• Highlight relevant qualifications in reverse chronological order. Include your highest qualification first, for example a master’s degree in film studies would precede a bachelor’s degree in a related field. These should be listed by qualification level, subject, and institution, with the year only  included if within the last five years.

• Showcase any notable coursework or achievements. If you’ve completed relevant coursework with professional actors or secured roles in TV, film, or theater related to your academic studies, then make sure to include this information under the relevant education.

How to select the correct actor resume template?

The structure of your resume needs to be professional and impactful, all qualities the casting director will be on the lookout for in their next actor. Stick to reverse chronological format in terms of your credit, clean and modern resume design, and clear sections that make the resume easy to read for the hiring manager. When you only have about seven seconds to impress a recruiter, you need to make sure your format is on point.

And don't forget to proofread to eliminate spelling or grammatical errors. Remember, your resume is your “calling card,” and it should present you professionally, concisely, and accurately.