GETTING STARTED

5 Common Myths About Child Acting
(And What Parents Should Know Instead)

BY JENN BOYCE

FORMER HOLLYWOOD TALENT AGENT & FOUNDER OF THE HOLLYWOOD PREP

After 30 years as a Talent Agent, I heard a LOT of the same worries, questions and assumptions from parents walking into my office.

And I get it. When you’re new to this business, you don’t know what you don’t know—and it’s really easy to look at what another child is doing and think, “Wait…should we be doing that too?”

Usually, the answer is not necessarily. 😂

So let’s talk about five of the biggest myths I heard over the years and what was actually happening on the other side of the Agent’s desk.

Because understanding how this business really works can save you a whole lot of worry, second-guessing and, hopefully, a few expensive mistakes along the way.

Jenn Boyce, former Hollywood talent agent and founder of The Hollywood Prep

30 years behind the Agent’s desk.
Here’s what I wish parents knew.

“My Child’s Path Should Look Like Someone Else’s”

This is one of the easiest traps to fall into as a parent.

Your child’s friend gets an Agent.

Someone from acting class books a series.

You see another mom post that her child just had their third callback this month.

And suddenly you’re thinking:

“Wait…why isn’t that happening for us?”

Please don’t do that to yourself.

Every child’s career path is different.

This business isn’t like most others. Your child can take great acting classes, have fantastic headshots, have a wonderful Agent, give great auditions and do everything they’re supposed to do…

And still not book the job.

There are so many factors that go into a Casting decision that are completely outside of your control.

Maybe they need someone taller.

Shorter.

Someone who looks more like the actor already cast as their parent.

Maybe another child simply fits what the Director had pictured for that particular role.

At the end of the day, it’s either your child’s job or it’s not.

That’s why I don’t want you measuring your child’s success against someone else’s.

The only thing your child can control is what they bring into the room—or these days, onto the tape.

Show up prepared.

Do the work.

Listen.

Take direction.

And show them what makes you special.

That’s it.

Then you let it go and move on to the next one.

Your child’s career doesn’t need to look like anyone else’s to be successful.

“The More Money I Spend, the Better My Child Will Do”

Actually, sometimes the opposite can be true.

You do not have to do EVERYTHING.

I don’t want your child in acting class and coaching every single day. Yes, training is important, but they’re also a kid—and they need time to be a kid.

They need friends.

They need hobbies.

They need sports, dance, music, video games, gymnastics, skateboarding…whatever they’re into.

And those hobbies are important for their acting career too.

Remember, Directors aren’t looking for little acting robots. 😂

They’re looking for real kids who also happen to be good actors.

FROM MY AGENT DAYS

Zach was just Zach

Zach Mills was one of those kids for me. He was incredibly talented and natural, but what I remember most is that Zach was just Zach.

He wasn’t trying to show everyone what a great little actor he was. He wasn’t performing for the room. He was just this really grounded, funny, incredibly talented kid—and that was a huge part of what made him so good.

They want kids who are interesting, well-rounded and have experiences outside of acting. And you never know when one of those hobbies or special skills is going to be exactly what gets your child an opportunity.

I also don’t want you wasting money because you think spending more means you’re doing more for your child’s career.

The most expensive acting class isn’t automatically the best class.

You don’t need every workshop.

You don’t need to buy every program someone tells you your child “needs.”

Spend your money where it matters, and let your child have a life outside of acting.

Sometimes doing less—but doing the right things—is much better than trying to do everything.

If you’re trying to figure out what kind of training is actually worth investing in, I break down the different options in my guide to What Types of Acting Classes Are Best for Child Actors?

“If My Child Isn’t Booking, Something Must Be Wrong.”

Not necessarily.

Actually, one of the first things I would ask you is:

Are they getting callbacks?

Are they being called in again by the same Casting Directors?

Because those things matter.

This is a marathon, not a sprint.

Every time your child turns in a great audition, they’re building a relationship with that Casting office—even if they don’t book the job.

Casting may watch your child and think they’re fantastic, but they weren’t right for this role. Then another breakdown comes across their desk three months later and they remember them.

“Oh, I liked that kid. Let’s bring them in for this.”

That’s how careers are built.

Sometimes it simply wasn’t your child’s job.

Sometimes it wasn’t their time.

And after watching careers unfold for 30 years, I’d add one more thing:

STOP TRYING TO PREDICT THE MEANING OF EVERY AUDITION.

The audition your child is devastated about not booking may end up being for a project that never gets made. The tiny project nobody thinks much about may become something huge. A job they desperately wanted may do absolutely nothing for their career, while an audition they almost skipped could introduce them to a Casting Director who brings them back for years.

You simply don’t know yet.

And that’s one of the hardest things about this business—especially as a parent. You want to know what everything means. Was that a good audition? Did we mess something up? Should we have done something differently? Was that the opportunity?

Most of the time, you won’t know until much later.

So do the work. Show up prepared. Give your child the best opportunity you can to do their job—and then let the rest go.

That doesn’t mean something is wrong or that you immediately need new headshots, a new acting class, a new Agent and a complete career overhaul. 😂

Look for the little signs that tell you you’re moving in the right direction.

Callbacks matter. Being called back by the same Casting office matters. Building relationships matters.

The booking will come when your child is the right kid for the right role at the right time.

“My Agent Gets My Child the Job”

Nope.

Your Agent’s job is to get your child in the “room.” After that, it’s completely up to your child.

As an Agent, I could submit you, pitch you, get Casting interested and get you the audition.

But I couldn’t go into that audition and do it for you.

So if your child is consistently getting auditions, your Agent is doing their job.

Now we need to look at what happens with those opportunities.

Is your child prepared?

Are they making strong choices?

Are they taking direction?

Are they giving Casting a reason to remember them?

And even when they do ALL of those things, they still might not book. As we just talked about, there are so many things that go into a Casting decision that neither you, your child nor your Agent can control.

I used to tell my clients:

My job is to get you the opportunity. Your job is to book the job.

We’re a team, but we each have a different job to do.

And if you’re still trying to figure out when your child actually needs representation, I talk more about that in Does My Child Need a Talent Agent to Start Acting?

“Once We Get an Agent, We’re All Set”

Oh no. 😂

Now the work is just getting started.

Getting a Talent Agent is exciting, but there is still so much to learn about how this industry works.

But don’t stress. You don’t need to know everything overnight.

The biggest thing I want you to do now is listen to your Agent and become that can-do parent we’ve been talking about.

If your Agent says:

“I’m struggling with these headshots. I think we need new ones.”

Instead of immediately getting defensive or thinking, But we JUST spent money on these! your response should be:

“Oh no! What do you need?”

That’s a can-do parent.

Be responsive.

Keep your child’s materials updated.

Make sure your Agent has everything they need to get your child auditions.

Have your child prepared and ready when opportunities come in.

Make your Agent’s life easier.

And make them look good.

Because when your Agent sends your child into a Casting office, your child is representing them too. I want Casting to know that when your Agent sends your child in, they’re going to be prepared, professional and ready to go.

Getting an Agent isn’t the finish line. It’s the beginning of a whole new part of the journey.

And you don’t have to figure it all out at once. Listen, learn, ask questions and keep showing up prepared.