Play parts in stage, television, radio, video, or motion picture productions for entertainment, information, or instruction. Interpret serious or comic role by speech, gesture, and body movement to entertain or inform audience. May dance and sing.
Significant Points
- Actors endure long periods of unemployment, intense competition for roles, and frequent rejections in auditions.
- Formal training through a university or acting conservatory is typical; however, many actors, producers, and directors find work on the basis of their experience and talent alone.
- Because earnings for actors are erratic, many supplement their incomes by holding jobs in other fields.
National Outlook
| 2004 Total Employment | 73,000 |
| 2014 Expected Employment | 85,000 |
| Change (Percent) | 11,000 ( 16.1) |
| Total Openings | 21,000 |